Characters are arguably the most important component of your story since they drive action, which in turn, drives the theme. Characters in your screenplay are a composite of human traits, rather than a replica. It is therefore essential that your characters are given three dimensions to make them believable and more attractive to your audience. You can give your character opposing traits to give them a sense of balance. However, their characteristics must be skewed predominantly towards one cluster of traits. After all, human behaviors lie along a spectrum and they rarely sit at the poles. Nobody is entirely good or bad. Not even Hannibal Lecter.

I previously mentioned setting up character profiles for each of your main characters via a questionnaire. Decide basic characteristics such as gender, age, place of birth, education level, marital status, job and such like. I often ask additional questions such how would they react if…? These are useful in scene construction as they will guide you to drive your character in the right direction as your plot progresses. Questions include; how would your character react if their parents died in a car crash, had unexpected guests at dinner time, found a million dollars. found out they were about to be fired/ dumped, went to a nudist colony? I ask what does their bedroom look like? What do they wear to bed? What do they have for breakfast? It’s not vital to answer all these questions in your profile, but it helps you get to know your characters better. Think of it as speed dating. It also helps avoid character cliches such as the gangster who loves art, or is afraid of his mother, the prostitute with a heart of gold, or the icy librarian jilted at the altar.

Who else knew more about human nature than the supremo of psychologists; Sigmund Freud himself. He talked about human development in terms of inner drives and desires, or ego states.

• The Child State (Id). From birth, humans have to make their immediate selfish desires such thirst, hunger and discomfort known. It  is driven by the avoidance of pain and the seeking of pleasure. This is known as the pleasure principle.  If these basic needs are not met, they are manifested by heightened emotional states, such as tantrums, tears, shouting for instance.

• The Parent State (Ego). During the next three years, we understand that visceral responses such as tantrums and yelling are increasingly inappropriate. We learn what is right and wrong within our social constructs and that our actions have consequences. This is called the reality principle.

• The Adult State (Superego). By the age of five, we develop a conscience based on prevailing morals and social values. We learn to reason, debate and argue form multiple viewpoints.

We can see that these paradigms are also mirrored in Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs ranging from basic physiological to self actualization. These have been discussed in an earlier post. Freud also believed that we are all products of our pasts. As we progress through each ego state, we are imprinted with experiences that remain with us throughout life. This is called creating a backstory for your character as it helps us determine what motivates them. An example might be the ruthless CEO who was bullied at school. How would the same CEO behave if he/ she was loved and felt a sense of belonging at grade school? They must want something so badly, they’ll stop at nothing to achieve it by actively making decisions and taking actions. Characters must take both large (plot) and small (nuances) actions.

Feud also believed that the majority of our life experiences are not readily available to us on an emotional level. He used the ‘iceberg’ metaphor, with the tip above water level representing our conscious state, while the bulk of the iceberg being underwater and representing our subconscious and unconscious states. Our conscious state represents our highest level of awareness (superego) and relates to our immediate surroundings. Consider it the RAM of your brain to use a computer analogy. The subconscious or preconsious state of awareness (mainly ego, although it covers the entire spectrum of consciousness) lies just below sea level, and can be prompted for access. This relates to past experiences which influence our current behavior. Think of it was your hard drive. The unsconscious state (id) occupies the largest area of your consciousness because these experiences haven’t formally influenced your behavior/ personality yet. Think of it as an unformatted/ blank hard drive.

A little basic psychology can add substance and truth to your characters and give them authenticity. Here are some definitions you may find useful:

CHARACTER: a representation of a person or class of person (type).

PERSONALITY: a group of behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental attributes that define and individual

TRAITS: broad dimensions of personality; usually defined in terms of the “Big Five”.

• Openness – appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, curiosity, and variety of experience.
• Conscientiousness – a tendency to show self-discipline, act dutifully, and aim for achievement; planned rather than spontaneous behavior.
• Extroversion – energy, positive emotions, urgency, and the tendency to seek stimulation in the company of others.
• Agreeableness – a tendency to be compassionate and cooperative rather than suspicious and antagonistic towards others.
• Neuroticism – a tendency to experience unpleasant emotions easily, such as anger, anxiety, depression, or vulnerability.

