all about kt - 100 things

ok so I totally didn't do it yesterday. for those of you biting your nails and sitting on the edge of your seat waiting in anticipation for it... I apologize from the bottom of my heart. but the blog is "...and the rest of life"... so you should expect that of me by now. :)

so... in typical 100th-post fashion... here's my 100 things about me. enjoy. :)

1. my nickname is katy. you can call me kt. select people can call me kate. people assume that because my given name is katharine (that's right... with an "a"), they can call me kathy. they would be really really ridiculously wrong. people also assume that katie is the only way to spell it. they would also be wrong. people are only given one name... extend them the courtesy of spelling it right, or asking if you aren't sure. (note: I'm not mad at you. I just get a little fired up after twenty-seven years of explaining this).
2. I think that asparagus pee is funny.
3. I love to eat asparagus.
4. I am totally one of those people that gets things for an occasion and then remembers to bring it about halfway there. so is my husband. oh well.
5. I love to sing, but I am very self-conscious about singing in front of people. I don't really like the sound of my voice, I guess.
6. I was in a chamber choir in high school. it was awesome; I miss it and the experiences I had. we toured the state of maine numerous times, plus sang on the today show and at carnegie hall for easter. I have yet to find a choir that challenges me and makes me feel like I did when I was with them.
7. I love my husband more than anything. even more so when I think about all the things we've gone through that a weaker love would not have been able to handle.
8. why do I have the smurfs theme song on my ipod? seriously.
9. I have three pets: bowser, our pug, gabe and jager, our cats. I am a professed dog person, though I truly love my cats, too. but I cry if I even think of a time when I won't be able to see my bowserface. it's a sad case, but I had so badly wanted my own dog and, honestly, he couldn't be more perfect for me, or for our family. shout out to the black pugs. woot woot!
10. I love to cook. more often than not, I will search new recipes and use them. once. then try another recipe for the same thing. my husband loves it.
11. I attempt to bake. it's not my forte. but I try. maybe eventually I'll get it.
12. one time, when I was ten (note: I don't really know how old I was, but I was young)... my father left me at church and drove home. he forgot that I had gone with him. the priest had to call my house so that he could come back and get me.
13. speaking of my father, he is bipolar. very bipolar. it makes me sad. and made life difficult. and to an extent, still does. but I love him anyway. (note: this year's bipolar disorder awareness day, part of mental illness awareness week, is thursday, october 9, 2008).
14. I have been at my current job for about 3-1/4 years. in that timeframe, I have worked in four different departments and had many more responsibilities. I like what I do now, though.
15. my dream job would be to work at my own quilt store, providing not only quality fabrics and notions, but an amazingly large quantity of classes ranging from beginner to advanced. my mom would work with me (she would teach the advanced classes, duh). das would do all our marketing and design. I would design all the patterns. I would also try to have an immense web presence, incorporating internet knowledge and "old school" techniques. oh and that's my idea... don't go all "italian job" on me and steal it. get your own idea. :)
16. I love to read. I go through spurts where I will read about four books in a matter of three days or something equally ridiculous. then I won't read for weeks. I am on goodreads if you'd like to friend me. :)
17. I love to watch tv. fall sweeps is a dangerous time. new shows + lack of sleep + having to get up for work = nothing good.
18. I love to play video games. I play the mario games and guitar hero and rock band and stuff like that. I also enjoy watching das play video games. mainly because it's an excuse to hang out with him. occasionally I will help with the storyline, too. though every once in a while, it's pretty kick ass to beat up a bad guy with a roundhouse kick, kitana sword combo move.
19. I have played soccer since I was, I believe, in kindergarten. that would be, um, twenty-two years. I coached a little bit for a travel team in bristol, but found it was difficult to manage a full-time job and needing to be out by 3pm to lead practice. I think I would be slightly disappointed if my child didn't want to play, or at least try to learn because das and I love soccer. side note: my father-in-law was a semi-professional goalie. cool.
20. at one point I wanted to be girl all the bad guys wanted.
21. my wedding dance was grow old with you from 'the wedding singer'. it was, and still is, perfect.
