The Post Where I turn 100!

OK, well, I don't actually turn 100, but this is my 100th blog post! Hard to believe since I've been blogging just short of 4 months!

When I first started poking around the blogosphere, I noticed people doing special things in honor of their 100th post. When I finally decided to start my own blog, I remember thinking that at some point, I’d probably do something to mark my special anniversary too. I just never realized how quickly the day would come!

I have decided to throw a fabulous clambake at the beach to celebrate, but also thought I’d celebrate in a more traditional way.

I absolutely love the word "meme". My suspicion is that it doesn't qualify as a "real" word, but is one that has come to be by way of Bloggywood. Meme posts generally contain information about the poster. I've heard through the blogvine that the correct pronounciation of the word rhymes with theme.

However, I love to think of it as being pronounced me!me!

As in, it's all about me.

And since it's my blog, today it's all about ME!ME!

So, without further ado, I’m going the traditional 100th blogiversary route with a good old fashioned meme!

100 facts about me – some random, some known, some quirky, some boring.

Regardless, by the end you'll know a lot of stuff about me, and I hope you'll find it worth the read!

1. I am 33 years old
2. I’m a Leo
3. I’ve been married for 7 years
4. I’ve been a mom for three and a half years to one amazing little girl, the Mad Hatter
5. The Mad Hatter started pre-school today!
6. Even though it was completely time, I am having a hard time with the fact that she’s old enough for it – wasn’t she just born yesterday?
7. She’s a social butterfly just like her Mommy – she barely said goodbye to myself and Daddy!
8. I cried a bit in the car as I drove away, but held back the real sobs because I knew once I started I’d never stop.
9. Before I started blogging, I had no idea who Ryan Gosling was.
10. Nor had any interest in seeing The Notebook.
11. I have now seen The Notebook, plan to watch it over and over, and love Ryan Gosling.
12. I have a little crush on Freddie Prinze, Jr. and have seen almost every movie he’s been in.
13. Lately, I am a tiny bit obsessed with Wii Tennis – my arm hurts from playing so much these past few days!
14. I get a tiny bit obsessed with many things that I find interesting – it’s never just “oh, that’s fun” it’s “oh, I’m a complete addict and must spend all of my free time doing this!”
15. I am currently addicted to Facebook, blogging, and Wii Tennis!
16. I love any and all things craft related.
17. I was a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator for 3 ½ years.
18. I cannot go into a craft store without spending money.
19. I get lots of grand craft ideas, buy all of the materials, and never finish (and sometimes barely start) the projects.
20. I am a total procrastinator – there is always something more important (like blogging, or blog-reading, or Facebooking)
21. I work best under pressure.
22. Almost 2 years ago, I found out I have degenerative disc disease (out of the blue – I thought I had pulled a muscle and the pain never went away).
23. After 10 months of trying everything under the sun to avoid surgery, I had to have surgery.
24. I am one of 5-8% of the population whose disc actually re-herniates after a discectomy.
25. I had to have a spinal fusion 6 months ago (L4/L5).
26. The recovery is long, slow, and more than anything, frustrating.
27. I am getting stronger and more active each and every day – I firmly believe that keeping on the move and having a positive attitude will help me heal faster!
28. Until a few weeks ago, I had not lifted the Mad Hatter in months – it has been an amazing joy to pick her up and hold her in my arms again, even if it’s only for a few seconds at a time.
29. I have an uncanny talent for memorizing song lyrics, and there are many in my repetoire.
30. I'm totally intimidated by the vast majority of amazing female bloggers – there are so many smart, witty, and sharp women out there that I often feel inferior.
31. Then I think about the fact that my main reason for blogging is to make me happy, and to preserve our family memories in a way that we can easily go back and laugh about all of it years from now. It’s serving both those purposes, so then I think, screw it!
32. Then I wonder how some of those other bloggers manage to be so funny and witty and where they come up with the stuff they blog about (and then I get over it again)!
33. I graduated from Ithaca College in 1997.
34. I spent the second semester of my junior year doing their special communications program in LA.
35. I interned at NBC in their Print Advertising department.
36. I ate lunch regularly at the NBC commissary, alongside many actors (especially those from Days of Our Lives) who worked on the lot.
37. I helped out at two photo shoots for the short-lived sitcom Boston Common.
38. My “connections” at NBC got myself and my family a private tour of the Days of Our Lives (closed) set – complete with the taping of a bedroom scene between John Black and Kristen DiMera.
39. Watching the taping of a soap-opera love scene is rather humorous.
40. Deidre Hall is not a very friendly woman – I might even go as far as to call her a bitch.
41. I broke my right leg two months before graduation (it was upstate New York) and had to spend the end of my college years living back on campus in the health center.
42. The break occurred literally 45 minutes after I got off a plane from Spring Break in Cancun. When I got out of the car in the driveway of our rented house, there were 2 inches of solid ice and I went flying to the end of the driveway.
43. I am a clutz, but even this was a bit much for me.
44. I spent 4 months in a full leg cast, unable to bear any weight on my leg.
45. Preserving a tan from spring break in Cancun under a cast for 4 months is not a good idea.
46. It took me two razors and two hours to shave the leg when the cast was finally off for good.
47. Speaking of shaving, it’s a chore I literally loathe.
