Hopes and Dreams: Day 30

Day 30: List 10 things you would hope to be remembered for.

1. My charming and quick wit.
2. My fun and delightful personality.
3. My ability to handle the booze.
4. My can-do attitude.
5. My kids' awesome baby clothes.
6. My kick-a** scooter.
7. My "doesn't look a day over 30" middle-age body.
8. My pie recipes.
9. My..........boobs?
10. My inability to care about these Hopes and Dreams.

Also, I think I picked March to do this because I thought there were only 30 days in March. So it would work out perfectly. I was, obviously, wrong. There are 31. So, ummm....crap. Fun fact! March 2013 has five Fridays, Saturdays, AND Sundays. Now how often does that happen, eh? Eh? No, really - how often does that happen??

Hopes and Dreams: Day 29

Day 29: What do you think people misunderstand most about you?

Ummmm....Now I see why I stopped doing these when there were only like 2 left (to you the timeline seems seamless (seems seamless? ha!) but it's been WEEKS since I wrote one of these. WEEKS). This one is dumb. DUMB, I SAY! I don't know. My hair? Well, my personality because of my hair. That's a cop-out. "Ooohhh, I'm different - people judge me - oooohhh...." I also have tattoos! Such a rebel.

I don't know. I don't care for this question. I'm ending this now.

Hopes and Dreams: Day 28

Day 28: What is your love language?

Oh, oh - I know this one! (If you have no idea what this means, go here.) Mine were Quality Time and Physical Touch...let me retake it and see if they've changed!

BaZING! Still the same! I think Receiving Gifts might have moved up. I don't really remember anymore. Words of Affirmation has always been my lowest. And it's Mr. T's #1. Which is one of the issues with our marriage. lol! Ah, well...working on it!

Hopes and Dreams: Day 27

Day 27: What is your favorite part of your body and why?

I guess I'll say my hair? I have a good natural color, and my hair has a great texture. I don't have to do anything too special and it's fairly smooth and shiny. It's also the quickest and easiest way to alter your appearance. Cut it, bleach it, dye it, curl it, pull it back, put it up, add accessories...the possibilities are endless! I hated my hair (cuts) for a long time, but I've had a lot of fun with it the past few years. I've dyed it every color under the sun, almost, and had lots of fun cuts. It's also the only part of your body that doesn't gain weight. 8P

Hopes and Dreams: Day 26

Day 26: What popular notion do you think the world has most wrong?

Five day work weeks. Just think about it! Four days a week, tack on an extra couple of hours each day. Three day weekends! One less day of commuting! Think of all the gas we'd save! All the free time we'd have! What do you honestly do on weekdays when you get off work? NOTHING. Because you have to go to bed so soon! At the very least, let me work from home one day a week. 8P

Hopes and Dreams: Day 25

Day 25: If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you eat?

I kind of regret starting this now. Only 5 more days, Mrs. Wilson - stay strong! But geeze...some of these are dumb. I don't really care to meet any historical figures. They'd probably smell. Do you know how bad hygiene was back then? "When?" you may ask. Does it matter?? Go back 100 years and smell what people smelled like. No, thank you. Plus, the only historical people anyone remembers are really smart. Or famous. Either way, I have nothing to talk about with them. Plus, have you seen me? Go back too far in time and I'll just freak them the f out. Pants! Tattoos! Weird hair! Contact lenses! Granted, they probably wouldn't see those...but what if it came up?? Or I had my cell phone out?! They'd flip. Plus it would totally alter history. No, thank you, I say. I won't be the one to accidentally cause Hitler to be even worse. But I would like a steak, please. With potatoes and steamed vegetables. That are actually cooked all the way through this time, and not still crunchy like the last time I went to Applebee's.

Hopes and Dreams: Day 24

Day 24: Describe your family dynamic of your childhood vs. your family dynamic now.

