Just Call Me A Copy Cat, or I am about to be a hypocrite

In Junior High I got a brand new outfit from the "trendy" store.  Unlike some siblings who will not be named, new clothes were not that often an occurrence for me, especially when I was that young.  I was so proud, I felt so cool when I wore that brand new outfit to school.  The next day my friend was wearing literally the same outfit.  She had gone out the night before and bought it after seeing mine.  I know, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, blah blah blah, but is it so hard to see a good idea and make it your own?  It was the 90's, the time of uber coordination.  It was part of a group of clothes that she could have picked from for a similar look, but no, she got the exact same pieces.  It took away part of the specialness of the outfit.  I have hated copy-cats ever since.  I know it was stupid to feel that way, and the truly sad thing is that I never grew out of it.  As stupid and as juvenile as it is, I still HATE copy-cats.  I don't mind similar takes on things, but when it is 100% exactly what I have done/worn/played/said I just can't take it (unless asked ahead of time and credited).

Having said that I am about to be a jerk myself.  James recently has been posting the most interesting posts on his blog.  He is doing the 30 day writing challenge that Julia did a while ago.  Her posts were interesting in a way I could never achieve also. I know that nothing I write will be that engaging, but since I am not naive enough to think anyone but my mom and I will find this interesting I thought I would give it a try.  Also I find myself closing off from the world around me again, and I think it might help me at least take my mind in a different direction.

Here is my copy-copy cat post:

Day 1: List 10 Random Facts About Yourself.

1. I love houses.  It is not just when I need a house, or when I want to buy a new one, I just love houses.  Anywhere Eric and I have ever talked about ending up I have found a house, or many houses, in which I could picture my family living.  I love the different styles, the different vibe of each city, the way the yards are landscaped differently.  I love to peek in people's houses with the pictures from listed houses.  It isn't just the houses themselves though.  I love to know the "good" places to live, in the best neighborhoods and best schools.  It is a weird hobby, but I can't pass up a book with house plans at a bookstore, even if I do seem to have 200 rainforest trees on my shelf in the form of pictures of houses I will never live in.

2. One of my favorite college classes was Theater Makeup.  I wish I had kept going with it. My favorite day was the one where we had to age ourselves to our 80's.  I am not going to look very good in 50 years.

3. I wanted to go to culinary school or become a lawyer.  I cook everyday, and I am entrenched in the legal world, but it isn't the same.  It is like building a ship in a bottle instead of sailing on a real ship.

4. My dream car is a 1959 VW Beetle (or really any of the 50's or '37-'39).  Eric has strong feelings against this wish since they are basically as strong as a tin can in an accident.  The new Beetles have a more classic design, so maybe I could talk him into one of those some day...

5. I hate fish.  All fish.

6. I love teaching, but would never teach in a regular classroom.  I love the kids, I love the actual teaching, I HATE the parents.

7. I hate Miami.  Unless a loved one is dying and the only chance they have to survive is in Miami I will never go back.  It is a dirty, dirty, dirty city.  The people aren't nice, and there are cockroaches the size of my dog.  Orlando is about the only place in Florida I will ever go again, the rest they can just saw off and let float away.

8. I love to exercise.  I also love to eat, which is why I am still overweight, but I really do enjoy exercising.  Now that my knees have stopped hurting (after 2 very painful years) I have gotten back in the habit, and I love the feeling of working my muscles and the energy I have afterwards (until 7 that night when I am falling asleep reading to Livi).

9. When I was a child I had a My Little Pony collection.  My Grandpa Bud used to buy them for me all the time and I think they were the majority of my birthday and Christmas presents for a while.  When I was a teenager and my mom made me finally go through them to get rid of the them she said I could keep 50.  I had to give away 200.  No joke. Yes, I had this set:

10. I hate the sound of people eating.  Most nights I try to take my time eating just to keep my mind from hearing everyone else around the table chewing, slurping, and swallowing.  It is truly the sound(s) I have the hardest time listening to.  Yes, worse than fingernails on a chalkboard.