24 Random Facts About Amy

I take assignments pretty seriously. I'm a follow-through kind of person. Sadly, this applies to TAGS as well. Several Facebook friends tagged me with this list of 25 random facts, and I've been agonizing over completing my assignment for weeks. It's ridiculous. I feel like I'm living that reoccurring nightmare of not being able to graduate because I forgot to turn in ONE project required! So, here's my list. Enjoy, and see how many of these things you knew about me already.

1.) I like that my parents put a lot of thought into what they named their kids. I was named after my Great Grandmother, Alice Amy Hayden Pastore.

2.) I must have a familiar face, because total strangers or those I meet for the first time will say, “Wait, I’ve met you before. You remind me of someone.” And they’ll guess and guess, but we can’t ever figure it out.

3.) I have long legs, and can never find pants long enough. My pants were always too short growing up, and I am determined that my kids will never have to suffer the fate of the “flood” – no matter the cost!

4.) I have no concept of what it’s like to have “childhood friends”. We moved around a lot, and I wasn’t great at keeping in touch. Facebook has been nice to get reacquainted.

5.) One of my biggest regrets was quitting piano lessons. I was a horrible piano player, but I wished I had stuck with it to at least become an “okay” piano player.

6.) I was taller than every boy in my class until the 6th grade. I used to stand with one foot out to make myself appear shorter. I accidentally tripped a lot of people this way.

7.) We always lived far away from our extended family, but as a result, I feel really close to my eight siblings, since we were the only family we had. I wouldn’t trade that experience for the world.

8.) Although I grew up in a large and loud family, I feel overwhelmed if I don’t take time each day to be alone to think, read, sit and stare at the wall, etc.

9.) I don’t cry very easily, and I don’t consider myself to be a very to be a very touchy, huggy/kissy kind of person (can I blame that on having 5 brothers?). I worry I sometimes come off as hard-hearted and cold as a result.

10.) I have chronically itchy ears, and I Q-tip them at least once a day. Okay, at least twice a day. I have problems.

11.) My first date was with a boy who asked me to Homecoming with the understanding that he was only asking me so he could keep an eye on his ex-girlfriend, who was going with someone else. For some reason, this was okay with me. A terrible beginning, but the two of them ended up getting married, so that’s okay!

12.) Although we moved around a lot, I consider my “hometown” to be Sterling, Virginia.

13.) I can’t throw a Frisbee to save my life. I’ve tried and tried. Josh even took me to the park declaring that he could teach “anybody”. We worked for two hours, and he finally gave up on me.

14.) I learned to drive stick shift in my brother’s ‘84 Chevy Camaro in college. My neighbor Wayne taught me. I wished I could have given him the car as a gift. I definitely didn’t belong in a car like that.

15.) My grandpa helped me find my first car (a Gold Honda Civic Hatchback “The Gold Nugget”), and I cried like a baby when I traded it in. I’ve only seen one other like it since then. RIP, Nugget!

16.) I paid my own way through college, and graduated debt-free. I learned to work hard, make money stretch, eat food that isn’t exactly fresh, and really value my education.

17.) If I were sent to a deserted island and could only bring one luxury item, it would have to be chapstick. My lips are always chapped. I would maybe need to bring Q-tips, too. (See #10)

18.) Fall is my very favorite season – back to school, crisp apples, my birthday, pie month at Marie Calendar’s, Halloween, cool weather, colorful leaves, and Thanksgiving.

19.) When I graduated from college, I worked for a political fundraising firm for two years. They had to explain to me what a PAC was on my first day of work. I now have several business suits I’ll probably never wear again.

20.) I met some of my best friends in the world, during and after my college years. They really helped shape me into the person I am today.

21.) My Dad’s job was “classified” growing up, and I didn’t know what he did or where he worked until I was 18, and we drove there for my first day of work (I was accepted into a summer intern program post High School). It was an interesting day.

22.) My most difficult job was my first year teaching 32 sixth graders. I almost quit at Christmas! Fortunately, I met and started dating Josh around that time. Needless to say, I hung in there.

23.) We had a lot of car trips grown up, and they were LONG, UNCOMFORTABLE trips. I really dislike road trips of any sort as a result (along with warm green grapes, cheez whiz and triscuits). After we got married, Josh told me our surprise honeymoon destination was San Francisco, and that we were driving there. I burst into tears, and he went out and bought two plane tickets on Southwest. That’s true love, right there. Today's his 30th birthday. He is so dear.

24.) I’m expecting and due on August 31st! It's going to be a long, hot summer. Please...send...popsicles!