TEMPERAMENT: a mood or disposition of an individual

I hope you’re all  doing some writing after your Christmas lunch.

I recently partnered with an internal team to submit content for a ‘best places’ entry. This blog post is to share ideas on distilling your organization’s interesting internal ideas and to engage employees along the way.

Most of us may be familiar with the following tag lines which organizations aim to place in their communication.

‘Employer of Choice’. ‘Best Place to Work In’. ‘Talent Attractor’. ‘Ranked among Best Employers’.

In India, company transport vehicles carry stickers and large banners across the sides to proudly display their latest wins at some of the leading employer awards.

Growl

Entering a ‘best places to work’ list has its known advantages including usage in different channels such as recruitment, company presentations, websites, annual reports and sales pitches. In a competitive world as companies clamor to get on the ‘A’ list of best employers and showcase themselves as excellent places to be in, it is important to step back and understand how to leverage your best content and practices. I recently came across Glassdoor and their employee’s choice awards, where employees decide the best and worst places to work. Interesting concept.

From what I understand most of these entries have a three pronged approach – a first level audit, a detailed report on initiatives and an employee survey. The report and survey are the most important with the latter directly handled by the administering agency to avoid bias.

Most questionnaires that shape the report ask for insights on the employee life cycle, the company’s people practices, culture, work environment and milestones. Each question requires strong supporting collateral which improves the chances of listing.

I have listed some of my personal insights after working on a similar exercise.

a)       Look for differentiators: Dig deep into your company’s values and history for unique features and qualities. Be is the way your company treats new hires to the special benefits employees get for high performance. Each organization is steeped in its own values and it makes sense to call them out across the document.

b)       Be consistent: revisit facts and figures after reviewing your press released information. While the numbers may have changed internally due to varied company factors, it is important to be consistent with publically available data. Also key messages that reflect in the company’s literature will be the best fit for this document.

c)       Include your internal communicator in the core team: Your internal communicator will be privy to most information required for completing the questionnaire – usually shared via the company’s portal or the newsletter. It helps to have a member of the internal communicator in the core team driving submission. Our team included the policies, HR and marketing leads as well.

d)       Tap tacit knowledge: To enhance the quality of your answers seek information and collateral from long tenured employees. It will be a boon to include them in the review process as well.

e)       Promote the submission internally: I attended a leadership meeting and surprisingly one of the grouses was that we never featured in any of the ‘best practices’ entries! Share an update with the team early; get their buy-in and commitment to contribute content and resources to be successful. Usually the recruitment team is the key stakeholder considering how much a ranking means to their efforts in getting the best hires. My recommendation is to also run an internal promotion which invites employees to share their best moments and what they think are the company’s unique differentiators. I am aware of an organization that created a video contest involving its employees. You may want to create an e-card with the company’s people practices which can be leveraged an external marketing avenue.

f)         Presentation matters: While content is one key component, how you present improves your case. Be it a web page or an interactive CD the approach, consistency and design plays an important role in the submission’s success.

Surprisingly, even though I was close to the content and submission, my knowledge of all the company’s initiatives was limited only to a few sections.  I am sure sharing these insights with your employees broadly can have a profound positive impact. My recommendation is to leverage this content as a campaign across the year highlighting key company practices and milestones to build awareness and commitment. It can also be converted into a docket as a read-through on your intranet and during your induction process.

http://www.okcupid.com/tests/take?testid=3076838567116464195

Pollyanna- INFP
40% Extraversion, 53% Intuition, 40% Thinking, 47% Judging

So, you want to make the world a better place? Too bad it’s never gonna happen.
Of all the types, you have to be one of the hardest to find fault in. You have a selfless and caring nature. You’re a good listener and someone who wants to avoid conflict. You genuinely desire to do good.

Of course, these all add up to an incredibly overpowered conscience which makes you feel guilty and responsible when anything goes wrong. Of course, it MUST be your fault EVERYTIME.