22. I have (a lot of) pictures of other people's kids on my refrigerator... at least four all under the age of four. they are my friends' children and I love them all.
23. being originally from maine, I was always provided the opportunity to visit the coast and go camping and fishing. those are things that I miss being in central CT.
24. that being said... I would love to move back to maine, but with das's family here and really everything that we've started (friends, work, etc.), it wouldn't be feasible. still doesn't mean I don't want it. a lot.
25. I love fair season. my favorites are: woodstock fair, brooklyn fair, durham fair, and the fryeburg fair. I have entered work (quilts and baking items) in woodstock and durham. the first year I ever entered anything into a fair (2005), I did a couple of decorated cakes (they bombed), a strawberry layer cheesecake (blue ribbon), buckeye candies (blue ribbon - perfect score), and a wallhanging (yellow ribbon - third). nothing like starting out with a bang. subsequent entries have scored well, and others have been total failures. I enjoy it and I'm proud of what I enter.
26. I have still not unpacked all of my clothes from when we moved. in mid-july. it's the beginning of october. hmm.
27. I am a starter. but not a finisher. (see number 26) I have so many unfinished projects laying around. it makes me mad that I am like this, but I know not how to fix it.
28. when I was in high school, I was what you would call... a sort of goody two shoes. I played sports in all three seasons (soccer, indoor track, and outdoor track) and was salutatorian of my graduating class. I am still slightly bitter about not being valedictorian. but it's way better than it used to be. there was pure hatred for a while.
29. when I was in college, it was like I was a different person. I drank a lot (since I never did in high school) and I assumed that I would automatically understand everything, thus not attending class as regularly as I should. I did not do well. I was asked to leave the honors program for low grades; I slipped into a depression; I was on academic probation; I graduated with a BA in psychology... but I couldn't tell you a damn thing about it. my GPA is not horrible, but low enough that if I ever wanted to go back to school... I'd have to take about a year's worth of classes (and get all A's) in order to apply to them. my mom tried to tell me... but I didn't listen. costly lesson...
30. I was twenty when I had my gallbladder removed. this was not for any reason other than "it didn't work right". I started having jabbing pains in my side when I was eighteen. it wasn't diagnosed until I was a sophomore in college. I spent my spring break at home and had to have several tests. I was out of classes for a week while I was at home resting. I only have three to four small scars (I had laproscopic surgery).
31. because of said surgery... I have symptoms of acid reflux disease. it sucks. many many many things that I used to be able to eat I can't (though do anyway). I'm starting to realize that chocolate is one of those things I can't have. it hurts to eat chocolate. I shed a tear knowing that I can't more regularly eat reese's pieces... my favorite candy on the planet.
32. I love going barefoot in the summer, or at least sans socks, as much as possible. however, I love fun, wool or fleece socks in the winter. though I have been known to go sockless in the winter.
33. my favorite sports teams (that I regularly watch) are anything uconn (especially basketball and soccer), the boston red sox, and the new york giants.
34. I have a large gap in between my two front teeth. not as large as lauren hutton... but enough that I can slide my tongue in between it. I kind of like it.
35. I am NOT a morning person. I'm more like a late-morning to mid-afternoon person... sometimes edging into early-evening person. morning people are mildly irritating to those who are not morning people. thankfully I did not marry a morning person.
36. 100 things about a person is hard to do.
37. I have only been overseas once. to ireland. it was awesome. I'm so glad we went and I wish we could do it again and again. but without the scary driving on the other side of the road. I could SO do without that.
38. my husband and I, while we were in college, entered a survivor themed radio contest called 'master of the mall'. we pretended we kind of knew each other but that we weren't dating. we played the other teams against each other while keeping the two of us in the competition. we won a trip to the bahamas and $500 spending money. we are a force to be reckoned with.
39. I like walmart and shop there pretty regularly... but I enjoy target way better. both are about four to five minutes from my house. so either way it works out. while target doesn't have fusible fleece (score one for walmart)... walmart doesn't have as high quality clothes (score one for target). you can see why I am torn in a never-ending power struggle between the two. it is a lover's triangle of retail genius. I am stuck in the middle.
