Sunday, May 29, 2005

100 juicy details, a writing exercise

1. I am turning 40 this year. I don't think it's important, but then again, it's number one.

2. I believe life is like a storybook with all the chapter titles done, but it's up to us to supply the plot.

3. I have a large affinity for dogs. Cats bore me.

4. Pretty much anything in moderation is ok by me.

5. I am moderately lazy.

6. I have three keys on my key ring: front door, back door and bike lock. I wish I had no keys.

7. At 35, I sold all of my posessions and moved from Los Angeles to Montreal. I regret selling my CDs.

8. Suburbia gives me the creeps.

9. I could live on avocados alone.

10. I wipe downward. Apparently this is unusual.

11. I have few friends, but they are of long duration.

12. Messiness feels cozy to me. Neatness makes me nervous. My house is usually messy.

13. My drugs of choice are caffeine, nicotine and pot. Not necessarily in that order.

14. I experience few benefits from drinking alcohol. But I do enjoy the taste of red wine.

15. I am a cloud watcher.

16. I am in love with any type of severe weather. One day I will go tornado chasing.

17. People are intimidated by me, and me by them. This is a problem.

18. I can count on one hand the number of times I have cleaned the bathroom in my life.

19. I've lived alone, once for 10 months. I didn't like it, but then again, I didn't have a dog either.

20. I don't adhere to any religion.

21. I do believe in thought energy. What you are reading is a result of it, even though science can't prove that.

22. I do not own a car. This pleases me endlessly.

23. I loathe shopping for clothes.

24. Whenever someone sneezes in the metro, I imagine the cloud of germs rapidly circulating in the car. This is a bad habit.

25. I am shy.

26. I enjoy puttering around the house. This contributes sizably to # 12.

27. I dress poorly. (See # 23 above and #48 below)

28. I make lists constantly. They are comforting. I usually forget where I put them and this is annoying in the market.

29. Latin flavored jazz is my favorite music. Wind is my favorite sound.

30. Though I'm gay, anal sex doesn't interest me. This is not as unusual as you might think.

31. I eat a sesame bagel with cream cheese every morning.

30. Though I think fear is useless, I fear the doctor.

31. I was an only child, then after a divorce and a marriage, I had two stepbrothers. I see them at Christmas time.

32. Yardwork is more appealing than housework.

33. Travel is my favorite activity, I would go nearly anywhere.

34. I am an ESL teacher. I also practice the craft of food service. Sometimes, I write.

35. If I had unlimited time and funds, I would be traveling the world in search of knowing other cultures and taking pictures of storms.

36. When life gives me lemons, I pretend that there are no lemons.

37. I can viciously hate you while smiling. (Ritz Carlton practice)

38. I buy based on need, not want.

39. I recycle, but I don't believe it all really gets recycled.

40. I don't like umbrellas.

41. The more I know, the less I'm sure of it.

42. Sometimes playing is more important than eating.

43. I enjoy sitting in the same seat: on the bus, in the metro, at the cafe.

44. I speak two languages.

45. I play the piano. (I'm not very good, but I know the chords)

46. I love ice cream. I don't digest ice cream well and this is a long standing conflict in my life. I don't anticipate any kind of satisfactory resolution.