Though you’re constantly on a mission to find the truth, you have no use for hard facts and logic, which is a source of great confusion for those of us with brains. Despite this, in a losing argument, you’re not above spouting off inaccurate fact after fact in an effort to protect your precious values.

You’re most probably a perfectionist, which in this case, is a bad thing. Any group work is destined to fail because of your incredibly high standards.

Disregard what I said before. You’re just easy to find fault in as everyone else!

Luckily, you’re generally very hard on yourself, meaning I don’t need to waste my precious time insulting you. Instead, just find all your own faults and insult yourself.

Yes, I stole your questionnaire, Lora. It’s been a busy month and I have a lot of posting to do before I head home for the holidays…. I promise your answers are funnier.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I’d rather use paper, but since most of my gifts have to fly home with me for the holidays, wrapping is a no-no. The post office was supposed to bring me flat-rate boxes so I could wrap and ship, but they never did. Oh well, I’ll be reusing my Mom’s recycled gift bags again.  

 2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial. I’d rather have real, but my townhouse is tiny and I’m out of town so often that I’d worry about fire. My 4′ fake one has served me well for the last three years.

3. When do you put up the tree? If it were up to me, I’d put it up on Thanksgiving evening, but since I cook the whole Thanksgiving feast around these parts (and then get stuck with most of the clean-up), I usually get around to it when the clean-up is done and I’ve recovered from my turkey hangover.

4. When do you take the tree down? It’s bad luck unless it comes down on New Year’s. Last year I missed the deadline by, oh, two weeks or so…

5. Do you like eggnog? I have to thin it out with milk. Or booze. Rum, to be precise. It’s too thick straight from the carton.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Probably a book. I was a very bookish little thing. Oh, and there was the year everyone was insane over Cabbage Patch Kids and my parents both bought them just in case, so I looked very spoiled with two. If only cell phones had been invented they could have saved the cash.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? I have one that I got on clearance when I worked at Michael’s  one year in college. Small and somewhat tacky, but it does the job.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My fancy younger sister. I usually give up around now and just buy something small with a Coach logo on it.

9. Easiest person to buy for? BC, hands down.

10. Worst Christmas gift ever received? Christmas came just after the start of a new relationship in 2001 and I gave cologne. I got a rainbow stuffed peace sign rearview mirror thingy. Because “you’re all into politics and stuff.”

11. Mail or e-mail Christmas card? Mail. Always mail. And I’d use lickable stamps if I could still buy them. I heart stationery. And writing little notes inside. I used to send 70 or so out per year. This year I slopped together 20, but they went out in time. I don’t know if anyone is still sending them- I’ve only gotten two so far.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? All of the classics will always hold a special, near-and-dear spot in my heart, but I love “Elf”. It cracks me up every time. I like to whisper, too.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I used to wait until December, but now that I try to shop on Etsy  and buy handmade, I start a little bit closer to Halloween to be sure everything can be made and arrive in time. I still have three people to shop for this weekend, so I’m no early finisher.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?  I don’t think I’ve ever re-gifted a Christmas gift. Wine brought to a party? Sure. I have given away a ton of Christmas gifts that I hated to people who didn’t hate them or had the room for them or to Goodwill. I like to think of it as finding them better homes.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Yorkshire pudding  ftw! (I get to have one Southern and one British Christmas and I do love some Paula Deen, but Yorkshire pudding only comes out once a year).

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear, with lots of ticky-tacky homemade and souvenir ornaments to add color.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Silent Night makes me go all mushy and lumpy in the throat every time. If you get a small child to sing it, there may be actual tears.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Always travel. The whole family is in Georgia and Tennessee and I am in Pittsburgh. It’s much easier for one of me to go there than vice versa. When I have octuplets though, they are all gonna have to come to my place.

19. Can you name Santa’s reindeer? Every last one.

20. Do you have an Angel on top or a star? I grew up in an angel house, but I’m a star girl myself.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning. My mom always has us open pajamas on Christmas Eve. It’s a running family joke that she always buys mine too small. In every Christmas morning picture, I look like a stuffed sausage in my tiny Christmas pajamas.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? That my birthday is the 23rd. I have long sworn to do nothing Christmas-related on my birthday. I always cave in and pick up a last-minute gift, or fly home, or exchange presents with someone at a birthday happy hour though.