40. I don't really know how to swim that well. I think the highest course I passed was advanced beginner. I used to be that kid that held on to the side of the pool during the dead man's float (which for a little kid trying to learn about swimming... is not that appropriate a name... we're mimicking, um, dead people? excuse me... where's the ladder?).
41. I love music. I pretty much enjoy almost all styles of music. there are many moods that I can be in where a particular style of music will satisfy me. I think that my favorites, though, are country music, alternative, and classic rock. I also very much enjoy rocking out to 80s tunes. classical is very meaningful and soothing for me as well.
42. I am a very sarcastic person. some people find it funny. sometimes it just gets me into trouble. I also use it as a defense mechanism when I am cornered.
43. I enjoy golfing. I'm not that great at it, though. my gram would teach (and reteach) me every summer when I went to visit her in ohio. she gave me her clubs before she moved out to california. I maybe get out and play a full eighteen about twice a year... sometimes three times.
44. speaking of golf... das and I got hitched at a golf course. and went to pinehurst for our honeymoon. to play golf. it was awesome.
45. I like to travel, but not that I want to retire and make it my life's purpose. I want to travel to see specific things. like the grand canyon, the great barrier reef, the louvre (site has sound), or really just anything, I guess. :) I want to go back to north carolina (to see the coast and the mountains we missed) and to ohio (to go back to the ohio state fair). and to chicago, too. wouldn't mind going back to california either. (sigh)
46. I think it is important to save for the future so I have an IRA and contribute to my company's 401(k). I feel responsible in doing this. yay me!
47. I've never been a big fan of the scent of vanilla. I'll deal with it... but would much rather have apple or cucumber melon or lilac or lavender.
48. I love birthday cake flavored ice cream. like whoa.
49. for the record... they are jimmies. NOT sprinkles.
50. woo hoo. half way there. I feel like this is a major accomplishment in and of itself. and yes, I'm wasting a number just to write this. it is necessary.
51. as much as I enjoy quilting... I also enjoy stamping. I like doing the paper crafts. I haven't started scrapbooking yet, though I do have a lot of things to put into scrapbooks. I think the cards are fun and personal. someday I would like to be able to make them and perhaps sell them on etsy. I perfer the stampin' up brand.
52. I absolutely refuse to buy cans or boxes at the grocery store that have a dents in them. I will rummage through them all in order to find the best specimen if I'm not satisfied with the front one. this annoys das. a lot.
53. I like beer. blue moon is one of my favorites, but I enjoy other belgian white beers as well (such as hoegaarden). I also like smithwicks. I partook of many pints of that during our trip to ireland.
54. but I am also a gin and tonic girl. well, tanqueray and tonic girl. with one wedge of lime. and you don't need to add more gin to it "to make it better". that, in fact, makes it worse. it's the perfect balance of gin with tonic that makes the drink so exquisite.
55. I have very long hair. I sometimes dream of being able to have short pixie cut hair (think mary martin in peter pan), but I don't think that I could pull it off. but it'd be fun. besides, das likes it longer. and I do too, I guess. it's just so flat and blah all the time... I don't know what to do with it... nor do I take the time to try to do anything with it. curls don't take and keeping it down for a long time is annoying to me. so it's always just... up.
56. if I were running for office, I most likely wouldn't give a shout out to a third grade classroom on national tv... even if it were my brothers' students. sorry.
57. speaking of that... I am an only child. I wouldn't necessarily say I was spoiled (there were lots of things I wanted that I didn't get)... we weren't rich (and my dad is kind of tight with money anyway) but I got to experience a lot of things that I'm thankful for. I got to play soccer every year; I got to visit my grandmother every summer for almost a month; I had new clothes to wear at the beginning of the school year (even if at the time, I didn't like what my mom had picked out for me).
58. I occasionally will break out into song as though I am living in a musical. I starting singing about the grocery shopping, tv shows, cleaning products. I find it funny. and if you can't make up funny things about life and yourself and still make it through the day... can I buy the diamond that you're making?
59. if I were on death row, I would say that my last meal would be... wow... this is hard. um... a tie between david's shepherd's pie and my mom's pork chops (with steamed broccoli and garlic couscous). both of those are quite possibly my favorite, feel good meals.
