Tagged: 2

Amanda Magonigal has me (or someone she calls Huggy Bear who is supposed to be me) tagged. This time I have to tell you all 6 quirks. It takes me a while to come up with these things. Because I'm so normal and not quirky. Right. Here goes all I care to share. . . .

1. I have a thing about my feet. I'll go barefoot all day at home or wear flip flops or sandals every day and not be bothered. I don't mind seeing feet, don't mind that they get dirty when I'm barefoot or flip-flopped, but I do mind their being dirty. When I'm home, I'll wash my feet a couple times a day, and every night I wash them before bed. I cannot get into the bed with dirty feet. I'm not a clean freak. I just don't appreciate a dirty foot.

2. I have always thought I was pretty good about not trying to live vicariously through my kids or pushing my hopes/dreams/expectations onto them. And then they started school. The thing is, I don't care if they suck at sports or are uncoordinated in dance class, just as long as tehy have fun. But when it comes to school, I am a little nutty. I hate school drop off and pick up, with one exception: Tuesday folders! I love a Tuesday because I get to see all Kylie's marvelous work, I get to revel in how bright she is, I get to read an update on the class activities for the week and see what's coming up next week, and occasionally there bits of school news or things to look forward to that come home in the Tuesday folder. About 2 Tuesdays ago, I was so engrossed in the folder's contents that I got busted by one Maren Hufford for not paying attention at the stop sign and stealing her turn. I'm sorry, but I was more concerned with what was in that folder than whose turn it was to turn. Alex tends to be a bit territorial and hates that I go through his backpack as soon as he comes home from preschool. I've gotta work on that kid before next year's Tuesdays begin. (He starts kindergarten next year!)

3. I rarely use a coupon, but I get a great deal of satisfaction in curling up with the Sunday paper and a pair of scissors. I carefull clip and organize all the coupons I think I may use, file them into a coupon holder, and then don't think about them again until the next Sunday. A couple weeks ago I took my coupons with me to the store and actually used some of them. That was so exciting. I think I might try it again one day. Actually, now that I think about it, it's time to go through and weed out all the expired ones. That's pretty fun too!

4. I have a huge mouth. I definitely have a habit of speaking before I've thought something all the way through, and I'd say most people notice that about me early on. So, none of you should be surprised about that. But what you may not know is that I go home and agonize over nearly every word I utter when I'm in social settings. I disect what I said, how I said it, perceived reactions to it, how I might have reacted if someone had said it to me, whether I talked too much, too loudly, too much about myself, etc. . . . Then I usually resolve to be better next outing. To try not to be a total jackass from then on. Then I fail miserably. I'm thinking of becoming a hermit just to save myself all the socail awkwardness and anxiety.

5. I love to make lists. This makes my husband insane. He finds all my lists and never knows if it's okay to toss them. I love a good grocery list, broken down by store departments, right to left and back to front. It makes having to go to Wal-Mart so much more bearable. And I feel so smug and satisfied walking through there with my notepad and pen, checking things off in an orderly fashion. If I've made a really good list and pick up something that's not on it, I have to grab the pen and quickly add it as soon as it goes in the cart. There is probably medication for this.

6. I think I'm the exception to lots of rules because I know them so well. For instance, I know it's unhealthy to compare oneself to her contemporaries; but because I know and understand that rule, and would readily dole it out as advice to others, I feel enlightened enough to break it myself. Nothing wrong with that, right?

See, I'm not that quirky. How about you?