I Almost Forgot

So, we probably should have done this about three years ago, but we are usually a day late and a dollar short. And, in true Black Sheep spirit . . . we're about 50 short. Perhaps we'll add to it in the coming months or just wait until another Facebook meme runs rampant.

Ava's First 25

1. I rarely check my comma usage because I know I am correct. The Twilight series bugged me because the commas were incorrectly used. Can't turn the English teacher off for long.

2. I can't read some books because I am an English teacher. It took me all of Twilight to admit it was a decent book (and the fact that I can't put the title in italics is bugging the crap out of me, which I can on the blog . . . squee!).

3. The fact that I just said "crap" shows great restraint on my part (and here you thought I didn't have restraint).

4. I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up until I was 30. I credit the girls having awesome teachers and working with incredibly gifted and dedicated teachers for that decision.

5. I always wanted to be a mom. When I found out I was pregnant, there was never a choice in that matter. The choice was in getting married.

6. That was the best choice I ever made.

7. I didn't like having siblings growing up. Honestly, I kind of liked being an only child and probably did more to annoy/torment/abuse my younger siblings than most other people.

8. I can't imagine being an only child now.

9. I can devise any number of plans to get out of cooking. I think my record for successive days not cooking was eight. I've told the girls that when they go to college and the Flyer is on a business trip, I might have frozen dinners all the time. However, I actually enjoy cooking; it's the cleaning up that I detest.

10. I was raised Catholic and decided to raise my girls Episcopalian since they are slightly more accepting of women as ministers. I never had any intention of them becoming a priest, but I wanted them to keep their options open since I am a feminist at heart, which, in a true ironic twist, is a group of individuals that one of my daughters despises.

11. My parents used to take me to the public library in Fort Wayne for books when it became clear to them that purchasing books would be too expensive. I mostly remember my father taking me to the library and the giant globe that was in the lobby. I've since become a fan of the same library's mock-Newbery award blog.

12. I met my husband when he walked across the table in a very cramped office to get to the only remaining seat, which was right next to me. He asked if I knew his cousin who also lived in Springfield. This, I thought, was kind of lame since it is a pretty big city. Turns out I did.

13. I named my oldest after Bono's oldest daughter of the same name. I say "I named my oldest" because the Flyer didn't have a say in the matter. He and I picked out Betty's name together, agreed on her middle name and the spelling, but he changed it when he filled out the birth certificate. I won't admit it out loud, but it really looks better that way.

14. I love going to the dentist.

15. I learned how to knit in 2000 but then didn't stick with it. Then the Other Sister found out she was having a little girl and I wanted to make her something. I'd like to credit my niece for me sticking with knitting. Others may blame her.

16. My two biggest fears are of loud noises and clowns. Circuses are a particularly bad place for me as are most firework celebrations.

17. I've been to London nine times and will never tire of the city. I know my way around London better than New York City, which is 90 minutes away. It strikes me as odd that people always ask for directions ,and I can generally get them where they need to be. The Flyer, on the other hand, gets asked for directions in cities where people speak French as a rule. He has mastered the phrase, "I do not speak French," in French.

18. I miss driving a manual car.

19. If the opportunity ever presented itself, I'd love to live on a farm. Having access to my grandparents' farm growing up was one of the best experiences in my life. I used to feel bad for people not having had that same chance.

20. I used to drink soda obsessively every day. After a trip to Ohio, I stopped cold-turkey and haven't touched it in close to three years. And, yes, I think that it is particularly addictive and cold-turkey applies precisely.

21. I would like to write a book some day but am convinced that no one would ever read it. Maybe if they were being polite, they would, but the thought of other people reading what I write kind of terrifies me a little. This might strike some of you as the epitome of "ironic" . . . especially considering I write on the blog.

22. I love the use of ellipsis . . . as long as you are judicious about them . . . and you use only three periods . . . with a space between every period . . . because that is the correct format. See? Can't turn off the English teacher.

23. I don't like my middle name and thought seriously of changing it legally when I turned 18. Consequently, every legal document has my full name listed for some strange reason, and I have come to terms with it. Since my mother has pointed out that the alternative would have been to call me "Lorinda Suzanne," I've accepted Lorinda as a middle name. She occasionally will call me "Rinda Sue."

24. I've donated plasma through apherisis but am highly sensitive to the anti-coagulant that they use. After the bruise from the second time, I decided I would only donate blood as the bruise lasted six weeks and encircled my arm.

25. I am intensely afraid of the emotional melt-down that I will have when the girls leave for college and have been theorizing how to manage it. I am counting on my friends and family members to get me through the two-week period surrounding their departure. You have been warned.

