Monday Quiz About Me

I’ve missed a few weeks…

1. July is National Ice Cream month… Are you celebrating?
You know, I really haven’t been eating enough ice cream this summer. That needs to change!

I love froyo!

2. What is your favorite rainy day activity?
Going to the movies.

gonna see this tomorrow…

3. What is the one book from high school that you remember reading most?
Lord of the Flies.

4. Have you ever visited Charleston, SC?
Yes! I even lived there for a year.

Sullivan’s Island in 2011 with my mom and brother

*****

1. Wednesday, July 24th is National Drive-Thru Day… Do you have any drive-thrus that you have a hard time passing?
I go to Wendy’s about once a week. Love me a chocolate Frosty.

2. Other than signing your name, when was the last time you physically wrote something?
I write notes all the time.

3. What was the first movie you saw in a movie theater? The latest one?
The first one I remember was Snow White… Most recent was The Heat.

4. Have you ever visited Disney?
Yes, when I was three and six.

*****

1. What is your favorite pair of shoes?
Old Navy flip flops.

2. Do you get embarrassed easily?
I don’t think so…

3. What makes you cringe?
Nails on a chalkboard.

4. July 29th is National Lasagna day… Are you celebrating? What kind of lasagna do you prefer?
Nope… But I LOVE my mom’s lasagna!!

Bonus question for blog hoppers to answer:

5. How did you celebrate your last birthday?

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What’s something people might ask you for help with?
Travel planning or book recommendations.

2. What’s something you might ask someone else for help with?
French braiding my hair… LOL.

3. Did your family take summer vacations when you were a child? If so, where did you go? If you’re a parent, did/do you plan summer vacations with your own family? Did/do they resemble those you took as a child?
Yes, to Edisto Island in SC. I am not a parent but if I ever have kids they will definitely travel.

I’m pretty sure this was taken in Miami but… It’s a picture of me on a beach as a kid! 🙂

4. Pool, lake, ocean… Which one is most appealing to you on a hot summer day?
Pool for sure. But I don’t mind swimming in lakes, oceans, rivers, whatever!

Swimming in a lake on July 4th!

5. Have you ever justified using the expression, “you gotta be cruel to be kind”? Was it really necessary or were you rationalizing?
I haven’t used the expression but I can see when someone would… In a romantic situation.

6. The Journal of Psychology recently mentioned the results of a survey identifying the ten most hated foods as: liver, lima beans, mayonnaise, mushrooms, eggs, okra, beets, brussel sprouts, tuna, and gelatin. Of those foods, how many do you actually hate? Anything you’d add to the list?
The only one I really like on that list is okra. Fried okra is delicious!! I definitely do not like liver, mushrooms, eggs, beets, or tuna. The others are OK.

7. What’s your favorite book or movie set in a beach or lake town?
This is a hard one… Off the top of my head I would pick the movie The Beach! (And I’ve been to Ko Phi Phi, where it was filmed, which is totally crowded and trashy… Literally!)

8. Insert your own random thought here.
Wish the rain would go away! See how flooded my normal swimming hole is…

Throwback Thursday

Almost three years ago exactly (April 10, 2013) I threw my BFF Breanna a bachelorette party in Greenville, SC complete with penis cookies, fun accessories, a fancy dinner, silly games, and lots of drinking and dancing.

Sunday Social

1. What is your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
Take a nap, read, watch a TV show or movie…

2. What is your favorite thing to do on a summer weekend?
Be outside swimming somewhere!

Sliding Rock is so fun

3. What is your favorite spring activity?
Steeplechase (a horse race)! Already got my dress for this year…

4. What is your favorite way to spend a winter day?
Well if it’s snowing then sledding!

5. What is your favorite season and why?
Fall! I love the weather, the fashion, Halloween…

6. What is the best birthday you ever had?
Hmmm that’s a hard one. They’ve all been pretty good!

my 30th

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Do you play games of luck/chance for money? Have you ever played bingo for money? Visited a casino? Placed a bet on a horse? Bought a lottery ticket?
All of the above! Haven’t played bingo or bought a lottery ticket very many times or in a long time for that matter. Casinos/slots are fun, especially in Vegas! I love betting on horses… I have been to the track in Dallas and Seoul and every year I go to Steeplechase.

