60 Day Challenge: Day 4: What makes you different from everyone else?

What makes me different from everyone else?

I remember being asked this question when I was in college and I responded, "I wear kids clothes." Unfortunately, I found out that other college women wear kids clothes (because they're cheaper; they fit better, and often enough you can find stuff that doesn't look like it's fit for a five-year old. Thank you Gap Jeans!)

So I guess begin petite doesn't apply anymore.

I will say, however, that I'm a good listener. I may not be able to give good advice, but if you need a sounding board, I'm pretty good at being that.

But really, how do I honestly answer this question without sounding egotistical?

60-Day Challenge: Day 3: Something you wish you did a long time ago.

I never got involved with sports as a kid. I wish I had.

After school when my friends would go off to soccer, baseball or volleyball practice, I went home and did homework. After I finished my homework, I read books. I was never really into a whole lot of physical activity, and although I consider myself to be pretty healthy now, I feel like my well being has been hurt by not getting involved with sports.

People talk about how much sports, aside from assisting in physical health, help build self-esteem, create a sense of unity with a team and develop discipline. Admittedly, I find myself lacking in some of those areas. I don't always believe in myself. I can be a bit of a loner who works better alone than as part of a team. If something persistently irks me, I'm likely to give up on it rather than continue to determinedly pursue it.

Aside from all that, I just think that being a part of an athletic team gives you something to be proud of, a feeling of accomplishment. I feel like that's something I've missed out on.

60 Day Challenge: Day 2: Your top six favorite songs.

Norah Jones-The Nearness of You
The Nearness of You has been covered numerous times, but it's magical coming out of Norah Jones. I was flipping through the channels at one point, and it was on a movie (can't even remember the movie now). Miss Norah Jones herself was sitting at a piano singing this song, and I loved it. Every time I've heard it since then, I can't help but think "I'm going to dance to this song at my wedding." Really--can you imagine loving someone so much that being near that person is enough?



U2 feat. Mary J. Blige -One
Love conquers all. We really do have to carry each other.



Shakira-Suerte Yeeaaahhhh! I love Shakira--I feel like we're kindred spirits because we're both petite (Who else can pull off lyrics that when loosely translated mean "Lucky that my breasts are small and humble so you don't confuse them with mountains?") And plus, this version appeals more to me than the English version, Whenever, Wherever




Coldplay-Til Kingdom Come
I love the acoustics. I love the lyrics. I love the vocals.  It's just beautiful.



Nancy Sinatra-Bang Bang
I love a song that tells a story, and really no one can do it better than a classic voice like Nancy Sinatra.

So I know I'm supposed to post 6 songs, but I've decided that when it comes to blogging, the rules don't really apply to me. And plus, I reserve the 6th song that I happen to like now but may not like later. The five above are pretty much stable.

60 Day Challenge-Day 1:Twenty five facts about yourself.

Anyone every heard of the 60 day challenge? 60 blogs with 60 pre-selected topics.

I've decided to accept it.

Day 1: 25 Facts about yourself.

This feels like a Facebook note, but here goes:

1. I have four stations on Pandora: Glee Radio, Top 40, Classical and 80s Pop
2. I only shop for underwear twice a year: during the Victoria's Secret Semi-Annual sales.
3. I am convinced that if I were ever on a game show, especially Wheel of Fortune, I'd kick butt. I don't understand why people buy vowels. They're a complete waste of money!
4. I love putting nuts in my food...Cashews in stir frys, pecans in yogurt, walnuts in salads, peanuts in ice cream...
5. I hate wearing shorts. Skirts and dresses just make more sense to me.
6. I collect rosaries, and I always have at least one in my purse.
7. TV show marathons are my Achilles heel. If I start watching one episode, I end up watching all day. That's why it's better to stay away from the TV.
8. I don't drink pop.
9. I call carbonated beverages pop. Probably a product of living in the Northwest.
10. I think that the edges of baked food are the best part....I am notorious for stealing the corners of lasagna, brownies and casseroles.
11. If I end up marrying a man with a boring last name, I'm hyphenating my last name. It's hard to downgrade from a last name like Montenegro
12. I seriously think that I have amazing initials. You can't beat MM. It's alliterative. It gives you the license to give m&m's out with gifts. It's shared with important people like Masaharu Morimoto and Marshall Mathers.
13. I love Febreeze products
14. When I eat hamburgers or sandwiches, I like to eat the edges first and work my way in so that the last bite has everything in it. I hate it when the last bite is just bread.
15. I know you're not supposed to judge books by their covers, but I do judge people by what's on their bookcases.
16. My "ego wall" consists of cards, letters and notes that I've gotten throughout the years...they all have the same two words on them: "thank you"
17. My three favorite body parts are my nose, my ears, and my collarbone.
18. I love heels...A part of me believes that if you don't feel like you're about to break your ankles when you first put them on, they're not high enough.
19. I'm convinced that my kids will only need 3 toys: a basic stuffed animal, a case of legos and one other toy of their choosing. The rest of their playthings will be cardboard boxes, pots and pans, the sofa cushions, newspapers and bed sheets. They are also welcome to as many books as they like...except for Twilight books. Those will be banned.
20. I love cardigan sweaters. My style is like that of a librarian...or Emma Pillsbury
21. I try my best to eat healthy foods, but I am a sucker for really saucy chicken wings...and candy.
22. I keep my liquids (hand sanitizer, toothpaste--yes I carry toothpaste in my purse--and lotion) in my purse in a plastic bag. Thanks for that tip, TSA!
23. I have a corkscrew on the bookcase in my bedroom. See #15
24. Scarves. I love scarves....knitted, woven, silk, long, short, solid-colored, patterned...I love them all..If you ever want to give me a gift, give me a scarf...or a book!
25. When I travel, I don't care much about shopping. I just like to see places and take lots of pictures.