Lola's First 25

1. There’s a proper & polite way to hold you knife while you’re cutting something. I’m bothered if you don’t know it.

2. If I had married a man that didn’t want children, I’m certain that I would not have had them. I’m sure that my life would still have been rich & satisfying.

3. I would gladly have children for other people. Rent my uterus, please. I’d probably also give some eggs away if it was really necessary.

4. I get annoyed if someone tells me that “I’m a good mom”. Visit me when my kids are teenagers or adults. If they’re still in school, not using heavy drugs, or in prison, talk to me then.

5. I hate when I see an article that starts with “Working Mom vs. Stay-at-Home- Moms”. There are plenty of women that aren’t good at working or aren’t good at staying home. Doing something because you think it’s the right thing (working because you went to school; staying home because your mom did) is bad for the family. Resentment is a hard thing to shake. Instead of discussing who’s doing the better thing or who has it the hardest, shouldn’t we be proud that we have a choice?

6. Once a week, I think about becoming a vegetarian.

7. Once a month, I think about practicing Buddhism.

8. There are things that I LOVE, but am embarrassed to admit. Sometimes I’m not even clear on why I obsess on them and I’ll apologize for my feelings. Examples: Bubba the Love Sponge, Elvis, Long John Silvers, UFC, Celine Dion, & The Girls Next Door.

9. I won’t apologize for my love of the Howard Stern Show. I wonder every morning how I will start my day when he retires.

10. There are things that people love that I just don’t get. Lost in Translation, Garden State, Daily Show, Anchorman & new Radiohead. To make myself feel better, I like to think that there’s stuff that people are supposed to say that they like. Sorry.

11. I would be the happiest person on earth if someone created a channel that only ran America’s Funniest Videos & Cops.

12. I read around 100 knit blogs a day. Thank you Bloglines.

13. I would rather knit for other people. How many hats can one girl wear? But I’d rather knit my choice of pattern & color. Not what the recipient would like. That’s pretty selfish & why I don’t knit for others.

14. In early high school, myself & 2 other girls  were convinced that we were lesbians since no boys were asking us on dates. We figured they knew something we didn’t.

15. I failed my driver’s test 3 times.

16. I get really annoyed when I have to buy applesauce.

17. I haven’t read a fiction book in over a year. I’m not saying this to sound superior. I just haven’t. I’d rather read something that will scare me into thinking that the world will end in some environmental crisis in 2012. Or that everything I eat is slowly killing me.

18. For about a year, I made our bread. The second kid made that a hard thing to continue and I also missed soft & fluffy sandwich bread.

19. I can’t drink bagged tea. What’s the point?

20. I love to pop & pick things.

21. I get annoyed when people say “As long as it’s healthy” when they’re talking about their unborn baby. Have you ever heard anyone say, “I’d like a boy. I don’t care if it’s a little sick, but I want a boy.”

22. Don’t understand why people buy electric can openers.

23. I think that everyone should have at least one handmade blanket. If someone gives you a handmade blanket, they must really love you. You don’t even have to use the blanket, just know that someone cared enough to spend a lot of time on a gift.

24. Growing up I really wanted to be a Disney Imagineer (cartoon artist for those of you that weren’t raised on Disney). Now I’m just happy when I hear, “That’s a really good elephant, Mom”.

25. One of the best decisions I ever made was to ask DG to become an ordained minister to marry SK & me. I will accept “Thank Yous” from all others that he has married since us. Can you imagine having to interview ministers?

Apparently you can turn off the English teacher . . . I resisted correcting all of Lola's use of ampersands and mechanical errors. The one error that I can't forgive and had to correct? "Me" for "I" - grates my teeth.

Comments

[Leigh]

When ever I'm in a bad mood, I try to find Funniest Home Videos. It always makes me feel better!

[regina]

i feel so . . . enlightened
r

[gonzomama]

a- #4 - this makes me feel good, knowing i am not alone. still not sure what i want to be - (besides mom).
love #12. awesome. adorable.
#14 me too.
#15 - whah?? i would have thought you have been knitting much longer. wow.
#21 i would read it. truly.
#22 me too. i probably use them too much. parentheses too.

l -
#1 - not sure if i know what the proper way is. very curious.
#5 absolutely!
#8 girls next door is hilarious. but don't tell anyone i said that.
#10 i love the daily show. it is one of the reasons we still have cable and won't shut it off.
#12 holy cow! that is some crazy knitty reading.
#16 please explain
#17 me too. i do read fiction, but i definitely read more books that are turning me into a fanatical, anti government, fda questioning lunatic. i drive people crazy if they start to talk about high fructose corn syrup or if they ask me why i make my own laundry detergent, bake our bread, and use cloth diapers.
#21 ha ha hah haha. so true.

these were fun to read. thanks for sharing some of the quirks that make you ladies you!