TAGGED!

Okay, Cristina has tagged me from her blog! I don't normally play along with these things either, BUT watching the Spurs' first playoff game go to double Overtime with Jeff was proving to be way too stressful, so I had to get away for a minute.

I have been tagged, or instructed to provide SEVEN random/interesting/unknown things about myself. It's hard for me to think of stories or facts that people don't already know or that they would even care to know, but here goes...

1. I wear a size 13-WIDE shoe. Yes, it's true and it's terrible. I have the hardest time buying shoes. I have not been able to walk into a regular store and buy a pair of shoes since the summer before the sixth grade. No joke. Finding shoes for Sandra's wedding was so stressful - almost as stressful as finding shoes before my senior prom. They took so long to order, that Mom ordered them anyway, just hoping that I would (a) find a dress to match and (b) find a date - thank God for good ol' Garrett. When I go in to get a pedicure, I always feel bad that they charge me the same price as other regular-sized feet. I know when they start talking to one another in Vietnamese that they are likely talking about my big toes. Oh well.

2. I love watching reality TV about tattoo shops... and drug addiction. I am not sure where the fascination comes from, since I have never tried a cigarette, let alone any drug, and I have certainly never had a tattoo. However, I love to record and watch "LA Ink", "Miami Ink", and "Intervention." I am not sure if it is pure voyeurism or what. I don't think it's an inner bad girl or anything, I just get so interested in how different their lives are than mine. Jeff thinks it's crazy how much I love to watch "Intervention." I get so into it. I cry the whole time and truly root for these poor kids. So many of them start off so innocent - captain of the track team, in the choir, active in church. Their parents seem involved and well-intended. It is so sad to see them hurting and turning to drugs. I am hooked on it (no pun intended.) At the end, when they reveal the outcome of the kids' lives after their treatment/recovery program, I am on the edge of my seat. When they relapse, I get all devastated. Jeff cannot understand why I get so into it. When they get clean, I am so genuinely proud for them. I guess it really doesn't help that I am pregnant.

3. I struggle with political correctness. By that, I mean that I struggle sometimes with whether it has gone too far or whether, as Christians, we should try to avoid insulting or offending people whenever we can. Why would I intentionally offend someone when it can be avoided by a simple change in terminology? However, I ofter hear my (non-Human Resources) relatives roll their eyes or comment when they feel I am being overly politically correct. Are we simply being thoughtful of others, or are we selling out to an overly-sensitive society?

4. I hate mushrooms. The texture is gross, and I don't even like the juice they leave on my food (like on my pizza after picking them off.)

5. I wonder why I cannot keep a cleaner house. I am an intelligent person who knows what it takes to keep a straight house. Our friends Darin and Marilyn commented the other day about the fact that they have never seen our bedroom. They have known us for almost 8 years, and are some of our closest friends, but it has most likely never been presentable, even once, to show them when they have been over. I manage other parts of my life okay... sometimes, but I am not sure why I can't keep my room clean. I sometimes claim that I have my priorities in order that I have CHOSEN not to spend valuable time on cleaning... that I am consciously choosing writing, reading to Jack, spending time on more important things... hence I have CHOSEN not to worry about it. The truth is I have simply given up.

6. I think I sing better than I actually do. I belt out songs karaoke-style in the car and think I sound great. I don't think I am the next American Idol or anything, but I am certainly above-average. Then, I can sing the same song with JEFF IN THE CAR, and suddenly I hear myself more accurately, and his face (and laughs) tell a different truth. It's not that he's rude or critical of my singing... it's that when I am alone, my songs come out like studio recordings, and when I am with Jeff, they are like bad live performances. He just laughs, and Jack even says, "Mommy, can you please stop singing that?"

7. I am quite scared of life with two children. I get anxiety about the first 1-2 weeks after bringing the baby home. I am not huge on visitors, especially when my house isn't clean (refer to Fact #5) and I am very easily stressed out with too much activity going on. I worry about being able to spend enough time with Jack Everett, and I already know how much I want this baby to be on a schedule and I know that is not easy with so many outside influences. I wonder how I will find all the energy to do it all. Unlike when I was pregnant with Jack, when I could not WAIT for him to come home, I am much more patient this time. I know what I am getting into, and I know how precious these long nights of uninterrupted sleep really are.
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Okay, so there are seven random things about myself. The game is that I now have to tag seven friends... so here goes!

1. Julie
2. Duane
3. Elisa
4. Tracey
5. Renee

... so I only have FIVE friends who have a blog. TAG, you are it!

If you choose to participate, here are the rules:
1. Include a link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share seven facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their latest blog.

I look forward to learning new things about you all - like whether you have the time to play BLOG TAG! (Tracey, I don't really expect you to play along... since your last blog was from before Christmas, but I didn't want to leave you out. Heehee.)