Friday, August 29, 2014

28 Things for 28 Years


It's my birthday!  This week has been sort of insane at work, so I definitely plan on taking the whole long weekend to indulge myself in my advancing age.  A few friends are coming over for dinner tonight, I'm going apple picking tomorrow, my parents are taking me out to dinner on Sunday, and I've booked myself a facial on Monday.  It's going to be fab!

Totally narcissistically, I've decided to celebrate my birthday on this blog by sharing 28 things - one for each year - you might not know about me.  Some probably won't come as a surprise to you.  Others... well, let's see!

28 Things for 28 Years

1. I love public speaking.
2. But I was terrified when I got solos in choir.
3. I founded an all-girls barbershop quartet in high school.
4. I hold my nose every time I jump into a pool.
5. In 6th grade, I won first place in a national French competition. It's been all downhill from there.
6. I dyed my hair once, in 8th grade; I was going for auburn but it ended up sort of purple.
7. I've been thinking about getting a small discrete tattoo for a while but I'm afraid my mother will disown me.
8. If I could get another degree, I'd want to go to divinity school.
9. I love amusement parks and county fairs.
10. But I don't really like theme parks.
11. And I have no desire to ever go on a cruise.
12. I'm a city girl but my fantasy is to move to a smaller university town like Charlottesville or Ithaca.
13. Similarly, I'd love to live in Oxford or Cambridge if Jon and I don't settle in London when we move back to England.
14. I can't wait to have a house with a garden but I'm terrified that I'll discover I don't have a green thumb at all.
15. I don't get manicures but a good pedicure is one of my favorite luxuries.
16. Folding laundry soothes me.
17. I can forgive almost anything if the person responsible owns his/her mistake and resolves to learn from it.
18. I hate horror films but I love Hitchcock.
19. I failed a class in college freshman year because I slept through the final exam, which counted for 75% of the grade.
20. I loved creative writing when I was younger, but I've never wanted to write a novel.
21. If I were to try to get something of mine published, it would be nonfiction - probably a series of essays.
22. I wish I could talk like Aaron Sorkin writes.
23. I cried the first time I voted (which was in the 2004 elections) because I was so overcome with civic pride.
24. Giving up sweets wouldn't be too hard for me.
25. Giving up cheese would be impossible.
26. I don't like the combination of peanut butter and chocolate.
27. I don't have original taste in music - and I'm totally okay with that.  Show me a bandwagon and I'll jump on it.
28. If I could have one celebrity show up to sing me Happy Birthday, I'd want it to be Harry Connick Jr.


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21 comments:

  1. Happiest of Birthdays to you, Betsy! I can relate to #16, #17, #25 and HECK YES to #28! :)

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  2. I love this post!! Wishing you a wonderful birthday weekend!!

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  3. Happy, happy birthday! As for #7, if it is discreet enough, she'll never have to know.... ;)

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  4. Ha! I love this post! Happy, happy birthday to you Betsy! Much love. xxxx

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  5. Happy Birthday Betsy! My best wishes from Spain! Feliz Cumpleaños! I hope you have a great dinner party! I knew from one of your posts that your sister is starting Law School. I know she can speak Spanish. Please, do send my best wishes to her en español: Querida Sara, te deseo lo mejor en esta nueva aventura que comienzas. Espero todo te vaya muy bien. Buena suerte en tus estudios. Un saludo desde España. María

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  6. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Betsy! II hope you have the best time celebrating! xo

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  7. I suppose we could still be friends even if you don't like PB and chocolate together ;-)


    Happy birthday!

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  8. I was all "ME TOOOOOOO" and "This is why we're friends!" until I got to #26. Now I'm not sure about anything anymore. ;)
    #7- I got my tongue pierced in October of freshman year of college. Even with going home a few weekends, Thanksgiving, and all Christmas break, my mom never saw it until I intentionally showed it to her minutes before leaving to drive back to school for spring semester. A tattoo can DEFINITELY be hidden! ;)

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  9. Happy birthday! How great that it comes with the long weekend - your plans sound perfect! And this was a fun list to read - totally with you on the cheese, but not so much on the peanut butter + chocolate... Also folding laundry is one of my favorite chores. Everything in its place!

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  10. Wishing you a very Happy Birthday!

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  11. Happy birthday, Betsy!!


    #12. YES TO CHARLOTTESVILLE. I would LOVE to move back. #16. Please teach me your zen. Out of all the chores around the house, I will bribe, cheat, and lie to get out of folding laundry. And #24 + 25, AMEN.

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  12. Happy birthday, Betsy! Your plans sound perfect!

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  13. I like folding laundry too! It does sound like you embrace life! I only like peanut butter by itself, not with anything else too

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  14. After we went to Oxford this year I have been planning out the rest of my life with it as the backdrop, such a wonderful city.

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  15. Happy belated birthday! Hope you're enjoying your long weekend of celebrations :)

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  16. This is so sweet, Maria - I'll pass it on! And thank you :)

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  17. Happy belated birthday! I wish I had your love of folding laundry... I may or may not have a laundry basket full of clothes that's been sitting around for 2 days...

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  18. Hooray for number 12! Weirdly, I've lived (live) in both of those places. Ithaca from the age of 2 to about 10. My parents say that Charlottesville reminds them of Ithaca!


    Also I agree with you on number 21. Same here :)

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  19. I'm with ya on the no cruise, loving pedicures waaaay more than mani's, and give up cheese? Yes, that would be IMPOSSIBLE. I love lists like this. x

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  20. I'm SUPER late commenting on this post, but I can totally see why we are friends. #22 and #23 basically explain to me why I think you're the coolest person ever.

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