Randomized and Semi-Legitimized Self-Absorption Continues.

Celebratory holiday-cracker paper crowns: random and semi-legitimate in a good way

A year ago I started this blog, kicking it off with an almost-but-not-quite self-deprecating confession of a blogger-wannabe and rounding it off with the infamous "25 Random Things About Me" post, or, a long, drawn out way to semi-legitimize my own brand of self-absorption, courtesy of the 20 million people who tagged me in their "20 Random Things" post on facebook (yeah, I made it 25 because I had more to say).

Honestly, why do people bother? What makes them or me think anybody wants to read 20 random pieces of information about them, almost all of which are entirely useless in the real-world and probably only interesting on a highly questionable level? Well, (again with the honesty) let's be honest, someone could probably (and probably already has) write his dissertation on the 20 Random Thing post phenomenon alone, much less blogging and why people are drawn to do it or read it. All of this writing and telling of random things that are self-absorbed and only semi-legitimized got me to thinking - why not kick off this year's blogging with 20 more random things about myself?

As if you haven't already gleaned enough insider information from my posts, here it is, all in one convenient location and with more detail than necessary (we all know that's how I roll), all random, and all about little old me.

PS: I'm not reading last year's post until I'm done writing this. It'll be interesting to see how similar they are. :)

PPS: Happy 2010. I'm less than a year from 30. But who's counting?

* * *

20 Random Things About Me
*fiendish-introductory-bugle-ditty*

1. Eggs are not my favorite food, but if I had to name the one food I have consistently eaten almost every single day of my life (when given the choice) and not gotten sick of, it would be them. Sunny-side up. None of this "over-easy" bullshit.

2. In the past year I have gone from claiming to hate baking to loving and often indulging in it. I used to take the "I'm-too-creative-I-just-wing-it-all-the-time-that's-why-I-prefer-cooking approach." I now consider that philosophy and those who ascribe to it arrogant, lame and lazy. Just follow the damn recipe. The results are worth it.

3. This year over Christmas break I tried a "buttered rum" for the first time while dining with good friends at the Griswold Inn. I can now say with clarity why it is that I always hated the butter-rum dum-dums: those flavors should only be savored in liquid form. All the faster to consume them.

4. I, in part, ended up majoring in Classics at University because I had a crush on one of the Art History professors who gave the lecture in my intro to Art History class freshman year. (Let me be clear, the feeling was not mutual, but I got a hell of an education out of the deal. :) )

5. When I grow up I want an orchard. And I want it to have lots of different fruit and flower trees including but not limited to: lemon, lime, cherry, apple, orange, pear, fig, almond, mulberry, oak, olive, bay, sycamore (far from the house because I'm allergic), mimosa, magnolia...

6. I hate walking through the perfume section in department stores because it gives me a headache.

7. I think I'm addicted to food. Maybe now is not the time for that confession, but there it is. :)

8. I reiterate that I think I would never get sick of eating giant shrimp, especially ones grilled on a hot summer day, having been previously marinated in olive oil, garlic and pepperoncino, with a squirt of fresh lemon juice.

9. One of the only books I've ever read more than once is Tuck Everlasting (a girl named Amy gave it to me for my birthday in Fourth Grade). I read it once a year (if not more) up well into high school, and it made me cry inconsolably every single time.

10. My favorite Jolly Rancher is Sour Apple and my least favorite is Watermelon. That has always and will always be true, I suspect.

11. I once hitch-hiked from North Germany to Amsterdam with some friends and, contrary to what everyone would have you believe about hitchhiking, I indeed lived to tell the tale. That said, I'd probably flip if Roman or any of my future kids ever wanted to do it themselves. :D

12. I poach eggs in the microwave on a pretty regular basis, and feel no shame whatsoever about that.

13. I love to shop at the Salvation Army for nick-nacks. LOVE it.

14. I find myself happiest around people who abstain from discussing their political views in overzealous-addict-like-kool-aid-drinking-semi-religious fashion.

15. One of my new favorite foods is Keema Gobhi.

16. I want desperately to learn to ski well - both downhill and cross-country and seriously regret not taking those sports up as hobbies in the pre-child life.

17. My favorite teachers in school were always my English teachers.

18. And yes, I did almost always sit in the front of the class, but I was not a suck-up.

19. I love to pick pomegranates apart, one little nugget of juicy deliciousness at a time, and make it a personal challenge to not burst a single one every time I do it.

20. I often indulge in talking to an imaginary cooking show audience while I cook, and think my food actually comes out better because of the feedback I get. :)


Who knows how much blogging I'll actually do in this second year, but here goes nothin'... :)


This post is brought to you by the Theme from "The Monkees." Because it doesn't get any more random and semi-legitimate than that.