I was thinking of how many of my recently shared facts have backstories or caveats or further thoughts attached to them. So I thought I’d share a few.

1. I have studied 5 different languages: French, German, Russian, Spanish & Old English.
I also speak a handful of Mandarin (can you speak a handful of something?) and soon Arabic. Language and linguistics fascinate me. My most fond class memory from university is of an hour-long lecture devoted to Taboo Words and Their Role in Society or something like that.

2. I can’t play baseball. Not at all. I can’t throw, I can’t catch, and I don’t know how to connect the bat to the ball.
My favourite sports are soccer and ultimate frisbee. I love them both. Except for when they result in my getting dirty. I don’t handle dirt well, especially when combined with being either cold or wet.

3. I was instrumental in the breaking of my little brother’s arm.
I am not a violent person – we were standing on stairs, and I stepped on the towel he was dragging…he tugged on it, and when I lifted my foot, he pulled & fell backwards onto a cement floor.

4. I have kept a journal of some sort since I was 16. That adds up to a lot of books. They are all in my closet, and I rarely look at them, but when I do…it makes me happy.
I am not always super-honest in my journals. I’m honest – but I don’t always write down the stuff I am ashamed of. Ironically, my memory is good enough that I can usually fill in the blanks, eight years later.

5. In grade 8, I won the Music Award for my amazing baritone skills.

I have also, at one time or another, played the piano, trumpet, penny whistle, and guitar. I desperately want to learn to play the harmonica too.

6. I love going to new places and different cultures. Once I go to Asia and Australia, I’ll have been to all the major continents. I am going to Africa this spring, and am uber-excited.
I had a dream about going to Africa last night.

9. I am still a little bit afraid of the dark.
Irrational, I know. I am also afraid of the woods during the day. I blame it on the fact that I was once chased by a moose, which is a whole other story.

17. I would rather be blind than deaf, because I can’t imagine my life without music or eavesdropping.
I don’t know if this is entirely true. I really like seeing and reading. But everyone picks deaf over blind, and I am legitimately torn, so I side with blind.

19. I am too impatient to be really good at most things.
Like all the musical instruments I’ve learned, or sports, or computer-related things.

20. I want to publish a book or stories or poetry someday. Preferably soon.
I am not sure if self-publishing is a good thing, because I really could publish anytime I want, or a bad thing, because the quality would be that much worse. And no circulation. What’s the point of publishing if it doesn’t make me famous!?

21. I get a little bit giggly over Colin Firth and Pierce Brosnan, even though they are both old enough to be my father.
I generally giggle about boys. I am sometimes annoyed with this trait, but it seems deeply ingrained.

23. The exceptions to #22 are ultimate frisbee, photography, creative writing, and babies.
I really like babies. A lot. I like them more than I like older children. Older children are annoying – this dismissive attitude is probably proof that I am not ready to be a mom.

25. If I were to summarize my life in seven words (as JFarq once asked of me), they would be: Jesus makes my life worth living.
I can count, really. It’s actually six words. Even more succinct