25 Things: Redux

Yes, they're everywhere! The 25 random things about me/you/your dog that no one wants to read anymore on Facebook and everywhere else! haha But just for those of my pals who aren't on FB, here you go:
Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

1. Between Kinder and 12th grade, I attended 7 different schools. And no, my father was not in the military. He just loved to move around.

2. I like eating sour cream just by itself.

3. I absolutely love to read. In 9th grade, my English teacher said something like “A person cannot consider himself well-read if he doesn’t read at least 2 books every month.” With the exception of college, when I had to read too much for all of my classes, I have consciously tried to meet and exceed her standard for the past 23 years.

4. I have 3 college degrees, all from the University of Texas at Austin. None have been particularly useful in my daily life, but I loved being a college student.

5. People who walk around with very expensive designer purses/shoes/whatever but complain to me that they can’t pay their mortgage/car/utility bills annoy me. I don’t feel sorry for them at all. I thank my parents for instilling in me a healthy sense of establishing priorities.

6. I have been a cake decorating/sugar art instructor since 1998, with a little time off in between to have some kids.

7. I was excessively shy growing up, compounded no doubt by constantly being the “new girl” at different schools, and finally found my own voice in college.

8. I have a mild fear of flying now that only developed when I was pregnant with my first child and has not gone away. Prior to that, I would hop on an airplane going anywhere like it was a city bus.

9. I discovered when I was 6 months pregnant with my first child that I love to scrapbook! My child’s earliest memories from the womb are probably of me frantically scrapbooking until 3 a.m. for the entire third trimester. I’ve also taught scrapbooking classes for Michaels.

10. I think the Internet is the greatest invention ever in my lifetime.

11. For a long time I used to love to collect random little “things” for various reasons. Over the years I’ve grown to dislike “things” around me and have to restrain myself from taking beloved “things” away from my kids. Seeing 40+ years worth of collected “things” all over (taking over) my in-laws’ house has cured me of “collecting” forever!

12. I have lived in 4 cities/towns in Texas plus Chicago and Seattle in my lifetime.

13. I wanted to have 2 girls, and God blessed me with 2 girls. I just didn’t know that they would be extremely different from one another!

14. I love to give things away, to friends and total strangers who can really use them. I also love to give birthday gifts and treats at different holidays. I get this from both of my parents, who would gladly give you the clothes off their back if you asked. I don’t care as much about receiving gifts and encourage my kids to “be a giver” by having no-gifts-please birthday parties each year. And seriously, they don’t care/haven’t noticed the difference! Other people think we are totally nuts, however.

15. I wish I could sing better. I love karaoke, and have a typical Asian karaoke setup that we almost never use.

16. I have been a Girl Scout Leader, on and off, since 2000, before I even had daughters of my own.

17. I am an INFJ.

18. I have known my husband since we were 16 years old, over half my lifetime. We’ve been married almost 11 years after dating/living together for 7 years. We complement each other because he likes to look at the big picture, whereas I am all about the tiny little details of life.

19. Motherhood is absolutely the hardest job I’ve ever had. I simultaneously love and despise it daily.

20. I was a Financial Aid Officer many years ago which pretty much made me immune to (crocodile) tears on students’ faces. They cried all the live long day.

21. I have not cleaned a bathtub or shower in my house since 2000 when my husband decided the fumes were bad for baby in utero, said he would do it himself, and hasn’t stopped since. I love this man.

22. I am an exercise hater. I only do it so I can fit into my clothes. I hear people say that exercise gives them so much energy, but it just makes me want to take a very long nap afterwards.

23. I would love to live in another country, not forever, but just a little while, with my family.

24. I recently learned that I’m part of the new “Gig Economy.” Some “gigs” from the past 9 years: custom cake designer, stationery/gifts Internet retailer, teaching classes in the evenings and weekends in different cities, supervisor/reader for an educational testing company from my laptop. All stuff that looks really odd on a resume.

25. I love to make lists.