Getting To Know Me...Pt. Deux

I was inspired by Flash to write another 100 things (even though I never made it to 100). I'm not sure I can pull off any more but here goes:

1. I hate dirty kitchens and bathrooms. I can handle grossness anywhere but in those two rooms.

2. On the same note, I cannot use a microwave unless it is spotless.

3. I love to bake and am good at it.

4. I am not a gourmet cook. I love cooking "down home" meals.

5. I used to paint with oil paints. I haven't done it in years.

6. When sleeping, I can't stand to have any clothes on. I can't move around like I like to.

7. I use many blankets to keep me warm at night.

8. Windows stay open in my bedroom at night even in below zero temps. I can't stand being hot at night.

9. Since losing 176 pounds, I am freezing my butt off during the day.

10. I have taken to wearing 3 shirts to work to keep warm.

11. I went over a year without eating refined sugar. I had to eat a piece of candy corn so I could say I had tried sugar. It was taking up too much of my thoughts.

12. I haven't had caffeine or soda pop since October 11, 2006.

13. My ideal day is walking in the woods alone enjoying the beauty of nature.

14. I grew up in the country and considered myself a country girl until recently.

15. The city is my home because I love the convenience.

16. I took four years of French in high school but can't speak it much.

17. I received the foreign language award my senior year of high school which is kind of ironic given #16.

18. Being tagged for a blog meme makes me insane.

19. I hate being told what to do.

20. I'm told that sometimes I give too much of myself and it's never reciprocated.

21. Since losing so much weight, I am less worried about what people think of me.

22. Everyday, I work on my self confidence.

23. I love almost everything about my job.

24. Being creative doesn't always come naturally to me. Sometimes I have to think about something for days.

25. I am starting to enjoy my body.

26. I lost my virginity when I was 19.

27. I value people, not things.

28. My goals in life are based on people rather than material items.

29. I am very frugal when it comes to spending money on myself.

30. Luckily for me, my mother buys most of my clothes. She knows I won't do it for myself.

31. I cannot stand country music. Johnny Cash is the only exception.

32. I'm really into techno music because I love to be hypnotized by it.

33. I was able to check another item off my "before I die" list when I rode the mechanical bull this past weekend.

34. I love to clean but I hate to pick up before cleaning.

35. At one time, I was cleaning 12 houses a week to make money as a stay at home mom. I did them all when Mr. Sign could stay home with the girls.

36. The shortest length of time I worked a job was 4 hours. I was delivering pizzas.

37. I consider myself a jack of all trades having worked in farming, accounting, insurance and retail.

38. A year ago, I quit selling for the leading kitchen "at home party" company. I sold for them for 9 years.

39. I have awesome kitchen tools because of this experience and have trouble cooking without them.

40. That company allowed me to gain confidence in speaking in public.

41. I earned many trips from this company including: Washington D.C., San Antonio,Chicago, St. Louis and many more.

42. Chicago is my favorite city of any I've ever been to, including Paris.

43. I like the "mid-westernness" of Chicago.

44. I never knew I lived in the mid west until I was in high school. I thought Michigan should be considered "East".

45. I don't like many seasonings on my food. I like to taste the actual food I'm eating.

46. I hate that the word "actually" has replaced the word "like".

47. Actually, I use the word too much.

48. I still feel like I'm 15 years old in my head.

49. I used to think I could live alone in the wilderness. Now I'm not sure I'd want to.

50. People tell me I was born 100 years too late.

51. That may have been the case a few years ago, but now I'm too attached to technology.

52. Every day, I worry that I'm not a good mother.

53. My eating habits have become strange in the last year (ask G-Man).

54. I'm petrified that my kids will end up abusing drugs or alcohol.

55. I try to listen more than I talk but don't always do so well.

56. I am enjoying freedom for the first time in 10 years because I'm done with the PTA.

57. At the same time, I'm sad that I won't see the kids anymore.

58. Sometimes I make myself angry for not being more thoughtful.

59. I hate being in a car with locked doors. I was in an accident as a teen and was blocked in. I had to have the jaws of life pry me out.

60. Often, I have great ideas in my head, but can't articulate them well.

61. I worry that because things are going well, it's all going to come crashing down.

62. Hopefully, in a month, I will weigh less than 200 pounds for the first time since 1989.

63. Even though I'm not tall (5'6"), I can carry weight well. I looked good at 180 pounds.

64. I know that some people will always be disgusted with me because I was super morbidly obese, even after I lose the weight.

65. Nature amazes me every single day.

66. I learn something new on the computer every day.

67. I worry that I'm not intelligent.

68. I enjoy being around smart people, but hate being looked down upon.

69. I hate that some people think they are intelligent because they have a college degree. One of the smartest people I know, barely graduated from high school.

70. Mr. Sign bugs me every day to go back to school. I worry that I can't cut it, so I don't.

71. I have suffered from migraines since I was about 5 years old. As a child, I would get them so bad that I would pass out.

72. I've only had one migraine since I had weight loss surgery. Most of my episodes revolved around bad eating habits and barometric pressure.

73. I have nearly died 5 times. Once from a car accident, electrocution, an ear infection and twice from pregnancy.

74. I was told to never have any more children because I would die.

75. I love girls and most days I'm happy I had two.

76. If I had had a boy, I'm not sure I would have known what to do with him.

77. I miss my paternal grandmother every single day.

78. December is my favorite month. Our anniversary, my birthday, Christmas and New Years all fall within it. It's one solid month of partying.

79. I feel bad that I never asked my grandmother about her family before she died.

80. I'm happy that my breasts haven't shrunk to raisin size with weight loss. In the same sense, I'm happy I won't have to have a reduction.

81. Even though I blog about my life, most of you know very little about me.

82. Even though I'm very happy with Mr. Sign, I'm sad that I never got to sew my wild oats.

83. I love to flirt because it makes both parties feel good.

84. In new situations, I'm usually very shy.

85. Staying home is enjoyable to me.

86. I have many friends but sometimes forget to make an effort to keep them.

87. I cannot function well if I don't take a shower every day.

88. I love my teeth but hate brushing them (I still do it).

89. I had a palate expander in the roof of my mouth as a teenager. My mother had to turn the key 5 turns twice a day. She had to do it because I would pass out from the pressure every time. (Now orthodontists know that you don't have to be that extreme with treatment. My daughter only had to turn hers one turn, once a day).

90. I hated having braces and fought with my parents about getting them. I'm glad they won.

91. When I was a little girl, I loved being with my dad and was always holding his hand. He worked 2nd shift and I would get up at 1:30 am every night to sit on his lap while he read the paper. I fell asleep and he had to put me back to bed.

92. When I was 5, a friend and I locked ourselves in my mom's car and smoked an entire carton (not a pack) of cigarettes. We also got the spanking of our lives.

93. Almost everyone in my family smoked at one time or another. All of them have quit for more than 20 years.

94. I was never a smoker (unless you count that carton above).

95. The worst side effect I've had from weight loss surgery is loss of hair.

96. Well, I have a few issues after having my gall bladder removed.

97. Weight loss surgery is the best thing I have ever done for myself.

98. I don't dwell on what I can't have, I focus on what I can.

99. I'm winning the battle against my father's negativity. It's taken me years to do that.

100. Blogging has changed my life. It's given me the courage to do things I wouldn't have done and allowed me a place to put my thoughts.

Whew! I can't believe I made it. I'm not sure any of you will make it through that list. It was therapeutic and you should all try it.