23. Ugliest Christmas Decoration ever invented? I am not a fan of those plastic icicles on the tree- they get everywhere and make an Easter basket-sized clean-up.

25. Which looks best theme trees or homey trees? I am a total home-y tree gal- the tackier the better. Handmade. Handpainted. Or even this little winner I grabbed at the Dulles airport:

26. Gingerbread or sugar cookies? Sugar. With sprinkles or colored sugar or jelly or chocolate chips or really anything sweet and tasty that you can do to a cookie. I do like a gingerbread scented candle though.

27. Do you like Fruitcake? Nope. My dear granny is a huge fan, so when I see it I think of her and get all warm and fuzzy, but it’s not going in my mouth.

I’m in the Seattle airport now headed back home to Southern California, so until then, here’s a couple reader questions:

Cassie asked what’s in the fireplace…

It’s clear, tempered glass.  There’s a gas line underneath the glass so the flames come up through it and flicker.  Husbo doiburger actually did all of this himself, and marble tiled the entire fireplace.  You can call him Bob Villa if you want.

Allie B asked where our downstairs curtains are from…

(Just look beyond me and at the curtains)

We bought these from either TJ Maxx or Homegoods, I can’t remember which.  They are two different curtains that we just hung together but the brand is Rodeo Home.  They were about $15 each.  We actually bought about 3 different curtains before settling on these ones.

Tiffany asked what my Elf on the Shelf’s name is…

Um, we did name him but I forgot it and I’m not home to check.  Sorry!

Lisa asked “Do you take things to enhance your performance i.e. energy drinks, coffee and cold medicine…and if you do, what works best for you?  I ask because I recently accidently mixed coffee with Sudafed and WOW what a difference…”

I drink coffee and only coffee every morning and before every run.  I do believe caffeine stimulates your physical performace because research has shown this, but I’ve never had any side effects from coffee, never a headache, withdrawal, jitters, anything.  I can drink coffee anytime without worrying about falling asleep at night or whatever. 

(photo credit.  This isn’t my picture but I do collect Starbucks city mugs and have about 25)

Interestingly enough, I don’t drink much coffee out on the fishing boat in the summer even when I’m dead tired because it doesn’t appeal to me; the acidity doesn’t sit well on my stomach.

(THIS is my hands down favorite energy drink.)

But no, I don’t do energy drinks and especially cold medicine in regards to running.  (I occasionally have a Rockstar but not before a run) Any gain in performance would simply not be worth it to me. 

I think it’s a slippery slope using nonprescription (and also prescription) drugs for uses other than what they were intended, and at the end of the day my goal is glorify God and while I daily screw up, I couldn’t justify creating a homemade pharmacy in my kitchen

Monica asked how tall I am because my running tights are “the perfect length” on me…

You can see the tights in the above picture; they’re Nike from Macys.  I’m a hair under 5′7″ but in my mind I’m a 6′0″ supermodel.  or not.

Lillizzy asked where I studied abroad in Spain…

I studied and lived for 4 months in Sevilla, but my best friend and I both got Europasses so we would take the high speed train (it was either 2 or 4 hrs) to Madrid for Starbucks.  Yes, for Starbucks.  There wasn’t one in Sevilla and it reminded us of home.  I think I’ve mentioned before that I love coffee, right?

Legalstyle asked what I’m asking for for Christmas…

How’s that for a wordy question?  I really want this pair of boots, but I know I won’t get them:

I’m also asking for a couple running apparel items, a new Kate Spade planner, Dylan’s Candy Bar bath products, and more of my Kate Spade china that we use as everyday china.  Not exactly smart but pretty.

A couple of you asked what a “misto” is… 

A misto is Starbucks’ version of a cafe au lait which is half steamed milk and half regular drip coffee.  It’s similar to a latte because a latte is one shot of espresso and steamed milk.  I like nonfat mistos because they are less thick and heavy like a latte can be.  If I want a cup of milk, I’ll just pour one myself…

OK I think I’ve answered everything.  Thanks to everyone for your questions and your comments; they are ALWAYS appreciated.  I’ll leave you with the “Awesome Comment of the Day, Did She Mean to Send it to Someone Else?” award from Memorie, thanks!

