Saving for prospertity's sake...or something like that.

50(ISH) RANDOM FACTOIDS ALL ABOUT ME:

1) I am 26 and just moved back to Frederick to live in my parents’ basement, not because I need to or even really want to but they could use my help and I figured it’s only fair considering all they’ve done for me. So far it’s not been too bad minus the killer commute everyday.

2) I am a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. I have to dress nice for work but I would be so much happier if I didn’t have to. Oh and I hardly ever wear heels. I like being able to walk too much for that nonsense.

3) I am horrible at making decisions, and will often try and pawn the simplest ones off on someone else, like where to go to dinner.

4) I have had the same pillow since I was a baby and can't sleep without it, and it even has a name. And yes, it gets flipped a couple times a night so I am always sleeping on the cool side of the pillow.

5) I love animals and will, at random, stop to talk to dogs I meet while out. I talk to my own dog everyday. She’s bilingual, like me.

6) I have an artistic soul and always love to create though my creativity comes in spurts. I will go for months without creating anything and then all of a sudden I am painting, drawing, and creating constantly. Even with all this creativity, I often doubt my own talent.

7) I speak two languages and just hearing German gives me a rush.

8) I often laugh a little too loud. I even have one friend who swears it sounds like Herman Munster. I don’t believe him.

9) I will eat so many frozen blueberries that my mouth will be stained purple for hours. I will only ever do this in the company of my dog though. Purple mouths are not a fashion statement I am trying to make.

10) I always put the toilet paper on with it rolling over the top and when someone else doesn't, I will change it.

11) I used to be an avid contacts-wearer but in the past few years they just kill my eyes so now I am a total glasses-girl. I used to hate them but anymore they are growing on me and I am all about rockin’ the rhinestones. I figure if I have to wear them everyday they better make a statement.

12) I find pleasure in weeding the sidewalk cracks and cleaning the dryer’s lint trap

13) I talk too much when I am nervous. This has always worried me when it comes to job interviews.

14) I have a soft spot for tall skinny tattooed white boys.

15) My job is not a dream at all but it helps pay the bills and I am lucky enough to have a part-time gig I really love.

16) I work almost 7 days a week but somehow I still have a pseudo-social life.

17) I try to avoid crying at all costs but sometimes it hits me at the stupidest moments. I hate it when that happens.

18) I find staring out the window totally relaxing, it’s the one saving grace about my commute everyday, the scenery is pretty nice because I take back roads.

19) I am really funny about the texture of foods. I hate lettuce and tomatoes for that very reason along with many other things.

20) I have a bad habit of going out with friends for the sole purpose of making fun of the other people there (not to their faces.) I am certain other people have made fun of me plenty of times.

21) I am a total bitch if I don't get enough sleep and I will make sure everyone knows to stay away. If they don’t and become the brunt of my sleepless-wrath, they were warned.

22) I hurt when someone I care about hurts.

23) I can't stand the sight of blood but have a thing for horror movies. Explain that one to me!

24) I tell my friends and family I love them on a daily basis because you just never know.

25) I tend to always want to save people but am generally really opposed to others trying to save me, especially guys.

26) I can be really honest but with age, have learned a bit more about tact.

27) I think wet cut grass smells like male cum.

28) I chew gum, a lot, especially since quitting smoking.

29) I love to cook but rarely do it because by the time I get home at night the ease of a bowl of cereal sounds much better then putting forth the effort, not to mention I am so used to just cooking for one that it seems pointless.

30) I am finally getting a handle on money and was able to buy my first new car and still have money in savings. Part of this is because I work two jobs, another is that I am definitely getting a much better handle on being fiscally responsible, something I feared I would never be good at.

31) I eat oatmeal almost every morning, even in the summer.

32) I LOVE music and will go to pretty much any live show though I don’t seem to go to many anymore.

33) I can't take any medications with a decongestant in them; this is a bitch when you have a sinus infection.

34) I nick myself shaving almost every time I shave.

35) I could read Great Expectations over and over again and never get bored.

36) I have 5 tattoos and want more. I used to have my lip pierced but had to take it out for work. I miss it! I want to get my nipple pierced but am too scared.

37) I say wash with an invisible R.

38) I am creative, loud, and outgoing but I secretly doubt myself everyday.

39) I have three amazing nieces who mean more to me then life itself. I would pretty much do anything for them and they know it.

40) I think belly-buttons are totally creepy and disgusting and if I could have mine removed I would. I fear the day I have a child and that nasty blueish purple thing falls off I might go over the edge and never come back. I just pray the child’s father will handle that part of new parenthood!

41) I have two AWESOME best friends. One I have known for over 20 years, the other for over 10. I am totally blessed to have such great friends. We are all in different places in life and dealing with different things but if ever I need them, I know they will be there in a heartbeat and them me. Good friends are priceless.

42) I hate all white condiments. I think they are gross.

43) I have a very pale complexion. I guess I can blame that on being ¼ Austrian, ¼ Irish, ¼ English, and ¼ German. After a couple boughts of sun poisoning, I have learned to love and embrace my fair complexion and rock the SPF 45 whenever I am outside.

