Year in Review

(A meme discovered via DM)

1. What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before?
I went to Canada. I'd visited Mexico, Germany, and Portugal before, but I had yet to visit the great land just north of my state. I really enjoyed the trip with DM.

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
The closest I came to having a resolution was to promise myself that I would embrace my feelings towards men I meet. I didn't do as well with this one, especially since I'm still playing Devil's Advocate about the entire Andriy dilemma. This year? I want to resolve to resolve an issue that is hindering my ability to jump on a plane and visit Andriy. This will not happen overnight, but could be resolved by the end of the year if I buckle down.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth or adopt?
No. Unless you count a bartender at the Chalet and I'll admit, I don't even know the baby's name. Oops. Oh, one of my bankers just had a child. Or his wife did but he is the father, so it counts.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No. I had an uncle pass away that I'd never met.

5. What countries did you visit?
Canada!

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
That's tough. I don't really feel like I'm lacking anything, except that one issue. Unlimited spending power? Without repayment? That's not really possible.

7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January 15 (drunk at karaoke); October 26 (hearing from Andriy); March 11 (DM's Birthday); May something or another (Road trip to Canada)

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Proving at work that my team could be #1 in sales

9. What was your biggest failure?
I still have yet to graduate college. That will take place in 2008.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing too severe. I think I got sick early in the year. Maybe.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Scrapbooking stuff - this year wasn't a big one for buying cool electronics.
Note - oops! I realized that I bought a laptop this year. That was cool.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
DM, Sarah, my mom, my dad, and quite a few of my bankers. I surround myself with good people. It helps. Always.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
There was a situation at work that I dealt with early in the year that was highly stressful, disappointing, and angering. The behaviors of a certain individual went against my trust and I was saddened to realize what was being done by that individual.

14. Where did most of your money go?
iTunes. Debt. School.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Canada with DM. Hearing from Andriy. My team's performance.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
I don't know if there is a specific song for the year, but two songs that come to mind are, "Mess," by Ben Folds Five and "Maybe You're Right," by BNL. Both just move me.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
Probably happier. About the same.
b) thinner or fatter?
Unfortunately, fatter. That's what happens when you start going to lunch every day.
c) richer or poorer?
Richer, but still poor.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Traveling. Scrapbooking. There's always a wish to spend more time with friends and family.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Going to the dentist?

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
It's past. I spent it with my parents and my mom's boyfriend.

21. Did you fall in love in 2006?
Love was reawakened in 2006. How does that sound?

22. How man one-night stands?
Dude. He lives in a foreign country. A little difficult. None to be exact.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
I like LOST. I also watch Heroes and CSI (Vegas).

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I hate the actions of a few people, but nothing enough to wish badly upon anyone.

25. What was the best book you read?
I don't read enough. I guess I'd say, "Eyes of the Dragon." One, I love the story. Two, I don't remember reading anything else.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I got into Ben Folds and Death Cab for Cutie this year, thanks to Steve. KT Tunstall also.

27. What did you want and get?
A top performing team.

28. What did you want and not get?
I really should not write, "Laid," here.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
I didn't see many movies this year. I liked "Stranger Than Fiction," surprisingly.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Well, I'm still 28 (because that hasn't changed yet), and I went to Olive Garden with my mom and her boyfriend. I went to karaoke that night with DM. Sarah, Steve, Katie, Char, and Tom were all there. The next night, I went toManny's with DM, Char, Tom, Bryan, Liz, and James.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Having Portugal and Ukraine a whole lot closer.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
Understated. The only real thing I can think of getting any notice was the fact people could see m colored socks. There were a lot of days of blue jeans and long sleeved shirts.

33. What kept you sane?
My parents. DM. Sarah. Steve.

34. What celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Hmmm. I will always adore David Duchovny, Kevin Spacey, Hugh Grant, and Clint Eastwood. But for 2006? I guess Josh Holloway is pretty.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
The hindering of gay-rights, the war in Iraq, and I guess the execution of Sadaam Hussein recently has got me checking the news. Not sure what I think of that yet, still catching up on the details.

36. Who did you miss?
Johnny. Andriy. Taco.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Meeting Diana was cool. There are a few bankers who also rank up there.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006.
Just when you think things are hopeless, something can come around and change your life. You could give up on a dream to find in an instant that the dream is all you can imagine. And delegating does help reduce stress. It is okay to ask for help.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"There is nothing in this world quite as beautiful as your shiver." Or, "All alone, as I've learned to be, in this mess, I have made." The first is from a Fred LeBlanc song, "Shiver." The second is from, "Mess," by Ben Folds. "It was often talked about, it was often raised, but nothing was ever done about it." This one is from, "Maybe You're Right," by BNL.

Teri said: "May something or another (Road trip to Canada)" The date is etched in your memory, huh? Happy New Year!

Mother of Invention said: Wow, what a lot of thought you put into this! I like your positive nature about dreams being reawakened, and how you have such supportive and loving friends/family. You have good aspirations. I hope your dreams come true in 2007! Maybe you'll get up to Canada again and overseas before year's end! Happy New year, Beth. Thanks for being such a regular faithful visitor to my blog!

CarpeDM said: Yeah, we're real good with the date thing, aren't we? I am looking forward to the little trips we take to get away this year. They may not be very far, they may not be very expensive but as long as I have a camera and you, it'll be the best road trip ever. You know, until the next one.

Lioness said: Oh I loved this meme, and your 28 made me laugh out loud! I too wish Portugal were closer but never fear, what w the continental drift, some day we'll be crashing into each other. I'll then wave madly, so you can spot me. Happy 2007!

Frustrated Writer said: great meme! will use it on my blog. glad 2006 brought you some fantastic blessings including a reawakened love, top performing team, and satisfaction. Here's hoping 2007 is a banner year for you too!

