30 Secrets and 25 Random Things

After a friend of mine said some choice words to me, I got to thinking about my own secrets. What they are, why I keep them and who knows them. Further, what do they say about me... So I committed to sharing 30 secrets over a period of time. I think it took me a week and a half, or so, to get them all out. Here they are:

30Secrets

1. I love monster trucks
2. I'll always love you
3. I hate how much I follow in my cousin's footsteps. But it could be worse. He could be a crackhead
4. If you talk to people who knew me before 1999, you'll probably find yourself talking about what seems like 2 different people
5. Sometimes, I pretend to be dumber than I am to avoid the intimidation factor
6. I'm pretty sure Joey is the greatest teacher. Seriously
7. I'm pretty much always aware of what I'm doing.
8. I used to (and still do in some situations) absolutely hate admitting to my educational background...
9. I didn't know people really thought Southerners were stupid backwards, no shoe-wearing, people who married family members until I went to college... and then I was confused by why these same people came down South for school.
10. There are 2 people in my life that I purposefully frustrate for the entertainment..
11. I have a problem with authority. Small one, usually easy to ignore, but there nonetheless. 
12. In all my life I've trusted 1 person completely. That didn't go so well. In response, I work hard to be someone people around me can trust, but I still don't trust completely...
13. I can remember the moment I fell in love.... with music.... :)
14. Sometimes, I wonder if giving up fencing for community service was a bad idea, and then my ankle pops and my knee aches and I remember it was a pretty good idea.
15. It bothers me when people question my motives...
16. I over analyze everything.
17. I SHAMELESSLY love Michael Bolton. Shamelessly. I call him Mickey B.
18. Joey made a podcast for me one time when I went on a trip. I listen to it a lot.
19. Everytime I hear "Gettin Some..." by Shawnna I think of my sophomore year of college and I chuckle to myself...
20. I watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czR1yxKfhUc as a pick me-up.
21. I did everything I could think of to make sure I would remember Kris, but I'm afraid it wasn't enough. I can't remember what he sounded like.
22. I really want to be way more transparent for the people in my life than I am.
23. I have started at least 10 different short stories, usually based on something in my life, but never finished any of them.
24. I am afraid that I am still defined by what happened in my last relationship.
25. I am an only child, but I have a hero complex which is usually a characteristic of first-born children
26. Sometimes I think people think I'm too good to be true. That disturbs me.
27. I have been known to communicate personal feelings exclusively through music...
28. I'm a pack rat. But only with notes and e-mails and other forms of written correspondence. I still have notes friends I passed to each other in high school...
29. I really don't get people who are never motivated by anything. It drives me crazy and I can't understand it
30. I consistently crack myself up. It's convenient since I enjoy being amused.

In the midst of all this openness, I was tagged for the umpteenth time on facebook to do a Top 25 Random Things About Me note. Since I was in the sharing mood, I played along.

