Eleven Things

 
I've been a little behind on outfit shots lately because of uncooperative weather. First, I actually had too much sun, and my pictures didn't turn out. Too much sun is almost a funny joke at the beginning of February, but it's a little more serious when you consider that I just wanted to show off a delicate vintage knit in an unfortunately cream color. The sun washed the knit right out of my pictures, and only a couple were even okay. It also showed me that I'm starting to look like a shetland pony. Wow. Haircut time. The next day I had time I was stuck in the middle of a blizzard, and we got a foot of snow. An actual foot. I'll try to take pictures tomorrow.

Instead I thought I'd take a hint out of Julie's book (from Orchid Gray - if you haven't checked it out, you definitely should!) and do the 11 things challenge that seems to be going around. She inadvertently tagged me to do so, so here it is.

Here are the rules..
1. Post these rules.
2. Post a photo of yourself and 11 random things.
3. Answer the questions set for you in the original post.
4. Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog/twitter and tell them you’ve tagged them

1. I am terribly claustrophobic. This is a new development, and I absolutely hate it. As a child playing hide and seek, I used to hide in the tiniest imaginable places. It seems like as soon as I got over my childhood fears and troubles, new adult ones popped up. Including a crippling fear of being in too-small spaces. The problem with this is that I don't actually have to be in a small space to trigger a panic attack, I just have to be thinking about one. Which leads me to #2.

2. I have a very intense imagination. Not only can I actually get lost in daydreams without realizing reality is behind me, I have intense dreams almost every night, and have since I was little. Unlike most people, I usually remember a lot of what I dreamed about. This has had both good an bad effects on my life. On one hand I've had marvelous adventures, on the other I used to have crippling nightmares for weeks on end. My imagination is so strong that somewhere around 6th grade I used to dream about normal days, and for nearly a month, I couldn't tell if I was dreaming or awake. I don't think I actually turned a single homework assignment in that month, because I kept dreaming I did my homework. It was a particularly confusing time as a child.

3. I don't have a driver's license. Fun fact, I know. But I've never had one. It's a really long story, but let it suffice to say that I never really needed one. And the circumstances have never been right for me to get one. Now that I'm 23 I don't really have an excuse anymore though, so it's on the summer's to-do list!

4. I grew up thinking I had no parents. It's really sad, but true. My brothers convinced me at a very early age that I was adopted and that the only reason my mother hadn't told me was because she didn't like to talk about it. And as a child it made sense. I didn't look like any of my family members. I was very fair; pale, blonde and blue-eyed, and my family all had darker coloring. I was also tiny compared to them, like none of them in personality or temperament... When my childhood was unhappy, I used to pretend my real parents were going to come for me. I was ten years old before I breached the subject with my mother, and then my brothers were very grounded.

5. I used to get grounded from reading. Also sad but true. People tell me I always had my nose in a book when I was younger, even if I disagree (I was just as likely to be climbing trees, I swear!). It's true that I read A LOT, so much so that instead of grounding me from traditional things like the television, my mother would take all of my books away. Teachers too, used to ban me from reading anything but class related materials in their classes. I just couldn't stop. I used to hide whatever I was reading in my textbooks. Sometimes my grades were terrible because of this, and sometimes I had the craziest random knowledge because of it. I was a black hole. I would read absolutely anything. And I devoured it all.

6. I'm not a big fan of sweet things. I think everyone around me must have a sweet tooth sometimes, and I don't get what all the fuss is about. I'm not saying I don't want a piece of pumpkin pie every year at Thanksgiving. Sometimes I crave chocolate, or ice cream, or all those other things. But I detest cake, I don't really like cookies, and I prefer hard candies to chocolates. Better yet, give me fruit or something salty. I can never get enough salt in my diet. I attribute this distaste to two older brothers. You see, being the youngest, I never got snacks when they were in the house. My two always-hungry brothers always got there first. So maybe I just turned off my love for these things, to make things easier for myself. I don't know. But I'll reach for chips and queso before I reach for a donut. Any day. Ever.

7. I always cry at weddings. Even if I don't know the person. Isn't that silly? I never even used to be romantic, and then one day at a wedding of a family friend I barely knew, the tears came pouring. I guess the idea of eternal love was just something so foreign and beautiful to me that I didn't know what to do with it. Eventually my romance came out of the closet and now I can't get enough. But the practical kind, you see. And then there's always weddings.

8. I think school is probably the hardest thing in the world for me. Don't get me wrong. I love school. I love being there. I adore learning. I even get excited about homework at the beginning of a semester. But life is determined to make it impossible for me to graduate. I've had everything get in the way during a semester: serious illness more than once, poor academic priorities, depression, a job that made it impossible to do homework, family troubles, roommate troubles... I've never had a semester that didn't fall apart by the end. This has left me farther behind than ever in finishing my undergrad.

