I have a love/hate with relationship with social media (love it, but hate that I love it so much). Today while looking around on Facebook, I noticed a "note" that I wrote in 2009 that I completely forgot about (thank you, new Facebook page layout, for making weird old things easier to see). It was one of those "25 things you didn't know/care/notice/care to know about me/us/my family/ etc, etc" chain messages that elicited a rare response from yours truly. I enjoyed reading it four years later and thought this would make a nice blog post (also a rare occurrence these days). These things are still all true. (current thoughts will appear in this lovely purple color).
1. My life is complete when I'm at any Disney park with my friends. The firework shows make me cry, especially the Christmas one. I just got an annual pass for the first time in my life. Who wants to go? That seriously was the best year. I WISH I still lived in close enough to "go to the park" after work for a little play time.
2. I don't think it should be considered weird/awkward to tell people that they were in my dream last night. People can't decide what they're going to dream about (well, ok…there was this one summer that I totally could…but that's a different story). Sometimes when you tell people you dreamt about them they get all bugged out ("…and you said someone died in your dream?") or wrongfully flattered ("oh, so I'm the man of your dreams, huh?"). Chances are if you're reading this, you've been in my dream one night/nap. So please, don't judge me when I tell you that you were in my dream. Just ask me what it was about. And then I'll ask you for an interpretation. Still true.
3. Growing up I always wanted to go to boarding school. I still do. I think the MTC kind of fulfilled this childhood desire. All of my 5th grade dreams came true on my mission.
4. I love everything about sobriquets. I love having them. I love giving them. I love using them. I personally have many: Hil, Hili, Hilerpiss, Piss, Piss Miss, Hitlery, Hi Lary, Lary, Dude Lary, HillBill, Hilly Willy, Hills, Hilarious Rex, Hilasorous, Hiledious, Steamer, Poster Child, O'Hil Hill-dawg, Shabb, GOB/BOG, Stalker Girl…etc. Larly, Hilly-goat, Tran, Margo, TIff, Sister
5. I wish music would play in the background of my life like it does in the movies. However, everyone having his or her own continuous mood music is a good alternative.
6. I like to clean the rooms/houses of other people. Especially sneak attack style. I almost got sued for doing that once. Usually people like it though.
7. I tend to be obsessive about things/people/places/ideas/music. I find something that I just LOVE and dedicate my life/thoughts to it for months. Then I'll mellow out until I realize that once again, I'm obsessed with something else. Still true....
8. When I really want something to happen, I don't tell anyone about it until it's actually happening or there's no way it can't happen. "hey...so, I'm going on a mission next week" sorry again about that. haha. This is still partially true. I have learned the value of sharing goals with trusted people to help with accountability.
9. I LOVE dramatic weather. Thunderstorms are my favorite. EVER.
10. I love rain and listening to snow fall. Falling snow is romatical.
11. I love the different seasons. I never appreciated all 4 of them until I lived in Utah (California doesn't really have them all). Although they all have their charms, fall and winter are my favorite over all because I love to cuddle up and watch the snow/rain fall (see #10) I'm really leaning toward spring time here in Utah. It's sooo beautiful everyday. Even with the rain.
12. I have a strong affinity for big cities and tall buildings. I grew up in LA so that probably helped. I love New York and hope to live there one day. Bangkok was exhilarating! Chicago is a new favorite, too (yay Jenny! Can't wait for your mission!). Even going up to the "big city" of SLC (especially on the frontrunner) makes me happy/excited!
13. I adore my friends. In fact, I love, love LOVE them and can miss them even when they're standing in front of me. This is probably even more true now.
14. I love to keep in touch with people. Thank goodness for USPS, Facebook, gmail, skype, msn, gchat, pen and paper, typewriter, telegrams, fax machines, Morris code, messages in bottles, blogs, blogs about blogs, smoke signals, pen pals, etc. I like to know how people are doing and what their life has brought them. Don't be surprised if you get a Christmas card from me 27 years from now and we haven't talked for 26 of them. I love it when people do that. This is still true...however, I am horrible at this now! Why am I so bad at this post-mission? I'm really sorry if you still haven't received a thank you/random note of love from me. I'm trying to be better. (or at least feeling guilty about it every time I see my half written notes all over my room.
15. I grew up camping. My family would all pile in the car and drive cross-country and camp all the way. In our glory days we could park, get out of the car and set up the ENTIRE camp (tent and all) in just 7 little minutes. That's right…7 min. My dad would brag about it all the time. I just wish I went more now. Anyone want to go? Yeah, seriously...
16. I love going to the dentist. Amazingly clean teeth- YES PLEASE! I don't even need the shots to numb everything when they give me a filing. Just drill away- I can't really feel it. YES, PLEASE. Still love it. Although I think I'm losing a bit of my "no-numbing-needed super power" boo...
17. I love to travel. My favorite year of travel has definitely got to be last year (2008). I went to NY, D.C., AZ, London, Paris and many, many trips to UT and ID. That really WAS a FANTASTIC year of travel. Now I'm more of a :weekend warrior" kind of traveler. I need to take this party international again and SOON!
18. There are 6 kids in my family and I'm the only one blessed with curly hair. Thanks Dad. I love how our bangs get all crazy curly when it rains, when it's humid, when we sweat, etc. I also love the "orphan chic" look I try to pull off on lazy occasions.
19. I love public transportation. Subways in particular. I love observing the stations. I love observing the people who are sitting on the cars/platforms with me. I love figuring out the different lines and which are the best routes to use. I love getting lost (if I'm not in a hurry to get somewhere). I love that by using it, I feel more independent and responsible. I love making friends who you say/wave goodbye to when you get off, even though you've only spent 20 silent moments together in your entire life. I love bus buddies (my time at BYU was my favorite for these kinds of relationships). Amen.
20. Avocados are my favorite thing ever. I add it to everything when I can. Or just eat it plain. Yup. But I hate paying so much for them here in Utah...
21.I claim to have been to all 50 states but I think I need to go to Maine just for good measure. I need to do this again.
22. If I copy something for too long, it can start to become a part of me. It's kinda a probwem, right Tiff/margo/#awesome/Tran. yeah...
23. I'm going to own a boat some day. Maybe I'll just buy a yacht and live on it. Who wants to teach me to sail?
24. I have the most ridiculous earlobes and therefore I only wear big, dangling earrings (which I love and this would probably still be the case even if my earlobes were normal). I've discovered pearls and smaller earrings now, too, and I love them. My big earrings and I are kinda "on a break"
25. There are some things is this world that will never make sense to me: traffic, mayo and cheese covered fruit jello, the stock exchange, the US Government and why guys and girls buttons button on different sides, to name a few. I accept them all, sometimes I just wonder.
Ok. There you go. Wasn't that fun?