60. I have three tattoos. on my back (summer 1999), my stomach (fall 2000?), and down my spine (spring 2003?). I do want to get others... I have to get my sox tattoo (bet that if the sox won the series in '07 that we'd get a tattoo) and I would love to get three paw prints to represent my three furbabies. I also had toyed with a quilting themed tattoo. oh, and if my dad asks... I only have two.
61. I had my bellybutton pierced for a long time. I only just took it out about a year and a half ago. it was time.
62. I try to donate blood whenever I can. I think it's very important. I am A+, which is a pretty popular type. I got this from my dad who used to go all the time and donated gallons of blood in his lifetime. he can't donate anymore because of the meds that he takes.
63. I am about 5'2"-5'3" and weigh (as of today) 142 lbs. I wear, typically, a size 8-10... depending on the style. my wedding dress was a size 14. I'm OK with that.
64. I support the american heart association, the american cancer society, the humane society, and the ASPCA. that's not to say that other organizations aren't worthy of being supported, but these are meaningful on a personal level.
65. I can't wait to have a child. I mean, I *can* wait because I have to. but I think that the fact that someday I'll be a mom is awesome. I didn't used to think this. small children and babies used to scare me. I was very uncomfortable holding them. but now, I feel better about it.
66. I grew up with an artificial christmas tree. I always thought that part of the tradition and fun was putting it together and putting up the lights and ornaments. for the past two years, we haven't put our tree up. it always seemed like something was missing; that it wasn't really the holiday because it wasn't there. now that we have a house, you'd think we'd be able to have one... but who knows where it'll go. perhaps in a few years when we finish our basement, it can go back up again. (sigh)
67. I heart lolcats. I think that ichc is hilarious and I check it multiple times a day. das just thinks I'm crazy.
68. I am a licensed bartender. I do work at a bar. occasionally. not all that often, though. I mostly just serve beer, wine, and basic mixers (gin/tonic, vodka/tonic, martinis, etc.). oh, and just because you tip me more does not mean I'll give you more alcohol in your drink. I value the beverage. and besides, I don't want your sloppy drunk ass all over my bar. :)
69. I consider myself to be a good friend. I will support you and listen to you when you need to talk. I will offer opinions when you want them, but will not force them upon you. I don't take advantage of my friendships with people as that's not what they are for. I have many friends, I think, but only a few who know *a lot* about me. I do not open up to people very well and very rarely ask them for help. my downside... because I need things to be at an even keel at all times, if I have an issue with you, I won't tell you. I despise confrontation and avoid it at all costs... "whoa hey... you just ran over my foot with your car. do I have a problem with that? of course.... NOT. no no no... totally fine. I read an article about how that really helps with foot odor, so I just saved a bunch of money on avon foot powder!"
70. I enjoy wine. I prefer whites (reislings, white zinfindels, pinot, and some blancs). I think chardonnay is mostly too dry for me, though I wouldn't pass it up if that were my only option. reds are a bit too bitter for me, though I will drink them if that is all that is available. I'm not that snobbish. das and I went to a vineyard on our honeymoon. it was beautiful.
71. I looooooooove cheese. like, if I could survive on cheese and not become a gastronomical disaster, I so would. my favorite is brie on apples with crackers. or just brie on water crackers. so tasty.
72. it is about 300 miles from my house to my parents' house. at one time I would have thought that to be too little a distance. now I wish I could visit whenever I wanted to. then it wouldn't have to be such a production when I/they visit.
73. I would like to be funny on cue, but it doesn't always work out that way.
74. I am not a diamond girl. sure... they're nice. I have a pair of earrings and my engagement and wedding rings are white gold with diamonds. but, I'm ok with just that. you don't need to prove your love and devotion with a diamond... that's a cop-out. you need to actually think about what I would want and do that instead. :)
75. I think one of the most obnoxious things on the planet is when people are wearing flip-flops (or even just shoes in general) and refuse to pick their feet up while walking thus dragging their feet across the floor. last time I checked, it wasn't that hard to do. walking, I mean.
76. I don't really think that I know the difference between envious and jealous. I believe that I use them incorrectly a lot in everyday conversation.
