100 Things: Five Years Later

The other day I was thinking about years of blogging past, and I remembered how, many years ago, it was popular for bloggers to have a "100 Things" page, where we would share 100 things about ourselves as an addition to the information on our "About Me" pages. I became curious about how much has changed in my life in the past few years, so I went back and found one of my old "100 Things" pages. Just for fun, here are my 100 things, originally written in 2010, with updates in bold (in other words, quite possibly the most boring thing you'll read today. Feel free to skip this one):

1. I believe that pancake batter was put on the earth to make shapes and letters with. I am an artist, and the skillet is my canvas. Meh. Most of my pancakes are boring circles these days. 

2. I am a total board game geek. Party games (Catchphrase, Apples to Apples, etc.) are fun, but strategy games are my love (Settlers of Catan, Agricola, Risk, etc). Still true. 

3. If God granted me one gift, it is my ability to dominate baby and bridal shower games. If I want to win I will, and I never cheat. I’m just really really good. I don't know if this is still true because I never go to bridal or baby showers anymore, and if I do, they are usually "open house" style.

4. Sometimes I’m so worried that people will think I cheated that I keep my high score a secret and let someone else take home the prize. Probably still true.

5. I’m not kidding.

6. I have no respect for people who cheat at shower games. Consider yourself warned. Still true for any game, not just shower games!

7. Have I mentioned that I don’t like bridal/baby shower games? Holla!

8. I also have an amazing ability to smell burps from long distances. Yep.

9.  One of the most difficult decisions I have to make on a regular basis is what kind of toilet paper to buy. I feel like there is no right answer. Oh my goodness! Still true! Though I've decided I don't like Quilted Northern.

10. I love books and often buy them simply to lend them out. I still love books, but I rarely buy them anymore. In fact, I've gotten rid of over half my books. 

11. I have a bit of an addictive personality and go through obsessive phases. Still true.

12.  I like having parties and get-togethers, especially for unusual things like St. Patrick’s Day or the season premiere of Lost. Not so much anymore, though I love inviting people over for BBQs or weenie roasts. I don't host large get-togethers anymore unless they are obligatory birthday parties for my children. Even then, I try to find a way out of it. 

13. Deep down, I think I’d make a really good sketch comedian. I just need to get over my self-consciousness, and I could totally take Amy Poehler’s spot on Saturday Night Live. I feel like the anchor desk for Weekend Update is waiting for me. Huh. I don't even know what to think about this. 

14. Since I’m not a sketch comedian, I try and fulfill my dreams by dressing up like SNL characters for Halloween. I haven't done this for years. Mostly because I no longer watch SNL.

15. I play the piano, the guitar, and the harmonica just a little bit. Not enough to impress anyone. Still kind of true, but I have to cross guitar off the list since I don't remember a single chord.  

16. I’ve dropped out of piano lessons twice; once when I was five and again when I was 21.  True.

17. I’ve always planned on truly learning to play the piano at age 27 because that’s when the organist at my church started learning to play the piano. Whoops!

18. I never talk about how old I am on my blog because I’m worried that people won’t take me seriously. Not true anymore. I'm 31. 

19. I’ve been faking 30-ish for about four years now. I guess I'm no longer faking.

20. I’m really close to 27, though. I’m 27. Ha!

21. I was born at 2:29 a.m. on New Year’s Day. Still true!

22. Don’t believe what you see on TV. New Year’s babies come home with the same free crap that all the other babies do. It's all a ruse!

23. I use words that my mother-in-law doesn’t approve of, like: sucks, butt, fart, and crap. Indeed.

24. I’m trying really hard to stop calling people douche bags, though, because I’m a mother. I no longer say douche bag. Okay, I slip up about three times a year.

25. I hate the ‘F’ word. True.

26. I have social anxiety. Very true, except a professional recently dropped the 'social' and diagnosed me with general anxiety. Either way, I've got problems.

27. It’s bad enough that my doctor recommends medication for it, but I try and get by without it because I’m horrible at remembering to take pills daily. Still true.

