101 'Amy'isms', just because... (get some tea, it's a good read)

1. I'm obsessed with tweezing hairs, period. Regardless of where they are, however the peskiest of them all are the random face/neck/chin hairs. GOD HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR!

2. I've been known to offer to tweeze someone else's random hair upon noticing it, drives people nuts & they think I'm insane. (they're probably right)

3. I love the smell of 'Sexy For Him' by Victoria's Secret... good God all mighty, DROOL CITY!

4. I will only burn Yankee Candles & usually only prefer the home baked goodies types of scents... although my fav is Macintosh.

5. Mac's are also my computer of choice.

6. I talk way too much, I should probably listen more.

7. I still giggle like a silly person whenever I see Ruby's name on anything... (ie: prescriptions, social security card, early intervention paperwork, etc...) just LOVE seeing it in PRINT!

8. Love the smell of baby powder but only when freshly sprinkled on freshly clean baby toosh... (C'MON LITTLE NUTTER, AUNTIE WANTS TO CHANGE A TEENIE DIAPER!)

9. I love to read but ironically enough have a difficult time keeping up with my book club.

10. I knit, but only scarves & only the knit stitch.

11. I sculpt with polymer clay & have been known to make a Christmas ornament or two.

12. I see (but mostly hear) dead people... no lie. It's mainly my own relatives but have been known to occasionally hear from someone who has passed while I'm in the presence of their living relatives. Weird things get told to me, and as I know this is a gift to be able to hear these things, in my heart I know that I must relay them to whoever they're for. Things may not make sense right away but eventually, everyone I've ever done this for has found validation in what was said. Of course, you start telling people you're hanging out with that their dead relatives are speaking to you and, well... things generally tend to get a tad bit weird. Understandably... & instantly whoever it is I'm speaking to, looks at me funny & wants to go home. LOL Hey, don't kill the messenger.

13. I type far too fast (as told to me by my friend Jen, little mister Nutter's Momma!)

14. I have tea & toast nearly every morning for breakfast.

15. I can count my closest friends on one hand but am beyond proud to have each & every one of them in my life.

16. I love my parents more than they know.

17. I sit & stare at Ruby at least once a day & wonder what I did right in this world to deserve her. I am in awe most days...

18. I love to laugh.

19. I tend to stay friends with ex's.

20. I still am close to & talk with my recent ex's mother... she's a doll.

21. I have MS, but MS doesn't have me.

22. I have a fantastic family who I'm blessed to still have around.

23. I miss my deceased relatives, but my Nonna is still here, she never left. Only physically. (CIAO NONNA! TI AMO TANTISSIMO PER SEMPRE!)

24. I love my TiVo & never watch shows when they're actually on, who the hell DOES that anymore anyways? Oops, I'm sorry, probably all you 'dial up'ers huh? MY BAD! LOL

25. I LOVE THE RED SOX & HATE THE YANKEES! (get over it)

26. I own two autographed photos of Jason Varitek #33 *DROOL*

27. Favorite tv shows are: Dexter, House, Desperate Housewives, The Class, How I Met You're Mother, Two & a Half Men, Men in Trees. (in no particular order)

28. I have a MEGA CRUSH on Hugh Laurie!!! (age tis' but a number!)

29. I HATE TO FLY! (yet I hopped several planes & trekked my ass to China & back... ah, the things we do for LOVE!)

30. I have been in love before.

31. I have never been married or engaged.

32. I drink a crapton of water every day.

33. Is the age I was when I first held my daughter in my arms.

34. Is how old I currently am even though most days I feel like a kid.

35. I've been a nanny for so long now that if I had to do something other than that as my profession, I don't know what I'd do!

36. I am always honest to everyone about everything. (that pisses some people off)

37. I make a mean risotto.

38. I actually love to cook anything & everything. I can bake & enjoy it from time to time but prefer cooking & rarely measure. I guess you could say I'm a chip off the old RR's block HOWEVER, she's clearly skinnier than me.

39. I show people how much I care about them through the meals I prepare. Food is love.

40. I love my back being rubbed, it rarely happens but when it does (thanks Karen) it's fantastic!

41. I love my friends more than they know.

42. I still get giddy whenever I buy a brand new box of Crayola's... mmmmm who doesn't love the smell of a fresh box of CRAYONS!

43. Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of GOT'CHA day for Ruby & Me... WOW.

44. Sometimes I think that it's odd how I don't mind at all putting my thoughts in such a public forum for anyone to read.

45. Every day I worry about Ruby's future.

46. Sunday's are my LAZY day. (I'm still in my pj's from last night & it's 5:33pm.)

47. I love getting snail mail, it makes me giddy. (letter writing is a lost art)

48. I don't wear perfume, only bath & body works warm vanilla sugar lotions & spray's & shampoo/conditioner etc...

49. If I were to wear perfume someday, it would be 'LIGHT BLUE' by Dolce & Gabbana.

50. I can't believe that in less time than it takes me to change Ruby's diaper I've just rattled off 50 things about myself, see, I told you... I talk too much & type too fast. hee hee

51. I need to lose more weight.

52. I miss those friends who have dropped by the wayside.

53. I still think of them from time to time.

54. I think my daughter has the most perfect hair on the planet.

55. I once started the process to undergo gastric bypass surgery, but changed my mind & decided to lose the weight the old fashioned way... with patience, discipline & hard work.
(didn't want to be some one's science project & get all hacked up, thanks but I'll pass.)