Fascinating

Updating my archives (because I'm a bit OCD), I ran across two ideas from a poll that I did. I have the second still written down, waiting for the inspiration to write it correctly (and hopefully humorously). The other idea was from Mark and it was to write about the 10* Most Fascinating People I've Ever Met.

I hope I do them justice. It is a countdown to the number 1 Most Fascinating Person I've Ever Met (read that as if there were neon lights around it, flashing and a big band playing).

10. Charlie (fake name)
I debated with myself to put him on the list, but then I realized that I continually return to thoughts of him when I need inspiration and when I want to feel a bit better about myself. Unrequited love aside, he was a fascinating individual. When I knew Charlie, he was not wise beyond his years and his life experiences were not monumental by any means. He may or may not have traveled down the path of life to glory and huge achievements, but I'd like to think that his spunk, his energy, and his love of life has brought him happiness.

Charlie fascinated me more than he fascinated others, I would think that is fair to say. Quite a few of my friends from that time did not think his sense of humor or brutal honesty was a perk. He was a clown without the scary make-up and dirty jokes. Charlie was a teenage boy and so his mind was in the gutter (like many of his shots in bowling), but he wasn't jaded and he still held onto his innocence. He loved to laugh and he loved to make others laugh. He fascinated me with the sparkle in his eyes and his good nature.

9. Susan & Ellen
Yeah, I'm cheating already. Susan and Ellen are the two female cousins I have on my mother's side of the family tree. I put them together because they were my female influences when I grew up. Ellen used to watch me during the summers and I remember her wicked sense of humor. She is the reason why I believe that Barbies are minions of the devil and she influenced my writing. Susan stayed with our family when I was 13 and she went to school up here in Minnesota. Susan was athletic and she showed me that it is perfectly fine for a woman to be on her own in this world. She is married now, but at the time she visited, I saw a 24 year old woman who lived by herself and had no problem putting her friends ahead of a cheap relationship. Susan & Ellen fascinated me because they were my role models.

8. The Crew from Bugs
Don't worry, I won't keep cheating. I am lumping a group of people together because I cannot say one of them is more fascinating than another, but as a group they were a great cast of characters. This group of people was fascinating because they were so different than any group of people I had known before or since. I knew more guy's guys there and I met more women who were strong and independent (and a little "loose") than I had thought could congregate. The atmosphere of a pool hall does not always attract the classiest of people, but it does attract real people who want to laugh, want to have fun, and want to be themselves. One of the women was my friend Melissa who was so headstrong and just plain cruel if she didn't like you. I learned how to argue from her. Steph was the spunky, crazy one whom everyone adored because she was nice and sweet and didn't let anything get her down. Brent was the clown whose laugh alone could send a crowd of people into gales of laughter. Our group also had the not-so-nice people that can still send chills up my spine when I think of them. Age was never a factor with this group, social class was thrown out the window, and the whole group just wanted to be around each other. It was a good group of friends at the time.

7. Mike
Mike was my supervisor for a couple of years at work. I've had some supervisors who have been fantastic and great people, but if I had to state my favorite manager EVER, it would be Mike. He truly cares about people, even if he jokes around that he doesn't. No one can resist having a good time at work when he's there. Mike's management style is a style that I appreciate and try to model. He is a hero of mine.

5/6. My Dad
What girl is not fascinated by the knowledge and kindness and stableness of her father? Well, okay, I know that some women do not feel that their fathers are examples of the best men in the world, but I have had quite a few friends who were envious of how great my dad is. He is a wonderful father.

My dad is incredibily intelligent. He's a bit of an underachiever in this aspect and never went as far as his intellect would allow him in school. His values were not the degree. He likes to learn about new subjects and I have always thought he could out "Cliff Clavin" Cliff Clavin.

Dad will always help me and offer a stable support for me. He has always encouraged every idea I had and pushed me to better myself. He is witty and his jokes have made many furrow a brow in confusion because they don't get the references. My dad has a solid work ethic and passed that onto me. He's a great dad.

5/6. My Mom
She's crazy. But I love her. My mom has a passion and loves to get worked up over things. When she think there is something wrong in the world, she won't be shy about sharing her opinions. While this is sometimes a bit embarrassing, I do think she is fascinating. My parents were not the best combination of personalities and that's why their marriage did not last. But they are great friends to each other.

My mom has never been afraid to do what she felt was the best thing for her or her loved ones. This is most easily seen in her love for our family pets and the lengths she will go to take care of them.

My mom got cooler the older I got. We never really fought; she just doesn't like children all that much. She was waiting for that time in my life where I would be able to relate with her on a friend level versus the child/parent level.

She is absolutely crazy and I love her for it.

4. Johnny
What can't I say about Johnny? She is fabulous! Don't believe me? Read her site. Read all of it. You'll know how fascinating she is.

One of the simple things that does fascinate me about Johnny is the fact she lives in Portugal. I know that doesn't make her any more fascinating than other people living in Portugal, but I thought it was just a cool thing. That sounds lame when I write it. I just like the culture and her take on her culture.

Johnny has passion for life, for her friends, and for her furry ones. She is a vet student and works hard to get to her goals. She is HI-larious and her sense of humor comes out in spades when she is riled. She does what she wants to do and tells it like it is and I adore her.

3. Andriy
Andriy is probably the definition of fascinating (to charm, to captivate). I've written about him before and I will admit I'm a bit biased in my opinions about him because I fell in love with him instantly.

He lives in another country and we haven't spoken in a few years now. I don't think we will ever chat again or see each other. I'm fine with this. I do know he helped shape me into the person I am today.

Intelligent? Yes. Try going to law school and forming a new political action group for your country to intice young voters to actually care.

