Honesty really is the best policy

Here we go!

I'm the happy recipient of the Honest Scrap award from Andrea (which she gave to me, like, 1,000 days ago--or at least it seems that way).

The rules:

1) Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design.

2) Show the 7 winners names and links on your blog, and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with "Honest Scrap." Well, there's no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon.

3) List at least 10 honest things about yourself.

Well, here we go....

1. I know whether or not I'm going to like someone/get along with him or her within the first 10 minutes of meeting them. I'm really good at reading people and figuring out their true intentions. And if I know I'm not going to like them, I'm not exactly subtle about it. I'm not mean or anything, but I don't go out of my way to be super nice to them. I'm cordial, but not a fake friend.

2. I'm a self-proclaimed grammar nazi. Please realize that there is a difference between chose and choose. And I hate when people use me instead of I and vice-versa. Any bad grammar or excessive spelling errors just makes my skin crawl. I'm not saying I'm perfect in this area, I try very hard to be :)

3. I have body image issues. I have for most of my life. Over the past few years I have made huge strides in just getting over it, but I think it will always be something I deal with. I'm pretty sure that when I look in the mirror, I see something completely different than the rest of the world. I think it's good that I do realize that, though, and that I am able tell myself to snap out of it.

4. I don't think I should teach my children how to drive. Even though I am a fantastic driver and parallel parking queen, I have some serious road rage. I'm an impatient person to begin with, and driving definitely brings that out. That being said, I don't think Bryan should teach our children how to drive either. He is the exact opposite of me. When he's driving, I call him grandpa.

5. We've decided that Bryan is going back to school for his MBA. This is terrifically exciting and terribly scary at the same time. He's been looking at both Madison and UWM and likes both. They're both 2 year programs, but UWM has a little more wiggle room should something come up. The future payoff is pretty damn appealing, but we plan on having kids in the near future, and dealing with a newborn by myself while Bryan is at class or studying is just a tad daunting. But, hello! My immediate family is a 15 minute drive away. So I really don't think it'll be that bad. (right?)

6. I am very OCD about my closet. I have a hanging shelf thing for sweaters(winter) and basic tank tops(summer). To the left of that go my dress pants from lightest to darkest. To the right of the shelf are my shirts. Far left starts the black and it goes darkest to lightest from there. Within the colors, the shirts are further organized by sleeve length. And the shirts all face the same way, with the front facing left. Yes, I'm crazy...but I love it.

7. I wish my blogging was more consistent, but lately I just don't have the urge/motivation to do it. It's definitely something I want to keep doing, but I'd hate for it to become a chore.

8. I once got dumped via email. That's what I got for dating a townie.

9. I don't understand the fascination with reality TV. The only thing I watch is Project Runway. Shows like Survivor, ANTM, The Hills, The Bachelor, etc just make me want to vomit.

10. Bryan and I try very hard to be "green" people. Among many other things, we buy a lot of Seventh Generation or Method products, we do organic gardening in the summer, we try to buy local for most things, and we just spent way too much money on no-VOC paint. Being green can be a little more expensive, but we think it's totally worth it.

Whew! That was a lot harder than I thought it would be! As far as giving the award goes, well, if you feel like doing this, go ahead and say I gave it to you!

Take it off!

No, wait, put it back on. That's not what I meant! I'm getting my hairs cut tonight, and while that's usually not that big of a deal. It is for me.

See, it's been 7 months since my last hair cut. I know--I'm disgusted with me too. For a while it was no big deal, but in the last week or so, it's just gotten unmanageable. Totally frizzy, doesn't look good up or down, just gross.

And really, I have no excuse for not going sooner. I just never called for an appointment. But now I am reminded why I don't let my hair get this long. My super fine hair looks terrible at this length. Just lays there like...like....like something that just lays around.

I'll try to post before and afters later tonight or tomorrow!

Sir Mix-a-Lot was on to something...

A little background--my sister and I both have what we call "bubble butts." And my sister's is actually a bit more pronounced than mine. (Sshhh, don't tell her I told you!) And while many men have very flat/non-existent bums, Bryan is known as "ghetto booty" in these parts. So needless to say, our children will definitely not be lacking in the caboose.

Bryan just forwarded me an email from a friend letting him know big bums might be a good thing! You can check the original article out here. It says that those of us with most of our body fat in the rump and hip area are less likely to develop Type II Diabetes. Woohoo! Go us!

Randomness

I have a cold and it sucks. Started on Sunday as the worst sore throat I've ever had (and I've had some doozies). Then moved to my chest yesterday, and today it's in my nose. Meaning I'm snotting all over the place (you're welcome for that visual).

