100 Facts about ME (part III)

51. I am a fool when it comes to Rigel. I will buy him the best food and treats no matter how much they cost. But when feeding a 6lb animal, the good food lasts quite a while.

52. I own a lemon tree and I hope to have a tea tree soon.

53. I'm not a big fan of alcohol. I'll have a glass of wine once in a while, but I'd rather have water or tea. I don't like the way it makes me feel.

54. I've never smoked a cigarette in my life, not even a puff.

55. Joe and I have a spoon collection, inherited from his grandmother.

56. I've never broken a bone (knock on wood).

57. I want 2 kids, twins would be okay, they run in Joe's family, his mom is a twin.

58. Rigel is the first dog that has been all mine. As a kid, we had a husky named Kodiak Copper Chef Bandit Edward Minden, called Cody for short, then lots of outside cats. My parents now have an Airedale named Arlo and a German Shepherd named Max.

59. I've been called for jury duty 7 times, 5 while I was in college, then 2 more since Joe and I have been traveling the world and unable to attend. But I cant wait to actually sit on a jury.

60. Favorite tv show of all time was Buffy the Vampire Slayer, yeah, I was that 14 year old girl. But I can watch Friends reruns over and over again.

61. My birthday is January 20th. My family's birthdays all fall in ajoing months, Dad - October, Mom - November, Brother - December, Me - January. Joe's is in July.

62. My absoulte favorite resturant on the whole planet is Wiederkehr's Resturant in Altus, Arkansas. I miss it when I cant go for my birthday. It would be my hypothetical "last meal".

63. I have a pill phobia.

64. I also dont like elevators and will avoid them at all costs.

65. My brother and I were named after a scanning electron microscope, our initials were SEM, before I got married.

66. The shortest job I've ever had was for about a month at a florist. I loved that job, the people were awesome and the place always smelled like roses, but the manager was a drug addict who was so hard to work for.

67. I don't have any tattoos.

68. The first thing I ever won was a 50 gallon aquarium with a wooden stand. I entered a drawing at a pet store when I was about 6. The next day we got the call to go pick it up. It's still in our family.

69. I'd rather be cold than hot.

70. I've been in 3 weddings beside my own, bride's maid in 2 and candle lighter when I was a little kid.

71. I love sushi. I could eat Japanese food everyday.

72. I don't like celery because of the stings.

73. I dont eat mushy vegitables but I'll eat just about any veggie raw.

74. I LOVE movie theater popcorn and will go watch scary movies with my husband just so I can eat some popcorn.

75. Nothing is more soothing than a cup of hot tea and someone rubbing my head.

100 Facts about ME (part II)

I hope you all are enjoying the facts. I know I'm enjoying reading about everyone else. It's kinda cool to know the fun little things about people I know online but have never gotten the opportunity to meet in person.
Part 2: Megan @ MeganWrites.com has everyone's blogs linked.
The next 2 posts will be posted as follows:
Part 3 - Thursday, March 31
Part 4 - Tuesday, April 5

26. I have a BA in Psychology and I'm working on my Masters in Psychology, but I NEVER want to do therapy. I'm a research kind of gal!

27. Joe and I are only 6 months apart in age. He is in fact the youngest person I ever dated.

28. I get motion sick in planes and boats. Found this out on a 12 hour flight to France. Not pretty.

29. My very first car was a 1992 Honda Accord. Now we own 2 Hondas, a Pilot and an Accord.

30. I refuse to watch sports on tv, but I will go to actual games.

31. I LOVE baseball, but HATE football.

32. I played the clarinet for 4 years.

33. I own a violin but don't have the first clue how to play it.

34. I was a biochemistry major for 3 years as an undergraduate student.

35. I'm obsessed with loose leaf tea, especially jasmine white tea.

36. I've had two surgeries, one oral surgery when I was about 16 and my gallbladder removed when I was 26.

37. Favorite movies: Sabrina (the one with Harrison Ford), Twister, The Blind Side, 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, Young Frankenstein.

38. I collect Disney movies.

39. I hate to cook but I love to bake. I'm a horrible cook, but I can bake just about anything.

40. I hate to drive. I would have a driver if I could afford it. Seriously.

41. I've read ALL of the Babysitter's Club books.

42. I LOVE getting mail!

43. If all goes as planned, I will graduate with my Masters April 2012.

44. I inherited my green thumb from my dad. He can grow anything. I'm almost as good as he is.

45. I was captain of the flag line in band for 2 years.

46. I used to be painfully shy. I got over it.

47. I'm allergic to all cats and most dogs. I'm also allergic to down and wool.

48. I have a soft spot in my heart for penguins.

49. I eat kiwi fruit whole, fuzzy brown skin and all. And it freaks my husband out.

50. Stated I have been to:
Get your map here: http://www.epgsoft.com/VisitedStatesMap/VisitedStatesMap.html

100 Facts about ME (part I)

I started this on Twitter, but many are posting them on their blogs so I will continue it here. Megan @ MeganWrites.com has everyone's blogs linked.

