Cat's Litterbox: 11 Random Things

Adri over at Finding a Family tagged me in a survey called "11 Random Things" and so I am participating and will be tagging 11 friends of my own!! I love survey-type things so I'm excited to do this one!!

Rules:

1. Post these rules

2. You must post 11 random things about yourself

3. Answer the questions set for you in their post

4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer

5. Go to their blog and tell them that you've tagged them

6. Tag up to 11 people

7. Have fun and be creative!

My 11 Random Things:

1. I love going out to eat. The whole experience of dining out is enjoyable for me. I like to try new places, but I am very particular about what types of food I will eat. Nothing spicy, nothing "ethnic" and nothing that has a head on it with eyes that look at me.

2. I have a major thing about rules and following them. In 99% of cases, I don't see where it's okay to ever break the rules. I think there's a time and a place for rules, and when I meet people who don't hold rules with the same regard as I do, I get upset and end up judging them and usually, not liking them. I admit that this is a personal hang-up for me, and I'm working on my issues with rules. However, my husband is also a rule-follower (always has been), so either we're two nut-jobs that happened to find each other, or there are more like us out there and I just haven't united with them. :-)

3. I have ZERO tolerance for unruly, misbehaved, rude children. Again, back to my rule-following, if parents would stop being their children's friends and be their PARENTS... I cringe when I hear a child disrespect their parent, pick on another child, or do as they please and throw things, tantrums, and act like a spoiled brat. This being said, I do know (and understand) that all kids go through ups and downs as their learning their way through their world... however, I'm specifically talking about the kids who have parents that do not set any expectations of them and let them do as they please. These are the kids that go to school and eventually drop out, and create a bigger problem for society than is necessary. It boils down to a lack of discipline.

4. I have a teacher's soul. There's nothing in this world that I could ever see myself doing for a living, besides teaching. I have no understanding of the business world whatsoever and have no desire to ever have to learn about it. I'm a mom first and foremost and will be for as long as I live... (how cool is that???) but I have the mind, heart, and soul of a teacher. I loved being in the classroom and as much as I yearn to be back, I don't miss the negatives of teaching (administration, data-data-data, dealing with ugly parent issues, the amount of time needed to do a decent job, the unrealistic expectations placed on teachers to be miracle workers, coworkers that don't have the same expectations and rule-following views as I do, and having to write lesson plans when I'm sick and not able to work). I don't know if I'll ever go back to the classroom... I definitely do not miss the negatives and I love spending each day, stress-free with Gus.

5. I love my computer games. Yes, I'm a bit of a "gamer" if you will. I have particular games that I love to play and they relax me. Some of my favorites include: Burger Shop (always makes me want Burger King after I play), The Sims Social, Zuma, The Scruffs, and Megaplex Madness. I also have a favorite, Roller Coaster Tycoon, but I can't play it anymore because there's no clock on the game and I can literally get sucked in and play for HOURS. I used to play over track outs (before Gus), and I'd start around 8 pm and then after my hand/wrist started to hurt I'd stop. It would be 4am and I wouldn't have even known it.

6. I tend to obsess about things. I get fixated on something and then that's all I focus on until it's resolved. Right now, my current fixation is on adopting again. I have been searching online for info, writing agencies and asking for information packets, and trying to get as much information as I can on the process and how it'll be different here than in NC. Since it's out of my hands when we'll sell our NC house (please pray that it's SOON), I can't do much about when we'll start. Instead, I've focused on things that I can do something about... such as creating a profile on waitingtoadopt.org, creating a blog for our next adoption, and then trying to remember to update our Dear Birthmother letter.

I know my fixating drives Steve crazy, but he's used to it. When I wanted an iPhone, that's all I talked about, looked at online, and nagged about. Eventually, it was something that I got and I found something new to fixate on. Don't think my obsessing is a bad thing though!!! When we moved to GA, I obsessed with finding a house... and spent HOURS (not kidding) looking at Realtor.com and Zillow.com as well as other sites. I created a binder of homes to see on our house-hunting trip, and had I not been so fixated on this, who knows where we'd be living right now!!

7. I used to want to go back to the Bahamas or somewhere warm for my anniversary. We went to the beach for our 3rd, and then that's it for going somewhere to celebrate an anniversary (I did get a skating rink for my finger for my 5th anniversary so I can't complain AT ALL). Now, when I think about going anywhere for any reason, I want Gus there with us. I can't imagine going on a vacation and not bringing him with us. Maybe I'm weird, but I'd feel so incomplete if he wasn't near me. It's funny how kids change your desires.

8. I HATE to fly. I'd rather be in a car for 12+ hours than get on a plane. I never hated flying until after Septermber 11th, 2001. Not just the fear of being taken over by terrorists, but the hoops you have to jump through to even get to the gate is too much... and then my ears don't pop like they're supposed to, and it's always painful. Nope... I'd take a car any day of the week over a plane.

9. I have some OCD tendencies. I'm not diagnosed OCD... but I do have to have things a particular way and if they're not, I can't move forward with anything else. For example, when I get a phone call or voice message, my phone keeps a list of recent calls and then keeps voice mails. I have to delete them... cannot have anything in a "list" just sitting there. Same for emails. I have to have a clean in-box... either everything gets put into a folder (or sub-folder) or it gets deleted. I can't stand having messages just sitting there.

10. I love... and I mean LOVE reality television. I have many favorite shows and 80% are reality shows of some sort. Don't hate on me for it. :-)

My favorites are The Bachelor/Bachelorette, Survivor, Teen Mom/16 & Pregnant, Dance Moms, and American Idol/The Voice/So You Think You Can Dance/X-Factor.

