My 25 Random Things

Taken from facebook (I've already done enough contemplative writing for one day!)

1. I am a serious procrastinator.

2. I read about a book a week, but can't spell to save my life.

3. I have a short attention span and don't even know if I can make it through writing one of these (I have trouble taking the time to READ one of these!)

4. Chipotle and W.G. Grinders is food from heaven.

5. I don't usually cook with meat and chicken absolutely disgusts me.

6. I am a freak of nature medically (it's OK to say this, I have made peace with it!) my latest adventure in the grand scheme of my freaky-ness? having my gallbladder removed and stents placed in my pancreatic and common blie ducts (yes, the same surgery your grandparents have had)

7. My dad is (partially) first generation American (born in Kentucky, lived in Taiwan till a teen and moved to US) and sometimes calls things funny words like "kerchief" for scarf. One time he asked, "What are those little birds called with the red breasts?" That would be a robin, dad:)

8. I love to design things on the computer, as I say, I'm spatial.

9. I have a giant fear of balloons and want to escape ASAP whenever I am near one (or start to cry, whichever comes first)

10. Sometimes I have to check behind the shower curtain to make sure no one is hiding in there.

11. I have TMJ and have to push my left jaw to open my mouth sometimes (see #6)

12. I've been a sweet adeline for 10 years (think women, barbershop singing, false eyelashes and sequins and you've got the picture)

13. I believe that I am qualified as a nurse, a detective, and a psychologist.

14. I am super-allergic to many things including trees, nuts, metal, cats, the list goes on and on (again, refer to #6)

15. I have two brothers and we all share the same humor and musical tastes (for the most part)

16. I like to sing (and actually teach singing) but only took one semester of vocal training in college. I am really an instrumentalist and can (only very basically) play every instrument (you should see my violin playing picture, I am tres professional)

17. I hate checking my mail.

18. I have a cat that can hum.

19. (Are we almost done here?) I am super competitive.

20. I played field hockey in high school (or more accurately, I was on the field hockey team!)

21. I actually filter what I say. I know this is hard to believe, but what I say on the outside is actually only half of what I am thinking on the inside.

22. I don't have a tv in my bedroom.

23. I pick at the skin by my thumbs when I am nervous. If you want to know the state of my well being, look at my thumbs!

24. I was a girl scout for 12 years and earned my Gold Award (Eagle Scout equivalent)

25. (Yea, we're finally at the end!!!) LOVE What Not To Wear but don't practice it's values in real life (who has $200 to spend on a skirt, not a music teacher that's for sure)

Amanda is . . . creating rambling facebook stati (plurl of status, right?:)

You know how much I love facebook status updates. I just like to talk about myself in the third person (but not in a self-centered sort of way;) Sometimes, though, there is not enough room to explain all I am thinking because my thought process is very convoluted and strange at times. So here are a couple of updates that I'll put on my blog since life is blessedly boring right now (not having any surgeries or traveling to any foreign countries.)

1. Amanda thinks that the bank is trying to swindle her out of money.

Yesterday I got my bank statement from the bank where I make my house payments through a checking account. I had about $120 in charges. Here's why: I made my house payment on 1/5 since we were out of the country till late night 1/3 and 1/4 was a Sunday. So, on 1/5 I made my payment leaving about $24 over the withdrawal. Same day, my withdrawal was taken out. Since only $100 of funds are made available until the next business day (which I don't know because I am a school teacher) I had a $25 overdraft fee applied on 1/6. Have you done the math? That put me $1.50 in the hole. Since that day, the bank has been charging me $6 per day that I am overdrawn. Needless to say, I was pretty mad when I saw this on my statement. So I rushed out to the bank (after talking on the phone with someone at the bank) and brought my account up to balance. I think the bank is EVIL, EVIL, EVIL. I mean, I could have not made my payment at all and been treated the same way. Stinks for $1.50 to cause so much trouble.

2. Amanda is pretty sure the rule of the road is, "Try your hardest not to hit pedestrians."

Yesterday, after the bank debacle, I was driving to chorus rehearsal and a lady (dressed in all black at night by the way) was crossing Henderson Road while I had a green light. I stopped so I didn't hit her and all lanes of traffic ended up stopping so she could cross the street. After she was across and we all started going again, the guy behind me zipped around me like he was mad at me for stopping. Sorry I didn't run over a dumb lady crossing the street, dude. You would have had a much longer wait if I hit her for sure.

3. Amanda wonders why, all of a sudden, her condo shoveled the sidewalks, and why they decided to do it at midnight.

Sunday night into Monday morning, I was awakened by this loud scraping noise outside the window. (My windows are paper thin and I can hear everything that happens out on the street, phone conversations, car doors unlocking, etc.) So I get up and look out and find the maintenance guy shoveling the sidewalks. This is the second winter I have lived here and they have NEVER shoveled for us. And why in the middle of the night? It was so loud. It kept me up. Plus, I was also worried about the guy shoveling at 12 in the night and afraid that he might be too cold because he wasn't wearing a coat:) Now, when it is supposedly the snowstorm of the year, no shoveling guys. Nope, I did it myself on my snow day where there wasn't any snow. We'll have to see what tonight brings. Maybe I'll hear the lovely sounds of metal scraping pavement at midnight tonight!