48. When I have some disposable income, the first thing I’m doing is going for laser hair removal. Everywhere.
49. In the last 4 months, I’ve shortened my hair length by about 9 inches and bought funky new glasses to wear as an alternative to contact lenses. It’s done wonders for my self-image!
50. Having my eyebrows waxed makes me feel like a million bucks.
51. Before I was a mom, I had my eyebrows waxed regularly.
52. I also had a standing nail appointment every other Thursday at 5:30PM.
53. I was all too happy to give those things up to be a stay-at-home-mom.
54. No matter what the season, I need to sleep under several layers of covers – top sheet, electric blanket (not turned on in the summer), lightweight down comforter, and comforter.
55. DH radiates heat and we often argue have long discussions over climate control.
56. I can go at least two or three days between hair washings.
57. I get the most compliments on my hair the days I don’t wash it.
58 . In our first year together, DH made the mistake of making a comment that let me know he thought not washing your hair daily is gross.
59 . A rather large fight discussion ensued, resulting in my receipt of a dozen ginormous red roses at work, and a man well-educated in proper haircare.
60 . I would rather eat appetizers and dessert for dinner than a main entrée.
61 . I have a dangerous sweet tooth – if it’s got sugar and counts as dessert, I love it.
62 . Except for carrot cake, whose only redeeming value is the cream cheese frosting (if you ask me, and this is about me me me!)
63 . I especially love desserts with creamy fillings, like éclairs, Boston Cream Pie, cannoli, and cream puffs
64 . I’d happily make a trip to the North End in Boston (about an hour from me) just to go to Mike’s Pastry for a Lobster Tail.
65 . Now that I’m thinking of it, the idea of a dinner consisting of lobster (the shellfish), and a Mike’s lobster tail has me salivating.
66 . I’m also a huge fan of ice cream. Non-chocolate based unless it’s chocolate peanut-butter.
67 . I am not a fan of most breakfast foods (scrambled eggs freak me out!) - I prefer something sweet, like chocolate cake.
68 . If you throw up next to me, it’s highly likely that I will faint (unless you’re the MH – moms are usually right, and in this case mine has been – when it’s your own child it doesn’t bother you. So far, so good).
69 . I suffer from severe panic and anxiety, for which I take a good amount of medication on a daily basis.
70 . I have severe medical phobia and need a lot of drugs just to go for a routine physical (I have been known to faint from both a throat culture (3X) and having my blood pressure taken).
71 . My tolerance for anxiety medication and medication in general is scary – my neurosurgeon told me he’s never actually seen or met anyone like me.
72 . I’ve been told that my propensity towards fainting is my body’s natural way of protecting me – kind of like a trip switch that just shuts things down and keep everything from short-circuiting.
73 . Everyone who knows me knows the drill if I faint – do NOT call 911, I will just faint some more when the paramedics show up.
74 . Based on the above, giving birth and having two major surgeries which required an extended hospital stay and MANY doctor’s visits are of some of my proudest accomplishments in life.
75 . I HATE bananas.
76 . Cotton candy rocks my world.
77 . The first concert I ever saw was Whitney Houston – with my parents and brother when I was 12 years old. She was classy back then.
78 . At age 33, I pride myself on the fact that I do not have ONE cavity.
79 . The toilet paper must come over the top of the roll, never drop under.
80 . I rarely make my bed until tidying up right before I get in it.
81 . My organizational and time management skills could use some major help.
82 . Clutter doesn’t bother me.
83 . Actually, it does, in an underlying “I really should get on top of that" way, but usually gives way to another more fascinating addiction (see #15).
84 . I clean before my cleaning lady comes. OK, I clean up my clutter so she can actually clean.
85 . I want another baby so bad that sometimes I think I feel an ache in my uterus.
86 . It is very frustrating when your heart wants something very much but your body makes a different choice for you.
87 . I hope that with all of my hard work at PT, I can get my pain under some level of manageability and get strong enough that my doctors will say it’s okay to try to get pregnant.
88 . I am SO thankful and blessed that I have my little Mad Hatter, and that the back problems started after I was at least lucky enough to have her.
89 . My husband and I have talked about it and can honestly see our life feeling totally complete even if it ends up just being the three of us.
90 . I never knew that even when you’re 33 your best friend in the world could be 3 and a half years old.
91 . I live about 40 minutes from the beach and have spent almost 33 summers going there as often as possible.
92 . I have an amazing memory when it comes to people, places, and events. A scary memory.
93 . I secretly (well, now not so secretly) fear that because I have such a gift (people always rely on me for the details) I will be the one out of my friends to end up with early-onset dementia or Alzheimer’s.
94 . I don’t see what the big deal is with brussels sprouts being a “punishment” veggie – I actually love them!
95 . I have completely flat feet and am jealous of all those people who make perfect little wet footprints when they get out of the pool while I make my huge Saskwatch prints.
96 . I get fits of giddiness where I start laughing so hard I can’t contain myself – my stomach literally aches and I can’t stop crying – my friends and family call this a “Rachael Moment”
97 . Sometimes Rachael Moments occur at completely inappropriate times.
98 . I am a talker. Room full of strangers? No problem whatsoever.
99 . Case in point – coming up with 100 facts about myself has been a breeze – I can’t wait till my 200th blogaversary post!
100. This post has been so much fun to write! Got more questions? Ask away!