47. I am married to Serge and we have a dog, Sara, and some plants.

48. I'm attracted to anything priced at under a dollar.

49. I have never had an out of body experience, but I have tried.

50. I had a cell phone once, but I will never have one again and you can't make me.

51. One of the key senses to cultivate is wonder.

52. When I owned a car, I paid for gas and then left without putting it into my car. Twice.

53. I used to daydream so profoundly that I would miss my off-ramp, now I miss my stop.

54. My belly button is both an innie, and an outie.

55. I can wiggle my ears.

56. I make myself laugh by making faces in the mirror. Alone. I know, scary.

57. I sometimes dream that I am talking to God. I can never remember what is said.

58. When someone falls down, I don't think it's funny. But sometimes I laugh anyway. This perplexes me and others.

59. Being in the library is like being in the womb of knowledge.

60. I adore maps, any kind of map. I don't know why.

61. I think open mindedness and intelligence are intrinsically linked.

62. I enjoy bringing up taboo topics. This might be classified as sadistic, I know.

63. My goal is to love everyone and everything (including the *bad* things) even if it takes a thousand years.

64. If I were a cloud, I would be mammatus.

65. I have exercised regularly for 16 years. It has never gotten easier nor more enjoyable.

66. I drink my coffee black, and I put ketchup on scrambled eggs.

67. Runny yolks are vile.

68. I've never been in a submarine.

69. Spelunking is both a cool sport and word.

70. I look at eyes and hands. I never look at shoes.

71. Sometimes I think this is a life of slavery, albeit with perks.

72. Witnessing birth is one of the most magical sights one can be privy to.

73. Winter gives you permission to stay home. I like winter.

74. If I had to kill the animals myself, I would be a vegetarian.

75. I feel guilty when I hack off branches of things in the name of "trimming".

76. All the wild places I played when I was a kid have been covered with housing. They exist only in my mind now.

77. Aren't pelicans the most fascinating creatures? Two words: beak bag

78. I can't sing, but I do it anyway.

79. I have no tatoos. I view tatoos as badges of insecurity.

80. I have sat on a jury, twice.

81. Beauty is worthy of tears.

82. Learning French was the hardest thing I've ever done.

83. I think people should work for 5 years before going to University. I think it is unrealistic to plan one's future at 18.

84. When I was young, there were ashtrays at the end of the aisles in the market.

85. Sometimes I rent movies that look interesting on the back jacket, then it turns out I've already seen them.

86. I tend to forget negative experiences; I end up renting lots of bad movies, twice.

87. Having photos gives me pleasure, taking pictures - not so much.

88. Scrabble is the perfect game. I hate anything to do with football.

89. Clean fingernails are important to me.

90. I am so grateful to have someone who can tolerate living with me.

91. I enjoy dancing alone in the house.

92. Hope is really just fear said another way.

93. I am 6'3" and I weigh 175 pounds.

94. I'm ok with Rick, Richard and Ricky. Being called Rich or Richy bugs me.

95. I think there is a relationship between stinginess and wealthiness.

96. When I die, I would like my body burned and sprinkled into the clouds from a plane.

97. I live in a hundred year old building.

98. In the summer, I don't wear underwear.

99. Lightning makes me giddy.

100. I am bad at keeping secrets. Very, very bad.

19 comments:

r said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
r said...

So I was just trying to edit the comment, and now it comes up like I said something horrid, and decided to remove the post.

(actually I just had used one too many exclamation points).

Anyway, I like this idea, and am going to try it myself. At least I'll have something for my writing group.

And, I thought it was interesting that you and I both mentioned Pelicans in our posts today.

tornwordo said...

It is a cool idea, though not mine. I shamelessly modeled it from something I read on the yarn harlot's blog. It is a fun exercise and I find myself thinking of things today that I wish I had included. But I'll save those for another time.

BTW: what's your favorite?

r said...

I can't say which one is my favorite.
This is what I will say:
# 3, 12, 32, 41, 48, 51, 56, 59, 61, 81, 91, and 100 could all apply to me. Especially the making faces in the mirror and cracking myself up.

# 8, 10, 17, 25, 40, 54, 64, 67, and 96 are things I didn't know about you. I think I've known you so long that I was never aware you are shy. And I am still considering whether or not I'd be intimidated by you if I met you today.
Lastly, I like 36. Did you make it up yourself?

I have a different take on it. When life gives me lemons, I know it could be worse; life could be giving me cowpies.

Shirley said...

"Vile" is one of my favorite words.

Anonymous said...

1. 40's awesome!

3. Dogs rule! And is your large affinity for large dogs?

7. silly wabbit.

10. I have no idea what this means. Is it a career move? Should I be doing it?

16. ME TOO! I live for inclement weather!

18. EEWWW!

19. I have 14 siblings. Living alone is awesome. I have two giant dogs.

23. Me too. Bleah.

24. Yet you never clean your bathroom. Hmmm. Freud would have something to say about this one...

30. Not unusual at all. I've never had it.

30. Hey! How come you have 2 number 30s? Anyhoo...as long as you don't fear the reaper.

36. LMAO!

37. Scary...and maybe not something you want to share with others? Doesn't inspire a lot of trust. Just sayin... :~)

39. I KNOW it doesn't.

46. I'm this way with tomatoes.

54. Wow. Both yin AND yang.

59. Profound. I'm a librarian.

65. LOL Yet you keep doing it.

83. I fully agree.

99. Me too, except when it hits me. That, not so much giddiness.

100. We won't tell.

Shelly said...

fascinating. I don't know you, but i think we are related....

