15 Things About Me. (I know, such a cop out of a title)

So Trapped in North Jersey's 15 Facts About Me. 

• I am VERY averse to confrontations.  Oh I will pretty much bend over backwards to avoid a confrontation.  HATE them. 
• I am very picky about food (I dislike a lot of things), but I am willing to try pretty much anything at least once. 
• I am paranoid about what people think about me.  Do they think I'm annoying?  Do they like me?  Do they hate me?  I am CONSTANTLY wondering this.  It all stems back to college when I knew a lot of jerky people. :-)
• I apologize A LOT.  Drives some of my friends INSANE.  I find it amusing when they get annoyed at me for APOLOGIZING. 
• I tell terrible stories.  The worst.  But they amuse me so my friends/family have to put up with them. 
• My sisters are pretty much my best friends (Revolting R...you are too...don't worry!)
• I am super sarcastic all the time.  This gets me in trouble a lot because not everyone appreciates my sarcasm. 
• I cry way too much.  Seriously.  Hate it.  (Grandma, I'm pretty sure this is the only trait from you I'm not super appreciative of). 
• I have issues standing.  Contrary to what my nephew thinks (he once complimented me for being a good stander), I tend to tip over for no reason.  I'll be standing there and just kind of lose my balance. 
• I am also super klutzy.  I broke my foot walking down a driveway.  Really?  Who does that?
• I think I've already mentioned this before, but I really like cheap beer.  I'm a fan of good beer as well, but if it's a night of drinking?  The cheap beer wins. 
• I have a neurotic little dog.  He's adorable, but such a pain in the ass at the same time.
• I give myself pep talks over the LAMEST things.  For example, I am having problems thinking of 15 things, and I thought to myself "3 more things, you can do it!  You're smart!"  (notice I only have two more things now...so it worked).
• I read really fast.  I'm a little self conscious sometimes when people comment on it.  They think I'm making it up, or not really reading (I swear I am!).  It was recently brought to my attention that a couple hundred years ago, I'd have been burned at the stake for this trait, so I guess feeling a little self conscious about it is better than burning at the stake.  (I swear this makes sense somehow). 
• I talk too fast.  I leave messages on my PARENTS' phone and THEY can't even understand me.  I mean, these people raised me and still can't understand what I'm saying.  And, the more excited I get, heh, the less likely you will be to understand me. 

Yes, I did it.

I want out of here, there's got to be someplace for the dream in me*

Back to the 30 in 30 days list.  Yay! 

However, I think I will combine a few of them because seriously, they're like a sentence long of a post.  And that's just lame. 

So, without further ado:

Meaning behind your blog name.


My blog name is actually a quote from South Park that I've always loved.  Big Gay Al is super, and he's glad you asked. 

However, I also felt like it was appropriate for me.  I'm writing a blog about myself and things that are affecting me, so what better truth in advertising is there?  I AM super, and I thank people for asking.  :-) 

So, yes it's lame, but, it makes me smile, so there you go. 

Favorite smells.
 
This one covers A LOT of things.  So the bullet points come out for just a few of my top favorites.

• Wintergreen - Every time I smell that I think of my grandma.  She was never without a roll of wintergreen certs and she used to sneak them to my sisters and me in church.  That smell just invokes so many memories of her, from before she got sick.  I smell that, and it reminds me of winter mornings, sitting with her on the couch before going to school.  I think of baking cookies, and making deviled eggs with her.  I think of her saying geez louise all the time.  I think of her toilet papered hair at bedtime.  I think of her sitting on the front porch, smoking cigarettes.  I think of her hugs that were my FAVORITE hugs in the world.  I just think of her when I smell it. 
• Garlic - Not as sentimental a smell.  I just love the smell of garlic cooking.  Makes me anticipate a super yummy dinner. 
• I dont know the name of the cologne, but my friend Graham used to wear it.  And I know it when I smell it, and I just think of him and remember how much I liked that guy.
• Freesia and Certain pink roses (and the cooler of flowers at my old job).  They smell so yummy, like candy.  Always puts me in a good mood. 

I think that's enough smells. 

And last but not least...

The story behind one of your scars.
 
When I was in grade school, I was home alone with my older sisters and it was about 9 or 10 in the morning.  L was upstairs and J and I were downstairs and decided we were going to sew some clothes for our dolls.  I had a needle and thread and my basket with scraps of fabric all ready to begin. 
 
I dropped my needle in the carpet and couldn't find it.  I dropped down on my knees to find it, and dropped down directly on the needle.  The needle went all the way in to my knee (as in the tip was under skin, and there was nothing on the outside to grip to pull it out). 
 
