Ignorant Historian

I have a date tonight.

Okay, okay, so it’s just with a former roommate, the one who just got married on New Year’s. But her husband is graciously allowing me to spend time with her on Valentine’s Day as she “owed” me Chinese and a movie for my birthday (yes, that was 2 months ago…it’s been a crazy 2 months for both of us!).

Really, though, I could care less that I don’t have a “real” date. I still like Valentine’s Day for it’s pink and red, flowers, and chocolates.

While I still want to be married (I’m sure that thought comes to my mind almost daily), that desire does not rule my life. It’s there, but I go on living my single life, enjoying each day (well, most of them!). I could see how I could continue to spend the rest of my life single and enjoy it. I have hopes,  plans, and dreams for my future regardless of my marital status.

I guess I’m just not identifying myself by the “s” word as much as I used to. So many other things about me are more important than my lack of attachment. In fact, being single allows me to have more time and resources to serve others. Perhaps Paul was right when he said,

“The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.” – 1 Corinthians 7:34 NASU

And right now, I’m enjoying working out this verse.

Photo by sifone

I had this planned for Friday, but didn’t have time to complete it.

1.  What is your favorite Christmas movie?

I guess I’d have to say the live-action Grinch.  I haven’t watched it in a while, though.

2.  What is your favorite Christmas memory?

I’ve had lots of good ones, so why is this coming up blank?  I remember all the Christmases, laughing and warm around the fireside at my parents’ old house.  But no one memory stands out.

3.  What is one of your Christmas traditions?

My family always has cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning, usually before we go downstairs for the presents.  The traditional Christmas meal is meatballs and mashed potatoes, but that’s not always on Christmas day since we’re juggling schedules and want to be good and hungry for it.

4.  What is your favorite Christmas song?

I love “O Holy Night” which reminds me what this holiday is all about.

5.  What is your favorite Christmas food?

My mom always makes peanut clusters (chocolate and peanuts) which I love.  I also really like summer sausage, cucumber, and crackers.  I think I like these especially since I only eat them at this time of year.

Continuing the birthday-eve tradition of 26 things and 25 things, here are 27 things that I’ve done at the age of 27:

1.  Saw Phantom of the Opera.

2.  Saw my baby brother marry the best woman for him.

3.  Was a bridesmaid (and a maid of honor) for the first time(s).

4.  Got buried in snow in North Carolina for the first time.

5.  Watched Gone with the Wind.

6.  Added a second tax site at work.

7.  Met a US congressman…who got voted out in the most recent election.

8.  Read several books that really influenced me.

9.  Started making serious progress on making my life better for creation.

10.  Saved a (very small) emergency savings, and kept it.

11.  Left apartment life behind (though I was sad to part ways with my roommate of 3 years).

12.  Grew my first vegetable garden with moderate success.

13.  Went on my first overnight work trip.

14.  Got my car wrecked by an anonymous drunk, angry driver.

15.  Went to kids’ camp for the first time as an adult and loved it.

16.  Have finished my 5th year at my job…by far the longest I’ve worked anywhere.

17.  Helped my roommate through the first homeowner’s crisis I’ve ever dealt with: the death of a water heater.

18.  Vlogged for the first time.

19.  Got my game on, competing with friends in a diet and exercise competition.  The first time was helpful, the second time, not so much.

20.  Switched from teaching Sunday school to kindergarteners to helping with the 5th and 6th grade class.

21.  Had my first solo vacation and loved it.

22.  Voted for my first Democrats.

23.  Helped with the first ever Readathon for Hunger.

24.  Wrote a novel.

25.  Decorated my first full-sized Christmas tree not in my parents’ home.

26.  Read 164 books.

27.  Traveled to Atlanta, Wichita, Myrtle Beach, Norman, Charlotte, Roanoke, Denison (Texas, 2x), Kansas City, small town Kansas, and the middle of nowhere.

1.  What do you want for your birthday? (December 15, hint, hint)

On the top of my wish list is a Barnes & Noble Nook (not the new color screen one, but the traditional kind).  Which should come as no surprise if you’ve read about my book-packing woes on Twitter.  When I wrote out my birthday/Christmas list this year, I realized that I really am grown up, as I was asking for things like cloth napkins.