45) I have started to realize that my mom is usually right so I am listening to her more and more (I don’t let her know it though or it might go to her head).

46) I was raised Catholic and while I find comfort in the traditions, I don’t really consider myself Catholic anymore. I guess if I had to label myself which is something I never like to do I would call myself Agnostic. My mother hates this.

47) Like religion, I don’t like political labels either but it’s such a big thing in the area of the country, it’s hard to avoid. I guess, if forced to label myself, I’d be a GDI. I am registered Democrat though because I wanted to be able to vote in primaries. Over all I think the US political system needs a major overhaul but I won’t get into that here.

48) I have numerous certifications for jobs I don’t have. Need your house appraised or to be taught English? Well I am your woman. I may even be able to do both at once! What a hat-trick that is.

49) My mother wants me to be a writer when I grow up. I would love that as I love words but I am scared and haven’t a clue where to even begin. So, I am still working on the whole what I want to be when I grow up thing. Any suggestions?

50) I consider myself a work in progress, somehow perfectly imperfect. If that makes any sense at all? I love to grow and learn and know that as long as I am breathing there is still room for improvement.

So, for all that very lengthy nonsense above, there is still plenty more to me and no page could ever completely encapsulate all that is me, or anyone for that matter.

Oh and those personality awards...some are right on...some way off...ask if you want to know which is which.

I can see it...

The IQ Adventure Test

Your dominant intelligence: spatial (145)
Your second intelligence: social (137)
Your result: http://www.okcupid.com/iq-adventure-test?score=2543453834

The full run-down, which you should compare & forward to friends:
Verbal: 105
Math: 105
Spatial: 145
Social: 137

A 4 course meal...for zombies.
Your highest IQ is: spatial
High spatial scorers understand physical space, recognize color, and interpret visual images quickly and accurately. It should go without saying that these people are the most artistic of our four measurement groups. They're also the most confident and self-sufficient. Also, according to the picture-rating data we've accumulated on OkCupid, high spatial scorers tend to be significantly more attractive than average. We've asked a couple scientists friends of ours why this is, and they have no idea (they're geologists), but the correlation is quite strong. Our current theory is: this group is the best-dressed of our test takers by a wide margin, and that's affected the ratings. Just so you know, we have actually checked all the above claims anonymously against our user data.

In college and the job market, visual art, like painting or illustration, is the obvious choice for high spatial scores. Graphic design, web design, and advertising are other possible, and perhaps more stable, careers. An interesting trend we've observed in our data: high spatial scorers who have found an outlet for their natural creativity, even if it's not their full-time pursuit, have a very high overall 'life-satisfaction' rating, while high spatial scorers without that outlet—like those who have become lawyers or accounts—have the lowest rating among our entire user base.
Your second highest IQ is: social
Those with high social intelligence excel, in short, at reading people. They are able to sense the motivations, the attitudes, and in some cases the inner thoughts of those around them. On the IQ Adventure test, we tested for body-language and lie-detection, as these are the most important specific skills. We've found, after correlating scores here with the known patterns of our user-base, those who score high on social intelligence form the most and longest-lasting inerpersonal relationships. Verbal high scorers have a slightly better response rate on messages sent, but social high scorers have by far the better success rate with real-word dates.

Social intelligence is the most practical of all the subjects we measure. Your interpersonal skills are tested hundreds of times a day, and far more can depend on even the most routine conversation that on, say, a word problem or logic puzzle. Interestingly, the savant phenomenon is almost unknown in this intelligence dimension. It appears that up-bringing and practice are the only ways to develop exceptional social ability. It cannot be inborn. This group's power of empathy andIn short, ability to sense (and sometimes manipulate) other people's desires provides a broad foundation for professional and social success. In short, having this type of intelligence enhances all of your other abilities.

So a week from tomorrow I am supposed to be flying to Anchorage, AK to participate in my first ever half marathon. I have been training and fundraising for this event since January and have been so stoked about it...that is until Saturday.

Saturday I was doing training as normal. Walked 10 miles which isn't really too bad for me and besides the excessive heat, felt fine. Then when I got home after my training I went to get out of the car and could barely put any weight onto my right foot. This is the foot/ankle I've had issues with since, well, forever. I've broken it and sprained it more times then I can count. I have been uber-vigilent about making sure not to mess it up but somehow something happened.

All weekend I struggled to move without causing myself pain and was finding little relieve. I seemed to have misplaced my Swede-O in my move and had to go buy a generic sports brace to get me by. I can walk but if I put any pressure on the back of my foot the pain shoots up my leg so I am walking like a total gimp right now. I got an appointment with a new orthopedic (since my old one doesn't have anything available this soon). I am hoping and praying that I am not going to end up missing my marathon. I've worked too damn hard for this and would be totally bummed if I have to go to Alaska and just sit and watch my teammates and not to mention let down everyone who'd been so generous and supportive of this awesome cause.