Ummm.... Let's see. I'm about a decade younger than my to siblings. So I was kind of an only child, in a way. They were both away at school before I was even 10. So my memories of living with them are a bit fuzzy. Now that I'm an adult and my sister is also an adult (wow!) we're a lot closer than we used to be. My brother was the oldest (still is, actually...) so he was almost a parent to me, in a way. So we still kind of have that dynamic. He's like a cool, younger dad. lol! I wish he lived closer because I never get to see him. Of course, my sister lives in the same town and I never get to see her, either! As far as my parents go...I'm definitely still their baby girl. But I'm also an adult, so that's been an interesting transition. What with the tattoos and the alcohols and the...whatever else I do to stress them out - cleavage showing!! Yup, everything's changed while managing to stay exactly the same. Isn't that how all families are?

Hopes and Dreams: Day 23

Day 23: List your top 5 hobbies and why you love them.

omg, really guys? Hobbies? I don't have hobbies... Blah!

1. Facebook/Google Reader. Yes, this is totally a hobby. I spend a good portion of my life doing it. I find interesting things via my subscriptions and I post them on FB. I wish I could make a living doing it. Easy money!
2. Ummm...reading. I read a lot. If you'll notice my Goodreads widget over to the right somewhere...I'm doing the 2013 Reading Challenge and attempting to read 100 books. I tried this last year, but didn't start until around March/April so I failed. This year I'm ahead!! Since I'm post-dating this I can't say for sure where I'll be when it get published. But at the time of me typing these words, I'm 2 books ahead of schedule. Go me!
3. I guess another hobby I've picked up recently is DIY. Seems like that's all I talk about these days! But it's fun. 8P I like that I can make things more cheaply than I can buy them, and I can say "I made this. Aren't I awesome??"
4. Huh...two more hobbies... I used to play video games, but haven't in awhile. So that doesn't count. Gah - I don't know what else I do outside of the three things I mentioned! Other than boring stuff like work and eating. I guess I could say blogging? Yes! Blogging is a hobby I have. Go me with my blog self. 8P
5. Stressing my parents out. This isn't a hobby I enjoy, but it's something I do fairly regularly. At least more so than my siblings. Booze, cleavage, tattoos...is there no end to the naughty ways of Mrs. Wilson?!?

Hopes and Dreams: Day 22

Day 22: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?

5 years:
I will be 29 years old. So I should have a kid, maybe two. In the process of adopting a 2nd/3rd. I would be okay if I were still at this same job. Hopefully with five years of raises under me. ;) Umm...honestly, other than that all I got for you is a big old *shrug.

10 years:
I will be 34 years old. Ah!! Not going to say "so old" because it's going to be here before I know it. All my kids will be in school, smart little buggers that they are. Hopefully by then Mr. T will have an established shop of his own and we'll be making a profit!

15 years:
I will be 39!!! Halfway to retirement. 8} Maybe by then I'll be able to work from home a lot (hopefully before then, but I'm trying to not assume too much, so it's more exciting when it finally happens) so I can help Mr. T with his shop and be around for my kids. Coolest mom in the PTA.

Hopes and Dreams: Day 21

Day 21: If you could have one superpower, what would it be and what would you do with it first?

Dude. Flying. E'erytime. This will never not be flying, if you ask me. FLYING WOULD BE THE COOLEST THING EVER. I would fly everywhere. EVERYwhere. So much fun!

Hopes and Dreams: Day 20

Day 20: Describe 3 significant memories from your childhood.

1. Man...I remember stupid stuff. Like...there was this one place in our kindergarten class that everyone wanted to sleep in during nap time. It was back behind this screen, on a bench. It was like your own little private cubby hole. And then one day this girl peed back there, and no one ever used it again.
2. I went horseback riding with one of my best friends when we were in middle school. Midway down the trail my horse just stopped. I was like "wtf?" except my sensitive mind would have never even thought the letter 'f', much less the word "f*ck" - even if the 'u' was left out. Then, out of the corner of my eye I see the horse's hind leg creepin....it comes up, and scratches the horse's ear! Like a dog does! It was crazy! My friend that was with me later died in a car accident, so I'm not 100% sure if this is a real memory. I have no one to corroborate with. Also, I'm really sad that she passed away. That really really really sucked.
3. There was this guy I had a crush on...I ended up liking him from 4th grade through 8th grade. I got over it in high school because he started getting really...weird. (Turns out he's gay.) He gave me a note in the 4th grade, asking if I liked him. I said "maybe" and it was never brought up again. I held on to that note...for an awkward amount of time. Not that I still have it, but I probably held onto it for a couple years, at least.