Kind? Yes. Sweet? Of course. Chilvary? In spades. Want to know more about how much he fascinated me? Read here. I may have used a fake name when I wrote it. As much as that post makes me long for being 19 again, I do like what I wrote.

2. Bryan
Fascinating. Just flipping amazing. Is it a surprise that the host at karaoke (whom DM and I have been accused of stalking) would be near the top of the list? And one of the things that makes Bryan even more fascinating than his talent for music, his creativity, and his sense of humor, is the fact that he and Liz are perfect for each other.

1. Dana
What list would be complete without the perfect best friend at the top of it? I wrote another post, early in my blogging history, about her. It's called, "Oh, I like Paul Simon, who's that guy I don't like?" Maybe Dana fascinates me because she's just so Dana-like or because she is such a good friend (even if she doesn't think so - she is) and that I can always count on her for a good time. Everyone needs a great friend and I was lucky to find one when I met her.

------
*There are more fascinating people that I've met and I could probably list a couple more of them without much hesitation. I'm trying to stick to the ones that shaped who I am by showing me a bit of their passions.

Blank Screen

At the present moment, I am staring at a blank screen, trying desperately to find something valuable to write about. In the background, I have Subtilties playing. The song is by Medium, the band that Bryan was a member. It has a jazzy under tone and plenty of saxophone. The best part of the song is when he starts to skat and I still find it genius to add lyrics about a water heater to a song.

You'd never leave me if you really, really love me.

This man can sing. Both DM and I have mentioned it a hundred times.

Hee hee. Every night about four AM I hear the sound above my bedroom. The sound of people talking, not so much the sound of a party but more like friends getting together. But, uh, I got my mind made up, could be the water heater, might be the water heater, could be the water heater. *Saxophone solo*

It is Sunday, the day of worship for many. I do not go to church. Instead, I head to the Chalet with DM for our ritual of splendor. Even the nights when it is crazy we have a blast.

After work on Friday, I went with a banker to Perkin's for a bit of food and conversation. I had a great time. This banker is fun and high energy and a great addition to our team. Steve and I really do have a great bunch of people to work with. It is amazing to find out each and every day how much work feels like fun.

Even though work can be a blast, there are times when I have to do something I don't enjoy. This week had an HR issue that I would have preferred to not deal with. I lost a team member this week, even though it was somewhat my choice. Having to let someone go is not a favorite activity of mine and it does tend to bum me out for a period of time.

We did have a great event at work this week. Our annual winter party (because holiday parties are un-PC) was on Friday night. Our call center catered the event and had a great chicken, scalloped potatoes, fresh steamed veggies, and delicious cheesecake dessert dinner. After the food, there were games. We had a "casino" and each of the bankers received tickets to gamble with. If they won extra tickets, they could put their names in a drawing for some pretty awesome prizes (handheld DVD players, home theater systems, etc). I was helping at the party and dealt cards at a blackjack table. Thursday night with Steve and Sarah was practice.

After work last night, I went and "killed 16 children". In fact, I actually went to Wal-Mart. I joke that it is killing children because this is what James, from karaoke, feels shopping at Wal-Mart is. But Wal-Mart is open 24-hours (or at least some are) and I did need some things for the bathroom. I was able to get what I needed and also pick up some small gifts for a Secret Santa thing I'm part of at work. We're not allowed to celebrate Christmas, but we are able to have small groups of celebration within the management staff.

And now for something completely different:

DM found this on frog's blog.

List seven songs you are into right now, no matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they're any good, but they must be songs you're really enjoying now. Post these instructions in your livejournal along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they're listening to. (I'm not tagging anyone. If you want to do it, do it. If not, don't.)

1. Subtilties - Medium (see above)
2. Aluminum - Barenaked Ladies
3. Swimming Past the 4th of July - Medium
4. Show Me - Bree Sharp
5. Bad - Cowboy Mouth
6. Walk Alone at Night - Medium
7. Bring Me Some Water - Melissa Etheridge

Signature Themes

Tonight at work, I had to take a personality test to determine my strengths. The test measured 34 different themes and rated my top five. The test consisted of 180 questions and I had 20 seconds to answer each. I figured I'd share some of the results.

...those who understand their strengths and behaviors. These people are best able to develop strategies to meet and exceed the demand of their daily lives, their careers, and their families.

A review of the knowledge and skills you have acquired can provide a basic sense of your abilities, but an awareness and understanding of your natural talents will provide true insight into the core reasons behind your consistent successes.

...Your Signature Themes are very important in maximizing the talents that lead to your successes. By focusing on your Signature Themes, separately and in combination, you can identify your talents, build them into strengths, and enjoy personal and career success through consistent, near-perfect performance.

Learner

You love to learn. The subject matter that interests you most will be determined by your other themes and experiences, but whatever the subject, you will always be drawn to the process of learning. The process, more than the content or the result, is especially exciting for you. You are energized by the steady and deliberate journey from ignorance to competence. The trill of the first few facts, the early efforts to recite or practice what you have learned, the growing confidence of a skill mastered - this is the process that entices you. Your excitement leads you to engage in adult learning experiences - yoga or piano lessons or graduate classes. It enables you to thrive in dynamic work environments where you are asked to take on short project assignments and are expected to learn a lot about the new subject matter in a short period of time and then move on to the next one. This Learner theme does not necessarily mean that you seek to become the subject matter expert, or that you are striving for the respect that accompanies a professional or acedemic credential. The outcome of learning is less significant than the "getting there."