9. I am an avid gamer. I have played almost every Final Fantasy game known to man. And almost all of the Halo games, and the Legend of Zelda, the Elder Scrolls games... Some of my earliest memories are of playing the Atari and watching first my father then my brother play Megaman. These days I play entirely too much League of Legends, which is probably the most addicting substance in the world. I'm telling you, crystal meth probably has nothing on this game. If you don't understand a thing I just said, it's probably for the best. But I have a great appreciation for quality graphics, music, storyline, and especially characters. It's probably from my love of reading. But I really love board games too! Bring on the Cranium nights and Pictionary tournaments. And if any of you play Words with Friends, please please let me know!


10. Working in a library changed my life. I've already told you how I love books of every kind, but that had nothing to do with my library experience. What changed my life was the people. I'd never had a job where my main responsibility was to help people. I don't mean in a retail way, which was something I was already very familiar with. I mean, getting my hands dirty and showing someone how to do something. How to find a book without knowing the title. How to set up an email account to email your grandson when you'd never turned a computer on before. How to make butterflies out of cardboard tubes at storytime. I loved my job. Every single day had its joys. Not that there weren't challenges. But it changed me enough that I want to spend the rest of my life in one.

11. I'm obsessed with travel. Ever since I got into college (my first big life-goal), all I've really wanted was to study abroad. I have to go to Ireland, because my family hails from there. This is humorous because I knew I had to go there before I even knew my heritage. I read the word, and before I even looked at the picture, my head said "home." I'm always afraid that the circumstances won't be wrong, and I'll finally get there, and I won't be able to bring myself back. Ah well. Where Alex and the kittens are is home. I'm sure that will always be enough to lead me back.

Then there were Julie's questions.

1. If money, schooling or time was no obstacle, what career would you choose?
A children's librarian. Once you've taught a child the Dewey Decimal System, you can never, ever go back!

2. What’s the one thing you look forward to every day?


Alex coming home from work. It's probably the best part of every day, because I get so used to missing him. A left over from us living far apart.

3. What is your number one, all-time, favorite blog?
Ah, how could I pick? I love Tieka over at Selective Potential, not only for her style but the fact that we hail from the same state and that we share a short stature. Veronika from Tick Tock Vintage is another personal favorite. And I can't forget Veronika from Girl and Closet! Such lovely ladies.

4. Biggest online pet peeve?
Oh my goodness. I have to keep this answer short and sweet, because it'll make me angry otherwise. I hate it - hate it - when people feel the need to get in arguments over the internet. With people they don't know. Over topics that they are misinformed or uniformed about. It drives me insane.

5. What is your all-time favorite book?
I read everything, but my all-time favorite is "White Oleander" by Janet Fitch. It's just such a beautiful, moving story, and the imagery really takes you to a whole other level. I recommend it to any person who has ever felt lost, loved art, felt like they had no words, grown up, or had a troubled relationship with a parent. In short, everyone.

6. What would your “last meal” be?
You would make me choose? Gosh, I might have to say baked mac 'n cheese. Comfort food is my favorite. With creme brulee for dessert. After creme brulee I might even die happy.

7. Do you believe in love at first sight?
Nope! I actually kind of hate the idea. I believe in attraction at first sight, certainly. A knowledge of kindred spirits at first word, even. Some people you just know are going to be a part of your life. But love? Love takes time, and knowledge, and work. Otherwise you've fallen for an idea. Not the person. Which will always end in heartbreak.

8. What would your ideal Sunday morning consist of?
Oh, sleep, probably. I have a hard time falling asleep, so I like to stay there as long as possible. After this I would wake up to morning cuddles and bacon in bed. I love bacon in bed. Then Alex and I would do word search games.

9. Why do you blog?
I will admit that it started out of boredom. In the six months since we've moved here, Alex and I have made exactly three friends. It's hard, especially because I've had such a difficult time with work. I looked at the online blogging community and thought "I would love to join those ladies. We share such similar interests! I would love to be a part of that." So I put my interests in thrifting and vintage to work.

10. If you had to choose one color to wear forever, what would you pick? You've probably not heard be complain about this yet, but I feel a lot of the time that everything I own is blue. I love the color. I gravitate to it all the time. I have to stop myself from buying any more of it. It's harsh.

11. What is your all-time favorite band?
I don't have one. It changes from year to year. I'll always have a spot in my heart for The Killers, my first concert. The same goes for Anberlin and Snow Patrol, my long distance music with Alex. Currently I'm a big fan of Mumford and Sons, Birdy, Bon Iver, and Radical Face. It's all about what's going on in my life, you know? I super recommend Birdy if you haven't heard her yet. That voice. Wow.


I challenge anyone reading this to do these same questions! They're a great set. If you do, you should really let me know. I would absolutely love to read your answers! Please let me know!