:/

So a co-worker and I were talking yesterday (yes almost all my journal entries - all two - are sparked from a conversation in the "real" world) about a problem we both seem to have when it comes to dating. It's that infamous "friends-zone". Apparently she is as notorious as I am for falling right smack dab into the whole "You are such a great girl. I am so glad I met you. You are such an amazing friend." category faster then you can say stupid. Why? How the heck did we go from potential dating material to friend in 0.5 seconds?

I have had theories on this phenomena but more often then not when I ask said guy-friends, once potential love interests, if that's the reason they often say no, though they can never give me an answer how I ended up in that spot.

For starters, I am a tom-boy at heart. I may dress like a girl (trust me 10 years ago that was not the case) and can even polish myself up pretty nice when I want to, but when it comes down to it I'd much rather be in jeans and a hoodie then anything else. Not to mention, being lady-like is something I've never been very good at. I can reign myself in when I need to but I am most comfortable when I don't have to sit up straight or sensor my words or actions. I don't like sports but I can b.s. with guys far more then I can with girls. I cuss and belch and generally don't care. I have scars and stories of a childhood filled with playing soldiers with my best friend far more then we ever played with dolls.

While plenty a guy has told me they think that tom-boys are cute and definitely are down for dating them, something tells me my ability to "be one of the guys" is partially to blame for my friends-zone disease. I don't act all girly and playful when I am around guys. I am my typical far from perfect self. I tell it like it is and use sarcasm and sometimes crude humor in every day conversation and the next thing I know the guy sitting across from me is asking me for advice on how to approach the little hottie in the mini-skirt across the bar.

Then there is the fact that I am totally upfront and usually don't have a problem taking the reigns. The thing is I used to be REALLY shy when it came to dating and men and guys but the older I get the less I fear rejection and the more I realize I can take the reigns myself if I have to. I don't have an issue making the first move, asking the guy out, or even arranging the first date. Why? Because I don't feel a need to play archaic games in needing to be swept off my feet. I like my feet square on the ground thank you very much! Never been a big fan of heights myself. ;) So, is this too much? Is this to blame?

Or maybe it's like so many guys tell me, I am "too nice". I've yet to completely wrap my brain around what exactly it means to be too nice. I am who I am. I can bust your chops and poke fun all day but when it comes down to it I will bend over backwards for the people I care about. I am very conscious of my words and try to never talk down to anyone, particularly guys I am interested in. It seems so odd to me that the girls I see getting all the guys are the ones who treat them like dogs! I wish I had it in me to do that (because it seems to be the magic key) but it's never been who I am. I give all of myself and then some. My ex told me constantly it was too much to live up to but the thing is, I don't do the things I do to get anything in return. I give because it makes me feel good to see someone I care about/like smile and appreciate the thought. That is all the gratitude I need.

So, that's how it is I guess. I am a great friend so it seems. Don't get me wrong, I love all my guys friends and appreciate their being awesome friends to me but damn, can't a girl get some love too! One day I hope that a great guy friend can even be more because call me crazy but I hope whomever I end up with will also be my best friend. Novel idea, huh?

So a good friend and I just had a long discussion on equality in dating and a whole miriade of other dating related things.

The thing is in my past experiences with men, I've never been a top priority for them. It was always something else, be it the firehouse, the video games, or in some sad cases, the other women! So something I really want now is to find someone who truly puts me on the top of their list, just as much as I do them. To me this doesn't mean presents and gifts all the time, that's not who I am, it means knowing that the commitment is there and that I am close to number one in their book.

My friend says that my approach is why I don't find this. My need to be me attracts guys who won't put me in that place in their life. Something as simple as wanting to be equal with a man is my downfall she says. You see, I don't like when a guy always pays for everything. Like a first date I will graciously accept (though I admitedly don't like to) him paying for everything but usually on the second date I like to cover everything because that's who I am. I am a woman who takes care of my own and doesn't need a man to provide for me. Does that mean I want to be his priority any less? Hell no! It just means I am strong enough to go it alone if need be even though I will admit I hope I won't have to forever.

Why is it that my being me is wrong? Why is it that my wanting to take care of my own because if I can't do it, who else will, leads to guys putting me low on their priority list? I am a feminist for sure but my friend went so far as to say I was a feminazi for wanting to cover my own costs??? What is wrong with that? I was raised to know that I can handle things and face challanges on my own. My mom didn't raise me to get pushed around or be a frail woman expecting things from others. If I want something, I go for it, full-throttle. It's who I am. Is that so wrong?

If in the year 2008 a man thinks it's rude that a woman wants to help cover costs for an outing they both share, what happened to the women's movement? If society is feeding men the idea that they have to take care of their women like that, then I will gladly say I reject society's rules.

Though I will admit thinking that my just being who I am and was raised to be as a strong independent woman is why I can't find a quality man does depress me a bit. I am positive though that somewhere out there is a man who can accept me for who I am and still make me a priority in their life, irregardless of the fact that I like to pay my own way.