Arranger

You are a conductor. When faced with a complex situation involving many factors, you enjoy managing all of the variables, aligning and realigning them until you are sure you have arranged them in the most productive configuration possible. In your mind there is nothing special about what you are doing. You are simply trying to figure out the best way to get things done. But others, lacking this theme, will be in awe of your ability. "How can you keep so many things in your head at once?" they will ask. "How can you stay so flexible, so willing to shelve well-laid plans in favor of some brand-new configuration that has just occurred to you?" But you cannot imagine behaving in any other way. You are a shining example of effective flexibility, whether you are chaning travel schedules at the last minute because a better fare has popped up or mulling over just the right combination of people and resources to accomplish a new project. From the mundane to the complex, you are always looking for the perfect configureation. Of course, you are at your best in dynamic situations. Confronted with the unexpected, some complain that plans devised with such care cannot be changed, while others take refuge in the existing rules or procedures. You don't do either. Instead, you jump into the confusion, devising new options, hunting for new paths of least resistance, and figuring out new partnerships - because, after all, there might just be a better way.

Positivity

You are generous with praise, quick to smile, and always on the lookout for the positive in the situation. Some call you lighthearted. Others just wish that their glass were as full as yours seems to be. But either way, people want to be around you. Their world looks better around you because your enthusiasm is contagious. Lacking your energy and optimism, some find their world drab with repetition or, worse, heavy with pressure. You seem to find a way to lighten their spirit. You inject drama into every project. You celebrate every achievement. You find ways to make everything more exciting and more vital. Some cynics may reject your energy, but you are rarely dragged down. Your Positivity won't allow it. Somehow you can't quite escape your conviction that it is good to be alive, that work can be fun, and that no matter what the setbacks, one must never lose one's sense of humor.

Responsibility

Your Responsibility theme forces you to take psychological ownership for anything you commit to, and whether large or small, you feel emotionally bound to follow it through to completion. Your good name depends on it. If for some reason you cannot deliver, you automatically start to look for ways to make it up to the other person. Apologies are not enough. Excuses and rationalizations are totally unacceptable. You will not quite be able to live with yourself until you have made restitution. This conscientiousness, this near obsession for doing things right, and your impeccable ethics, combine to create your reputation: utterly dependable. When assigning new responsibilities, people will look to you first because they know it will get done. When people come to you for help - and they soon will - you must be selective. Your willingness to volunteer may sometimes lead you to take on more than you should.

Relator

Relator describes your attitude toward your relationships. In simple terms, the Relator theme pulls you toward people you already know. You do not necessarily shy away from meeting new people - in fact, you may have other themes that cause you to enjoy the thrill of thruning strangers into friends - but you do derive a great deal of pleasure and strength from being around your close friends. You are comfortable with intimacy. Once the initial connection has been made, you deliberately encourage a deepening of the relationshi. You want to understand their feelings, their goals, their fears, and their dreams; and you want them to understand yours. You know that this kind of closeness implies a certain amount of risk - you might be taken advantage of - but you are willing to accept that risk. For you a relationship has value only if it is genuine. And the only way to know that is to entrust yourself to the other person. The more you share with each other, the more you risk together. The more you risk together, the more each of you proves your caring is genuine. These are your steps toward real friendship, and you take them willingly.

The Clifton StrengthsFinder Themes were available to me through the Gallup Organization. You can find a link here to the website describing the various themes. I do not see a way to take the test unless it is assigned by a school or organization.

Some of the other themes that are on the list:

Achiever, Activator, Adaptibility, Analytical, Arranger, Belief, Command, Communication, Competition, Connectedness, Consistency, Context, Deliberative, Developer, Discipline, Empathy, Focus, Futuristic, Harmony, Ideation, Includer, Individualization, Input, Intellection, Learner, Maximizer, Positivity, Relator, Responsibility, Restorative, Self-Assurance, Significance, Strategic, Woo.

I bolded the ones that I scored on the test (as I discussed above) and I italicized the ones that I think I'd like to develop as strengths or think may be the next ten on my list.

I may need to work on this love thing...

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	6.5
Mind:	7
Body:	4.8
Spirit:	7.3
Friends/Family:	5
Love:	0.8
Finance:	7.7
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

Your Life Analysis:

Life: Your life rating is a score of the sum total of your life, and accounts for how satisfied, successful, balanced, capable, valuable, and happy you are. The quiz attempts to put a number on the summation of all of these things, based on your answers. Your life score leaves room for improvement. You can make changes to improve your trouble areas, and this will bring you greater satisfaction. Focus on your weakest points and set about to change them. Do not delay your happiness and success.

Mind: Your mind rating is a score of your mind's clarity, ability, and health. Higher scores indicate an advancement in knowledge, clear and capable thinking, high mental health, and pure thought free of interference. Your mind score is not bad, but could be improved upon. Your mental health is not weak, but you are not achieving full mental clarity and function. Learn how to unclutter your mind. Keep learning, keep improving, continue moving forward. Read advice from other quiz-takers on improving the mind.

Body: Your body rating measures your body's health, fitness, and general wellness. A healthy body contributes to a happy life, however many of us are lacking in this area. You have a rather low body score, which means that your physical health is not in a good condition. You must put a higher priority on your body, focusing on nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction. Proper focus will lead to great improvement, leaving you feeling energetic and happy. Read advice from other quiz-takers on improving the body.

Spirit: Your spirit rating seeks to capture in a number that elusive quality which is found in your faith, your attitude, and your philosophy on life. A higher score indicates a greater sense of inner peace and balance. Your spirit score is relatively high, which means you are rewarded by your beliefs. Spirituality is clearly important to do. Never let it slip, and continue to learn and grow. Read advice from other quiz-takers on improving the spirit.

Friends/Family: Your friends and family rating measures your relationships with those around you, and is based on how large, healthy, and dependable your social network is. Your friends and family score is not bad but can be improved. Maintain your current social net, while you try to expand it. Try new things and form new friendships. You will be rewarded greatly.