The way I knelt kind of forced the needle into the joint and locked my knee in a bent position, so I couldn't straighten my leg or move it.  I have never screamed so loud in my life. 
 
L thought J was beating me up and came running down the stairs (I guess maybe to beat up J?).  She didn't have her license yet at the time, so she put in a frantic call to my grandmother (this was before cell phones were a normal thing, so she couldn't call my mom).  They rushed over, and my grandmother and my aunt and my mom all arrived at the same time. 
 
So, my mom drove me to the hospital, and I ended up having surgery on my knee to remove the needle and had to stay the night in the hospital.  (They offered to let me keep the needle, but I'm pretty sure I was in no mood to see that thing ever again).  I was then on crutches for about 6 weeks (?) afterwards.  I still have a little scar on the side of my knee and a slight fear of needles. :-)
 
*Dynamite Hack

You've been the only thing that's right in all I've done*

I made the most amazing dinner ever!  

Mom - why did we NEVER have spaghetti squash growing up?  It is like my new favorite food ever!  (Oh, Wegmans, you did it again!).

So, I had never had spaghetti squash and was a little nervous about making it, so I want to share my recipe with you so you can make it for yourself!

Without further ado:

Ingredients:

Spaghetti squash

onion

roasted red peppers

garlic 

black olives

feta cheese

olive oil

canola or vegetable oil

sea salt (or regular salt)

What to do:

Cook the Spaghetti Squash.  

There are two easy ways to do this.

1 - stab holes in the squash to keep it from exploding

2a - Bake it in the oven at 375F for about an hour (or until it's soft)

2b - Microwave it for about 20 minutes

Let the squash sit until its cool enough to touch

Cut the stem of the squash off, then cut the squash in half lengthwise.

Scoop out the darker amber color area of the squash and the seeds and discard.  Then, use a fork or spoon and scoop out the lighter colored areas of the squash.  They will be kind of stringy looking (like thin spaghetti).  

Cook the toppings

Cut up the onion, roasted peppers, olives, and garlic.  

Put vegetable oil in your frying pan, and cook the onions and garlic in it until tender.  Add the peppers and olives and cook until warm.

Put it all together

Add olive oil and salt to taste to the squash.  Put the toppings and feta cheese on top of the squash.  Mix it all together and serve.

Ignore the horrible appearance.  I warned you last time I was terrible at staging food photos :-)

Seriously.  AMAZING!  Make it for dinner tonight!

*Snow Patrol

Piece of the puzzle, and you're a missing part*

So, I'm feeling MUCH better today.  That's a relief. 

I even had an annoying voice mail first thing this morning, and it rolled right off my back.  I couldn't care less.  That's more like it. 

My friends did a great job cheering me up yesterday, basically just let me vent and put up with me being annoying and moody, and didn't get mad at me for being such a bitch (seriously, I was SO MEAN to some people for NO reason).  However, the thing that really cheered me up and relaxed me, and made me feel better? 

I went grocery shopping at Wegmans. 

I know...I'm SO WEIRD!  Grocery shopping makes me happy.  I think I have this weird obsession with buying food or something.  However, apparently my sister ALSO likes grocery shopping (which is weird b/c I feel like I remember my mom hating it when we were growing up, so where did we learn to appreciate it?).

I love looking at all the fresh produce (I spend like half an hour in the produce section alone), and the weird "hippy" aisle (as the grocer called it the other day), with the organic or gluten free, all natural products.  I used to love looking at the fresh meat and fish department (but now I kind of just move quickly through the meat department to the fish).  I never usually BUY fish b/c I'm not really entirely sure how to cook it (or know when it's done) other than baking it, and since I have no oven, that's not an option.  So...no fish for me.  Oh!  And the olive bar and fresh cheese area.  So much fun!

I just really like the grocery store. 

Anyways, I spent about an hour there last night, and when I left, I was relaxed and not so wound up, and I just felt so much better.  Yay Wegmans therapy!

So, that's my weird little fact of the day about me.  Does anyone else enjoy grocery shopping as much as me? 

*She And Him - I have been oddly enamored with them lately. 

The last time I cried

My sister posted a list of 30 topics in 30 days that she pulled from another blog, but I'm too lazy to go figure out which one.

I'm having some issues coming up with what to write about, so, I decided to use one of those.

"The last time I cried"

That's pretty easy.  I cried today.  Sigh.

I had a very bad day today.  And it all started last night, with a horrible dream.  