Here's the thing about that--I hate blowing my nose in public, in front of people, in front of anybody except Bryan and the dog, and I guess my family too. And the kicker? I have a training class of new hires this week. They probably think I'm insane because I run into the hallway or into the bathroom every 5 minutes to blow my nose. Whatever, if any of them said anything, I'd tell their supervisor they were doing a horrible job. Well, no, actually I wouldn't. I'm too nice like that.

And it's not like my nose makes crazy goose noises or anything like that. It's just the squishy sounding-ness of it all that makes me cringe. Whatever, I'm just crazy. Deal with it :)

Because I also like to reminisce.

Saw this on Kritta's blog, thought it might get me back into a bloggy mood for the new year.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Bought a house! Even though it was totally anticlimactic because we'd been living in said house for 2 1/2 years. But in February it became legally ours!

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't usually make resolutions as I've discovered I'm not very good at keeping them. But on January 1, 2008 I vowed to quit smoking by the end of February. I tried off and on throughout January, and then at the very beginning of February I came down with a really bad bout of the flu. When I was finally feeling better, I realized I hadn't had a cigarette in the 5 days I had been deathly ill! I said to myself that if I could go 5 days without one, then I could go even more. And to be honest, I have had just a couple since then, but otherwise I succeeded! Go me!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, which is a shame because I love babies and I am an excellent face smoosher!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No--and thank God for that one. 3 grandparents in '07 is all I can handle for quite a while.

5. What countries did you visit?
Zero--boo to that one. But in all honesty, I'd rather explore my own country first. I've never really been to too many places even in that one!

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
I don't really know how to explain it. Maybe a better attitude toward things? I feel like 2008 just kind of coasted by with not much to show for it. I guess more of a go-getter attitude is what I'd like to adopt for 2009.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Hmm, this is a tough one. Like I said, 2008 just kind of coasted. But the date that pops up right away is October 15th. My 3rd wedding anniversary. Another fantastic year of loving and growing together!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Becoming a home owner!

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not finishing everything on my home to do list. And yes, I do realize how much I have to be thankful for if that was my biggest failure!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing too big. Just the flu that caused me to quit smoking!

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Hmm, probably our new TV. Or really, anything that was purchased for the bathroom remodel!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Am I supposed to pick someone close to me? Or someone in the public eye? Hmm...I guess I'm not really sure on this one. I'll go with any one person who did anything to help someone less fortunate. That type of behavior will always merit a freaking ticker tape parade in my book.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I have to agree with Kritta on this one: "People who didn’t approve of Barack Obama because 'he’s black' or 'he’s a Muslim.' Idiots." I mean, if you disliked him for real, valid, political reasons, that is absolutely fine with me, but come on people, get a clue.

14. Where did most of your money go?
The bathroom.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Seeing Eddie Vedder at his solo show and finally finishing the bathroom

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Umm, my mind is so terrible at putting an event/song/anything with the year in which in happened, so that's hard for me to say.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Much happier.
b) thinner or fatter? Probably the same.
c) richer or poorer? Probably the same, because even though we now have a mortgage, we both got multiple raises and paid off one of our cars!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I wish we had travelled more, or gotten more work done on the house.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Arguing, being stressed out, and worrying in general.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas this year was wonderful! All three of them! Christmas Eve was spent in New Glarus with 36 people from Bryan's immediate and slightly extended family (just aunts, uncles and cousins) crammed into a 700 square foot location--it was so much fun. Christmas Day was spent in Milwaukee with my family. Day after Christmas was spent in Rockford with Bryan's immediate family.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Not really, but I stayed in love and that love grew leaps and bounds. To me, that's more valuable.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Project Runway, fo sho.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I hate the word hate. So I never really hate anyone. But I do strongly dislike people. But those individuals haven't changed one way or another.

24. What was the best book you read?
Hmm, I read a lot of books this year, but nothing stands out as being fantastic. Nothing stands out as being terrible either, though.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Into the Wild soundtrack.

26. What did you want and get?
Health and happiness.

27. What did you want and not get?
A winning lottery ticket.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Hmm, I'd say it's a tie between Sex and the City and The Dark Knight.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 26 on July 28. It was a Monday and Bryan and I took the day off of work to bum around and go to the Brewers/Cubs game.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Money is always nice, but would it have made things more satisfying? I doubt it. I'm pretty happy with the way things are.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Same as always. Classic. No crazy fads or anything.

32. What kept you sane?
Bryan and Libby. While at the same time causing much of the insanity.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
You're right Kritta, Barack Obama is pretty damn fancy.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
I think the election as a whole did a pretty good job of that.

35. Who do you miss?
Anyone and everyone in my family who is no longer with us.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Definitely the blogging ladies. I wish we would have had more get togethers. Maybe this year??

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Hmmm, don't sweat the small stuff. Not something I learned in '08, but it's always been my motto and it still holds true.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Oh my gosh, I wouldn't even know where to start here. Sorry, got nothin.