Eight Factoids

A while ago, my sister, Caitlan, tagged me to share eight facts or habits about myself. I've done this tag before, but it's been a while and I can always think of new stuff! So, here we go:

1. This is what I look like in 8 Mega Pixels!


That's right, I bought a new camera today! WAHOOOOO!!! Other than wanting to take amazing photos of my own family members, I really don't have any desire to be a professional photographer. That being said, I start feeling very greedy when it comes to mega pixels. Maybe it's my love for those fine details, I don't know, but I can't help but want a digital SLR camera. But, as much as I want to hoard mega pixels and RAW images, I had to be realistic and face the fact that it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for me to spend that much money on a professional camera when I'm not interested in being professional with it. So, I requested camera money for my birthday and used it to buy my new Canon PowerShot A590, which has 8 of those precious MPs and a 4X optical zoom. It's adorable and little and completely perfect for what I need it for. So THANK YOU to my parents, in-laws, Nonny and Bob, and the Freeds for contributing!! I LOVE my gift!

(PS. I had enough left over to put towards a fancy new scanner. Canon loves me today.)

2. Like most people, I love good customer service. What I don't love is when customer service goes overboard into the pestering/privacy-invading realm. One of the grocery stores here must really push the customer service thing, because their checkers go kind of crazy with the in-line chatter. Most of the time it doesn't bother me, but I really don't like it when they start commenting on my purchases. "Oh, are you having a party?" says the checker, eyeing my 4lbs of Red Vines.

"No, I just wanted some Red Vines." And those Chips Ahoy cookies. And that ice cream. And those chips.

Today I went to Motherhood Maternity to buy a new shirt. The girl in the store (who is also pregnant) met me at the entrance and asked me what I wanted, then proceeded to find every single shirt in that color in the store and put it in "my" dressing room, even though I insisted that I didn't really want to try anything on. Even after I made my decision, she pulled out another couple of shirts and tried to get me to try those ones on as well. Then, when I was trying to check out, she asked me a million questions about my pregnancy, my nursing plans and whether or not the baby had a college fund. I know they are paid to upsell, but COME ON! I spent more than 45 minutes in that store, when it really should have been a 10 minute thing. Next time, I'm shopping online.

3. Since we went to Panama, I've been wanting to enroll in a Spanish class. I actually took two years of Spanish in high school and another two years plus a semester of Italian in college, but I really can't say much more than "Hi, my name is Elise." I can understand Spanish a lot better than I can speak it (though that isn't saying much), and being around a completely Spanish-speaking population made me wish I could communicate better.

4. I usually don't dream a lot and/or remember my dreams, but for some weird reason, this pregnancy I am having the strangest, most vivid dreams. A few nights ago, for example, I dreamt that I was in a room with a bunch of people having an intimate acoustic concert with Jon Bon Jovi. Jon Bon Jovi started playing his guitar and singing and in my dream, I had the guts and vocal talents to start harmonizing with him! He looked at me, smiling, and shook his head and said, "yeah, that's right," and we kept singing together-- very High School Musical-ish. Sigh. The funniest part of this story is that the next morning, when I told Chris about my special moment with my favorite rocker, Chris said I actually blushed.

5. I have lots and lots of ponytail holders that Chris will throw away if he finds them around the house. It's probably a good thing that I'm the only girl around here, or we'd be hair-thing crazy.

6. When each of my boys were born, Chris painted my toenails blue in the hospital. With Thomas, I had a really light blue polish that Chris used while I was chilling with the epidural. With Gordon, the color was a metallic navy blue and that paint job came the morning after he was born, since the labor was a little more... let's say intense than my previous one.

7. When I was in 2nd grade, my teacher, Mr. Hickle (yes, that was his name) would have an annual pickle sale. The class wrote letters to Vlassic, who supplied us with several huge cases of dill pickles, which we then sold with or without toppings. The best toppings were chocolate and caramel syrup. I tried this again the other day and really, the combination is surprisingly tasty. I double dare you to try it.

8. I think I have a pretty decent sense of humor and I laugh out loud a lot. Unfortunately, I am the worst at reiterating jokes or funny stories to other people (save the chicken jokes to Thomas, but that doesn't count). Chris is really good at quoting movies or shows verbatim, or retelling a story with just the right emphasis and buildup, but I do not have that same skill. I find myself way too often saying, "I guess you had to be there." Oh well, I guess I just wasn't cut out to be a comedian!