Love: Your love rating is a measure of your current romantic situation. Sharing your heart with another person is one of life's most glorious, terrifying, rewarding experiences. Your love score is very low, indicating trouble. There is love out there for you. Seek the advice of wise people on how to go about finding it. Do not lose hope.

Finance: Your finance rating is a score that rates your current financial health and stability. You have a rather good financial score, which is not all that common these days. Keep doing what works. Avoid common pitfalls and save for the future. You will be glad you did.

Five Things I Miss From My Childhood

DM tagged me back in the middle of June. Times have been a busy for me, but I think procrastinating is the main reason that I have not completed this yet. Here I go.

First, the rules:

Remove blog #1 from the following list and bump everyone up one place; add your blog's name in the number five spot. You need to link to each of the blogs for much cross pollination of the other blogs.

1. Lyvvie's Limelight
2. The Cerebral Outpost
3. Meandering Musings Muster Madness
4. Green Duckies and Other Tales of Dana
5. Sheepshead and Other Stories

Next, select four new friends to add to the pollen count. (Not obligated to partake):

1. Matt (if he ever blogs again - it's been awhile)
2. Larry
3. Johnny (no obligation remember. But if you feel like it, you can do it. Don't worry if you don't.)
4. June

In no particular order, here are the top 5 things I miss from my childhood.

1. Summer vacation. Yes, it sounds childish, but then, this is a MEME about childhood. What I miss the most about summer vacation is the games that were played. It was a ritual of mine. Each day I would get up and spend the day with my cousin, Ellen, and play with Taco Bell. Each summer we would have a different favorite movie, one that was watched so many times the tape started to wear thin.

One of the summers, our pick was Summer School, a terrible 80's movie about high school students just trying to pass their big test. As we watched the movie each day, cool inside with the air conditioning to block out the humidity, we would play a card game. It was a rummy game with chips on a plastic board and I remember the game would last for hours, always continuing after we had pushed the rewind button on the VCR. Once the movie was over, it was time to put on a record or two. My parents had a substantial collection of vinyl, most of it from the early 70's. There were a few records that grabbed my attention and my cousin and I would listen to them over and over.

What band/artist grabbed so much of our attention on those lazy summer afternoons? Why, it was the Monkees. For some odd reason, I just adored songs like "Daydream Believer" and "Last Train to Clarksville".

Once our game had finished, we would break out the box full of old Barbies, some were even hand-me-downs from Ellen herself. Ellen, a large fan of soap operas, would help create stories about Barbie, her evil empire and her mischievous intentions. I've written a bit about this before, back when this blog was just starting out. You can find that post here.

Summer afternoons were also time to play with Taco Bell, the family dog that I love so much. Many afternoons were lost, just walking him in the woods, or running back and forth together in the yard. Sometimes he and I would just sit in my room, I reading a book or playing with stuffed animals. There was a set of shelves in my room, shelves my dad put up to hold all of my stuffed animals. Taco loved small spaces; we used to call him a Cave Dog. He would find a spot at the bottom of the shelves and just curl up. It didn't matter what we did, we just spent time together. I laughed and smiled more often when he was around. He was beautiful each and every day. I miss him the most.

2. Another part of my childhood that I miss is the time I spent with my dad in the program through the Y.M.C.A. I have written about this in the past as well, you can find the posts I did about these times here and here. It was a time for me to bond with my father and I always was able to have a great time in the program. The disasters, like the ice house, were even good stories to tell after the fact.

Each year, we would have a lock-in at one of the local Y.M.C.A.s. I remember getting excited about being able to play games all night long, swim in the pool for hours, and exercise in the gym. My dad always would swim under the water, pretending to be a shark, making the duh-dum noise so classic to the Jaws films. I, like the other girls in the pool, would scream with laughter, trying to out swim him. He always let the girls win.

I treasure the time I was able to spend with my dad in this program. Someday, if I ever have children and one or more happen to be female, I will want my husband to devote time to the daughter. My hopes would be to find a program like this one, one where a girl can learn those things that are not typically taught to girls (like archery or animal tracking). The memories I have of this time are cherished in my mind.

3. One constant in my childhood was the time I spent in the bowling alley. Maple Lanes was a second home to me for many years. I joined a Saturday morning youth league when I was only 10 and stayed in that league until I graduated high school. As much as school was a social event, bowling was my a place to see my circle of friends.

While other kids were getting up to watch cartoons, I was getting up and getting my parents to drop me off at the bowling alley. I remember the thrill of my first 200+ game. I remember the different teams and friends I made from different schools.

Once I had a talk with my parents about them watching me while I bowled. Some other kids would have their parents there for every game and mine would usually just drop me off and pick me up later. At one point I had wanted them there, watching each game, each shot. Then I realized that my parents were supportive. They took me to the place where I could have fun and trusted me enough to behave without their watching over me. They did appear at the events when it was appropriate for parents to be there. It made me more independent and gave me freedom to form friendships on my own.

I do miss those Saturday mornings, even if I could never get up early enough now to join a morning league.

4. Snow. Yes, it still snows every year, but for some reason it seemed like snow was much more fun as a child. The first snowfall of every year would be a time to run out and make a snow angel or snowman. When the snow would get deep in the backyard, Taco would try to run around and once we got Chip we laughed as he out ran Taco. Chip's legs were just a bit longer than Taco's and it was the only time he could out run his big brother.

Some of the snow memories I have are from the times with my dad and the program at the Y. We went sledding and skiing (oh, that was a bad experience, Beth + Skis = Bad Combo). I also remember the first snowfall when I was in middle school. It was the last year I went trick-or-treating and I've written about it before. You can find that post here.