25 Random Things About Me

1. I broke my leg when I was 2. The Dr. put the cast on wrong and so my hip grew out.
2. On top of the hip thing, I have very flat feet and walk over on my ankles.
3. Vanderbilt was never my top choice. GWU was where I had my heart set on going. Vandy gave me substantially more money AND tricked me with Mosaic weekend. In any case, it goes down as one of the best decisions I ever made.
4. I begged my mother, right up until the night before my first day, not to make me go to Baylor and to re-enroll me in public school. She promised I could go back if I didn't like Baylor after 2 yrs. I loved it day 1.
5. I was the first black female President of student council at Baylor. However, because I wasn't elected, I'm not recognized as holding that distinction.
6. I always wanted older siblings. Tough thing to want, cause you can't make those. When I was 14, one of my cousins mistakenly introduced me to 2 of my older half-sisters. I have 7 total (my father is friendly).
7. There are 3 things I hate telling people when they first meet me: my age, where I went to school, and that I'm an only child. I've found people judge me, usually incorrectly, based on those 3 things.
8. I fenced (sword-fighting for the uninformed) from 8th grade until 10th grade. I quit to do community service full time.
9. I had well over 800 hrs of community service by the time I graduated from high school.
10. I love camping and hate hiking; love rappelling (descending down the side of a mountain, for the uninformed) but hate climbing.
11. On my high school Senior trip, I fell out of my canoe, got hit in the head and lost my glasses in the Chattooga River
12. I've learned the most about myself on ropes courses. "What's inside you will come out..." I miss doing them, but I think I miss the group of people I did them with, more.
13. Per my family's ancestry book, Scottie Pippen is my 4th half cousin 2 times removed.
14. My mother is the youngest of 14, and I'm the 2nd youngest of 25 grandchildren. My youngest cousin is 4mos younger than me and my oldest cousin is 34 years older than me.
15. Wikipedia is my favorite website, as you can tell if you followed any of the imbedded links. I could get lost on it for hours.
16. I have a slightly obsessive personality. By that I mean, when I'm interested in something or fascinated by someone, it's pretty intense. I want and seek all the info I can on the subject; however, once my interest has been satisfied, I'm completely over it. A good example is my obsession in the 3rd grade with the Titanic. I looked up everything I could on it, and had a pretty good working knowledge of its story. I got over that about a week later and haven't really cared, since.
17. I get more upset at transgressions against my friends than I do against myself. In other words, kick me when I'm down and I'll be (sad face) kick one of my friends and I'll kick your face :)
18. I'm always surprised at the things people are willing to share with me about themselves. I don't know if it's cause I'm a stick in the mud or if it's that people really trust me like that. Either way, it's always consistently shocking.
19. I used to suck my thumb.
20. I wore braces from the 6th grade until 11th, all because I wouldn't wear the rubber bands. My mom got braces after me and got them off before me.
21. One of the first things people always learn about me is that my favorite color is purple. It always seems to come up in conversation early.
22. My favorite tv show of all time is Family Matters. I've seen every episode at least three times and can quote many of them.
23. My friends say I'm always on the phone. I don't believe them.
24. I knew my ABCs at 2, was moved ahead in school, but I really don't see myself as being all that smart.
25. I seriously wanted to be a Senator until my sophomore year in college. At that point, I decided I wanted absolutely nothing to do with politics and wanted to go into something dealing with teens and education. Yet, here I am, working in Congress on, among other things, education issues and I really like my job. My mother said she always knew I'd end up here anyway.

I'd say I've sufficiently purged my soul. :)

And check out PostSecret.com

It's crazy some of the things people reveal.

Dear Mama

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...The Little Things...

After being gone from campus last semester, I'm spending a lot of time with my friends. We're catching up and preparing to no longer be near each other in less than 3 months. That prospect is scary.

Anyway, a few days ago, I was bringing something to a friend of mine (she's actually a Junior and not graduating this May) and when she came to get it from me she introduced me to a freshman who graduated from her high school. We all ended up back in her room where I was being usually difficult (we have a special relationship, she and I) and ignoring her by listening to my iPod instead of participating in the conversation.

I happen to be changing songs when I heard her say my name so I, (yes, I was being sneaky) put my iPod on pause to hear what she was saying. I guess the other girl asked her how she knew me and she offered the following explanation:

"I met Ashley through Joey. She's such a sweetheart. I don't know what I would have done without her. She's alwys there for me and takes care of me. She's like the big sister I never had."

Of course I got all choked up and had to admit I had been eavesdropping, but I'm glad I did. It really made my dady (heck, it's made my last few days). Which in turn reminded me to say the good things that I feel about my friends as often as possible. We all joke with each other a lot, but I want to keep in mind that these people are amazing, I'm so glad I know them and that I should let them know how I feel about them.

I really had no idea she felt that way about me. In fact, I definitely had begun feeling a little underappreciated (because I really do take care of her sometimes) so it felt so good to know that she did notice, does care and does appreciate me...

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