Your parents raised a hard working, motivated, head in the right place kinda gal.

Somehow I’ve gotten in the habit of starring all those little articles that make me go hmmmm, and when I’m at a lack for words, I can kindly recycle them to you

So, in no particular order, some interesting reads from around the blog-o-sphere!

The only 3.3 article that I have brought myself to save (I’m still in “No!  I refuse spoilers!” mode atm) is this beautiful montage about a new quest line off the lusted for battered hilt.  The other interesting read about new changes, were anticipated changes to the armory.

As always, we like our surveys and questionnaries here’s a new one about… well… gamers.  Poor Death Goddess also caught syphilis =/  Tam really gets around!

Another great guide, this one on vanity pets.  And if you’ve ever been frustrated at a raider who doesn’t know what a combat log is or confused about how to set one up, look no further.  The last caught my interest–being one-half of a gaming couple, it was interesting to see someone else discuss how they felt about it.

Go say hello, and happy reading!

1. What was your favorite writing assignment? Why?
The one where we wrote a line and then passed the paper around the classroom so everyone could write one line of story. It was interesting to see what people came up with.

2. What was your least favorite writing assignment? Why?
Probably the punctuation assignment – placing punctuation marks in unusual places for some reason really grated on my writing nerves. It’s not something that I would ever do, usually, because the unusual pauses and breakage of words left me feeling unusually militant about grammar and punctuation.

3. Discuss your reactions to full-group workshops. Would you change them in any way?
Overall, I liked the full-group workshops. I felt that the criticisms and comments were productive and that the feedback was important. There is nothing I would change about them.

4. Discuss your reactions to small-group workshops. Would you change them in any way?
I liked the small-group workshops for the same reason I liked the full-group ones. However, the small-group ones felt more intimate and it was easier to have a conversation about everyone’s writing and to bounce around ideas than in the full-group.

5. Did the overall course structure (two portfolios, emphasis on invention before revision, arrangement, delivery) helped your writing practice?
Yes, it did. The only comment I would make is that there be either a blog or a writing journal – not both. Otherwise, a workload that should have felt both reasonable and necessary feels overwhelming and more like busy-work.

6. Would you have liked more specific instructions on genre conventions (e.g. poetry, prose, creative nonfiction, etc.) or were you comfortable with the multigenre or genre-less approach to writing? Explain your answer.
I prefer the multigenre/genre-less approach to writing. I feel it provides more freedom of expression and produces more interesting results.

7. Did you like having the opportunity to negotiate grading criteria? Were you able to fully participate in this process? How would you change it for future classes?
Yes, I do and I wouldn’t change anything in that regard.

8. Did keeping a journal and blog help your writing practice? Explain.
The writing journal was helpful because it provided a creative outlet and it was something that I almost always had on hand. The blog was more of a conscious effort to write in and quickly became tedious.

9. What did you use the blog medium for (creative writing, reading response, journaling, etc.)?
Usually, I used the blog medium for creative writing.

10. Discuss my performance as an instructor. Did you find the way the course was conducted satisfactory? Would you have liked the instruction to be different? Explain.
I liked the way you conducted the class. It was easy to respect you as an instructor and it was clear that you had a specific direction in mind for the class. I do think a printed syllabus with a list of assignments would have beneficial, but because you had the blog, it wasn’t completely necessary.

11. Please offer some advice or helpful hints for students taking this course in the future.
For students who take this course in the future, I would say: I really hope you like to write because you will writing a lot and often.

I’ve seen this floating around on the internets on facebook and various blogs so thought I would try it for today’s post (I’m trying to write more). Here are 25 random facts about me.

1. Name someone with the same birthday as you. William Shakespeare

2. Where was your first kiss? By some traffic lights of a busy crossroads after our first date while our friends watched us and told us to “hurry it up” since him and his friends had a train to catch and me and my friends had a bus to catch… awkward!