56. I wasn't as disciplined or hard working as I had hoped.

57. Sometimes, if I am left alone with my thoughts for too long, I start to cry because I realize that I am the only parent Ruby has & that scares me.

58. I love my little niece Isabella, she's a goddamned doll baby and she's walking now even though I haven't seen her in action yet. (I know she's diggin' those squeaky shoes I got her in China)

59. I used to have gel nails but got rid of them prior to adopting. Who has time?

60. I'm selfish when it comes to sleeping, I like my bed to MYSELF. (I can, however, share with my little doodle bug when she's sick & LOVE doing so.)

61. Sometimes at night before drifting off to sleep, I wonder who in the world is thinking of me at that exact moment? Maybe you...?

62. I hate politics & never once voted a day in my life. Sorry, I know it's a privilege however, I don't understand any of it & feel that it's my vote to make so until I understand what it is I'm voting for, never once will I mark down some one's name just because 'so & so' suggested I do so. Comprende?

63. I think most people are good, but I also think most people are two meltdowns away from crossing that proverbial line.

64. I love my glasses... I no longer like my face without them.

65. I wonder if I'll ever find love again & get married someday?

66. I wonder what questions Ruby will have for me when she can finally start articulating her thoughts better.

67. I am planning to take Ruby back to China when she turns 10. I think it is important that she see where she came from.

68. I love reading other adoptive families blogs.

69. I said a prayer the other night for Christi & Abbey's safe return home... God listened.
(one peek at her post about the bag-o-vomit during the flight back & you just KNOW GOD HAS to have a SENSE OF HUMOR!) Welcome home you two... glad you arrived safe & sound!

70. I CAN'T STAND GUACAMOLE! (bogus nasty green shit, BLECK!)

71. I no longer drink alcohol.

72. Is the year I was born, man I'm gettin' up there...

73. I used to drink alcohol every Saturday night out with the girls (and by girls I mean Jen & company...) and we'd be known for ordering RED DEATHS! (usually by the half dozen)

74. Sometimes mornings after a shot, I wake up with numb arms from the elbow's down.

75. I once woke up with useless arms altogether. Literally two hanging hunks of flesh. Didn't get them to move for over an hour... which normally I'd have been kewl with BUT I HAD TO PEE AND I HAD ON PJ'S WITH PANTS!

76. I now wear only NIGHTGOWNS to bed just because of that.

78. I miss Ebenezer... I wish he was still here with me physically. I need an Ebby hug.

79. I love both chocolate & bread but if I had to give one up for the rest of my life, chocolate would go.

80. My favorite number is 13... always has been. Guess it's an Italian thing.

81. I can speak Italian & hold my own with relatives... it's more than I can say for my genius of a brother. (sorry Adam, but you could still learn you know, it's never too late)

82. I would like to learn how to play piano someday.

83. Maybe Ruby & I will both take lessons together someday & give my mother's Steinway a reason for being downstairs other than for holding up picture frames.

84. I wish I remembered my Nanna. (my Mother's Mother.)

85. I wish I had her gift for playing piano by ear.

86. I hope I tell Ruby enough & share enough & document enough so that one day, when I'm no longer here, she'll have answers to things she wonders about.

87. My favorite sandwich is peanut butter & jelly.

88. I only buy all natural peanut butter; ingredients: peanuts & salt.

89. Less is more...

90. I HATE KNICK NACKS! (sorry Mom)

91. I doubt I'd ever be as brave as my friend Karen... I don't think I would've ever shaved my head. You're my hero woman.

92. I love that I can be privy to watching two of my closest friends go through their pregnancies especially since I'll never have biological children. Jen & Kristina, you both ROCK! Can't wait for little mister MAN & little mister NUTTER!

93. I'm generous to a fault, even with strangers.

94. I never wear socks, always barefoot or sandals. Only shoes/boots in winter when absolutely necessary.

95. I love the cold, hate the heat.

96. I wish I had the funds & the room to adopt once more.

97. I'd love to be a contestant on Deal or No Deal, yes, I said it... two reasons: 1. I'd give Howie Mandel a BIG ASS BEAR HUG! (gotta love a germophobe) and 2. I'D TELL THE BANKER TO BITE MY ASS! *grin* (& probably leave with .50 cents. LOL)

98. If I ever did get on that show & won any substantial amount of money, I'd give most of it to my parents & just save enough to get Ruby & I a newer, safer car.

99. I'm a VW girl & only drive stick shifts.

1oo. I know how to make homemade limoncello (thanks Dad!) but never once would drink it myself.

101. I would love for 101 other bloggers to take what I've done here right now & do it on their own blogs... it's pretty cathartic. For those of you who do choose to do it, just go with your thoughts. As you can see from mine, there was no real rhyme or reason to it, I just jotted things down as they came to me & honestly I could probably think of 101 more but really, for now... this is enough. =) Oh, and be sure to let me know if you've done 101'you ism's because you KNOW I'd love to check em'out.

-Amy

PS. If you haven't seen Vicious Circle (HBO SPECIAL) or the recently aired COMIC RELIEF 2006, OMFG WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Seriously... in honor of my LOVE for a fellow MASSHOLE, I give you Dane Cook's RANDOM BITS'N'PIECES... ENJOY!