The next 3 posts will be posted as follows:
Part 2 - Tuesday, March 29
Part 3 - Thursday, March 31
Part 4 - Tuesday, April 5

1. I have a fake tooth.

2. I'm a horrible speller but hate typos.

3. I have a time problem. I can never be late. In fact, I'm usually early to a fault

4. I love my dog more than I like most people.

5. I have rather large feet for a girl, size 11 shoes.

6. My mom is 5'4". My dad is 6'7". I'm 5'10". I'm taller than some men in my family.

7. I am shamelessly addicted to all things Glee. And I'm sad that I miss it every Tuesday.

8. I don't eat steak.

9. I have a one year old cousin I've never met, but hopefully will in May.

10. I am the oldest cousin of 10 on one side of the family and the oldest & the only girl cousin on the other side.

11. I HATE socks. I hate shoes. I wouldn't wear either ever again if I didn't have to.

12. I was born in Tempe, Arizona.

13. I have lived in Arizona, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, and Colorado.

14. I'm been to Canada, England, France, Scotland, Ireland, and Germany.

15. Joe and I went to the same school in a town with 3,000 people for 9 years but didn't meet until we were seniors in high school.

16. My father is an inch too tall to be in the Air Force, I could have been a military brat!

17. I have lived in an apartment for the last 10 years, through college and while Joe has been in the military. I'm ready for my own house!!

18. I love white tulips.

19. My mother and I planned my wedding in 4 months, since the Army had different plans for Joe and I.

20. I drink an inordinate amount of water. I always have a water bottle by my side. I'd pick plain water to drink over just about any other beverage.

21. I'm an obsessive list maker. Joe makes fun of me for it.

22. I was a Girl Scout for 11 years and earned my Silver Award.

23. I graduated high school a year early.

24. I wanted to be an astronomer when I was little.

25. I love doing laundry. I especially love folding towels.

Tell me your story about... EDUCATION

My friend Megan over at Megan Dub-Yuh had an awesome idea about everyone sharing their positive education stories. They are all linked from her blog.

I've had a many good teachers. But three GREAT teachers come to mind. They were all high school science teachers. I'm from a VERY small town in Arkansas. Education is not considered all that important. Football is FAR more important than the grade you made on a science test. But these three teachers were true professionals. I have no idea what there were doing teaching in lil ol' Paris, Arkansas, but I am very lucky that they were. Mr. Varnell - physical science, Mr. Patterson - biology, and Mrs. Siebenmorgan - chemistry and physics.

I was one of the only girls in Mr. Varnell's class. Remember that huge static ball? Well, of course they needed a girl with long hair to test it out. :) I stood on the platform and touched the giant metal ball as my hair raised up on all ends. It was by far my favorite class up until that point. We did crazy experiments with very simple chemicals. It was a lot of fun, even for the football players in my class.

Mr. Patterson taught biology. I had 139% in that class because he had to give out so much extra credit for most people to pass the class. We grew plants and dyed carnations. And did a bug collection. I had a lot of fun in his class.

Mrs. Siebenmorgan changed my life. She signed me up for the challenges through the University of Arkansas. She pushed me harder than any other teacher I ever had. She saw my potential and BOREDOM and put me in a class a grade ahead of my own, where I ended up meeting and getting to know Joe, my husband. She was a fantastic teacher, but fun at the same time. She influenced me to be a chemistry major in college. I was a biochem major for 3 years, until I found my true path in education. But oddly enough, that biochem background has been more than helpful even in psychology, since much of psychology has to do with the body and brain and the chemicals that make each of us function. It was just meant to be.

On a less positive note, my mother in law is a 4th grade teacher. She says that it is truly a thankless job. Oddly enough, there was a skit on The Colbert Report just the other night about how great the GOP thinks teachers have it, with their $50,000 a year incomes and lavish benefits. I don't know where *these* people teach, but my MIL makes far less than $50,000 and cant afford health insurance, EVEN THOUGH she is a college graduate. She works 24/7, grading papers and influencing the young minds of this country. And she cant afford health insurance?!?!

I worked as a special ed para in Kansas while we were stationed there. I vowed to myself I would NEVER be a teacher. With such little pay and the absurd politics that went along with that administration, it wasn't worth it. The administration, mainly the principal, treated the teachers like children themselves. I'm told that not all schools are like this, but some obviously are.

But after that experience, I have such great respect for people that have decided to dedicate their lives to teaching.

I've said it before and I will say it again, there is something VERY WRONG with this country while Soldiers and teachers make very little while actors and athletes and Charlie Sheen make millions of dollars a year. WTF people??

B&N Free Friday NOOKbook

Did you know that Barnes & Noble gives away a FREE NOOKbook every Friday? Even if you dont have a Nook, you can download them for free and read them online. They are WHOLE books, not samples. And usually from different genres. I've gotten the free books for about the last month now just to have a good library on my Nook.

Thanks Barnes & Noble!!

New Blog Design!!

Isnt my blog looking awesome now?!!?

I have Aly from Bridge Work Blog Design to thank for that. She is amazingly talented and so easy to work with. She was so patient while I changed my mind about colors and fonts and backgrounds.

Thank you SO much Aly!!!