3. Have you ever seriously vandalized someone else’s property? Nope. I would feel so bad!

4. Have you ever hit someone of the opposite sex? All the time! Friends, brothers… but playfully. I did lash out at an ex before, but I knew that it wouldn’t really hurt him because I am weak

5. Have you ever sung in front of a large number of people? Yes… last time I did it on my own I was 11 and dressed up as the rabbit from Alice in Wonderland… then I was in the chorus for Oliver in year 9.

6. What’s the first thing you notice about your preferred sex? Um eyes, height and hair.

7. What really turns you off? Orange guys…. just say no to the fake tan man!

8. What do you order at Starbucks? Vanilla Frappachino. I try to deviate from that but I always regret it when I order something else. Unless it’s cold and its a hot chocolate yum.

9. What is your biggest mistake? Oh I have loads, but then if I didn’t do them, where or how would I be now? Most mistakes are to do with guys and friends though.

10. Have you ever hurt yourself on purpose? Yes, I had a nasty habit of picking scars when upset to distract myself, stupid.

11. Say something totally random about yourself. I can bend my thumbs backwards and forwards

12. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity? Yes, Kirsten Dunst when she had red hair (I had it dyed and styled like that) and sometimes Drew Barrymore.

13. Do you still watch kiddie movies or TV shows? Yesh, Disney = love.

14. Did you have braces? Nope, I was the odd one out!

15. Are you comfortable with your height? Yes

16. What is the most romantic thing someone of the preferred sex has done for you? Hmm, my ex used to write me love letters

17. When do you know it’s love? This is tricky… its different for different people, but I do tend to believe you have to know them for a while, can be yourself with and can still be good after a crazy argument.

18. Do you speak any other languages? A little bit of Welsh, like tiny

19. Have you ever been to tanning salon? Yes, but I didn’t go in and waited for my friend

20. Have you ever ridden in a limo? Yes, half the windows were broken but it was fun.

21. What’s something that really annoys you? Screaming 13 year olds on buses. That’s two days in a row now >:[

22. What’s something you really like? Milkshakes! I really want one right now

23. Can you dance? Ha! Is all I have to say on that!

24. Have you ever been rushed by an ambulance into the emergency room? Never, my youngest brother and mum have though.

25. Tag 5 people! Well I’m not going to tag anyone but if you want to do this! You don’t have to tag me back, I didn’t.

First, here is the ‘Right Off the Top of my Head’ facts and what follows is a survey I filled out years ago. Both are more or less not so interesting.

Didn’t learn to drive until I was 18.
Give to charity but not for medical reasons.
I think women are sexiest with wet hair (right out of a pool).
I’ve never cursed except for repeating in my head what I’ve heard someone else say.
I pick out that extra white piece in the egg white before cooking.
I would like to be a world famous photographer.
When I’m scared (like almost getting hit by a car), I can feel the adrenaline being released in my body.
I decided when I started this blog no photos of me, friends or family. Some of what I write about is very personal.
I’m not homophobic, I just feel homosexuality is wrong.
I think George Lopez has the best late night show. I would like to see Arsenio Hall as a guest.
I’m fascinated by both the micro and macro universes.
I like to read the newspaper.
I am addicted to technology. If I’m not on the computer, I’m on the cellphone or watching TV or a movie, or have my iPod on.
I don’t admit to having a middle name.
I think public hot tubs are full of germs.
I hate reality TV (see an upcoming post)!
I want nothing more than to marry April. <— Put that at the top of the list.
I like walking in the rain naked.
Carrot cake and apple pies are my favorite desserts.
I like the sound of a Spanish guitar but I love the sound a piano makes.
Tickling drives me crazy and I hate it yet I love to tickle others.
I always make housekeeping take away my comforter and get a new clean one when I stay at a hotel.

This is a question and answer, ‘Get To Know Me Survey’ I found and distributed while I was a member of TagWorld. I thought it might be fun to do over again and post it here. If you have any questions after you read it, just ask.

I hope you weren’t too bored and perhaps even learned a few things about me…

.