77. I do not know how to pronounce the word mauve. don't ask me to say it. (storey: I know that'll be the first thing you ask me)
78. my husband and I got a jagermeister dispenser as a wedding present. score.
79. I love musicals. I could watch 'the unsinkable molly brown' over and over again. I also love 'seven brides for seven brothers' and 'south pacific'. my mom would rent them from the library and we'd sit and watch them on our "sick days" (you know... those days where you weren't really sick but you stayed home anyway)
80. popcorn is one of my favorite snacks. I love my popcorn with buttermilk (like a dipping sauce). it's so good. but it's not for everyone. however, I dislike caramel popcorn (aka cracker jack). gross.
81. damien rice's 'O' is quite possibly my favorite album. I could listen to it over and over again. and have.
82. I would consider myself organized, but only in small portions. I can be organized but then lose the folder that the organized stuff was in.
83. I don't mind growing old as long as I never grow up.
84. I don't go on vacation nearly as much as I should.
85. I haven't been to the beach (for a day out at the beach) in a long long time. I don't remember the last time I had my bathing suit on to actually go swimming. ok, maybe I do... but it's not as much of an effect if I said that, now is it?
86. my mom is a educational technician at my hometown school department. I thought about teaching once or twice. especially in CT... some of the highest paid teachers in the nation. but alas, I do not have the patience to teach the youth of america. but most importantly, I'm afraid my sarcasm would be lost on the insubordinate youth of america.
87. I'm a wicked procrastinator. like whoa.
88. I have driven past stephen king's house in bangor, maine. it has lots of scary gargoyles, a giant fence, and lots of video security cameras.
89. I know how to curl. it's actually a lot harder than you think... and a lot more fun. if I lived closer to a club, I would consider joining. I have yet to go to an actual bonspiel, but they seem like fun to me.
90. I love chapstick. it's almost an obsession. my favorite is avon's dew kiss.
91. I love dr. pepper. it is hands down my favorite soda. I could easily polish off a case a day on my own. it's addictive. and yes, diet dr. pepper does taste like the real thing.
92. I think that maine italians are the best sandwiches. I don't eat them with everything... for me it's just a ham, cheese, pickle, green pepper, salt, pepper, and oil. but they are better than anything that subway tries to pawn off as a sandwich. wtf? you get *maybe* two pieces of meat and meager amounts of toppings. and their $5 footlong deal really isn't all that worth it. maybe that's how jarod lost all that weight... there's nothing to the sandwich.
93. I am really not a shoe person. I do have multiple pairs of shoes, but I don't feel the need to shoe shop when I'm depressed or anything like that. I think part of it has to do with the fact that I have bad feet and can really only wear certain shoes for extended periods of time anyway. I do love crocs (hate me now), birkenstocks, and sauconys.
94. I have considered becoming a vegetarian solely for the reason that people are cruel to animals, not that eating them is cruel. however, I have decided that a) I like the taste of meat too much to give it up and b) mass animal cruelty are isolated incidents (and myabe that's naive). that's not to say that I won't try to buy local when I can afford it... but I will still eat it.
95. I love the color blue. it is vibrant yet soothing and serene.
96. fridays, in my mind, are wasted days. all I'm doing it thinking about the weekend. or what I need to do. or other random things like that.
97. conversely, tuesdays, are the bane of my existence. at least with monday you can think back on what an awesome weekend you had... wednesday is the middle of the week... thursday is the "beginning of the weekend" or at least almost there. friday - see number 96. tuesday, however, has no redeeming qualities. it should be deleted.
98. I didn't pay my respects to my grandmother at her funeral. I wanted to go in and say something to her as she lay there. tell her how much I loved her; tell her that it was all going to be ok; tell her that she was going to be with the rest of her family now and we'd see her again someday. but I couldn't. I was too scared to not be stoic; too scared to cry in front of my family for the woman who was my only grandparent in my life. I think about that almost every day and regret that I had that fear. I can never relive that moment.
99. daffodils and lilacs are my favorite flowers. I don't know why. I just love them.
100. ultimately, I'm just a work-in-progress.