That 25 things list

If you’re on Facebook, no doubt you’ve seen that 25 things list that’s going around. You’re supposed to write a note with 25 random things about you. I’ve been tagged, so here’s my go:

1. I met my husband, Adam, at my roommate’s wedding. She married his brother, who was also living with us. So my roommate is my sister-in-law. And our kids are cousins.
   
2. After I met Adam, I didn’t want him to visit me in San Francisco. I was happy with my life and I had a feeling that everything would change if he came to visit. Everything did change (but for the better).
   
3. When I was five, my kindergarten teacher told me not to write with my left hand. She was mean. I was probably meant to be left-handed. She also told me to take the scissors out of my mouth. That was probably good advice.
   
4. When I was a kid, I didn’t like carbonated fizzy drinks like Coke or Sprite. I still don’t really like them.
   
5. I don’t like lollies either. Adam and my son love them. I'm a chocolate girl.
6. My son’s curls remind me of my brother’s when he was little.
   
7. I don’t have any tattoos. I like them on other people, but I’m too chicken to get one myself.
   
8. When I was five, I wanted to grow up and be a cashier at Kroger (the local supermarket). At the time, it seemed like a powerful position. When I was ten, I wanted to be an international lawyer. I had lots of penpals and I dreamed of going travelling and making the world a better place.
   
9. In the 90s, after the usual waitress-temp training wheels, I made good money working in marketing communications and multimedia. It was a golden age. The pay was high and the expectations were low.
   
10. And I paid off all the credit card debt that I had accrued during college (thanks, Citibank). Now I don’t believe in using credit cards. We save up to buy things, the old-fashioned way.
    
11. I want to publish a novel. I have two first drafts, and I’ve started working on a third.
    
12. I love going to the library and the book store. I feel at loose ends if I’m not reading a book. Usually I’m reading a few at once.
    
13. I love the toy house that my parents bought for my son. It’s a Pintoy one. I’m always asking him if we can play with it. And sometimes I play with it by myself.
    
14. When I was a little girl, I loved my Barbies. I had the Dream House and the swimming pool and so many clothes. I loved to create elaborate plots and I would control their lives play with them for hours.
    
15. I still sometimes wear my nose-ring. I don’t wear all black any more though. These days I like to dress like a hippie chick bohemian.
    
16. If I could, I would wear pajamas all the time. My husband calls me Pajama Girl.
    
17. I don’t like the same music that I liked when I was younger. Now I like mainstream divas like Brit Brit and Beyonce. I've always liked Madonna though.
    
18. I hardly ever play the piano or the violin. But when I do, it makes me very happy.
    
19. I was afraid to drive in New Zealand. For the first two or three years I lived here, I walked or I took the train. I couldn’t remember which side of the road I was supposed to be on, and the roundabouts and the give way rule? So confusing.
    
20. I love walking and hiking and tramping. I don’t like biking. My son is a keen biker. So I think I will have to learn to like it.
    
21. I love popcorn. One of my earliest memories is hearing my parents making popcorn (after I was supposed to be asleep). Oh, and I love pizza. And burritos and tacos. And chips (French fries). And curries and laksa. OK, I live to eat. My husband is an amazing cook.
    
22. Since my son is allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts and sesame seeds (yes, we’re one of those families), we make a lot of our own food. We can’t buy pre-packaged convenience stuff or get many take-aways. At first it was really difficult, but reading all those labels when I was a vegetarian has served me well. And my son can have soya, almonds and potatoes now, which makes life MUCH easier.
    
23. I never learned how to put on make-up. So I don’t wear it. But I love having it done professionally.
    
24. I don’t like crowds or large groups. I want to listen to what everyone is saying, and I get frustrated if everyone is talking at once. But I love to talk and have everyone listen to me.
25. The first time I got drunk was with Peach Schnapps. Just the thought of a fuzzy navel sickens me to this day.