New poll on my website!

http://player2pressstart.weebly.com/interact.html

Take part in my project…again!

all help, comments, questions or responses welcome!

We’re in Vegas until tomorrow afternoon; as soon as I get home I’ll give the full marathon post and what the heck happened….  Until then, some awards:

Jamie from Food Junkie gave me this award:

Thank you, Jamie!

and

GirlonRaw gave me this award:

Thank you, Robyn!

For both of these sweet awards you’re suppose to list 7 things about yourself that other people don’t know.  I got a similar award a while back and HERE is my original 7 that have to do with Ryan Seacrest 4 years ago.

1.  I’m one of God’s chosen few… meaning I’m left-handed.  But not by design.  When I was just a young pup I badly burnt my right hand, which I had been predominantly using, on our wood-burning stove in the kitchen and had it bandaged up for quite awhile.  During the big burn is when I started using my left hand for everything.  So I’m like an adopted southpaw. 

But the bigger question is why in the world of waldo did my mom have a WOOD-BURNING kitchen stove in the 80’s? And I’m not talking 1880 either.  Please remember (and feel pity for me) that we lived in a log cabin (with no central heat and a ceramic claw-footed bathroom tub) on an island in Alaska.  How I made it out alive and relatively normal, I have no idea.

2. I don’t watch much tv, but my husbo and I have a minor obssession with Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing.  It is so ridiculous, and as with most reality tv, it gets more unrealistic with every episode and season.  BUT we love it.  We love it so much we call each other “Chad” and “Victoria” and Marni is now “Marni cakes” after their dog Starly cakes.

3. I am quite impulsive, and I like to finish things and have them be done.  I get an idea in my head and I want to do it, finish it, and be done with it.  I don’t like things lagging on or taking forever.  For example, in our 2.5 yrs of marraige, we’ve bought two houses in different states after looking for 2 days each time in towns that we’d never even lived in.  Looking back, both Jay and I would pick different areas/homes/neighborhoods if we could do it over.  But guess what I’ll be doing with house #3?  Putting an offer in after 2 days, doi.

This picture was on the  flyer when we were selling our first house in Austin.  We tore down every single wall and rebuilt the entire thing ourselves.

And this was a picture of the kitchen on the flyer when we purchased the house.

4. My birthday is in a couple weeks and I am turning 27.  27 feels like the gateway to old.  All you over 27 readers are now giving me adult hand gestures through your monitors.  But 27 seems old to me.  I already talked to my dermatologist about preventive anti-aging recommendations.  (He told me to moisturize.  Really, seriously?  I pay you to tell me to put on lotion?  Any other top secrets, Captain Obvious??)  I know this might sound a little Real Housewives of OC…

I have no problem with aging naturally and I have no problem with aging synthetically.  If you can do it in moderation, with a healthy attitude and mentality about it, then go for it.  I’ll be the first second in line for botox, right behind Nicole Kidman’s forehead.

Cat Woman AKA Jocelyn Wildenstein=NOT a picture of moderation

But if you do go get a $10,000 facelift, make sure you can afford your Laguna Beach rental so you won’t get evicted… Lynne.

5. I actually enjoy the excitement of moving and am kinda getting ready to move to house #3 where ever it may be… Scottsdale, Arizona?  Oregon??  Somewhere else in California??  I guess we probably first have to figure out where we want to go before I start making offers on houses.

6. For our 5th anniversary, we are going to Vegas to renew our vows and throw a wedding CELEBRATION.  I want to have all our guests dress up in costumes.  If you want your invite, you better start sucking up now because we only have 2.5 years left… Costumes that Jay and I will NOT be wearing:

Unless there’s gonna be a health lesson about how babies are made during dinner, I won’t be donning this outlet outfit.

No rolls or buns at this meal.

No Dog and Beth the Bounty Hunter ever. Period.  No. no. no.

7. I have a terrible voice but that doesn’t stop me from trying.  My singing is like Ross the Intern and Fran Drescher’s love child.

In other words, I don’t sound anything like Aretha Franklin, who has an amazing voice.  And is a very large and in charge woman.  and furry too.

Sorry so lame; that’s all i got!