25

The other day I read on Anna's weblog about this list that has been circulating on Facebook. I really never log into my Facebook account anymore, so I was happy to find out about this list through Anna, and am now shamelessly stealing her blog and making my own, because, like Anna, I simply LOVE filling out useless things like this! :P The idea is to write down 25 random things about yourself, so here goes:

(1) I am afraid of scary movies. When I was about 12, my parents took my little brother and me to see Jurassic Park at the movies. I only watched the first 30 minutes and spent the rest of the time with my hood over my head, my eyes closed, my fingers in my ears, and crying. I wouldn't dare to watch the really scary movies like The Grudge, The Exorcist or, God forbid, Hostel, but whenever I do decide to watch a semi-scary movie, like The Ring or Saw, I always, always, regret it afterwards. Even when I saw Signs for the second time I was unable to sleep for a week.

(2) I have some serious obsessive compulsive habits. When locking my bike, I always check to make sure that the lock is secure three times, then I pull at it once, and then I check it again one more time. Only then can I be sure that the bike is actually locked. I also always check the furnace and the carbon dioxide meter three times before going to bed or before leaving the apartment to make sure that there is no gas leaking anywhere into our house.

(3) When people first meet me, they think I am from the U.S. because, apparently, I have some kind of American accent in my Dutch. I didn't try to create this. I am half Dutch and half Spanish and when I am with my family I speak Twents like the best of them.

(4) I am very judgemental. I used to think of it as honesty and then as a funny and quirky side of my personality, but lately I've been thinking that maybe it's just plain rude and insensitive. I kind of wish I would not be a bitter cynic but someone who is positive and always sees the best in people.

(5) When I was about 14 I wanted to be Geri from the Spice Girls and had matching clothes, shoes, purple make-up and blonde and purple hair to prove it. I also used to be a big fan of every bad boy and girl band out there, and must admit that I still kind of like that poppy music.

(6) I never wanted to get braces until I turned 17 and regained my senses, so I spent my entire first serious relationship and the first year and a half at University College Utrecht being a metal mouth. People often say I looked cute, but I think they're all lying.

(7) Due to the braces I now have a serious toothpick fetish. After eating ANYTHING I need to have a toothpick. I always carry them with me. It goes well with my lipbalm addiction which I've had since I was 11. Without lipbalm I really start acting crazy.

(8) I love Italy. Maybe even more than Spain (BLASPHEMY!!!).

(9) I am probably the only woman in the whole world who loves Ernest Hemingway. I LOVE him! We are involved. Come to think of it, besides the obvious British feminist writers like Jane Austen, Mary Shelly and Charlotte Bronte, my favorite writers are all white men like Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, F. Scott Fitzgerald, J.D. Salinger, John Osborne, Harold Pinter, Robert Louis Stevenson and Oscar Wilde. Mmm...

(10) I have somehow convinced my boyfriend that it's fair for him to cook, do the dishes, dry the dishes, and clean the kitchen.

(11) Then again, I am responsible for the budget, the groceries, the laundry and the dusting, so really, he should be grateful.

(12) I am trying to eat more spicy food so that I won't die of shock in India on our world trip. Surprisingly, I think I'm doing pretty well! In two years I should be able to eat the least spicy dishes. At least.

(13) I hate nail polish. And lipstick. It's too high maintenance for someone who's as precise as I am. But I did like it when I had red and pink toe nails in the summer.

(14) I seem to be unable not to plan. Or at least that's how other people perceive it. Although I am always busy with some kind of project, I don't think of it as planning, but as day dreaming in great, great detail.

(15) I don't understand why I can plan years ahead, but am still unable to start working on a paper until right before the deadline. Why do I need this pressure in order to write?

(16) I am writing my master's thesis on Social Linguistics and I have no idea why. I hate Linguistics.

(17) I think I'm quite arrogant when it comes to my academic accomplishments. I blame UC.

(18) I am one of those people who only has a handful of friends and doesn't want it any other way. I'm not good at small talk with people who are just acquaintances because I don't really care about meeting new people because I already have friends that are fabulous. So, I'm not as good in social situations as the boyfriend, who must be the king of networking your ass off. I must say I do much better at work, because I do care about education.

(19) This is going to sound very bad, but Jochem's studies bore me to death. I really don't care about Hotel Management! :S But it's nice to see someone so good be at the right place at the right time and really enjoying what he's doing.

(20) I seriously think that I'm not as flexible in certain yoga poses because my legs are much longer than my upper body. So the fact that I can't reach my feet with my hands while keeping my legs straight has really nothing to do with flexibility.

(21) I still absolutely love the soundtrack from The Holiday. Please download it and listen to it because Hans Zimmer is just plain genius. The song "Kisses and Cake" from the movie PS I Love You is also fantastic and my new favorite.

(22) I hate technology. I deal with computers and cell phones because I have to (and okay, with my iPod because it's cool), but I only get new things when my old things have stopped working altogether. I still miss my cell phone and my computer from when I was 17. I hate change.

(23) The other day Jochem and I totally altered our world trip because I simply HAD TO go to Cuba. Because there's a bunch of Hemingway stuff there.

(24) I hate reviews. DESPISE them even. I'm kind of glad that throughout everything I've not become some kind of slave to consumerism thinking that I HAVE TO see this movie and I HAVE TO listen to this music or I HAVE TO wear this outfit. I've always kind of trailed behind the trends and done my own thing; watch the movies I wanted to see even though they'd gotten bad reviews, listen to the music I like despite the fact that it's considered to be bad, and wear the clothes I like and feel comfortable in although it's out of style. It might sound silly, but it gives me a comforting sense of freedom. It must be so tiring to try to keep up with the trends.

(25) After almost seven years of studying I still type with just four fingers. I never learned to use all of them.

And now I'm tired! Time for lunch!