A few years ago, a friend of mine killed himself.  On Valentine's Day.  Even worse, the day before I had thought about calling him, and just got busy at work and didn't do it.  A few days later, I received a call from his aunt.  Every year since then, the FIRST thing I think about when I wake up on Valentine's Day is him and what he did.  Let me just say, that it's a shitty way to start your day.  

So, the dream.

Last night, I dreamed that it was February 13, 2008 and I was thinking of calling him, and again, I didn't do it.  Same results.  Except, this time, he came to see me, yelling at me for not calling him, telling me it was my fault this happened, and if I had just called everything would have been ok.  

So, I know that it is no way my fault.  Even if I had called, he was just so unhappy, a phone call from me would not have made a difference, and I have nothing to feel guilty about.  

But, the dream, totally effed with my head.  

All day, I have been in a horrible mood.  I was mad at myself for being mad at myself for not calling (OH MY GOD, WHAT A VICIOUS CYCLE!).  I was in a bad mood, so everything bad at work was pissing me off even more than normal.  I was a bitch to people for no good reason (sorry).  And I am just so mad at him for doing this. 

I'm mad that this was the only solution he could come up with.  I'm mad that he's not here to tell him how ANGRY I am at him.  I'm just...mad.

So, yeah, I cried today.  At the office (I at least closed and locked my door, but seriously, I hate crying at work).  And, I finally deleted his number from my phone.  I think 3 years is probably long enough to realize it's not his anymore.  

My friends are amazing for putting up with my whining lately.  Especially when they had no idea what was even wrong with me.  They're good people and I'm glad I have them.  

And I'm fine.  I swear it family, so don't worry about me.  It was just a bad day, and tomorrow is going to be better.  I'll be back to my happy self again.  

These are the things that I like to do, but most of all, I like liking you*

I like posting pictures of the things I bought on trips (I like to show off my awesome taste...or as some people call it...my attraction to the weird and ugly).  

Anyways, there is NOTHING weird OR ugly about anything I bought on this trip.  

I mean, I bought some shot glasses for myself.  Perfectly normal.

I bought an awesome painting (and I know it's awesome because L wanted it too, and she doesn't usually like ugly things)

However, my favorite buy may have to be these awesome salt and pepper shakers.  HOW FREAKING CUTE ARE THEY???

They are so cute I just can't take it.

I also bought two pairs of sunglasses, but I didn't take a picture of those.  I also bought some gifts for people, but I won't post those since nobody has actually received them yet (and you know, I left my parent's gift IN Costa Rica...oops...sorry guys!)

My actual trip pictures are on my work computer, and I've been super busy trying to catch up, but I'll post those as soon as I get some time to!

*Ben Kweller (everytime I hear this song I want to just hug him)

You give my life direction, you make everything so clear*

I'm still working on my Costa Rica posts, so, today is a mish mosh of things that I didn't know where else to talk about them.
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I have a very weird issue lately that is completely baffling and is bothering the heck out of me.

I have recently started hating meat.  As in, I look at it, or I smell it, or I touch it, and it makes me want to vomit.  (No...I'm not pregnant...please don't ask).  It's not all the time, I have been able to eat chicken a few times (although not with the normal level of enjoyment), and if it's mixed in as part of something (like soup, or a meat sauce with pasta type thing).  My biggest problem is if it's a piece of meat with a side (or in a salad).  

Ugh, it's awful.  I should like meat.  I used to like meat...what in the world changed?

So, anyways, until I figure out how to enjoy meat again, I've been coming up with things that I can eat for lunch and dinner and it's not been fun.  I've mostly been eating rice or pastas with veggies.  However, I really shouldn't eat so many carbs (thanks a lot PCOS!) because my body doesn't do a great job breaking down sugar.

So today, I made the most AMAZING lunch.

I am not so good at staging food pictures, however, this best salad ever consists of:

• baby spinach
• squash and zucchini
• orange bell peppers
• cucumbers
• pressed tofu cooked with a little olive oil and garlic
• 1 tsp of olive oil and salt for dressing

It was so yummy.  It's so yummy...I'm eating it again tomorrow.
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I was flipping through the channels the other day and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 was on and it was at the end.  

Why in the world do I still remember the Ninja Rap?

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I have been unable to get this song out of my head for DAYS now.  I have no idea why.  I don't normally hear REO Speedwagon so it's not like I recently heard it.  (Also, I love the 80s music videos).

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The period key on my laptop is broken.  It's driving me INSANE.  It's ridiculously hard to type a post with a half working period key.  Just saying.

*REO Speedwagon

Back at the end of the week :-)

I've been a bit MIA the past few days I know. 

However that's because I'm here:

And not in freezing cold Pennsylvania. 

Go ahead.  Be jealous.  Be very jealous. :-)