100 Things

I have so many friends that keep blogs. They have all inspired me to write one myself. I didn’t really know how to get it started though. My good friend Jack recently used the topic of "100 Things." I decided that would be the perfect subject for me to do for my first blog. So, here it is. 100 things that you may (or may not) want to know about me.

1. This is the first blog I’ve ever written and is probably the most I have ever actually written about myself.

2. I don’t have many regrets. I believe that in every experience that we have, there is a lesson to be learned. These lessons mold us and help us to grow and become stronger.

3. I am a single mom. I had my daughter when I was 17 yrs. old.

4. I have one brother who is 1 1/2 years older than me. He is also one of my best friends.

5. I tend to hide my true self behind humor and sarcasm.

6. I have severe Asthma. I hate it.

7. I was falsely diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at age 7. I believe it ended up being one of the
best things to ever happen to me. I was able to meet some of the most amazing people through that experience.

8. I used to have pet turtles. I had 3 of them run away from home. I know that sounds crazy but it did happen.

9. I don’t like fake people. I am a very real person. What you see is what you get.

10. I worked in the Emergency Room for 11 years and loved it.

11. I currently work in the detention center. I really enjoy it although I can’t wait to get back to the ER.

12. I believe that I am a spiritual person although I don’t belong to any religion.

13. I occasionally volunteer with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. I really enjoy it.

14. I am not easily offended.

15. I believe that every person that comes in to your life has a reason for being there.

16. I’m not a very good driver and I’ll be the first to admit it. I ran over some guy on a bike
once. I thought there was just something wrong with my car until I saw these hands come up on my hood.

17. I finally went to see a Cirque du Soleil show in November. I saw another one in February. I have wanted to see one for years. They were both incredible! I would highly recommend seeing one.

18. I collect quotes and poems. Most of them are motivational or have a good message.

19. I hope to make it to Alaska some time to see the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights.)

20. My mom and brother were both anonymous kidney donors. One of my biggest disappointments is that I wasn’t healthy enough to do it with them.

21. I spent my senior year of high school at a school for pregnant teenagers. It was such a social shock. You took your kids to school with you. There was a nursery and cribs in the classrooms.

22. I am allergic to damn near everything. I hate it.

23. I was in a car accident once with a couple of friends. We rolled a truck down a mountain and into a tree. None of us had seatbelts on and I still can’t believe that we all made it out of there alive.

24. One of my most embarrassing moments as a kid was while on vacation in Canada. I got sick and had to do breathing treatments in the middle of the mall with people walking by and staring. I have become a little more comfortable and open about my illness since then.

25. I got my belly button pierced when I was 19 years old. My ex-boyfriend had wanted me to get it done for a couple years. I asked him to take me to get it done about a month after we had broken up. I didn't even want one. I only did it to be an ass.

26. I love pictures. They are hanging everywhere in my house.

27. My first job was working in the snack bar at the baseball field.

28. I like the spring and summer much better than the fall and winter.

29. I hate when people assume that I don’t know things, especially when it comes to my health.

30. I am currently on a bowling league. My mother talked me in to it last year by saying that it would "enhance my social life." I had just moved to Richfield and there is no other possibillities for a social life in that hick town. I'm not a good bowler.

31. I own close to 30 pairs of shoes.

32. One of the greatest things that I’ve learned is empathy.

33. I read a lot of self help books.

34. My daughter and I got pet pigs from my mom 2 years ago for Easter. My family ate them for Easter dinner last year. It is disturbing and made me sad.

35. My all time favorite show is Little House on the Prairie. When I was younger, I used to cry when I couldn’t watch it.

36. I am currently going to school to finally finish up my nursing degree. I dropped out so that I could focus more on being a mom.

37. I have been engaged twice but never married.

38. I never thought that I’d be single at age 30.

39. I’m very competitive and I love to win. I’m a horrible winner.

40. I have come close to being put on life support on a couple different occasions.

41. I pay attention to song lyrics. I also love to use music as a way of dealing with my feelings.

42. I try to draw some positive out of every experience.

43. I pop my back multiple times a day.

44. I love all kinds of music from classic country and 80’s hair bands to hip-hop and pop. I even
like a little classical music.

