27 January 2011

When sayings aren't just sayings...

This time last week, I had a day that went down the toilet. Literally. How, you ask? Well, I'll tell you.

My car, the sad looking rustbucket of an '86 Mustaang that is my favorite of the cars I've owned, had to have some repairs done. When the car's as old as this one, and had been pre-owned, it kind of happens. While waiting for my brakes to get fixed, I was using my grandma's truck. It ran nicely, was newer than my 'Stang, and, best of all, had a working heater. Not that I'm totally freezing in Johnny 5 (the Stang) but it was an added benifit.

So, scene set. I'm using grandma's truck to get to and from school and anywhere in between. I hit a lull in the day between my classes and rehearsal that evening, so I decided to go to WalMart and spend some of my refund check. I wanted to get a netbook (which I'm typing on right now, coincidentally enough) and had decided now was the best time. I did already have the cash. As I walked into the store, I made a quick stop in the bathroom.

Automatic flusher. Coat pocket too big.

Yes.

The keys to my GRANDMOTHER'S TRUCK took an unexpected dunk.

Despite the handicapped assistance keyring on it, a piece of plastic as long as my hand designed to make turning the key easier -

THE KEYS WENT DOWN THE TOILET!!!!!

I was, needless to say, in a complete panic. I remember staring, dubfounded, frozen, one hand stretched out to pluck the keys from the water - until the moment they got sucked down. Oh god... I was going to die.

Somehow, I kept myself together and, calmly enough, got some help from customer service.

Wait - did I say help? Yeah, wrong word.

Apparently, their plumbing system is too extensive for there to be any hope of anything to be retrieved once it's been swallowed. This, of course, meant I had to face my other fear - telling my grandmother I had lost the only key I had to her truck. the same key I needed to get back into the vehicle, never mind make it back to school for rehearsal.

SO not my day.

Ever the chicken, I took a roundabout route to my confession of being double crossed by the forces of gravity. I called my mom instead. She, in turn, called the grandparents.

Thank god they have good senses of humor.

They laughed. I calmed down and practiced some retail therapy while waiting for them to come, a cavalry of sorts, to bring me the spare key. The, not a, as they were careful to remind me in their ribbing. Needless to say, I took them seriously and kept the new key attached to my beltloop rather than trust my pocket. I also checked to make sure it was still there at least three times during that evening's rehearsal at school.

The true irony of this story? 1. The store was sold out of the netbook I wanted, seriously minimizing my opportunity at retail therapy. 2. My grandpa, a retired Navy Chief, talked to the management, the district, and possibly then some. I'm not sure how far up the corporate ladder of WalMart he climbed, but he got them to pull the toilet to search for grandma's key in the trap directly under the bowl. You know, after they told me they couldn't do anything to help me.

As I heard later, they found a couple sets of keys.

Not a one of them was my grandma's.

18 January 2011

100 Facts About Me

A new trend has hit the RP community on Twitter: posting 100 facts about RL - real life, the person behind the character. As some may imagine, this can really boost a person's tweet count. I also thought it would make for an interesting blog entry, so here I go!

1. I'm left handed.

2. I have ADD and wasn't diagnosed until college.

3. I've worn glasses since I was in third grade.

4. I've never been able to wear contacts; I just can't get them in my eyes. Of course, the only time I tried was in middle school. Maybe I could do it now.

5. I love writing. It is my passion. I have always identified myself as a writer.

6. I love animals and have always owned pets. I spent two summers in middle school as an intern of sorts with a veterinarian.

7. At one time, I owned thirty-eight pets, all in a trailer house. The tally was: five fish in a 50 gallon tank, three jumbo sized rats (best rodents EVER!), two to seven mice (worst rodents ever; hard to identify sex), three to five hamsters of various types, two gerbils we wanted to get rid of - those bastards bite, a ferret I wish we still owned, four dogs, three cats, a guinea pig, two finches, two parakeets, a cockatoo, a beta fish, and two rabbits.

8. I love wearing sweaters. Mom used to have to box up my sweaters every summer because if she didn't, I'd keep on wearing them,

9. I didn't like Pepsi until my senior year of high school. A senior class trip to Medieval Times had me drinking the only soda they had, Pepsi, and I found out I actually enjoyed it as my taste buds had changed.

10. I'm a dog person. Always have been.

11. After high school, I briefly enlisted in the US Navy. It didn't work out; I only made it through three weeks of the eight week boot camp. The "mind games" were just too much for me to take. Those were easily the longest three weeks of my life.