When it would snow and our family lived in the town home neighborhood, the busstop would get plowed and the snow would be piled up. The kids at the stop always tried to play King of the Mountain. There were a few games of this where I was declared the winner. The boys would also try to "whitewash" all the girls but always backed down a bit when it came to pushing my face into the snow. I guess beating up a boy in kindergarten helped. I would then protect the girls from the boys when it snowed.

Another thing I remember and miss about the first snowfall of every year was something my mom would share with me. Grandma used to believe that if you washed your feet in the first snowfall of each year you would not get any winter colds. It's just an old wive's tale, but still something I think of when it snows.

5. Maybe the last thing I remember about childhood and miss is my mom's cooking. Sure, everyone says that their mom is the greatest cook and I'm sure we all have great cooks in our families. My mom learned from the best though. Grandma was an excellent cook and my mom has taken it too an entirely different realm.

Mom works for a food production company and part of her job is to make food. I'm not talking about making food for dinner, but more like developing new products to test on the market. She's a senior processing technologist and has been known to make butter, cheese, and caramel popcorn just because she has some extra ingredients lying around at work.

But at home. At home Mom would make the foods I now identify as comfort foods. Garlic injected turkey, sweet dill pickles, spaghetti sauce from scratch. No matter what Mom made, it was always good. I only remember one food experiment failing and that was probably more my fault than hers. We tried to make bagels once. Bagels that turned out to be runny. One of my favorite meals of my mom's would be hot beef sandwiches. She would make a roast and then we'd just put it on bread, pour gravy all over it, and eat up some mashed potatoes with it.

Now I'm hungry.

9 Layers

9 Layers of Me… (With appropriate links when I remember a post I've written about the relevant topic)

Layer One:

Name: Beth Brooks
Birth date: October 26, 1978
Birthplace: Waterloo, Iowa
Current Location: Mounds View, Minnesota
Eye Color: Blue
Hair Color: Wheat
Height: 5 foot 4 inches
Righty or Lefty: Righty
Zodiac Sign: Scorpio. Don’t cross me.

Layer Two:

Heritage: Swedish, English, German, a little French, a little Irish
Shoes Worn Today: brown boots
Weaknesses: Coca-Cola. Music. Scrapbooking. My dogs, my mom and dad, and my friends.
Fears: spiders, heights, and water
The Perfect Pizza: Sausage, Mushroom, Green Pepper, and Onions, deep dish
Desired Goal: Being happy. But life is all about the journey, so the ultimate goal is undefined.

Layer Three:

Most Overused Phrases: Okay. You know.
First Waking Thoughts: “My eyelids said 4:30, but the radio clock said six and I was thinking of a reasonable excuse.” ~ Cowboy Mouth lyrics
Best Physical Feature: I’ve been told I have a “nice rack.”
Most Missed Memory: You mean when I was happiest in life? I believe I can always be happy, all I need to do is enjoy what is in front of me. I wouldn’t go back to any different time if I had a choice. I did enjoy my high school bowling days, the summer my cousin, Susan, stayed at our home, my pool hall junkie days, and playing cards at Fridleykins for hours on end with the Sheepsheadians.

Layer Four:

Pepsi or Coke: Coca-Cola! I’ve been addicted since 18 months.
McDonald's or Burger King: McDonald’s.
Single or Group Dates: All I’ve ever really done was the group date. You know, the group gets together? I think I’d prefer some alone time if I found the right guy.
Adidas or Nike: Nike. If only for the fact I like Tiger Woods and the ads he does for Nike.
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: If I have to pick…Nestea.
Chocolate or Vanilla: Vanilla.
Cappuccino or Coffee: Cappuccino. But I like mocha much more.

Layer Five:

Cuss: I’ve been known to utter a curse word, once in awhile. Okay, I did learn from my mother.
Sing: Every Sunday. Don’t take away my karaoke! I also sing in my car. I don’t sing in the shower.
Shower Everyday: More often than not.
Ever Been in Love: Yes.
Want to Go to College: I’m still going. I’ve switched my major three times from the original (I think. Let’s see. Journalism, then accounting, then business, and now general management.) I now go to the University of Phoenix online.
Liked High School: Take it or leave it. I did enjoy my friends and I didn’t have a hard time.
Want to Get Married: Maybe someday. If I meet someone I want to actually marry.
Believe in Self: Yes. Except in the dating department.
Get Motion Sickness: Rarely. Actually, almost never.
Think Yourself Attractive: I have a large nose and my hips are way too large. So, no.
Think You’re a Health Nut: Not in the least
Get Along with Parent(s): More often than not
Like Thunderstorms: Love them.
Play an Instrument: No

Layer Six:

In the Past Month…

Drank Alcohol: Yes. I had a Hurricane at Hard Rock Café in Lisbon.
Done a Drug: Does Coca-Cola count?
Made Out: No, unfortunately.
Gone on a Date: No.
Visited the Mall: Only because I needed to shop for vacation.
Eaten an Entire Box of Oreos?: No. I don’t like Oreos or cookies all that much.
Eaten Sushi: No.
Been on Stage: Yes. Every Sunday at karaoke.
Been Dumped: In the past month? No.
Gone Skating: In the last month? No. I haven’t gone skating (roller or ice) for years.
Made Homemade Cookies: No.
Dyed your Hair: It’s been more than a month since Liese did my highlights.
Stolen Anything: Yes. A bolt from a gas station in Lisbon and a cloth on the train to Évora for Bryan. Which is so out of character for me.