28. I’m paranoid of going to places I haven’t been before. If I’m going somewhere unfamiliar, I need to have someone go with me, or I need someone to give me an exact description of how to go there. Still true.

29. When I say how, I don’t mean I need a map. I mean that I need to know the culture of the place and how to act while I’m there. For example, if it’s a restaurant, I need to know if I’m supposed to wait to be seated, seat myself, or stand in a line. I need to know if I pay my server or pay at a counter. I need to know everything before I go somewhere because I can’t handle trying to figure it out when I get there. Yep.

30. Part of my anxiety is my inability to function in crowds. Yes, yes, yes!

31. I always do my shopping, movie going, and dining out at weird times so I can avoid people. Mmmhmm.

32. I’m very punctual. Even if I try to be late, I’m still on time. Yep. Even with four kids, I haven't been late to anything yet.

33. My second and third toes are longer than my big toe. Call the circus! We’ve got ourselves a FREAK! Still true.

34. I have a really good memory, and I’m terrified of losing it. I can't say this with confidence anymore, but maybe I will enjoy my memory a little more when I'm not two weeks post-partum.

35. I’ve always picked up on names very easily… Still true.

36. …which makes it frustrating when people don’t remember who I am. Um, yeah.

37. I’ve learned to answer to “Bridget,” “Tiffany,” and “Courtney.” Still true.

38. I love playing volleyball. Probably still true, but I haven't played in a few years. 

39. I could love playing basketball if I didn’t have to make contact with other people’s sweaty, pushy bodies. Still true. 

40. That’s why volleyball is so great: no forced contact, and there’s a net between the enemy and me. Hooray for nets!

41. I love taking pictures… I'm not as passionate about it as I used to be.

42. …but I can’t find time to master the art of editing. I actually got pretty good at using Photoshop, and then I quit editing photos when I had Zoe since I was too overwhelmed with three kids. Now I don't know how to do anything cool anymore.

43. I never make my bed. Still true. 

44. In fact, my entire bedroom is an awful mess. Hanging head in shame (still true).

45. I love to chug orange juice. I feel like it rinses my soul. It does rinse the soul! And it perfectly compliments a bacon, egg, and cheese croissant.

46. Bed jumping is allowed at my house. Not anymore. My kids got too big.

47. I have numerous celebrity crushes. Hugh Jackman 4-Ever!

48. I get sinus infections a lot. Yes, I do.

49. I have a terrible time falling asleep at night. Sometimes.

50. Nothing knocks me out – NyQuil, Tylenol PM, and the like have a reverse effect on me. True. 

51. I am fashion-impaired. I can’t dress well to save my life, though I try and try and try. Still true, but I don't try as hard as I used to because I don't care as much as I used to.

52. I love make-up, but I’m not very good at putting it on. I wouldn't say I "love" make-up anymore. I appreciate it. 

53. I have a lot of emotional issues with my face because I had terrible acne as a teen. Still true, but not as true as it was several years ago. Most of my scars are gone now.

54. Actually, I still have very bad acne, but after years of trying various medications, I found one that helps keep it under control (it’s called Evoclin). I rarely have to use Evoclin anymore. Soooooo thankful!

55. I look like Shrek. Yes, I do! We have the same face, but his is greener.

56. I know that it’s true because an honest twelve-year-old told me that I remind her of Princess Fiona. When I asked, “In human form or ogre form?” she didn’t answer. Her silence could only mean one thing… OGRE! She's 17 now.

57. Princess Fiona is just Shrek with hair and Cameron Diaz’s voice. I am Shrek with hair minus the green. Told ya.

58. I used to work in Special Education, but I quit my job when I had my son so I could be a stay-at-home mom. Yep.

59. I was very appreciated and treated very well at my job, so it was hard for me to adjust to life with a child. Yep.

60. Now I’m used to being unappreciated, so it doesn’t wear on me as badly. Yep.

61. As a teenager, I was fired from a donut shop by a sexist pig named Jorge. Don't even get me started on Jorge...

62. On that same day, I was chased down the path at La Caille by a raging turkey. I have a picture to prove it! (Thank you, friend, who stood by snapping photos rather than trying to save my life!)

