42 Things About Me

In honor of my 42nd birthday, I thought I would make one of those long, rambling blog posts to help anyone out there who might be reading know more about me. I'm complex, truly.

1. Every New Year for the past three years, I've resolved to floss my teeth more frequently. Sometimes that's the only resolution I make. I still don't floss enough.

2. The last time I watched television was 9/11. The last time I sat down to actually, on-purpose watch a TV show was 1994. The Husband and I have a TV; we use it to watch DVD's.

3. I like to read blogs written by people radically different from myself. My current favorites at the moment (besides Crazy Aunt Purl) are The Panopticon (gay male Buddhist Chicagoan knitter with a penchant for books) and a little pregnant (which the writer describes as "madcap misadventures in infertility, pregnancy and parenthood"). Her post on her imagined conversations with her fertility monitor is beyond hysterical.

4. I can't remember my real hair color. I've been a faux redhead for 10+ years.

5. I won't eat salmon.

6. My high school's fight song was sung to the tune of "On Wisconsin."

7. I have two tattoos. I got the first one for my 30th birthday, and the second for my 40th. I plan on getting another for my 50th (or maybe my 45th if I can't wait that long).

8. If I never have to hear another word about Paris Hilton or Britney Spears, I could die happy.

9. My favorite paintings are Monet's studies of the Rouen Cathedral.

10. Whenever I travel on an airplane, I bring Lovecraft's The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath to read.

11. When I have a choice of desserts, I almost always choose the one with the most chocolate.

12. It's my considered opinion that people who pronounce forte as "for-TAY" (instead of the correct French pronunciation - "fort") are sub-literate cretins. There are so many of them I've developed an unfortunate facial tic from biting my tongue.

13. I'm named after my mother -- in Real Life, that is. "Laiane" has been my online pseudonym for many years.

14. I always dressed up as a black cat for Halloween, except the last year I went trick-or-treating (1975?). Then I was a ghost in a bedsheet with a scary plastic mask.

15. Even though I read a tremendous amount, I don't retain much -- of the fiction anyway. I suppose that's why I keep and re-read many of my books.

16. Favorite (non-Lovecraft) fantasy book? Tigana.

17. I rarely suffer from that female malady of Pleasing Others Before I Please Myself.

18. In terms of "fashion," I can't stand pastel colors or ruffles. I didn't like them when I was 22 and I certainly don't like them at 42.

19. Lilacs and violets are my favorite spring flowers, and I love chrysanthemums in the autumn (especially the yellow ones).

20. Even though I'm bookish and introverted, I enjoyed my visit to Las Vegas (when The Husband and I were married). It was very surreal. Vegas, not getting married. (1)

21. I've never sent a text message to anyone.

22. I haven't read the operating manual for my digital camera yet. I figure that if I take 10-12 pictures of something, one of them has to turn out okay.

23. I don't care for how Borges ended The House of Asterion with that coda about Theseus and Ariadne. The story can easily stand alone on its own.

24. I use whatever is handy for bookmarks. Unused tissues or napkins. Post-it notes. Pieces of yarn. I'm even known to dog-ear books.

25. I'm one of the few people I know who is able to get out of bed without hitting the snooze button. When I'm up, I'm up.

26. Even though I say that I'm not a morning person, that's when I'm my most productive. I tend to hit the wall in the afternoon.

27. I try not to use obscenities or curse words very often. I save them for when I really, truly mean it.

28. I don't worry about drinking the suggested 64 ounces of water a day since one of my medications gives me dry mouth. I'm almost always sipping on plain water or sparkling water (unsweetened) .

29. I wish I knew more about physics. I admire Stephen Hawking and wish I could understand his books more thoroughly.

30. It's impossible for me to leave a book store empty handed.

31. I'm very picky about the pens I use. I like fine-tipped ones with sharp points. Liquid ink, not paste ink.

32. I'm a sucker for Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.

33. I HATE THE MALL. I can buy just about everything I need online -- except groceries.

34. Even though I'm no longer a vegetarian, I still eat tofu sometimes (especially stir-fried).

35. I say that the Internet is "my oxygen." It's my primary source of entertainment, news, and information. I've been online since 1994 -- back in the days of LISTSERV's, kermits, and gophers.

36. My computer's name is "Squeaker."

37. I prefer watching college sports to professional sports, not that I watch sports much at all.

38. I find that I usually have to read something before I'm able to fall asleep.

39. I would rather rule in Hell than serve in Heaven (special bonus points for those of you who catch the literary reference; and, yes, I've read it).

40. If I had a choice between going back to Paris (for the third time) or going to another grand European city, I would still choose Paris.

41. I have visited the grave sites of Marcel Proust and Franz Kafka.

42. I have never EVER had the least desire to have a baby or adopt a child. If I feel the need to be maternal towards something, I have my cats.


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(1) Las Vegas at night photo under Creative Commons license (Flickr photographer mandj98) and may be distributed, copied, and shared with attribution.