I don't know that any of those were "significant" other than for the fact that I remember them. And they were the first three that popped in my head. There is also the time my sister told me she could tell time by the sun, then held her arm up to "measure" (a.k.a. look at her wristwatch) and gave me the exact time, to the minute. I ran into Mom and Dad's room and it blew my mind that she was right!! Ummm...the first time I ever rode the horse that may or may not have scratched its ear? She bucked me off. In Kindergarten, when you lost your first tooth you got this awesome little goody bag of stuff. I didn't lose my first tooth until the summer after Kindergarten. I thought my dad's middle name was "Partin" because his parents had him before they were married (his mom's maiden name is Partin). My brother was old enough that he could drive me to school, and I made him walk up the sidewalk with me instead of staying in the car. Me and a couple of my friends got in big trouble in the 3rd grade because we pinched people. Every recess. We'd just...pinch people. Oh oh oh! My teacher made us learn the Macarena as a class. We performed it in the hallway and they took pictures for the yearbook.

I've lost all my yearbooks from elementary school....I need to find those!!

Hopes and Dreams: Day 19

Day 19: If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?

Believe it or not, I'm still totally in love with my house. I would get rid of my neighbors and their stupid barking dogs...but I'm digging my actual house. And I think TN is a pretty cool place to live. Four seasons every year...no extreme weather, other than the occasional tornado...you can drive to a beach in less than a day. And as much as the US sucks, I don't think I'd really want to live in another country.

So, yeah - make my neighbors move, tear down their house and turn it into a bigger yard for me, and my house is perfection. 8}

Hopes and Dreams: Day 18

Day 18: What has been the most difficult thing you have had to forgive?

Hmmm... Nothing super terrible has happened to me.

I dated douchebag for about a year, and he was pretty terrible. He was just...an idiot. He told me we might "accidentally" have sex one night, that he would more than likely cheat on me and I had to be okay with that, he was happy when he graduated while I was still in school so he wouldn't have to go to church with me for two years (before we got married, I suppose). He also talked about his ex a lot (they had been engaged). He had a ton of pictures of her that he wouldn't throw out (including some porn on his computer). When I finally did break up with him he took back everything he had given me, including his old wireless router he had given me when he bought a nicer one and the PSP he bought me. He had originally given me his old PSP when he bought a new one. Then he dropped it and broke it and insisted on buying me a brand new one, even though I told him not to. And then, since one of the reasons I broke it off was because of the whole "don't like church" thing, he got baptized by my college minister at my church to try and get me back. I mean....wtf?

The only other thing that still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth is what my cousin did regarding some pictures of me she saw online. If you know the story, good for you. If you don't...you can dig through the archives or just not worry about it.

Oh oh oh - and MC!


Actually - I don't think I've forgiven any of these people. I'm still pretty bitter. I have this app called Fig and you list things you need to do, and how often you need to do them. Like...drink water 8x per day. Exercise 4x per week. And so on. One of mine is actually "release my resentments" and much like my "avoid touching my face" goal...it's more of a reminder. I never actually go "Oh, yes - resentments released!" And 90% of the time when I see the "avoid touching my face"....I'm actually touching my face. It is a useful little app, though. Like just now when I pulled it up to make sure I phrased those two correctly I saw that I hadn't taken my vitamin yet today, so I did that. Woo, Fig!! Ooohh...I'm also due to "soak in a bath".

Hopes and Dreams: Day 17

Day 17: What is the thing you most wish you were great at?

