100 Things About Me

I saw this on a couple other blogs, and thought it was a good idea. It's now 2 a.m. and in my insomniatic (insomniatic?) state, it's become a wonderful idea.

So here you go, 100 things you may or may not have known about yours truly:

1. My birthday is March 21. (Only six months...I want a puppy...:)

2. My middle name is Ann, after my paternal grandmother.

3. I work at Barnes and Noble Booksellers. Believe it or not, I love it.

4. I have 1 younger sister, and 1 older brother.

5. I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. No, I did not leave my heart in San Francisco.

6. I have three cats: Murray, Cosmo, and Linus.
7. I have two horses: Joey and Amigo

8. I won my horse, Joey, in a 4-H essay contest when I was ten years old.

9. I am a total bibliophile. I read over forty books last year, and am trying to beat my record this year.

10. I have an odd fondness for lima beans.

11. Contrary to my list of favorite literary greats, my all-time favorite book is "The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy," a children's picture book I got in Kindergarten.

12. My favorite TV show is Bones.

13. My favorite movie is The Illusionist.

14. I live to travel.

15. My favorite country visited is Spain.

16. I most want to visit Rwanda.

19. I have an extremely addictive personality.
20. Luckily, I don't drink regularly, or use drugs (I don't even take over-the-counter painkillers)

21. I love going to the theater.

22. I have seen Phantom of the Opera seven times. once in San Francisco, four times in London, and twice in Las Vegas.

23. I made my own theattrical debut as an Oompa Loompa in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in third grade.

24. I graduated high school with an embarrassing 3.0 GPA

25. I scored an everage 1140 on the SATs.

26. After two years at a JC, I am applying for transfer to some of the nation's top universities.

27. I am double majoring in African studies and International Relations.

28. I haven't yet chosen my minor.

29. I want to work for the United States Department of State.

30. I am fluent in French

31. I am almost at "research ability" level in Russian

32. I am easily stressed.

33. I made it to the final round of auditions for College Jeopardy.

34. Discovering my avid interest in Africa was like falling in love: I don't know why or how it happened, but it did.

35. I dispise ham.

36. My room is a mess.

37. The last book I read was "Condi: The Condoleeza Rice Story."

38. I am a proud registered Republican.

39. I live in Brentwood, California and love it.

40. My favorite band is She & Him.

41. I am going to three of the four California She & Him concerts.

42. I wrote my first completed manuscript in sixth grade. It's some of my best work.

43. Nothing inspires me like a good song.

44. I am just starting piano lessons.

45. I went to Spice Girl concerts on the original tour and the reunion tour.

46. I play a mean hand of Texas Hold 'Em

47. The best reminder I've ever been given is "high school is not the finish line."

48. I was editor-in-Chief of my high school newspaper.

49. Of my four family lines, three of them come from Yorkshire in England.

50. My favorite weekend getaway is Vegas.

51. The gas tank of my car is empty right now - as usual

52. I drive a 2008 Toyota Corolla

53. I hate talking on the phone

54. I have a crush on a co-worker

55. I never get dessert at restaurants

56. I have a weakness for Mexican food.

57. No trip to L.A. is complete without eating at Kate Mantilini's

58. I am oddly attracted to Travie, the lead singer of Gym Class Heroes

59. The National Anthem makes me cry every freakin' time

60. I collect decks of playing cards from all over the world. I have about eighty decks

61. I have various lines of my family history traced back to the 500s

62. I am a direct descendent of Edward I of England

63. A have a red notebook that goes with me everywhere. It holds all of my story ideas.

64. My current novel is about a group of people who start thinking for themselves. That's all you get...

65. My sister is my best friend.

66. My sister is my biggest critic

67. I truly believe I will accomplish something great in my lifetime.

68. Bad grammar is my biggest turn-off.

69. I compare every guy I meet to one particular guy I have had a crush on for five years and counting. I used to hate him.

70. I see no need to ever get married

71. I am going to study abroad at the University of Cape Town in South Africa

72. Sometimes I have to fight the urge to leave everything here and buy a one-way ticket to some third-world country.

73. I have seen 16 Vermeer paintings

74. One of my life goals is to see all 35 Vermeers

75. I am told I look like my dad

76. The only useful thing I can cook is paella

77. I drink multiple glasses of chocolate milk a day

78. My favorite soda is Dr. Pepper

79. I am a total insomniac

80. I have good friends from all over the world

81. I am fiercely competitive

82. I feel like I am most relaxed and myself when I am at the barn and with my horses.

83. My room is designed after a picture of a hotel room in Kenya.

84. I want to name my son Rufus

85. I ate In-and-Out Burger three times last week.

86. If all else fails, I will join the military.

87. My hair color is not natural.

88. I am currently reading "Africa: a Biography of the Continent."

89. The last movie I watched was "Cool Runnings."

90. I went to three different high schools

91. I know every word to every She & Him song.

92. My favorite store is Lacoste.

93. This is hard.

94. I have over thirty first cousins.

95. I spent my 21st birthday is Vegas

96. I am spending my 22nd birthday in Spain

97. I send my cat a postcard from every place I go.

98. I love college football

99. I have road rage.

100. I collect children's books for my future kids.