12. I arrived at boot camp the day before Thanksgiving and made it home in time to celebrate Christmas.

13. I've been in two relationships that lasted longer than a year. Only one was sexual and it was with a woman.

14. I'm an incredibly logical person and pride myself on that fact.

15. I've been likened to an absent minded professor and am completely okay with that comparison.

16. I have to, HAVE to, have at least six and a half hours sleep to function properly through the day. Five hours to function at all.

17. The fastest way to get me to speak up, be assertive, etc. is to put me with a misbehaving child. I expect obedience from them and make sure I get it. I'm actually pretty good with kids, or believe myself to be.

18. I have automatonophobia, an illogical fear of automatons, wax figures, humanoid robots, or other figures designed to represent humans. I discovered this fear while touring a mental health museum that had once been a hospital. The two rooms Mom and I were standing between housed over two dozen wax figures and the display on phobias was down the hall. Pretty ironic timing.

19. I enjoy studying and researching. In eighth grade, I researched the Holocaust for an entire year simply to learn exactly how Hitler came into power because someone else wanted to know.

20. I've leash trained all my dogs by myself and walk them, on average, two miles a day

21. I was in the same school district from second grade through ninth grade.

22. I like red hair on guys and girls. Five of my previous partners have been red-heads.

23. I got a tattoo when I was twenty-one. It's on my left calf, about the size of my palm. It's a Celtic heart design based on a necklace I own. I decided on the tat when I was sixteen and it took five years for the money to get saved up and a fair price to be found. I've never regretted it and now want to get inked again.

24. I got my bellybutton pierced when I was sixteen, didn't keep it clean, and had it re-done about a year ago.

25. When I got my bellybutton re-done, I got my left eyebrow pierced as well. I wasn't told it would hurt to go through the scar tissue of my bellybutton until it was too late.

26. I've had my ears pierced since I was a baby. I don't wear earrings often at all.

27. I'm allergic to most metals and can only wear jewelry that's sterling silver, 24K gold, plastic, or titanium. Makes shopping for jewelry hell. This allergy was the reason my first bellybutton piercing was unsuccessful - I was allergic to the surgical steel.

28. I've had my hair cut almost in a buzz - all I had was bangs and the rest was cut down to maybe a quarter inch I think?

29. I have hypoglycemia, which is the exact opposite of diabetes. Whereas a diabetic's body can't make insulin, my body can't make glucose/blood sugar as well.

30. I used to have asthma.

31. I was born three months premature. I was 2 pounds 1 1/4 ounces and was 12 inches long.

32. The first letter I learned was 'E.'

33. Because I had to have needles stuck in my heels as a baby for blood tests, I still walk on my toes more often than my heels.

34. I played clarinet from sixth grade through high school and need to pick it up again.

35. I was in marching band in high school and loved it.

36. I still like some kids shows, specifically Arthur, Wishbone, and Reading Rainbow.

37. I love the 90s Nickelodeon shows and miss them all.

38. My favorite book has always been The Neverending Story by Michael Ende. The movies don't do it justice in the slightest.

39. I love re-reading books, something that completely baffles my mother.

40. I enjoy drawing, but have no significant skill at it.

41. I know how to dress for my body and can easily transition, wearing completely different looks from day to day. Despite this, I prefer comfortable clothes and classic cuts. My standard look is still jeans and t-shirts, though I am pulling some nice blouses into my look instead of the t-shirts.

42. One of the weirdest shows I've watched and enjoy watching regularly is Taboo. It, too, grosses my mother out. I like learning about the perspective other people, cultures, nations, etc. have on some every day things like death, marriage, coming of age ceremonies, etc.

43. I've got a pretty quick wit and a well-developed sense of humor and sense of sarcasm. It normally takes time for me to relax enough for people to see this.

44. I've recently gotten hooked on the game Sudoku.

45. I like reality tv shows that teach things. Taboo, My Strange Addiction, Project Runway, Top Chef, Intervention, Solitary, etc.

46. One of my favorite genres of music is showtunes.

47. I love being in the water, but can't swim.

48. I can grow my nails (fingers and toes) fairly long. My toenails have actually gotten so long in the past that I've cut my toes.

49. I've never bitten my nails.

50. A habit I've done most of my life is often thought to be biting my nails. I'm actually running the smooth edge of my nail across my top lip. Mom tells me I've done it since I was a toddler.

51. When I was young, a stranger creeped into our apartment, climbed over two of my sleeping brothers, and moved to me. I woke up and screamed, scaring whoever it was off before anything happened. From that day to this, I refuse to sleep in a bed that's pushed against a window.

