1. I avoid elevators at all cost...if there is a flight of stairs, I am taking them. 45 flights. 90 flights. No problem.
2. I have been known to have "a relationship" with Snickerdoodle cookies from Noodles and Company. They are seriously that good.
3. I could eat pizza every day of the week. Always pepperoni. Always at least half. (I've learned to share.)
4. I have an obsession with Bath and Body Works burning oils. There are at least 2 candles burning in my house at all times. Can't relax, sleep without them. Thanks Becky Dines!!
5. When I get really excited, I talk with my hands and I am told my eyes too. The faster I talk, the more my hands wave and eyes dart. This usually results in knocking something over at the table. Beer, wine, popcorn.
6. I always have at least one change of clothes in my car. I've been known to enter in my scrubs and emerge 5 minutes later wearing a black strapless dress, red high heels, ready to prance off and teach ballroom class. It's what I like to refer to as the "Quick change."
7. The Star Spangled Banner brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. As do weddings. Tears of joy. Tears of hope.
8. I secretly want to be a singer. However, after 6 hours of "Car Karaoke" the other day, I've realized there are some things that just my car and I are meant to share. This is definitely one of them. Yikes.
9. I love to dance. I have caught myself waltzing, tangoing, fox-trotting with my grocery cart. Ok, it happens every time I go grocery shopping.
10. I am obsessed with Dove dark chocolate. I'm not sure which is more addicting: the chocolate or the messages on the wrapper. I always unfold them and leave them places where people might come across them. Keyboards, chairs, coffee shops, sinks. Or I just keep them for myself at home.
11. I love road trips, but road trips don't love me. Between all the wrong turns and bathroom stops, people tend to get frustrated with me. (cough, cough April!!)
12. I always round my tab and the gas pump up to the nearest dollar. OCD? Maybe. But the credit card company knew right away when someone stole my card.
13. I like to act like a kid when I can: I skipped around the lake the other day while jamming to some classic 80s tunes. Got some weird looks...which quickly turned to smiles.
14. Someone once told me, when I am thinking real hard about something, I bite my lip, pull on my eyebrows, and wrinkle my nose. that would explain my chapped lips and thinning brows.
15. I have a case of the "puppy talk." It's kind of like when a parent talks to their baby, only much more annoying.
Many of the items listed above, cause people to shake their head, sigh, shrug their shoulders, become impatient, annoyed. Usually because they are in a hurry and I am slowing them down. Which leads me to my next point.
Often times, when I am out with my married friends, there is always a portion of the night spent on their husbands and "their annoying habits." Pee on the toilet, Deer heads on the wall, the embarrassing favorite t-shirt, facial hair designs, whiskers in the sink... It's funny how in the beginning of a relationship, these things are viewed as "cute" but as time goes one, they become the source of frustration and silly arguments. It's like taking a picture with the flash on verses the flash off. Same picture, different perspective, altered mood. Think about that for a moment.
As a single person, I tend to just sit back and listen. Thinking how lucky they are. Wishing I had someone's quirks to complain about. Gripe about. Laugh about. These flaws are the spice of life. The smile to laughter. The sigh to frustrations. The tears to joy. The kiss to falling in love.
Of course when two people a significant amount of time together, they are going to have moments where they drive one another crazy. That's normal. But these are also the people that helped us discover these qualities about ourselves. Most of my list, I discovered while falling in love. Its those people that we hold closest to our heart which have the insight to Our quirks. It's probably what sparked their interest to begin with. And yours. Hmmm...., think about that for a moment.
I have come to realize, these tiny moments in time, are what life and relationships are all about. Flaws. Imperfections. Uniqueness. Individuality. Character. Distinctness. When I catch myself thinking about the 'one that got away', these are the things I miss the most. They are irreplaceable. So, to all you couples out there: Cherish your quirks. And your partner's. Allow them to nurture your relationship. Because I guarantee you, you would miss them if they were gone.
I mean, how can you look at this picture, and NOT laugh???
Tonight: Ponder about your individuality. Make a list. Post it here. I bet you make someone smile...maybe even tango in the grocery store.