Vegas 2008

Lone Star Park 2009

Steeplechase 2010… It’s all about the hats

2. Will you be preparing and/or dining on the traditional corned beef and cabbage meal this St. Patrick’s Day? Mashed, baked, hash browned, french fried… Your favorite way to have potatoes?
No, I will be making bangers and mash and Lucky Charms cupcakes! I like potatoes any kind of way.

3. What’s the last thing you felt ‘green with envy’ over?
Women who are naturally skinny… Not fair!

4. What’s at the end of your rainbow?
A pot of gold obviously… I could really use it.

5. March 12th marks the anniversary of the death of Anne Frank. Anne’s diary detailing her time spent hiding from the Nazis during the war ranks as one of the best-selling books of all time. Besides your blog, do you keep any sort of diary or journal? Was this a habit you developed as a child or is journaling something new for you?
My blog is my journal. As a kid and teenager I did keep diaries though. I have them all in a trunk. It’s hilarious to read through them. I even wrote really bad poetry!

6. What’s an item in your home or closet that contains every color of the rainbow?
I have a rainbow flag that says PACE that I got in Italy. (Pace is my last name but it also means “peace” in Italian.)

7. Write a limerick with you as the subject.
There once was a girl named Jen
She’d been wanting a job since who knows when
Finally she has one
So much shopping to be done
Heck yes, can I get an amen!

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I got a free ARC of Jeanette Walls’ new book in the mail yesterday… Super excited!!

We Want to Know Wednesday

1. Are you affected by the “Winter Blues”? Does winter drag on where you live?
We’ve had pretty good weather this winter but I’ve still been depressed. I think that has more to do with my life/job situation though. 😦 And I want it to snow just once!!

2. What is spring like where you live, and when does it arrive?
It’s like spring in any other place with four seasons I suppose… It comes at the end of March, with lots of rain and flowers.

3. Do you have plans for spring break or an upcoming vacation?
My spring break is next week! I will be starting a new job, which I am thankful for since I’ve been looking for one for awhile! I am going to Chicago for a long weekend after the semester is over though (beginning of May).

4. Have you ever done a true spring break to a beach somewhere to party?
Yep! When I was a senior in high school. Unfortunately no pics but I do have some from “senior week” just a few months later (also in Myrtle Beach, SC)…

5. What is your favorite thing about spring?
Going to the Block House Steeplechase in April. It’s a tradition and annual high school reunion. Super excited this year since I missed the last two while I was living in Korea.

High 5 for Friday / Friday Favorite Things / Happies and Crappies / Fab Five Friday

1. I had a job interview on Monday. I haven’t heard back yet so I’m gonna assume I didn’t get it but I’m still holding out a little hope…

2. On Tuesday I took a road trip with my brother, sister-in-law, and their friend. We stopped in Concord on the way and had lunch at Olive Garden (I chose something from their “Lighter Italian Fare” menu… good job me), watched a commercial being filmed at Outdoor World, enjoyed some froyo, and played games at Dave & Buster’s. Then we continued on to Chapel Hill where we had dinner at Spanky’s before the Carolina vs. Wake Forest basketball game.

3. Wednesday I took a hike and Riley came with me. How sweet! She loved climbing on all the logs.

4. Wednesday was also my BFF Tessa’s birthday. She lives in Tampa so I couldn’t celebrate with her but I’m meeting her in Chicago in May. 🙂

NYC

Washington DC

Baltimore

Charleston, SC

St. Pete Beach, FL

Caribbean Cruise

5. Yesterday I got my student loan check in the mail, and bought my plane ticket to Greece! I will be spending September 21-30 in Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos. I booked an awesome place to stay in Athens yesterday too: City Circus Hostel.

