38

As it turns out, April 26th is my birthday. I am 38 today!!! So, in honor of my birthday, I am celebrating via blog by sharing 38 things about myself....

1. I am a true procrastinator. I tend to take more pleasure in doing things when it's "the last minute". This applies to everything. Catching planes. Arriving at a party. Studying. Planning vacations. Everything. This is the one thing my husband would change about me. I saw a sign the other day that said, "I have not yet begun to procrastinate". Yep, that just about sums it up....

2. I despise the Beatles. EEEKKKK!!! Don't hate me. A song of theirs just came on Pandora and I had to switch the channel.

3. My favorite color is blue. Well, and seafoam green (almost everything in my house is this color).

4. I prefer cold weather over hot weather. I'll do anything to avoid being in the sun. I feel so much like myself when I am wearing layers.

5. I've been with Alain, the love of my life, for over 18 years now. And I am constantly amazed at how our relationship seems to get better over time. I am a very lucky woman!

6. My garden and my compost pile make me feel powerful.

7. I don't trust people who don't like dogs or people who claim that animals don't have souls.

8. I am obsessed with reading about societal issues.

9. I would like to be an eternal student. There are so, so, so many things I want to study.

10. I'm a twice-a-day shower-taker. It's maybe the biggest luxury in my life.

11. I truly believe that adventurous eaters who are passionate about food make better sexual partners.

12. I have a real problem....I cannot resist warmed blueberry scones from Starbucks. And they are so bad for me.

13. My dream careers: party DJ (!!!), city planner, pastry chef, food critic (although I'm a vegetarian!), architect, writer, specialty retail shop owner.

14. I am a feminist. A proud one. I am fiercely passionate about womens issues.

15. I'm a nine-hour sleeper. Ideally, I like to sleep from around Midnight to 9 AM. As you can imagine, this does not jive well with having young children.

16. To add to that, I am a true night owl. I have my biggest surges of energy and spurts of inspiration late in the evening. So, as you might guess, I am NOT a morning person. Not in any way, shape or form. In fact, it's best to keep your distance from me until around 10:30/11ish.

17. Living in Suburbia is slowly wearing on me. Lately, our part of town is more and more crowded. It's loud. There are too many cars and too many people. I would rather live totally urban or totally rural, where there are other benefits. But this just seems unhealthy to me. Good thing that hubbie seems to agree with me....

18. Jane Goodall is my idol. LOVE HER! She is such an amazing person and a gentle soul.

19. Music is my sanity in life. It can cure almost anything for me. In recent years, I've even learned to appreciate a good, good country song.

20. I wish there were more animals in my life. Maybe a bird for indoors. A pet rabbit. I long for some chickens. I dream big dreams about having a horse and maybe a few goats.

21. I'm a strong believer in reincarnation.

22. I don't really watch TV. Earlier this year, my husband finally agreed to let me cancel cable. I feel like our lives our richer now. When I tell other people, they look at me like I have six heads...but I know that I'm the one better off. Funnily enough, these are the same people that always ask me how I get so much done. Hmmm....

23. Secret confession -- I'm not a beach person. I try so hard but I'm just not. I find it tolerable when the weather is cooler and the beach is more empty. I like days when it's cool enough to wear rolled-up pants and a sweatshirt and you can have a nice, quiet, peaceful walk on the beach. But, in all honestly, I'd prefer a mountain vacation or a really nice city vacation.

24. I have some serious wanderlust lately. Mostly, I'd like to travel around the country visiting close friends. My closest friends all live far away from me....

25. I miss red wine and blue cheese. As soon as this baby pops out (as if it's that easy), those will be my first requests. And maybe a margarita....

26. My favorite body part? These blue eyes. My daughter's are IDENTICAL. This makes me so incredibly happy!

27. My parents are crazy young. I entered their lives when they were a very spritely seventeen years young. I sometimes forget how much this differentiates me from most people. But when I do remember or someone reminds me, I thank my lucky stars. When my parents were 38, I was almost finished college. And here I am still having babies!!!

28. I majored in Business Administration (yawn) with a minor in Anthropology. But I also have about an 80%-complete Masters in Biology. Maybe one day I'll go back and finish that. The only problem is that the second semester of Organic Chem would be waiting for me. Criky!

29. On that note, possibly my biggest dream in life is to obtain a Doctorate degree. I'm not sure it'll happen but Dr. Audrey sure sounds good to me!!! Knowing that I'll have two daughters only reinforces this wish!! The problem is that I'm not getting any younger...

30. I am a true Southerner. To the core. People laugh at me when I tell them this. I guess I'm not a typical Southerner in any respect. And I ditched my twangy Southern accent somewhere around 1992. But I know where I feel most at home and what's in my heart. (And yes, I do have a subscription to Southern Living.)

31. I find vacuuming to be extremely therapeutic.

32. I think a person's character is defined by how they treat people who can do absolutely nothing for them.

33. I have three sweet, gorgeous, delicious baby nephews. Benjamin, Yaron & Emilio. Unfortunately, they all live ridiculously far from me and I never see them. Side Note: I'm glad that this division of the family produces girls to even things out. :-)

34. Adding to that, secretly, I'm really happy that I'm going to have two daughters. I honestly think I'm a good Mom for girls. (I really hope so ~ I suppose only time will tell!)

35. My favorite part of the day is reading to Sophie at night. I love it so much! I hope that she loves reading as much as I do. It is so enriching in one's life.

36. I am a compulsive list maker. Nothing is more satisfying to me than crossing a completed task off of one of my to-do lists.

37. I dream of having Sarah Brightman's voice and singing abilities. In another life, I'm quite sure I was a flapper/Broadway star. In this life, I clear a room when I sing!

38. On this birthday, as with every birthday, I raise up a toast in memory of my dear friend and fellow free spirit, Brian Paul Mercado. Thanks to knowing him and in part because of losing him at a young age, I appreciate EVERY birthday and understand how lucky I am to live each day. Bri, you are still loved and missed, every single day!!! Cheers....