52. I fall asleep and wake up in the same position every night/morning - fetal position, right side, facing a wall.

53. I do move in my sleep and always have except for times when I'm exhausted.

54. The only time I nap during the day is when I'm sick. It's usually one of the most telling signs that I'm sick.

55. I run a low grade fever. Any time I'm sick, my temperature 99% of the time sits squarely on 96.8 degrees exactly.

56. My favorite flowers are sunflowers and thistles. For the more typically "romantic" flowers, I like peach and yellow roses to red.

57. As a little girl, I once stepped on a burning cigarette butt.

58. I've never had to have surgery.

59. My boxer's fracture (described above) was the first time I broke a bone. Since then, I've broken both little toes. No major breaks yet.

60. When I'm feeling nauseous, I try to get sick because I feel better afterward.

61. I love going to art museums and have been doing so since I was around age four.

62. I love interactive science museums and would love to go to one now at age twenty-three.

63. Every car I've had including my first has been pre-owned.

64. The first car I bought with my own money died in the same month I made the last payment.

65. Every car I've owned has been a Ford. I'm beginning to sense a pattern.

66. I've never owned a car made in the same decade I was living in at the time I owned the car.

67. I didn't get my license until I was eighteen.

68. At twenty three, I still carry my under twenty one license because it hasn't expired yet.

69. I passed out in the Capitol building, under the rotunda, because I locked my knees while we were listening to the tour guide.

70. I've been to NYC twice, but didn't get to do many touristy things. Mom and dad were on a talk show.

71. I've traveled to Mexico on a mission trip with my youth group.

72. I once saved up money to pay for half of a VCR I wanted. My parents agreed to pay the other half. My allowance at the time was $2 per week and I saved every penny once we made our deal.

73. Our electricity went out at the stroke of midnight Jan. 1, 2000. I freaked out.

74. I don't gross out easily at all. At home, I'm the one who gets to clean up bodily fluids from people and pets and I once worked as an aide in a nursing home.

75. Through my life, I've tended to hit trends later than everyone else. I think the only ones I hit while they were still huge were Pokemon cards, Pogs, and Beanie Babies.

78. I still own all three of the above collections. I think I have a Furby somewhere too. My GigaPets/Tamagotchis/NaNo Pets have all gone away.

79. I've studied the religion of Wicca and have managed my own personal blend of beliefs between this and Christianity.

80. I raised goats for FFA shows my freshman and sophomore years of high school.

81. I got out of FFA and my dream of being a veterinarian when our move and my change of schools led to ag classes where nothing was taught.

82. I've only changed my major once in college, moving from English to Theater after my first year of school.

83. I started school in Fall of 06. If all goes as it should, I'll graduate in Fall of 11.

84. I've only been suspended from school once and it happened in college. This episode was what led to my diagnosis of ADD.

85. I took ballet and gymnastics classes as a very young child. Because of finances, I had to stop.

86. I don't like the cold at all. Winters are no fun.

87. My learning style is kinesthetic, visual, then auditory. First, I remember things that involve movement, then what I've seen, then what I've heard. Sometimes, when taking tests, I will picture my notes in my mind and can tell exactly what the page with the needed info on it looks like.

88. I don't wear jewelry often. When I do, I will generally pick specific pieces that I'll wear for days, weeks, months at a time.

89. One of my favorite classes was creative writing in seventh grade.

90. I've participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) every year since 2006 but have never made it to the halfway mark on the required word count. The closes I got was this past year.

91. I've always named my cars. Current vehicle, my 86 Ford Mustang is Johnny Five.

92. I'm incredibly diplomatic by nature. This drives a lot of people nuts.

93. I'm stubborn and I know this doesn't help me. I don't always gain all the knowledge I need before considering myself a "pro."

94. I throw and hit better with my right hand than my left.

95. Fuck is my favorite swear word. I started swearing at age sixteen.

96. I like food fights. They used to be a sort of family tradition and a favorite for birthdays.

97. I don't have the best sense of direction and use landmarks to know where I'm heading.

98. I have to fight to keep weight on my body. Every semester, my weight drops near the end and I have to spend breaks re-gaining weight so that I'm not underweight.

99. I know the alphabet in sign language.

100. My wisdom teeth still haven't come in, though I'm missing teeth in the back, upper row on both sides, which I hope will mean my wisdom teeth can grow in.

17 January 2011

McLinkyMonday - Limitations For All


Following my Mom's example, I'm joining the McLinky Monday fun over at Real Housewives of Oklahoma. I thought it would be interesting to write up five things I can't do anymore - it didn't seem like a blog subject many 23 year olds would be taking part in.