Layer Seven:

Ever…

Played a Game that Required the Removal of Clothing: no
If So, Was it Mixed Company: see answer of no.
Been Trashed or Extremely Intoxicated: Yes.
Been Caught "Doing Something": Kind of.
Been Called a Tease: No.
Gotten Beaten Up: No. I beat someone up in kindergarten.
Shoplifted: Not on purpose. When I was very little, my mom wanted me to have an umbrella. The clerk forgot to ring it up with all the other stuff we bought that day.
Changed Who You Were to Fit In: When I join a new group or new environment, I do tend to be quieter than normal. It is not changing who I am so much as it is guarding parts of myself from others until I establish a trust level.

Layer Eight:

Age You Hope to be Married: 92. Do I have to pick an age? That makes it a goal.
Numbers and Names of Children: If I get married and decide to have children, I would like one kid. If it were a boy, I’d like to name him Andrew Jacob after a couple of important people in my past. If it were a girl, I’d name her Alice Marie, after my grandma. This was something I decided years ago.
Describe Your Dream Wedding: Having lots of friends there, pretty flowers, and Bryan singing.
How Do You Want to Die: Painlessly and with my sanity intact.
Where You Want to Go to College: Want to go? I do go to the University of Phoenix, online. So, should I say living room? I did think about trying to get into Harvard. If I had bothered to take physics or chemistry, I could have.
What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up: A banker. Although my dream job would be to travel the world and take pictures. Can I be a professional scrapbooker?
What Country Would You Most Like to Visit: Well, I can scratch Germany and Portugal off the list. My next destination OUTSIDE of the United States should be Italy in 2007.

Layer Nine:

Number of Drugs Taken Illegally: One. I hated it.
Number of People I Could Trust with My Life: 5.
Number of CDs I Own: My iTunes can play for 14.7 days straight without repeating a song.
Number of Piercings: My ears are double pierced. I don’t wear earrings.
Number of Tattoos: One. I have an emperor penguin and chick on my right calf. I would like another tattoo on my shoulder. I still haven’t decided what.
Number of Times My Name Has Appeared in the Newspaper?: Other than high school paper or community news, I would have to say once. I won a contest at work and they listed all the names of the people.
Number of Scars on My Body: I don’t know. None, I think.
Number of Things in My Past that I Regret: The only things in life that I regret are the things I do not do. Well, those and living with Adam. That was not good for my self-esteem and mental health. Biggest regret? Not telling Andriy how I felt when he was here and letting him get on that plane.

100 Things You May or May Not Know About Me

I've seen this type of list before on other blogs. It's always intrigued me, but I never decided to give it a try until I saw the list on Johnny's site (Which Surprised Her.) I really enjoyed reading her list and I hope that this one is half as fun.

1. My first name is Beth.
2. It's not short for Elizabeth.
3. Or for Bethany.
4. I hate being called Bethy.
5. I am an only child.
6. I like this.
7. I love dogs.
8. I can handle cats.
9. I don't like chocolate.
10. I do like white chocolate.
11. I'd rather eat gummy candies than chocolates.
12. I love Coca-Cola.
13. I collect penguins.
14. I have a penguin tattoo on my right calf.
15. I don't watch much t.v.
16. I do watch movies.
17. My DVD collection is rather large.
18. I go to The Chalet every week for karaoke.
19. I don't really enjoy singing myself.
20. I do like singing, it's the being in front of people that gets me.
21. I am terrible at putting away my clean laundry.
22. I have too many clothes.
23. I wear the same outfits over and over.
24. I am addicted to buying boots.
25. I can't walk in flat shoes.
26. I can't dance.
27. I lip-sync Celine Dion songs that play on Musak.
28. I've been told to stop this.
29. I can't stop.
30. I hate, I hate, I hate bugs.
31. I'm not afraid of rodents or serpents.
32. I am terrible at sports.
33. Bar sports don't count on this list.
34. I love playing pool, going bowling, and I even enjoy darts.
35. I once made an impossible shot playing pool in Germany.
36. I had to buy that table a new beer and try to retrieve my cue ball from the beer stein.
37. I once hit a parked tractor with my car when I had my license a week.
38. I never told my parents.
39. I was kicked out of 9th grade science class because of a roll of paper towels.
40. I also never told my parents this.
41. I graduated in the top 5% of my class.
42. It would have been higher, if I had been athletic and could do better in Phy Ed.
43. I was never cool in school, yet I blended well.
44. I was the captain of the high school bowling team for Fridley all through high school.
45. I was voted MVP during my junior year.
46. It's one of those moments of my life I'm proud of myself.
47. I've only failed one class in my life.
48. It was finance.
49. I work for a bank.
50. I failed it twice.
51. Actually, I failed because I didn't take the final either time.
52. The first time my power was cut off and I overslept (no alarm clock).
53. The second time I forgot to take the final (correspondence class).
54. I had a crush on my first Human Resources professor.
55. I changed my major to HR after that class.
56. I quickly change my major to accounting after that.
57. Now I'm going for a general business management degree.
58. I don't cook.
59. I don't even know if I'm a good cook or a bad cook.
60. I've only gone grocery shopping 5 times in the last 3 years.
61. I spend too much money eating out.
62. I love math.
63. I like reading.
64. Men with Slavic accents are sexy.
65. I hope to someday stand in Red Square to see the scenery.
66. I don't sit still very well.
67. Even when watching movies, I feel like I have to do something.
68. I love music.
69. I've become addicted to my iPod.
70. I still have 4,000 songs to load into it.
71. My ears are different shapes.
72. The only jewelry I consistently wear is my dad's wedding ring.
73. Watches don't count as jewelry.
74. I do feel naked without a watch on.
75. I've only broken one bone in my body.
76. It was my index finger on my right hand.
77. I didn't tell anyone all day long because I wanted to go to a birthday party.
78. My mom took one look at it and took me to the emergency room.
79. I was late for the party.
80. My finger never healed properly and it leans to the right now.
81. I love office supplies.
82. I worked in an office supply store for one month in high school.
83. My entire paychecks went towards paper, pens, and other fun toys.
84. I've been playing more pool lately.
85. I had an eight-ball break the other night.
86. One time at Bugs I broke and made the 9-ball five times in a row (playing 9-ball).
87. I have my own cues.
88. One was a birthday present when I turned 16.
89. My cues are a prized possession to me.
90. When I get mad at someone, it sticks.
91. I'm not good at forgiving.
92. I have a lot of 80's music, but I don't really like it.
93. I love classic rock.
94. I was born in the wrong era.
95. I should have been in high school in the mid-70's.
96. I'm one of the youngest of my friends.
97. It doesn't seem like it sometimes (this is nothing about immaturity).
98. I've been outside the United States twice.
99. Once was a three week to Northern Germany.
100. Once was a day shopping trip over the border into Mexico.
101. Germany was better.
102. I don't remember much Spanish or German.
103. I tried to take Russian.
104. I wasn't good at it.
105. I'm going to Portugal.
106. That's all I can think of.