63. During college, I worked at a dairy. Got milk?

64. I know my pints and quarts. Not so much anymore. I have to think a little harder about it.

65. I can also smell milk going bad long before everyone else can. Still true.

66. I can say the alphabet backwards. I stumble a bit these days.

67. Sometimes I karate kick my cupboards to close them. But not in front of my kids!

68. I act very strangely when no one is around. I don't know if this is true anymore since I'm never alone.

69. One of my most embarrassing moments was when my husband  came home from work early and caught me singing “Hot in Here” and trying to do the splits in the living room. That was a good moment. 

70. I was wearing his gym shorts. I still wear them sometimes.

71. I am related to at least 100 people who live within five miles of my house. Yep.

72. My parents got divorced when I was six. Yep.

73. As a result of re-marriage, I have nine brothers and sisters. That number is different now.

74. Together, Scotty and I have 22 brothers and sisters and over 50 nieces and nephews. Again, the numbers are different now. I don't even try to count anymore.

75. High heels hurt my feet, and yet… I still wear them. I don't wear heels anymore, but I still have a few neglected pairs I haven't had the heart to get rid of.

76. I hate swimming. Mostly, yes.

77. I look terrible wet, and I don’t understand what you’re supposed to do in a swimming pool anyway. Yep.

78. Growing up, I thought I’d never struggle with weight. Ha ha! Silly me!

79. I’ve gained fifty pounds in the past five years, and I’m not proud of it. I'm over it.

80. I don’t like Mexican or Italian food. Still not a fan.

81. I really really don’t like summer. But I've learned to appreciate the decreased sickness and the ease of not having to put coats on my kids.

82. I hate the heat, and I hate the lack of clothing that summer requires. Yes, that is all true.

83. I think fog is really cool. Crummy to breathe but awesome to see. Truth.

84. I struggle with housework. I can’t keep up on it. Yep.

85. My house is almost always a mess. Yep.

86. Especially my kitchen. Curse the kitchen!

87. I don’t mind loading the dishwasher, but I hate unloading it. Yep.

88. I don’t mind washing laundry, but I hate putting it away. Yep. I actually like washing laundry. Curse the putting away!

89. I never iron. Do I even have an iron? I should investigate that. I have an iron. I use it about once a year.

90. I’m a little bit of a hoarder, but not enough of one to be on Oprah. Oh goodness! I am not a hoarder anymore! And Oprah is gone!

91. I get bored with things easily. Yes, I do.

92. I own a bow. Like Robin Hood. But I never use it.

93. One time my bow string snapped my arm trough my arm guard. I’ve been nervous to shoot it ever since. It's kind of scary.

94. I am horrible at disciplining my kids. I don’t know if the problem is them or me. I’ve read several parenting books (something I swore I would never do), and I haven’t been able to find anything that works for us. It's not so much that nothing works. The problem is being consistent. I'm not consistent!

95. I make a pretty good door mat. I let people walk all over me. Not as true as it used to be.

96. I love Disneyland. Scotty and I have a habit of planning spontaneous trips there. It goes like this:

Let’s try and get out of town this weekend. Maybe we can drive down to Saint George. Well, there’s really nothing to do in Saint George so let’s go to Vegas. Well, Vegas is kind of boring, too, so we might as well go to Disneyland.

At first we’re just joking, but once we’ve discussed it, we usually end up going within the month. We did this three times within a twelve month period once (December, April, and October). We still love Disneyland, but we don't go as often as we used to.

97. My favorite ride at Disneyland is Splash Mountain. Zippity doo dah!

98. My favorite ride at California Adventure is the Tower of Terror. Such a good ride!

99. I’m a little bit claustrophobic. More like a lot claustrophobic.

100. I love air banding. True, but I tend to do more background dancing than air banding these days.