36 and counting

Last year for my birthday, I made a list, 35 for 35, that had some goals I wanted to set for myself for the year. My original intend was to follow up on them with you this year. After reading the list, I realized that would just make me feel like crap. 90% was a bust. With all the insanity that was this past year, I accomplished nothing. But that's ok - this is a new year and new beginning. So, here is my list for 36 things about me, good and bad (mostly bad), that you may not know:

1. I was born in Puerto Rico, lived in Texas until I was 9 years old and have pretty much lived in North Carolina since then, but I still consider myself a Texan at heart.
2. I'm very competitive. I got good grades in school only because I was being competitive with another girl. Once I transferred schools and didn't have anyone to compete with, my grades dropped.
3. I'm bad at remembering dates, but can remember phone numbers from years ago, everyones bank account number and I have tons of social security numbers stored in my head. Good thing I'm not a criminal.
4. I'm a music snob, although my mother and friends would say I'm just an all around snob, though I really try not to be. I'd say it's an eclectic mix, though still limited - Nine Inch Nails, Tool, PJ Harvey, Bjork, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Melody Gardot and the occasional 80's new wave/goth and industrial...
5. I will start a conversation with anyone anywhere. I have a friend that says I'd talk to walls if they would talk back.
6. I love color and every room in my house is painted a different color, except mine. The livingroom is a Tuscan Gold, the foyer is teal, the kitchen is lime green, diningroom is eggplant purple, laundry room is grey, guest bath is sky blue, kids bathroom is yellow, daughter's room is orange, son's room is green with a touch of blue.
7. I love to drive and will purposely take the long way just to drive longer.
8. I'm a human map. I cannot get lost, though I've tried. Must be all that aimless driving that I do.
9. I really, really hated turning 35 but think 36 will be a great year. Although I'm starting to feel like I look my age now - not good!
10. I love peanut butter banana sandwiches on toast. When I was pregnant, I craved it with the addition of fried bologna. Surprisingly good.
11. I love art but do not have patience to create anything but abstract work. Detail just takes too long.
12. I suck as a daughter, mother and friend. I don't even think I want to bother explaining that one other than to say I'm trying to be better.
13. I am totally and completely unmotivated right now. It is actually 7/19 but I knew it would take me time to finish this silly list so I started early.
14. Now that I'm single, I have reverted into a raging flirt. I am oblivious to when I'm doing it and can't seem to stop.
15. I am extremely curious and LOVE learning about new things. Whenever I learn about something new that interest me, I read up and research as much as I can on it. Maybe that's why, when I was in school, I would go to the library during my study hall period and sit in the non-fiction section and read encyclopedias - for real.
16. I think I'm a slob. I have no housekeeping skills. Granted, my home would never appear on Hoarders, but it would never appear in House Beautiful either. It's not that bad, but I would probably be a little embarrassed if someone stopped over without calling first. I'll just continue to blame my kids until they move out.
17. I am a thinker not a doer. After all my digestion of information and skills learned through books and HGTV, I can tell you how to do something, I just can't show you by example. So, I guess that would make me a great boss.
18. I have an intense phobia of ships. Even just looking at one on TV or in print can get my heart beat racing. I found out about this phobia the day I went to pick up my brother in Norfolk, Va. He was in the navy and when I drove up to the docks or whatever, I was too terrified to even look up (and I was the one driving). He did drag me on the ship, though I got on with my eyes closed. Once I was on and since I couldn't see outside anyway (I was inside the aircraft carrier), I was fine.
19. If I'm walking around downtown, I've been known to begin hyperventilating if I actually look up at the buildings because I'm claustrophobic. Looking out at the ocean when no one is in the water will do that to me too.
20. Though I am extremely social and will become friends with anyone, I LOVE being alone.
21. I secretly wish I was a rock star but alas, I wasn't blessed with good vocal chords.
22. Balloons scare me too.
23. I've just suddenly realized that I'm scared of a lot of things.
24. Shoot, it's my birthday today and I am only at #24. See I told you it would take some time (see #13).
25. And since it is my birthday, my gift to myself is to not finish this list!

I cheated, I know, but this was harder than I thought. I do want to say though that I really love my friends. I've had such a nice time - no partying and drinking, just enjoying time with a few good friends. Another year and the only thing I wish for myself is that I continue to grow into a better mother and better artist - nothing else.