Random Dozen

I'm at it again!

1. What is one really fast, know-by-heart "go-to" meal to fix in a pinch?
When I’m in a hurry, I like to make whole-wheat spaghetti with sautéed zucchini, garlic, olive oil, black pepper and nutritional yeast. If I can wait 30 minutes, I like to whip up farinata (only without the rosemary, cheese and tomato -- I put Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper instead).

2. What is one item you won't leave home without. (Purse and license do not count.)
Chapstick! My lips crave it.

3. Where is one place you never tire of visiting?
Italy.

4. Share one factoid of your family's history.
My middle name, Kimery, is my mom’s maiden name. There are also Kimreys in the country. The story is that twin brothers named Kimery had farms next door to each other and got into a fight over fence lines or something. One of the brothers changed his name to Kimrey, and the two never spoke again.

5. Complete this sentence: "Once upon a time I ...."
…wanted to be a ballerina. (I still do.)

6. If you could win a one year's supply of anything, what would it be?
Endangered Species deep forest mint bars.

7. "One quirky thing you may not know about me is ...."
I cool my muffins and cupcakes upside down so the bottoms don’t get soggy.

8. You have one dollar in your pocket. What will you buy?
A small bag of Lay’s regular potato chips.

9. "One thing that always makes me laugh is ...."
The Apartment. I love that movie. “Premium-wise and billing-wise, we are eighteen percent ahead of last year, October-wise.”

10. What is one thing you could do today to help yourself reach a personal goal?
Go to the gym, but we’ll see if it happens.

11. What is one thing you could do today to bless someone else?
I’m going to visit my grandmother in the hospital. She’s back again and feeling down.

12. What is one thing you're looking forward to soon?
Planning a trip to Italy!

Random Dozen

I’m playing along again!

1. Please share one memory of your high school graduation. Pics would be great!
At my high-school graduation, I was sick as a dog. I had a migraine with all the works: churning stomach, throbbing head, burning eyes, and the intense desire to lie down. Unfortunately, I was the valedictorian, so I had a speech to make. (I guess “unfortunately” isn’t a great choice of words.) I was also one of the students who had to sit on the stage, and because I was first in my class, I was between the principal and the superintendent of the district. Gulp. I also have a really small head, so my durn cap kept falling off my head. The whole ceremony was a blur of discomfort, awkwardness, and a major desire to get the crap out of there. That will be eight years ago on Saturday. Here’s a long-distance shot of me giving my valedictory address:
And here’s me four years later (and, fittingly, four years ago on Friday) at my college graduation (with my alphabetical-order buddy). I'm on the right, waving to my adoring public:

2. What is one "emergency use" item you keep in your vehicle at all times?
I try to keep a five-dollar bill in my car, but really, in an emergency, I’d be screwed unless CDs and trash could save me.

3. In your region, do you celebrate graduation open houses? Addendum: (If so,) how many open houses/bridal showers/weddings are on your upcoming events calendar?
I read that as “religion,” not “region” at first. Oy. We didn’t have open houses, but there was a party. I was sick, though, so I didn’t go to one. I have nothing on my calendar either since most of my friends aren’t in school, and I have no children.

4. Tell me one truth you believe about motherhood.
It will require me to gain more patience and operate on less sleep.

5. What was the last thing you broke?
I honestly don’t remember. It can’t have been that long ago, though. I’m clumsy. I broke the skin on my finger on Saturday getting something big into my car. Does that count?

6. On average, how many pieces of junk mail do you receive daily?
One or two.

7. Do you like to shop by catalog?
I like to look at catalogs, but it’s been years since I ordered from one.

8. Is lawn maintenance at your house a "his job," a "her job" or "his/her job" or "that's why we have teenagers" job?
It’s an “I live in an apartment complex, so it’s their” job. :)

9. Which room would you like to redecorate in your home?
Provided I was allowed to do things such as paint, I guess I’d choose the guest room/computer room/glorified storage closet.

10. Do you read a newspaper regularly, or do you read most of your news on line?
No, I quit reading the print version of the Tulsa World when they laid me and all my friends off. I rarely read it online either because their suckage has increased exponentially in recent years. I don’t really know how I stay informed.

11. Do you believe everything happens for a reason?
No, I think sometimes bad things happen to good people and vice versa. We control how we respond to such events.

12. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
I’m a perfectionist, but doing the right thing is definitely most important to me. That’s part of why I work for a nonprofit.

Random Dozen

My taller half’s mother always does the Random Dozen on her blog, so I decided to participate. Here are 12 more things you never needed to know about me!


1. Have you ever been so lost that you were really afraid?
Oh yes. My junior year of high school, I was a member of Youth Leadership Tulsa. I turned 16 on a Sunday, got my driver’s license on Monday, and drove myself to our monthly event on Wednesday. It was on the other side of the world (i.e. in Broken Arrow, a suburb to the southeast), so I relied on directions from one of the organizers. Unfortunately, the exit I was supposed to take was closed for construction, and I had no idea where I was going. Over an hour, three towns and several thousand tears later, I found my way. I vowed never to drive in Broken Arrow again. Ask me how long that lasted!

2. Have you ever been to an island?
I’ve been to Sicily, Coronado Island (off San Diego), and the UK – that counts, right?

3. Are you more of a thinker or feeler?
I’m both, though my Myers-Briggs score puts me as a feeler (I’m an ENFP). At work, though, I’m highly analytical, and I like to think that I’m pragmatic.

4. Do you tend to see issues or situations in life as black and white or shades of gray?
Shades of grey, and shades of Grey. ;) I think it’s good to see things this way, though it does make one indecisive.

5. If you were stuck on an island, what book would you hope to have with you (Let's pretend the Bible is already there, so you can't say that.)
If it happened today, I’d like to have The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir, because I’m looking forward to reading it.

6. What are you most afraid of?
Needles.

7. Would you rather lose all of your old memories or never be able to make new ones?
I like to think life just gets better every day, so I’d take the present and future over the past.

8. Pretend I'm looking at a scrapbook page about you. There are three spaces for you to drop in individual pictures. What are those pictures of, and why did you select them?
I have three photographs that would be perfect: one of me as a baby making a silly face, one of my mother and me in Italy, and one of me and my taller half. I’m still silly, I love traveling and Italy in particular, and my boyfriend and my mom are my two closest friends.

9. If you were re-doing your wedding, what would you do differently? (If you're single, tell me one thing you would do if you were planning a wedding OR huge party.)
I’m as yet unmarried, so it wouldn’t be a redo. I do hope to make my wedding inexpensive and totally us. I’m not very traditional, so my guests should expect vegetarian food and no big white dress.

10. Tell me one thing you know/believe about forgiveness.
Forgiveness is a release and a relief.

11. You're waiting in a doctor's office. What is your favorite way to pass that time?
I read a magazine and/or listen to my iPod.

12. If there were a clone of you in a parallel universe what is one way you hope she/he would be the same as you and one way you hope she/he would be better?
I hope she would also be committed to volunteer work and serving her community. I hope she wouldn’t have had the food issues I did as a younger woman.