1. Ride a scooter - I remember my old Razor scooter, Silver. I named him after the big rusty bike "Stuttering Bill" Denborough owned in Stephen King's It, which, of course, was taken from the Lone Ranger's horse. I used to zip all over on Silver, who was a fine replacement from the bike I never did learn to ride (can't even ride a bike now.) I loved Silver - even after the day I took a too steep hill too fast and tried to hit the brake. Over I went, falling off a platform that was, maybe, three inches off the ground. I broke my fall with my hand and got a boxer's fracture. On my left hand. The hand I write with. I kept Silver for a few years after that, but I don't think I rode him nearly as much after that fall.

2. Write as freely - When I was younger, when I wanted to write, I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and wrote. Nothing more, nothing less. I just wrote whatever. These days, I analyze things half to death and, more often than not, talk myself out of my ideas or get too critical of my own writing skills. Is the idea good enough? Can I write it? Why should I write it? Can I finish it? Will I finish it? I miss the old freedom.

3. Walk in grass - I know a lot of people are scratching their heads, so let me explain. I remember the last day I could freely walk in the grass barefoot. I was over at the little park in the trailer park we lived in at the time. I and my brothers, boys I've known for nineteen or twenty years and grew up with, spent the entire day running around, rolling down a hill in the grass, everything. It was so much fun. Until the next day. My face was red and swollen, a rash all down my arms and legs. As it turned out, I had been bitten by chiggers and was highly allergic. I had to spend a week out of school and go on steroids for the reaction to pass and the swelling to go down. From that day to this, I only go through grass if I'm wearing shoes, socks, and pants or won't be in it long. I can't even sit in the grass. Yes, it was only one outbreak, but I don't want to go through that again, so I don't risk it.

4. Make birthdays a big deal at school - In elementary school, a birthday that fell during the week was awesome. Even in middle school, birthdays were pretty cool. You got cake or cupcakes and a small party in the middle of the school day. Some of my favorite teachers would even get me small presents that they knew I would like. College? Forget it. Of course, college birthdays mean people get to buy you drinks. That's even better.

5. Goth look - I did the goth look in high school and blew my little town out of the water. I enjoyed it, despite the stupid comments. "Whoa! You're goth? Are you a Satanist?" "Um...I'm wearing a black t-shirt that says 'Fueled by Christ Alone.' Can't you read?" "You're wearing all blue today. Are you a blue goth?" "There's no such thing as a blue goth. My black jeans were all dirty and I happened to grab a blue t-shirt." "You can't be gothic and Christian!" "They're clothes, moron!" Yeah, that was...fun. These days, as a theater major, I've changed my thinking. Now, black clothes are not for daily wear - they're for backstage work. Only. That's why I buy black dye for my jeans, why I prefer black long sleeved shirts with no logos or decals on them. Black clothes mean work.

And there it is. My five things I can no longer do.

12 January 2011

Life Goes On

Hello, my pretty pretty blog! I promise I'm not forgetting you on purpose! *brushes dust off main page* Okay, so it's been a while. Scrolling through, I see that I'm averaging, at best, two entries a month, if that. Wow, that's gotta change. ANYway.

Those of you who have been reading my Mom's blog might already have an idea of what's been going on. Good news: Dad's back on his feet, hobbling a little, after having all his toenails removed. I have pics of the cleaning process while everything was still healing. Not so good news: Grandma had a mild heart attack on, of all days, her birthday. She ended up in the hospital for two weeks and have to go through bypass surgery. I was in charge of the house for that time and, honestly, I think I did a better than average job of keeping things in order considering the suddenness with which everything happened. Mom, Dad, and Grandma made it home yesterday evening. Grandma has had to quit smoking after about 50 years and she's on oxygen right now, which she doesn't like at all.

Now that everyone's back home, Mom and I are working on getting the house back in order. School will be starting for the spring semester on the 18th. It's my senior year. I think it just might kill me. Lol. I'm taking a full 18 hour course load this semester with only two theater classes, three if you count Improv. My classes include: lighting design, Spanish, business and professional speaking, Shakespeare, Improv, and Texas government. In addition to that, I've been continuing my internship research in hopes that I can get an internship for this summer. I won't graduate until my internship is completed, so it is very important that I'm able to do it this summer so that I'm not held up an entire year.

In other news, I'm determined to try and blog more often. I've also been continuing some of last semester's work to improve my physical appearance, the way I carry myself, etc. and have managed to develop a little more awareness of that, I hope. With all the work I have this semester, keeping up with all that too just might be nothing short of a miracle. Wish me luck!