Killing Two Birds With One Stone

I was tagged over the weekend by maudie-mae for the Six Random Things meme. I've done two different versions of this (see 7 Things About Me and Of Meds and Memes if you're interested in my other quirks), but decided it would be fun to play along as there's enough fruity things about me to provide some fresh, random weirdness. I also wanted to join Jennifer F. at Conversion Diary for her new meme, 7 Quick Takes Friday. So I'm lumping the two together for one whopping big dealie bobber. Are you getting tingly yet? (Don't worry. The feeling will depart quickly as you start reading!)

(1) As a child I was terribly jealous of my blue-eyed, blonde sister. I got my jabs in by telling her she was adopted. I gave the poor girl a terrible complex, causing her to doubt her lineage every so often, even as an adult. (Yep, I was a big meanie.)

(2) I wish I had a buff, athletic body. I work my tail off at the local YMCA, but have never achieved that chiseled, sculpted look. I suppose I started out bad having cellulite by the time I was ten. Sigh. I guess I can take comfort in the fact that I rarely get sick, so the exercise is paying off somehow. My dad used to say I was made from "sturdy stock". As a teenager I didn't appreciate that much, but as I get older it doesn't sound so bad.

(3) My maiden name is Kubik, pronounced like cubic. I used to hate the looks I'd get in math class whenever we were studying volume, but later wished I could go back to those days when the girls in gym class found a "naughty" word to rhyme with my surname. My first name came from a soap opera character. (Good thing the writers of that show didn't meet the girls in gym class--it would have made for a doozy of a soap opera name.)

(4) I've never been a great sleeper. I was a colicky baby. My mom talks of driving me around in the car a lot the first few months of my life. As soon as the car started moving, I'd be out. Forty-four years later, riding in a car still makes me sleepy (which can be tricky when you're driving). If the ride is longer than 30 minutes and my husband's behind the wheel, I'm a goner.

(5) Don't you just love people? I can sit for hours listening to their stories, trying to figure out what makes them tick. It is a lifelong habit of mine to focus in on what they're saying and determine from their body language what they're NOT saying. As a child I entertained myself by sitting in a corner quietly, observing every scene happening before my eyes. It is not a judgmental thing at all. In fact, it is frustrating to me that I can empathize with just about everyone. How do you decide who is right or wrong when you can understand the motivations of every side? I would make a terrible judge.

(6) I love, crave, need, even get up early for quiet and feel a little off if I don't get enough of it. I'm naturally a night owl, but having four kids has made the early morning hours a necessity. Now I find 5:AM just as refreshing as 12:AM (to my dear college roommate--if you're reading this, don't spew your coffee on your computer and ruin it!) My body's clock has adjusted fine (until I get in a car, that is).

(7) I take great delight that my husband's taste in women has changed over the years. In high school, he was attracted to blondes. He's always had a special fondness for his sister, a fair-haired, blue-eyed beauty. When we were first dating, his favorite actresses were Kathleen Turner and Michelle Pfeiffer. Now, Catherine Zeta Jones is at the top of his list. For those of you who don't know me IRL, take a look at my profile pic. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? I've swayed him to the "dark" side. I love it.

And there you have it, more than you ever cared to know about yours truly. Feel free to play along on your own blogs if you're so inclined. Go ahead. Take a whack at it. It could be fun.

Have a great weekend, my friends.