As for the crappies this week…

I’ve been pretty depressed. Being on a budget and a diet means I am basically not leaving my house. I’ve been feeling really antisocial anyway so the plans I’ve had I’ve cancelled. I feel like I’m never going to find a job in a library and I’m wasting $50,000 on my master’s degree… Pity party for me!

Sunday Stealing

1. What were you doing 10 years ago?
Living in an apartment with my friend Rheannon, going to college, and working at Goody’s.

2. By this time next year, I…
Will have an awesome job and my own apartment.

3. Do you think the United States will elect a female president in your lifetime? Do you think this would be a good thing?
Yes I think so and of course it will be a good thing!

4. Which fictional TV show character you would shag anytime?
Tyrion from Game of Thrones.

5. Who is your greatest enemy?
I have a few…

6. Tell me about your most recent trip of more than 100 miles?
I went to visit Laura in Columbia, SC to watch the Golden Globes.

7. Which do you use more often, the dictionary or the thesaurus?
I use Google to make sure I spell words correctly.

8. Do you have a nickname? What is it?
Jen is short for Jennifer…

9. What are you dreading at the moment?
Nothing!

10. Do you worry that others will judge you from reading some of your answers?
No.

11. If you find an outfit you love but the size on the label is larger than you want, do you buy the outfit? Why or why not?
If it fits me then of course.

12. Even the biggest slackers are anal retentive about something. What are you anal-retentive about?
Lots of things. Everything in my bedroom has to be perfectly arranged.

13. Out of all the books you read as a child, which one had the biggest influence on how you are today?
I think all the books I loved as a kid made me a lifetime reader and inspired me to pursue my master’s in library science. The Berenstain Bears were my favorite.

14. Which Golden Girl would you want to spend a night on the town with?
Blanche!

15. What is the one product you would never buy in its generic form even if the generic is half the price?
I am pretty picky about ranch dressing… This is the best ever:

16. How old were you when you stopped believing in Santa?
My dad told me he wasn’t real when I was five… Jerk!

17. What is the one smell that turns your stomach without fail?
Vinegar.

18. If someone holds out a carton of milk to you and asks you to sniff it to see if its spoiled, do you?
Sure.

19. You have a completely free day and $2000; what are you doing?
Assuming I have to spend it in this day then I would go shopping, to a fancy dinner, and to the spa.

20. What is the most used item in your home?
My computer!

Weekend Update

Friday I got a facial and went to dinner with friends at Olive Garden. I had a frozen strawberry mango margarita, zuppa toscana, lasagna fritta, and parmesan crusted stuffed chicken with garlic parmesan mashed potatoes. YUM!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday afternoon I went to visit my friend Bobby in prison. He cracked me up with a story about how he got to go to Burger King with a chaplain and didn’t even remember how to order. Then I went home and watched American Horror Story while eating some delicious white chili cooked by my stepsister Ruth. Then I drove two hours to Columbia, SC to visit my friend Laura. We watched Magic Mike.

Sunday Laura and I went to brunch, walked along the West Columbia River Walk, got cupcakes, and watched the Golden Globes! I was happy with most of the winners but really disappointed by the dresses. I didn’t even have a favorite!

Saturday 9

1. Who or what sleeps with you?
My boyfriend and cat.

2. Last time you saw your high school best friend?
A year ago… We are still best friends but I live in Korea and haven’t been home in a year!

breanna and me

3. What do you do when you’re sad?
Cry, mope, eat, sleep.

4. What do you wear when you are relaxing around the house?
Pajamas!

5. What did you do immediately after high school?
Went to Senior Week in Myrtle Beach, had a fun summer hanging out with friends, and then went to college in the fall!

jennifer, lena, me, megan, and breanna at senior week

6. Is anyone on your bad side right now?
One of my friends just bailed on our girls 30th birthday cruise because she stopped drinking. I’m a little offended that she can’t hang out with her friends or take a vacation without being wasted.

7. What’s the first thing you do when you get online?
Check my email.

8. What jewelry are you wearing?
None, except my nose ring.

9. Post a current song that you like. (Or name it and tell us why you like it.)
I am really behind on what songs are popular in America, or Korea for that matter… I’ll catch up soon when I go home!