25 Days, No Facebook

 

I gave up Facebook for Lent.

I figured that I spend too much time on it and decided that for 40 days, I would stay away from it.

Has it been hard? Of course it has. 

Life just isn't the same when you can't poke your friends or like the fact that some distant friend from high school "just got out of a speeding ticket by offering to buy the cop a coffee at Starbucks lol."

Still, here's what I've learned about my social networking habits so far:

1.) People who have something interesting or significant to say will tell me via text, email, phone or my favorite--Hallmark card. :-)
I'm thrilled that I haven't been left out of big news like engagements, new babies and professional developments just because I'm abstaining from Facebook. Fortunately, I've been kept in the loop by people who care to inform me of these milestones.

2.) It also works the other way around. 

I call, text, or email people who I actually care to update about my oh so exciting life. (I guess I can also add blogging to that list.)

3.) I only remember important people's birthdays when I don't have Facebook to remind me.
In the time I've been away from Facebook, I think I've sent birthday greetings to two people. To everyone else--my bad.

4.) I'm really not missing much.

I feel no void because I'm staying away from Facebook. Do I miss seeing pictures? Yes. But I'm also pretty sure that the ones that people use to update their bbm profile pictures aren't so different from the ones they're putting on Facebook. They're just smaller. Besides, I've just realized that most of the people I'm friends with on Facebook are periphery friends. The ones who matter most are the ones who, like I said, still email, call, text...

5.) I spend way too much time on Facebook.

Now that I'm not on the site, I realize how much more time I have to do other things...like email, call, text...Aside from that, I'm almost almost at the halfway point of my New Years Resolution.

And plus, there's nothing quite like being able to see people in person. Facebook may have the power to bring people together, but it also tempts them to stay apart...

Maybe this giving up Facebook thing isn't such a bad idea. I wonder if anyone has even realized I've been gone...

Choose Your Own Adventure

When I was a kid, I loved the Choose Your Own Adventure books.

I remember going to the school library with my class and rushing to the bookshelf in the front corner of the room to see if there were any new books in the series. I would be disappointed when I would find that they had all been checked out. There was just something about being able to play a part in the characters' journeys. Even more than that, I liked being able to go back and see where the alternate option would take me.

I recently reread Robert Frost's ubiquitous poem The Road Not Taken. I reflected on it for a while--where the narrator discerns which way he should go, where he expresses some regret of not selecting one path over the other, and where he reaches some level of resolution on selecting a road less traveled.

The poem isn't really so different from those books of my childhood, and it's not really different from the situations of my adulthood. I've always been happiest when I've had the freedom to make my own decisions, but I also have to wonder--when you've chosen one path, is it possible to turn around and choose another adventure?

Books!

By the way, if anyone knows of where I can get a library like this, give me a call...I'm just a Belle looking for her Beast.

So, I set a goal to read at least 50 books in 2011.

Here's my progress:

Currently Reading:
Vanity Fair-William Makepeace Thackery
God of Small Things-Arundhati Roy


Completed Reading:
Waiting for Superman: How We Can Save America's Failing Public Schools
Letters to God-Patrick Doughtie and John Perry
Five Point Someone-Chetan Bhagat
The Great Gatsby-F. Scott Fitzgerald
Little Bee-Chris Cleave
The Hunger Games-Suzanne Collins
Paradise Lost-John Milton
Parent Fuel-Barry St. Clair
Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman-Haruki Murakami
The Alchemist-Paulo Coelho
Atonement-Ian McEwan
Catching Fire-Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay-Suzanne Collins
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone-JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets-JK Rowling
The Screwtape Letters-CS Lewis
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban-JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire-JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix-JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince-JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows-JK Rowling
The Five Love Languages-Gary Chapman
Room-Emma Donoghue
Rediscover Catholicism-Matthew Kelly
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian-Sherman Alexie
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo-Stieg Larsson
The Girl who Played with Fire-Stieg Larsson
Blue Like Jazz-Donald Miller