Stolen MEME from Dana (previously stolen from DeAnn and Frog)

I love these things. Don't ask me why. Maybe because they make me think of stuff to write about and stuff I want to know about others. Please feel free to share!

I got this list from Dana. She got most of the questions from DeAnn and then some from Frog.

1. Tell me something obvious about you: My name is Beth, I like Sheepshead (the card game), and I have a blog.

2. Tell me something about you that many don't know: This is tough. I don't know what people know about me. Hmmm, those who know me in person know my ears are different shapes, but bloggers may not know that.

3. What is your biggest fear: Being seen as incompetent at work.

4. Do you normally go the safe route or take the short cut: Probably the safe route, but I drive it quickly, making it not as safe. I like the long road though (only when driving).

5. Name one thing you want that you can't buy with money: True friendship.

6. What is your most treasured possession: A stuffed animal. He's a monkey and named Elwood. I've had him for 18 years and still sleep with him every night. He's been to Germany even! His name is Elwood because my cousin gave me him and he has a brother (she kept him). His brother is Jake. Yes, they're named after the Blues Brothers, which is a movie I've never seen. This may be something I should see.

7. What is the one thing you hate most about yourself that you do often: Sit down and not exercise.

8. What is your favorite lie to tell: "I understand your frustration." This has gotten me so far at work!

9. Name something you've done once that you can't wait to do again: Go to karaoke and play cards. I just love these activities. Oh, you mean something that I can't do everyday or week, hmmm, travel outside of the United States with friends.

10. Are you the jealous type: I don't really know. I don't think so, I have so little experience in romantic relationships, I couldn't be sure. Let me think, I usually freak out over trying to be with someone I end up setting them up with another person. I'd say I'm not a jealous person.

11. What is the one person, place or thing you can't say no to: 1) Person - Adam, Matt, Dana, Keem, Scott 2) Place - karaoke 3) Thing - Coca-Cola

12. What is the nicest thing someone has ever done for you: Sat and talked with me when I couldn't figure out what I felt by myself - thank you Matt for all the times at Perkin's. You are a life and sanity saver. You helped me more than I could ever express.

13. If you could do something crazy right now, what would it be: Buy a new car, but I can't afford it and I'll deal with the fact my current car doesn't seem to like going 50 miles an hour for more than 2 miles.

14. When was the last time you cried: Tonight. I was posting a comment on Dana's blog and thinking about something from my past I'm not ready to talk about on a blog, as much as it would be cleansing, I still can't do it.

15. When was the last time you felt so good that nothing else mattered: Last night, sitting with Keem, Dana, and Matt at Perkin's, playing Sheepshead and laughing. Anytime I'm with my best friends.

16. Do you feel comfortable in public with no shirt on: No. I have enough problems with drunk men being attracted to the "rack" with a shirt on. I don't need more of that.

17. Name something embarrassing you did while being drunk: Well, it's better to say this here than in a separate post. A year ago (almost to the day), Adam and I had a party. I called a guy I kind of liked (he was pretty but a player and I didn't really ever think I would want a relationship with him) for another friend's phone number. I felt guilty and invited him. Let's call him B. B actually showed up. I decided it was time to get extremely drunk. Then I started telling B how attractive I thought he was. You know, "B, you're just good-looking" and "B, you're fun to look at". Notice I never told him, "B, I'd like a relationship with you".

Okay, so B took these hints and watched me get progressively drunker. Before I knew it, we were, um, locking lips. Man, he was a good kisser. At least from what I can remember.

B started to lead me away from the party to my room. We were groping each other when DM helped create a distraction and disaster was averted. Thank you Dana! You are a goddess!

What makes this embarrassing? The fact that B used to work with me and I did this in front of a whole bunch of people I still work with. I did talk to B over email a couple of times after that (he had two other girlfriends when the incident happened - yes, he was a winner! - this is sarcasm) and then I forgot to reply to one. Oh well. Not a major loss.

18. Name one person, past or present, with whom you’d like to spend the day: Keem. I don't get to spend as much time with her as I'd like.

19. Name one place you’ve never been and would like to go, and tell me why: Moscow. I think it's beautiful and I'm fascinated by Russia and the other Post-Soviet States.

20. What’s the story behind your online persona/name: Bethb3386 - aol picked this one for me. Brooksba - a work thing, I'm not overly creative with my name.

1 Comments:

At 8:24 AM, CarpeDM said...

No, no, no. Not a goddess. Goddesses have too much work. I am the Queen of the Universe which means everyone works for me. But I acknowledge your praise with a Queen-like wave.

And B? He is so not a part of my universe. He has been banished because he is not worthy of you at all.