Gary over at This Old Crackhouse lovingly passed along what he refers to as “Houseblogger Herpes” - the internet meme that requires I share 8 random facts about me. 8! That’s a lot, especially since I already gave you 5 a while back. But I love any opportunity to talk about myself at length (obviously) so here goes…

1. Teague and I have known each other for 16 years. His older sister Eilis and I discovered each other in 7th grade - the blessed year when 3 small-town schools merge into one bigger high school and our social circles suddenly broadened. We bonded over salt and vinegar chips and Mountain Dew and immediately became good friends. I paid absolutely no attention to Teague (or Bean, as they called him then) because I was a way-cool high schooler and he was 2 years younger than me. A child, really. He, however, is reported to have had a crush on me. I had no clue at the time.

2. We didn’t get together romantically until much, much later. The night of our first kiss, we looked like this:

We were at a “White Trash Party” - meaning, dressed and ready to hit the Walmart aisle for some Natty Light and Pall Malls. Actually, Teague is just wearing what he always wore back then. Suns out, guns out. I spent more time on my costume and tracked down a Goldberg WWF shirt (which I cut the sleeves off of), lace-up jeans, and about 8 pounds of blue eyeshadow. Notice the Bartles and James and the scary fingernails. And the slightly drunken smirk on both our faces.

It was a fun party that ended in an near-brawl at a local bowling alley and a memorable first kiss. Memorable because I actually PASSED OUT mid-kiss. It was about 4 in the morning, and although I wasn’t drunk I had tipped a few throughout the night - and hadn’t had much to eat since dinner 11 hours prior. We were standing in his kitchen when out of nowhere I started feeling woozy. I remember saying “I think I am going to pass out…”. Next thing I know, I’m laying on the kitchen floor and he is leaning over me looking bewildered and a little panicky. I was totally mortified. Now he brags that he kisses so well he makes girls pass out cold.

3. I am obsessed with dinosaurs. It started in college when I took a Science elective called “Advanced Dinosaurs”. This is the only Science class I ever enjoyed taking while at RPI, and not just because it was easy. Dinosaurs were incredibly cool, as any 8-year old boy will tell you. Every time I watch Jurassic Park I get really depressed because it’s not real, there is no park, and I will never get a chance to pet a baby Europasaurus.

4. In the summer I wear flip-flops everywhere, even though I have hideous feet. Our summers are short so I enjoy the freedom while I can. I wear them to work, I wear them when I go out with friends, and I even wear them while working on the house. Not a recommended practice, as I’ve had more foot-related injuries than I can count and a few near-misses with rusty nails stabbing through the foam bottoms.

5. I have never left North America. The only foreign country I’ve ever been to is Canada. I am not proud of this, but I’ve never put aside enough money to go anywhere big. Maybe because it’s all eaten up at Home Depot?

6. If I wear a boatload of makeup and pull my hair back in braids, I look strikingly similar to Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. So much so that my brother can’t watch the movie without getting majorly creeped out.

Exhibit A:

7. My favorite writer is John Irving. I’m especially in love with The Hotel New Hampshire, The World According to Garp, and the first 3/4 of A Prayer for Owen Meany (the ending is good, but it takes too long to get there). I like any author who writes about incredibly weird situations and people and somehow makes them seem completely normal in context.

8. I listen to country music in the car when I’m all alone. I can’t believe I just admitted that, because I’m a recovering music snob who only listened to indie rock - the indier the better. But country is really easy to sing along to! And as far as radio music selection goes, around here it’s NPR, country, or “Slap That Ass” remixes. I have nothing against NPR, it just gets me all riled up and angry every time I listen.

Ok, it’s my turn to pass on the virus. Anyone want to volunteer? Bueller? Bueller?