Tagged

I’ve been tagged by Jennifer Frank and Tisha. Their entries and everyone else’s have been so great to read, so I’m spreading the fun.

I’ll confess six things you may not know about me and follow it with six people I’ve chosen to tag.

1. I am WAY too strategic about how I spend my time. I take notes on a podcast while I work out on the elliptical, I make my children memorize scriptures while I wash their hands, I even sometimes have to convince myself that taking a shower is not a waste of time. When I go to a dance class and they spend half of it just stretching me out, I have to calm myself down b/c it seems like such an unfocused use of time. Sounds pretty bad, right? My family knows I’m pretty bad, but I have news…I have been holding back. If I really unleashed my impulses, I wouldn’t fit into society. I’m trying to mellow out, for example, I’m learning how nice it is to just sit and chat. I now also am patient enough to let a hairdresser dry and style my hair after she cuts it, instead of just walking out with a wet head.

2. I love to codify things. (Cherie, this one’s for you.) This is why I bought 30 mesh laundry bags and proceeded to divide all my kids’ toys into 30 neat categories: Polly Pocket, small plush toys, figurines, gadgets, it was so invigorating! I think this is why I went into editing. When I first found out every English word fit into its own category I could hardly contain myself.

3. I try to customize everything. (Julianne, this one’s for you.) I couldn’t go buy a prom dress, I had to design the perfect dress and have it made. I couldn’t go buy a home I could move into, I had to make Brent demolish this one to a shell and rebuild it. Seriously, why would you just go out and buy something someone already made when you can work and slave over every detail yourself? I’m starting to see the flaws in this one.

4. I eat bananas with a spoon. They’re infinitely better this way. It’s like you’re eating custard.

5. I often enjoy cleaning the bathroom. When I clean the bathroom, I’m in the zone, and all my most brilliant ideas come to me. Some people get brilliant ideas while taking a shower. I get brilliant ideas while cleaning the shower. (That and when I’m running.) I didn’t always have this state of mind. Bathrooms used to gross me out. But I decided to memorize a couple narrative poems while I scrubbed, and ever since then, the smell of shower power makes me wax philosophical.

6. I love Latino culture. I have aunts and uncles in Venezuela, and while I admit that Latino countries struggle against poverty and corrupt leaders (Venezuela just took an important progressive step—they voted against Chavez last week) Latinos do know a thing or two about enjoying life. I love the way they throw big parties where everyone dances and the way they sit back and talk about “la vida.” I love that they know how to relax. The loud colors, the tamales or hayacas at Christmas time--I love it all.

I’m tagging Jon and Cherie
(http://hoegerfamily.blogspot.com/) I’m counting that as two,
Chris and Michelle
(http://chrisandmichi.blogspot.com/) Michelle, I’m really interested to hear your six,
Jennifer Jarrett (http://mavenhood.blogspot.com/), and
Amber Mahoney (http://www.easysite.com/mahoneyfamily5).