45. My ipod is one of my favorite possessions.

46. I watch reruns of Friends almost every day. My daughter takes some of the blame for that
one though.

47. I’m usually more entertaining in haunted houses than the people there trying to scare you. They totally freak me out!

48. I hate going to the hospital. I will let myself go way too far before I give in and seek help.

49. I can only last about 10 minutes doing aerobic exercise before I’m completely out of breath. I hate it.

50. I don’t get grossed out easily.

51. My middle name is Marie.

52. My mom is one of the smartest people I know.

53. I tend to procrastinate a lot. I’m not proud of it.

54. I collect angels.

55. I witnessed my aunts boyfriend drown when I was 12 yrs. old. I blamed myself for years.

56. I like to wear hats. I have several.

57. I love to travel and see new places.

58. I’ve been told by the kids at my work that I am excessively happy and I laugh too much.

59. I hate scary amusement park rides but will almost always go on them. I’m rather
entertaining during the rides.

60. If I go to the bar, it takes me a week to recover. Not from drinking but from all the second hand smoke. I hate it.

61. I have a hard time trusting people. I wish I didn’t.

62. I love deep tissue massages. I could get them every day and be a very happy girl.

63. I went to summer camp as a kid. It was a camp for CF patients. I loved it! Some of my favorite childhood memories took place there.

64. I can’t wear socks to bed. It drives me crazy.

65. I reluctantly began reading the "Twilight" series when I was bored at work one day. I finished the whole series in two weeks and loved it!

66. I grew up eating macaroni noodles and tomato juice. It’s good, I promise.

67. I find puzzles to be incredibly addicting.

68. My weakness is cupcakes from Harmons grocery store; the white ones with about 2 inches of frosting! Yum!

69. I don’t have any tattoos although I have finally decided on one that I’m hoping to get soon.

70. I was named after the country song "Amanda." It was my dad’s favorite song.

71. My parents used to make me sit in the bathroom multiple times a day with the hot shower running. This was to help me breathe better. I hated it. To this day, I can’t stand humid places because of it.

72. I love to dance. I have danced ever since I was a little kid.

73. I think South Park is one of the funniest tv shows ever made.

74. I think that the movie The Notebook is one of the best love stories ever told. I’m not sure if I believe in love like that anymore.

75. I love Dr. Pepper. I quit drinking soda 3 weeks ago though. I hope I can stick to it.

76. My best friend is also the first boy I ever kissed. It was at summer camp during a game of "Truth or Dare." We had a crush on each other for 5 years. I lost him for 18 years and then found him a little over a year ago through the amazing power of Google. We have talked almost every day since.

77. I genuinely care for the kids that I work with.

78. I have a lot of "blonde moments." They make for some great stories though.

79. I can easily make fun of myself.

80. I am a very forgiving person. I sometimes wonder if that’s a good thing.

81. One of my favorite vacations was when Santa gave my daughter a trip to Disneyland for
Christmas. We went with a couple of my girlfriends. It was a blast!

82. I think Facebook is addicting. I’ve been able to catch up with some old friends on Facebook though. I have loved that.

83. I’ve loved camping ever since I can remember.

84. I like being random. This list is a great example of that.

85. I rarely let people go to the doctor with me. I’m gradually able to let people in on that part
of my life.

86. I have a passion for helping people.

87. I love just watching the stars on a clear night. I could do it for hours and hours.

88. I have a love/hate relationship with Prednisone (steroids). I hate taking them with a passion although they have saved my life on several occasions.

89. I don’t like to cook. I will do it, but not very often. My poor child lives on frozen pizzas. I do bake though.

90. I love looking up at the stars. One of my favorite activities is swinging as high as I can on a swingset underneath a clear nights sky. I know it sounds corny but there is a sense of peacefullness in that.

91. I find snakes to be more intriguing than scary.

92. I never thought that I wanted more kids until my doctor told me that due to my health, I shouldn't have any more.

93. I love spending time with my family.

94. One of my biggest fears is losing the people that I love.

95. I don’t get embarrassed easily.

96. I probably talk too much.

97. I tend to make friends with men more often than women.

98. One of the scariest times of my life was when my dad had open-heart surgery.

99. There are things on this list that I never talk about with people. It’s a little intimidating to me to reveal this much about myself.

100. I value my friends and family very much. They are all amazing!