11. I love music and could spend all day listening to it (and usually I do). I don't need a tv (as long as I have a DVR to record my reality smut- lol)... just give me some music and I'm happiest. I love how listening to certain songs can instantly connect me to various memories and feelings. I have songs that remind me of situations and people, and when I hear those songs, I'm happy remembering the memories.

I pray that I never get Alzheimer's or Dementia and lose my mind. My memories are my most precious possessions and it literally scares me to think of having my memories wiped away. I pray that a cure for these diseases is found before I'm older... and I pray that neither of my parents have to suffer from these two terrible diseases.

(REALLY POSITIVE WAY TO END THIS SECTION 'EH???? LOL)

Adri's 11 Random Questions For Me:

1. What's your favorite way to spend a Saturday?

I love sleeping in (and thankfully, my husband allows me this pleasure). Every other Saturday I have an 11:00 nail appointment (which I look forward to and love). I usually go get my nails done and then I stop for lunch and bring it home for us to enjoy while watching television from the week that we didn't get to watch.

I love to go shopping together, and going out to dinner is also fun. Saturday is our running around day where we get our errands done so that we can relax and not leave the house on Sunday. As long as the three of us are together, I'm happiest.

2. Where is your favorite vacation destination?

Michigan. I love going north to see my side of our family. My twin brother is there with his family, my parents are there, and I get to see some cousins usually too. I love seeing friends that I miss dearly.

Michigan is a beautiful state and has so many great things to offer. I love going home to familiarity. I know the cities, the roads, the lingo. I love going to restaurants that I can't visit anywhere else. I get to have Slurpees... which I can't get here. When it's time to go on vacation, Michigan, back home, is where I want to be.

Other than Michigan... I love anywhere warm with a beach, a pool, and tropical drinks. :-)

3. If you could only eat one food item for the rest of your life, what would it be?

This is hard... I get bored eating the same thing all the time. I'd have to say (I'm going to be creative) cow. This would allow me to eat dairy (which I love), and a variety of beef (ribs, hamburger, steaks). I'd miss veggies and fruits... but at least eating cow would give me variety.

I'm thankful this is just a "fun" question... and not something that could really be in my future. I'd hate to have to pick just one food to eat for the rest of my life. If it was my favorite item now, I'd surly hate it after a week of eating only that.

4. If you could be the parent of as many children as you wanted, how many would you have?

What a great question!! Ideally, I'd want four kids. Two boys and two girls. I'd want two of each, so that they both know what it's like to have another like them, and another that's the opposite gender. Every boy deserves to have a brother and every girl deserves a sister, and every child deserves a sibling of the opposite gender.

5. What's your favorite scent, smell, or fragrance?

I have a few:

1) Steve after a shower

2) Gus after a bath

3) Gasoline (weird I know)

4) Fresh baked bread/dessert

5) Chanel Platinum Egoist Cologne (sooooooooo good-- I'll stop here)

6) Freshly mowed grass

7) Burger King (literally... when we drive past one, Steve rolls down the window so I can sniff away like a dog)

8) Clinique Happy perfume

9) D&G Light Blue perfume

10) Black Raspberry Vanilla Bath & Body Works body spray

6. What do you have on your feet right now?

My black Nike soccer sandals

7. What's your favorite childhood memory?

I honestly have too many. They do all involve being with my brothers and my parents. Going on summer vacation (we always went somewhere for two weeks and either camped in a tent, or were in the RV), going to the UP for Labor Day, going to Florida over Spring Break each year, and all the memories of Christmas time and spending time with my grandparents.

8. Do you like your first name?

I do. I don't know too many other women named Cathy. My good friends call me Cat and I don't know of anyone that goes by Cat. My family calls me Cath... and no one else is allowed to call me that.

I was named after my mother, Catherine Ann, and she's the most amazing female that I know. She was named after her mother Catherine Theresa. My Grandma's mother was also Catherine.

Interesting factoid:

My grandma's mother was named Catherine and she had five children. Three girls (Helen, Fran, and Catherine- my grandma) and two boys (Bill and Tom) and the boys were identical twins.

My grandma (named Catherine) had two boys (Bill and Tom), and five girls (Mary, Helen, Catherine- my mom, Margie, and Karen). Of her kids, Mary and Helen were twins.

My mom (named Catherine) had three children. Two boys (David and Scott) and one girl (me). Scott and I are twins.

9. What did you want to be when you grew up?

I always wanted to be a teacher. My dream was to teach during the school year and then be a National Park Ranger during the summer. :-)

10. What's your current favorite song?

"Not Over You" by Gavin Degraw

11. Are you as close with your friends now as you were when you were younger?

Hmmmm... I'm not sure how to interpret this question. If you're asking if I'm closer with childhood friends... no. I'm not close to anyone from my childhood.

If you're asking if I'm a better friend to my friends now that I'm older, I say yes. I've learned to appreciate the people that ARE my friends because I've learned the hard way, that good friends are hard to come by. When you find someone that you consider a good friend, they're worth fighting for.

The older I get, the harder I find it to be, to make new friends. People get set in their ways, and most people have good friends already, so to make room for another, isn't always easy or desired. I've found myself out there "wandering" and looking for friendship and it's not always been an easy road.

11 People I am Tagging:

1. Heather @ Mindless Ramblings

2. Beth @ Stapes House

3. Lisa @ Life in a Nutshell

4. Kristine @ Our Big Surprise

5. Alison @ Missing Moira Mae... & Raising Our Rainbow Charlotte

6. Katie @ The Brayville Blog

7. Kristen @ The Journey to Me

8. Lacey @ Change of Pace

9. JE @ A View From the West

10. Mindy @ The Wilson's World

11. Christie @ RubyLolaQuin