Gah....one thing? I don't have one thing I want to be great at. I just want to be great at something! I guess I'll say "crafting". Is that too vague? I just want to be successful when I try to DIY something. So far I've done alright, so maybe I already am "great" at this... I guess I want to be happy with the results. Like the "est. 2010" string art I made - it looks pretty good, but all I can see is the imperfections. I wish I had done better. But! Oh, well. It still looks cool. Go me. 8}

Or singing. I wish I could be a great singer.

Hopes and Dreams: Day 16

Day 16: What are your 5 greatest accomplishments?

1. Learning to walk, talk, and use the toilet. Those are super important, guys.
2. Getting my BS and MS in computer science. I don't even like computer science.
3. Tricking Mr. T into marrying me.
4. Not getting knocked up in the first 2.5 years of our marriage. Another 2.5 to go!
5. Getting a sweet job right after graduation. Woot, woot!

Hopes and Dreams: Day 15

Day 15: If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

Most people would probably assume I'd say "giraffe" but I'm not. So there! SURPRISE!

No wildlife. Death comes too easy. No thank you - I want to be a spoiled little pet, if I'm going to be an animal. Preferably one that lives a fairly long life. Let's see...dog, or cat? Yeah, parrots can live much longer, but...then I'd be a bird. Stuck in a cage all the time. Same goes for turtles. Horses have to stay outside all the time. Or locked in a stall. So, yeah - either a dog or a cat.

Dogs have a pretty cool life... Running, playing, sleeping, eating...I can dig it. But cats can climb things, and that's pretty cool. I don't know that I'd want to poop in a box, though. But having to poop on the side of the road seems pretty awful, too. And then again - most cats never go outside. And really, you shouldn't let your cat out. They're killing all the wildlife. Shame on you! I'll have to pick dog, then. Cats are terrible. Well, cats that go outside are. Mine stay inside, so yay for them. But I wouldn't want to be stuck inside all the time. So, I choose dog. Woof.

Hopes and Dreams: Day 14

Day 14: Describe 5 strengths you have.

1. "We may not have great feats of strength, but we do have great strength of feet!" One of my strengths is almost remembering a movie quote and then deciding to quote it without making sure it's exactly accurate. It add spice to life.
2. I can read pretty stinking fast. Of course, my retention leaves something to be desired. But that just means I can read a book about five times before I get really sick of it. Huzzah!
3. Mr. T says I'm the hottest woman alive. So there. Take that, Heidi Klum!
4. I did something right at some point in my life, because I ended up with Mr. T - probably the only person in the world that thinks I'm the hottest woman in the world. And also the sweetest man alive.
5. I think I'm pretty cool to hang out with. I would assume at least a handful of people agree, because they hang out with me sometimes. So...yay me!

Hopes and Dreams: Day 13

Day 13: Describe 5 weaknesses you have.

What is this a job interview?

1. I'm too dedicated to my work.

Oh, it's not a job interview? Fine.

1. I'm mean. Like...grumpy and pissy and just...mean. Especially with Mr. T. I upset him a lot. He's overly sensitive and I'm overly critical. It's a terrible cycle. But we're working on it!
2. I'm very easily distracted. Especially in conversations. Especially when you're trying to talk to me while the TV is on. I may have missed my first proposal because of this. THEREWEREOTHERFACTORSALSO.
3. I use all-caps too much when blogging. I've also started using italics a lot. Like...a lot.
4. I say "like" too much. But I think everyone does. Like, totally.
5. I never know if I'm supposed to be serious or not. More often than not...I'm not. I don't like being serious. It runs in my family. Seriously. Go to a funeral on Dad's side of the family. Or Mom's even, to a lesser extent. It freaked Mr. T out not just a little bit.

Hopes and Dreams: Day 12

Day 12: Describe a typical day in your current life.

Oh, boy! Okay, so....