The Daily Rant said...

I love your 100 Things list. So interesting and so honest. I love how you write and have been devouring everything on your blog for the past hour. :)

I've been all across Canada and think Montreal is just beautiful. Would like to go back and really explore someday.

French was hard, eh? I'm trying to learn Italian but have been slacking miserably! I better get to it so I can also put "two languages" on my list of 100 someday.

Ciao!

BriteYellowGun said...

I love this list! You sound very interesting and "grounded". Actually, you sound a lot like me? LOL! Wow, LA to Montreal! Montreal is a beautiful city but how did you adjust to the winters? I fled LA long ago but just because I hated it.

A Bear in the Woods said...

Since you gave me the suggestion, i decided to study your list.
Here goes: 51 "me too's". That must be a record, somewhere.
1. You look hot for any age, much less 40.
16. I wanna go too.
17. I overcorrect. that sucks.
30. me too. too many other ways to have fun.
54. I gotta see this marvel of engineering.
63.My real religion is kindness.
64. So it was you caused the ball lightning on the mountain!
74. totally me 2.
90. lifes greatest gift.
91. I can see you doing your Top Gun dance, like Tom Cruise, (but much hotter).
98. see #54
I love this exercise.
DEL

Anonymous said...

I think I am in love with you...and damn hot picture! what a great blog! and I am going to steal your idea for my new blog.. ( I know you said it wasn't yours to begin with- but I will give you credit anyway)...
while I am at it- here is what we have in common:

#2- ok I wrote my mission statement when I was getting confirmed in like 9th grade about this very topic- but I think I referred to it as a "Choose your own adventure book"- did you ever read those?

#3- well my handle is my cat's name- and since you don't know him you can't say he would bore you- and he acts like a dog anyway

#5- OH YEAH
#10- not for women
#13- OH YEAH
#18- um...a little scary- hope Serge does it
#20- I think I would put myself in the experientialist category- which is not a religion.. but I probably adhere to it like one- you are only here once- as far as I can tell.
21- absolutely
28, 31 ME TOO- capricorn?
33, 35- totally- although I don't have the same obsession with weather- well ok maybe a little.. but I have a theory that weather has alot to do with culture anyway
41, 46- sad but true- I am with you there..
67- SO NASTY-
74,85- me too
79- I have one and I still tink you are right- its always about identity and well finding your own..
100- me too and boy am I constantly in trouble for it- and the funny thing is I always had a sick fantasy of being a SPY and working for the CIA- maybe just so I could tell all those juicy secrets..hehe

Anonymous said...

Hi there,newbie onto the blogging world and this is my second comment ive left on any blog! found your's through your comment on Eddy's (days of our lives-or something along those lines)..though ive just started reading it, im enjoying it immensely especally your 100 juicy details. I will be making comments along the posts that interests me.

Back to your 100 juicy details, we have nos 3,5,11,25, definitely 30,the 1st "30" that is,37,43,44,68 lol!,and 78!

More later!

A blog admirer from a little village north of London, England.

Tony, the Restless Foodie said...

That made for an interesting read! I killed off 30 mins in the office learning about you. Now I'm in love!

Kiks said...

Je crois pas que francais est tres difficile, but then again I gotta say that I learn languages very easily. The hardest thing for me is to get a nice collection of vocabs together.

I could also never sell anything I own. It saddens me to give something away.

Becky said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Becky said...

hey. came to your blog by way of enemy of the republic. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this post. love your writing style and love the things you have shared. it always surprises me when the secret inmost things within me are shared by other people. or maybe not even the secret things, but the things that make me, me.

if you and i were the last two people on earth, and the only food left was avocados, you would survive and be full, and i would go into anaphylactic shock.

tankmontreal said...

Better late than never: fun list

Anonymous said...

Really liked your list ... smiled and hummed(!) all the way through it.

You sound very like an ex of mine (dear friends still) ... it didn't work out ... we were too much alike.

Except I like many vile runny things and was forced to neatness living from my knapsack, ages 17-30, and it stuck.

Yeah, maps and weather ...

Saz said...

l love your list!!! these ars o fascinating to read and revealing to compile...!!!

saz x