2.  What was your favorite gift that you’ve received?

Though it wasn’t for my birthday or Christmas, I’d have to say my car.  When I graduated from college, my parents did what they always said they wouldn’t: they bought me a car.  A great gift and I chose well, as my Camry has had no more than cosmetic issues caused by the rough streets (a rock to the windshield, a drunk driver to the side, and a nail to the tire).

3.  What was the strangest gift you’ve ever received?

A pack of plain white copy paper.  I received this as a gift from my (younger) brother when I was in elementary school.  I had wanted paper, but I wanted colored printing paper.  Still makes me laugh.

4.  What was your favorite gift to give?

I think it’d probably be the scrapbooks I made for some friends from college the Christmas after I left OU.  I love to give gifts more than receive them, so I can’t say that there were any gifts that I didn’t like giving, but some are more meaningful than others.

5.  Are you done shopping for Christmas?

Yes.  Though I still need to mail presents to a friend and her girl.  Other than that, I’m done.  I will wrap my family’s gifts once I get to Kansas (I had them shipped direct from Amazon).

It’s that time of year, and I’m almost in that mood, too.  While I can’t believe that it’s actually Christmastime again, I’m glad it’s here.

For many different reasons, this year is the first year of my adult life that I’ve all-out decorated for Christmas.

So I was super excited Sunday night to set up our tree and get some other decorations up.  Another big change for me is that the tree (yes, that’s our actual tree…isn’t it pretty?) is a live tree.  I have vague memories of a live tree when I was really young, but other than that, this is my first experience with a live tree.

I’m pretty good with live plants, but this is more like hospice, trying to make the tree’s days merry and comfortable so it can finish its days in peace.

So if it dies within a week, at least I can say I tried.

Between my roommate and I, we have quite the random assortment of ornaments.  I’m thankful that my parents’ let me pick out an ornament each year growing up, but I must admit I had some strange tastes, from an elf stringing popcorn to a bee sitting in an arm chair.  I guess that’s the making of special memories.

1. If you had to retrieve your birth certificate right now, how long would it take before you had it in hand?

The length of time it would take me to drive home, walk up the stairs, and open the drawer. So about 15-20 minutes, depending on traffic.

2. Do you drink enough water?

Yes. I drink 100-120 ounces a day (sometimes even more). Any less, and I’m thirsty.

3. What are your thoughts on bottled water?

Don’t like individual bottled water as it’s such a waste of resources. Is it really THAT hard to refill a reusable bottle? I don’t mind the 5-gallon type of bottled water, as those containers are reused over and over again. For my part, though, I don’t mind tap at all.

4. What are two things on your night-table (or next to your bed)?

A humidifier and my mouth guard (to prevent me from wearing my teeth down while I sleep). Other than that, there’s only a lamp. I rarely read in bed, so my books stay over on the table by my reading chair.

5. What’s your favorite kind of pie?

This is a good Thanksgiving question, though a hard one to answer. It’s basically a 3-way tie between apple, pumpkin, and pecan. On Thanksgiving day, though, I always choose pumpkin first (though will eat the others later). I think someone would have to keep track of my pie-eating habits surreptitiously to see what my true preferences are.

Nope, I still don’t like Halloween

1.  What was your favorite Halloween costume?

I remember really liking being Rapunzel in 3rd grade, with my hair of yarn.  Mom actually made all my costumes growing up, and I always loved that.

2.  What’s your favorite candy?

Snickers.  I don’t feel bad digging through a child’s candy stash for a Snickers (or two, or…).

3.  What are you dressing up as this year?

I don’t dress up for Halloween, and haven’t in a very long time.  I’m actually not a big fan of costumes.  If I had to, though?  I think I’d go all-out princess.  Lame, I know, but who doesn’t want to be a princess?

4.  What are your Halloween plans?

I’m helping with my church’s Party on the Block Saturday evening.  I’m glad that we’re not doing it on Halloween this year, because I’ve not given out candy on Halloween since I’ve lived here, but I get to do that this year.  I imagine there will be quite a few kids coming by, since there are a lot of townhouses in a very short amount of space…an easy target for optimum candy acquisition.

5.  Do you like haunted houses?

That’s a big fat no.  Actually, I don’t like being scared in any capacity.  If a friend scares me, it only happens once before they realize how serious I am when I say not to scare me.