6:15am: SNOOZE
6:25am: SNOOZE
6:35am: Mmmmmmm....debate, debate, debate - sometimes SNOOZE, sometimes not
6:45am: Up by now - let Splinter outside, go upstairs and feed cats, come downstairs, let Splinter in, feed Splinter... Brush teeth, straighten hair, lotion it up, get dressed, mouthwash, tell Mr. T "bye" eighty-bajillion times so he remembers....
7:20am-ish: Get in the PT Cruiser - about one day a week there is an immediate swear because I realize I didn't buy gas the night before so now I have to get some. Then start the miserable drive to work.
7:30am-ish: Get stuck behind some a-hole going 5mph under the speed limit and never be able to get around him until I get into Franklin.
8:05am: Get to work. If I'm in flats I walk up the six flights (144 individual stairs) to our office. If I'm in heels (or lazy) I'll take the elevator.
8:05-8:10am: Get to my desk, tell IT peeps "Good morning!" grab my coffee mug and go to the break room. Coffee pot is probably empty, have to refill it...wait on coffee to brew. Grab my yogurt out of the fridge.
8:20am: Get back to my desk, unlock my computer and turn on my desk light. Mark off the date on my wall calendar, tear off my one-a-day calendar. Check email, Facebook, eat yogurt, drink coffee...try to avoid looking at the clock until at least 10:00am.
8:30am: Look at clock.
8:35am: Look at clock.
8:40am-12:00pm: Either work on work projects or try to keep busy with something until lunch.
12:00pm: Lunch time! Call Mr. T, walk to the break room, microwave a frozen meal, fill up my glass with ice water, eat while reading a book.....enjoy not being in my cubicle for an hour.
1:00pm: Gather all my garbage, throw it away, wash any sliverwear, refill glass, go back to my cubicle.
1:05pm: Pee.
1:10pm: Settle in for more of the same...only now my day is broken up by refilling my glass and peeing.
4:30pm: Get really excited, then watch the clock suddenly stop working properly, so each minute is actually 20.
4:50-something: Say "SOON ENOUGH!" Close all my open windows, lock computer, turn off monitor and desk light, get all my crap together and skidaddle on outta here.
5:00pm: Hate Franklin traffic.
5:30-6:00pm: Get home - fight off dog(s) freaking the f*ck out. Change clothes. Let Splinter outside, feed cats, let Splinter in, feed Splinter.
6:20pm: Debate: eat, watch TV, exercise? (Hint: exercise rarely wins)
9:00pm: Mr. T gets home!!!!!
10:30-11:30pm: Go to bed.

Hopes and Dreams: Day 11

Day 11: Describe 10 pet peeves you have.

1. Rubbing your hands on your leg while riding in a car. This is kind of random and specific, but my sister hates the sound of people chewing on ice for the self-same reason: Mom. She was a school teacher, so we always had to ride with her to school. When Sister was young, Mom chewed ice. When I was young, she rubbed her thigh. Constantly. All the way to school. Maybe she also chewed ice. And maybe she rubbed her thigh when Sister was in the car with her. But we noticed what we noticed and now we have serious psychological...quirks.
2. Not refilling the coffee pot when you get the last cup of coffee out of it. Anyone who drinks coffee and has worked in an office has this one.
3. Not cleaning out the coffee grounds after a pot of coffee has been brewed. Again, this is probably a pretty common one.
4. People who drive at (and especially under) the speed limit on the two-lane road I have to drive down to get to and from work every day.
5. People who don't use blinkers/headlights properly.
6. People who go the speed limit in the fast lane on the interstate and refuse to get over, even when there is no traffic in the right lane(s).
7. People who tailgate me when I'm at the end of a long line of traffic and have no way to do anything about it.
8. Any time I hear someone call a tattoo a "tat" or say they want to "get some ink" or anything else along those lines. tattoo - tattoo machine - tattoo shop - tattoo artist
9. Stereotyping of any sort. Unless it's me and for fun. 8P
10. People who can't come up with the last thing to add to a list of things, so they just ramble for a bit and hope no one notices. This one may just be me, though.