Posts tagged Random Facts Friday

Just like last week, I want to keep up with doing Random Facts Friday (RFF).  It just so happens that I was also tagged this week by Laura from Wife, Mother Athlete  and Heather from Running With Sass  to post random facts and to answer their questions.  I’ll answer their questions but won’t be tagging anyone.  (Feel free to tag yourself!) And, instead of doing the typical 11 facts, I’m going to go with 5 this week.  I plan on doing something like this as a weekly feature.

 1. I don’t wear makeup…ever.  Okay, this isn’t true.  I did go “Glambert” for an Adam Lambert show and then spiced it up when I went to an NKOTBSB show too. (You know you like my music choices ) Otherwise no makeup…ever.

Rawr!

2. At the age of 9 I joined 4H and began riding horses competitively.  As with my running I was into it for the fun and most often didn’t care how I placed.  In all honesty I didn’t have the most perfectly trained horses and I had several seasons of lackluster showing.  However, I did make it to the Ohio State Fair and placed 6th in my showmanship class one year.  Chances were you’d always find me in the running for Sportsman of the Year though.  My first horse was named Mattie.  We leased her for a year.  Then it was my Arabian/Quarter Horse Razha.  We owned him for several years.  And then there was my Palomino/Quarter Horse Ima Two Eyed Whimp AKA Wimpy.  I’d like to go into more detail on my riding experiences in another post.  In the meantime let’s just say I had a real connection with all 3 of them and now that I’m vegan I’m in a quandary of whether I even agree with riding horses.

My first show with Mattie when I was 9 years old

Razha

Whimpy

3. I focus way more on my bodily functions than most people do…I think.  Having a history of kidney stones I keep an eye on my hydration not only through my water intake.

Source

4. I started to play cello in 5th grade then picked up trumpet in 7th.  I dropped orchestra once I was in high school due to lack of time in my schedule.  Although I was decent at trumpet and made 1st chair my senior year, it wasn’t my passion.  Band was fun but I never truly practiced my instrument.  I wonder how good I would’ve been if I’d have actually applied myself.  In hindsight I wish I would’ve stuck with the cello and dropped trumpet.  Ah well.  I would love to pick up cello again.

5. Growing up people made fun of my rather large chin and actually would call me “Chin”.  I hated it so much that I went to the orthodontist in hopes of having them re-align my jar/teeth to make it less drastic.  I don’t think it did much to change my chin, but I do have straight teeth, and have learned to accept my chin.  12 yrs later I still wear my retainers on a nightly basis.  I didn’t go through that pain for nothin’!

Questions From Laura:

1. What is your DREAM job? I’m still working on this idea.  If I could combine my passions of helping people, photography, and running that’d be great.

2. If you could live ANYWHERE where would you go? I’d be a nomad and travel before settling.  Don’t think I’d ever truly settle for more than a year or two

3. Tell us your BIGGEST secret! ha.. okay a smaller one you are willing to share. One of the first times I attempted to run was when we lived on the military base in New Orleans.  We had just gotten back from eating pizza and I took our dog, Viking, with me.  It was late, HOT and HUMID.  Halfway through my tummy started to rumble and the poo started comin’!  I hurried behind the barracks, popped a squat, and let loose. Thankfully it was dark out and I was able to keep Viking otherwise occupied.  Still a challenge!  Needless to say since I’ve started running this has happened more than once.  I’ve visited many bushes and public restrooms.  The BIGGEST part of this secret?  I’ve pooped my shorts on a run.  I’m not talking just poop, but a blowout. Thank God for cell phones and a speedy husband to come pick me up! And obviously this topic does not embarrass me at all…now, will I be peeing on my bike? Hmmmm

4. How often do you weigh yourself? I used to weigh myself daily…sometimes multiple times a day.  I became obsessed with the number.  Now, I rarely weight myself.  Once every few months maybe ??

5. Do you keep up w/ politics and current events? I try to by reading the local newspaper that’s provided at my work.  I don’t watch much tv but I get my info on the internet.

6. What is your favorite time of day? Morning.  Before sunrise.

7. How many hours do YOU sleep a night? In high school I slept 10 hours a night.  Nowadays it’s more like 6-8 hours.  Wish it was more.  This is something I’m working to change.

8. What is your BIGGEST lifetime goal / dream? I tend to make shorter-term goals/dreams and then make them happen.  Sometimes I call them my “pipe dreams” but I’ve been able to make most of them a reality.  For instance, going to NYC for the Macy’s day parade.  Current dream: going to Italy…making it happen in April.  Current goal: Half Rev3…making it happen September 2012

9. Would you consider yourself a half empty or half full type?  I’ve been both, but most often a half full.

Source

10. Do you reduce, reuse, recycle? YES!! Our community isn’t very recycling-friendly, which bothers the heck out of me.  No curbside pick-up and they recently have closed many bins to take our recyclables to.  We still make the drive to bins farther away.  I’m can get kind of obsessed with recycling/reusing.  For instance I always carry reusable bags, we do not use paper towels in our house, and I have a glass straw…just to name a few things.

Our current stash of recycleables

11. Do you strength train? No -_- But it’s in the plans.

Questions from Heather:

1.) How long should you be engaged before you get married? Hmmm.  I don’t think it’s necessarily about time.  I didn’t really “go by the rules”. I married my husband after 2.5 years of being together (known each other for 5 years) and I was only 18 years old.  We’ll be married 10 years this summer.

July 2002

2.) Must read book? I’m a Twilight fan….

3.) Biggest pet peeve? Salivary noises when eating. I. Can’t. Handle. Them.

4.) What is your dream job? See above…

5.) Crushed ice or cubed? I chewed/sucked on ice constantly as a kid.  I never had and still don’t have access to crushed ice.  It’s almost like a delicacy when I go to someone’s house with an ice maker/crusher.

6.) Have you ever met anyone famous? When I worked at the animal hospital in New Orleans I met a few famous people and worked on their companion animals.  One of them: Trent Reznor.  His dog was very sick for about a month and either he or one of his friends was there at all times with the dog.  He was quiet, yet very nice.  After she recovered he sent huge boxes of Godiva chocolates.

7.) Favorite summer Olympic sport to watch? Gymnastics, swimming/diving, and now the Marathon.

8.) Salty or sweet? I have a sweet tooth but am also an equal opportunity kind of girl.

9.) Would you rather have an encounter with a bear or a mountain lion? Why? Bear, I guess.  Can’t you try to make yourself look bigger than them and they will go away?  I thought I read something about that.

10.) What was your favorite birthday party as a child? I’m going to have to say the one that my mom organized as a surprise birthday. I hadn’t seen many of my friends over the summer due to being involved in horse shows, so it was nice to see them all again.

11.) What size bed do you sleep in? King.  When we moved to Michigan we slept in the finished attic and our queen bed would not fit up the stairs.  So we went out and purchased 2 twin beds and put them together with a tempur-pedic pad over.  Even though we’ve moved we still have the same set up.  We love having a big bed.

Keep Smiling And Be Grateful =)

***Don’t forget!  Today is the last day to enter my Sparkly Soul Giveaway***