50 facts about Bri

In honour of ... well, in honour of my being completely self-absorbed, I've written a list of 50 little-known facts about myself, which may or may not amuse anyone but me.

1. I have owned a car – a 1982 Toyota Tercel named Tarzan, who was silver, with blue vinyl seats, and a horrible system. He was the only true love I’ll ever know. (More Tarzan stories to come in a later blog)

2. I’ve lived in 7 different houses with my mom, 9 different houses with my dad, and 4 houses on my own, and all in all have lived in 5 Canadian cities.

3. My left eye is smaller than my right eye. It’s especially noticeable when I smile.

4. All of my grandparents are still alive

5. I can barely hold a tune, but I really like to sing when I’m driving or in the shower. I’d like to think that no one can hear me.

6. I’m 5’4 and three-quarters tall. I don’t know how I feel about that.

7. I don’t know how to walk in high heels, which I guess doesn’t make me very much of a lady. I’ve never owned a pair of hooker boots, which I guess doesn’t make me much of a female Queen’s student who frequents Stages.

8. I always put four cups of water in when I am making frozen juice instead of three. In a way, I feel like I’m cheating the system

9. My favorite subject when I was in school was math. Art and biology tie for a close second.

10. I started playing soccer when I was six. I was the worst player on my team, but I’d like to think that I had the most heart J

11. I’ve ridden in an ambulance only once that I can remember. I was checked into the boards during a soccer game and blacked out.

12. I don’t like cats (sorry cats)

13. I’ve always wanted to be a mom. I’ve had baby fever since I was born. I really want to have a big family.

14. I love the west coast - BC, Washington, Oregon, California. I love being able to see the ocean. This is very interesting to me because my astrological sign is Cancer, and astrologers believe that crabs feel the happiest when they’re by the water.

15. I have a decent hand at painting, drawing and sketching. I wouldn’t say that my talents are amazing, but it’s something that I enjoy.

16. If my house was burning down and I could only save one item, I’d take my junior high diary – I always need to know how much I’ve grown. I’ve kept a diary since I was old enough to write.

17. Things I’ve never done: smoked (cigarettes or weed), shoplifted, threw a glass of water in someone’s face, killed an animal (other than a spider), been overseas, or seen a dead body.

18. Things I have done: walked across the golden gate bridge, climbed a mountain, run away from home, sat in the front seat of a roller coaster, witnessed birth (well, most parts of it anyway), had a life-altering conversation with a stranger.

19. The worst pain I have ever experienced occurred when I was 10, and was stung by a jellyfish on my hand.

20. I have experienced love, and from my experiences, have learned that true love is extremely rare and should be cherished.

21. I’ve both had my heart broken, and broken someone’s heart. I’m not sure which side I would rather be on – everyone ends up being hurt no matter what.

22. I’ve always been a night owl. I used to stay up reading long after my mom went to bed. As such, I’m also a huge fan of sleeping in. I was never that kid who woke up at 7am on Christmas morning.

23. I’ve had 8 people in my life who at one point, I considered my best friend. I am in touch with 4 of them, which makes me sort of sad.

24. My first job was working on a construction site, cleaning up water and clearing out debris when I was in grade 9

25. I’ve since worked as a house cleaner, a cashier at a supermarket, a front desk clerk at a hotel, a nanny for two different families, head of Orientation, and a staff member at walk home

26. I taught myself how to play the piano.

27. I’m not very good at cooking – I simply have no clue where to start.

28. I’m scared of snakes and needles – both due to specific childhood incidents

29. I’d rather have an amazing four hour conversation with someone in the corner booth of a jazz bar, than spend my night at a club, dressed up to kill and too drunk to care.

30. I tan easily in the summer.

31. I was published in a book of kids’ poetry in Grade 6. I didn’t find out until I was walking by the bookstore in the mall, and happened to see the book on the shelf.

32. I have arthritis (at such a tender age!)

33. My two favorite sounds are laundry in the dryer and rain falling outside my window.

34. I got the lead in my school play when I was in Kindergarten. I was cast as Rudolph the red nose reindeer, and I cried when my teacher told me because I didn’t want people to look at me.

35. My proudest moment in life was when I gave my valedictorian speech.

36. If I were given 1 wish, I would wish to be beautiful. I think that (sadly), beauty is often more powerful a tool than intellect in business and in life.

37. I would give my life for the Calgary Flames. My love for that hockey team will outshine any other achievement in my life.

38. Some of my aspirations when I grow up are: to be a mom, to become a high school teacher, to open a school for gifted children, to open a theatre school, to run a small bed and breakfast on the west coast, to coach provincial soccer, to have an amazing garden, to be a university professor, to star in a movie. No particular order.

39. If I could have one super power in the world, I would want to be invisible. I like being the observer, and I am fascinated by how people act when they don’t think they’re being watched.

40. I know how to self service a car (everything except tire rotation). I can also change a flat tire. I can hammer, nail, screw, and assemble. I know how to use power tools. I’m self sufficient!

41. I will go to great lengths to avoid feeling vulnerable in any way

42. I have never been outside of North America

43. I feel very small when I watch the sun rise

44. I don’t like the idea of plastic surgery – I think that the process of growing old is beautiful

45. No one has ever thrown me a surprise party. I’m not sure if I would ever want them to – I would probably cry

46. When I was in third grade, I fell off of my bike and cracked my front tooth, which remains cracked to this day.

47. I truly truly believe in fate, good karma and soul mates.

48. If I had to eat one thing for the rest of my life, it would be strawberry-rhubarb pie. With ice cream (but not too much ice cream)

49. It is my life goal to travel to Borneo and meet an orangutan face to face.

50. I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.