the new way...

This was, formerly, a prose mini-biography. However, I'm feeling that a list might be the way to go. So here's a list of things about me. Call me a narcissist. It's OK. This is a personal website, so I am writing about what I know... and that's me. Please pardon the fact that most sentences will begin with "I." It irks me, so I might irk someone else.

not-so-vital statistics

1. I'm first-generation Polish and am fluent in speaking, reading and writing the language.
2. I'm the eldest of four children - two younger brothers and the youngest sibling is a sister.
3. My wisdom teeth only started coming in a few years ago and I had them extracted at the age of 27.
4. I've never had a broken bone. Correction: I apparently broke the second toe on my right foot by walking into a corner a few years ago. I thought it was a bad bruise, but recent X-rays confirm that it was broken and set and healed a bit crooked, so I now have a semi-deformed toe.
5. I was born on 4/4. This makes it easy to tell my birthday to Europeans and non-Europeans alike since the date and month are the same whether you use MM/DD/YY or DD/MM/YY.
6. This makes me an Aries.
7. My shoes are anywhere between a size 6.5 and 8, depending on the shoe and manufacturer. Usually, I'm just a size 7.
8. I enjoy my Netflix subscription.
9. There are two perfumes I wear and which my friends recognize as "my" scents: Kenzo's L'eau par Kenzo and Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue.
10. I used to have two cats - Kishi and Midget - but they contracted feline leukemia and had to be put to sleep.
11. I have a B.A. from NYU in English and I minored in Creative Writing.
12. I am currently pursuing taking a leave of absence from pursuing an MLIS (Master's of Library and Information Sciences) from Florida State University online. My discretionary income isn't that high and this is really an expensive hobby, when push comes to shove.
13. I color my hair whenever I get bored with my life or appearance - every 3 months or so.
14. I am nearsighted and usually wear glasses because I'm too lazy to put in my contacts.
15. I've never smoked a cigarette or any plant substance wrapped in paper.
16. I've never been drunk - I've been buzzed, but that's the extent of it.
17. I like learning things.
18. I read voraciously.
19. I'm a good cook.
20. I am a good hostess.
21. I'm a good baker.
22. I would probably make a good 50s housewife because of the previous three items.
23. I don't think I'll ever get married.
24. I don't want to have children - I'm too selfish.
25. I really love children and hope that my siblings procreate so I have nieces and nephews to spoil rotten.
26. I can't wait to have my own place again so I can get a cat.
27. My favorite nail polish shade is Essie's Mademoiselle.
28. I am vapid enough to have a favorite nail polish, favorite laundry detergent, etc.
29. I have a penchant for cheesy sci-fi/fantasy action movies (like Van Helsing, Underworld, Batman, Pitch Black, Resident Evil, Barbarella, etc.)
30. I also like the movie versions of Jane Austen novels.
31. BUT I also like foreign films, documentaries, and lots of other things that aren't Jane Austen movies, or cheesy sci-fi pics.
32. I learned to knit on New Year's Day 2005 by using a book.
33. I am a Notary Public in the State of New Jersey.
34. I am also an ordained minister in the Universal Life Church. That ordination took about 30 seconds online.
35. Despite this ordination, I don't subscribe to any religion; I just believe in being a decent person and doing things for others for the sake of being nice.
36. My favorite yogurt flavor is Stonyfield Farms Caramel Underground.
37. My favorite soups are vichysoisse and Manhattan clam chowder (that's the red kind).
38. I have my college diploma framed, but haven't put it up anywhere yet.
39. I am a regular blood donor (a "Member for Life") and my blood type is B Positive - much like the advice I often receive.
40. I really like the sound of rain on the roof and windows.
41. As of 10.27.06, I have only 203 bones in my body as a result of a proximal row carpectomy (removal of wrist bones) to relieve the pain of a condition called Kienböck's disease.
42. I get complimented on my handwriting more often than I'd ever imagine.
43. I have mild OCD - seriously.
44. I am in the process of cataloging my books online via LibraryThing.com. On 11.10.06, I was up to 859 titles logged.As of 1/28/07, I have cataloged 931 titles. OK, as of April 1, I've got 952 books present and accounted for, but many more in areas I can't reach at the moment.
45. There are currently 1321 songs on my iPod.
46. I named my iPod Izzy. Just because I can't have a real pet right now.
47. Unlike a great percentage of the population, I really love my job.
48. I don't like mushrooms, cauliflower, most fish (other than tuna steak), coffee or lamb.
49. I don't eat veal, but I will eat most other meat.
50. I love buying and using office supplies.
51. Recently, I've been tooling around in my first brand-new car ever - a "Galaxy Grey Mica" Mazda 3.
52. The car's best feature, quite simply, is the fact that with the purchase of a $20 adapter, I can plug my iPod into the car's sound system.
53. In my not-at-all-humble opinion, reality TV is the worst development of the last few years.
54. The sound of a person's voice -- the accent, timbre and speaking style and "isms"-- is a much stronger factor in deciding how I feel about a person than I'd like to admit. I've noticed (through some introspection and retrospection) that, generally speaking, the people I've been friends with for the longest time have voices I find very pleasant and enjoyable. A few years back, I struck up a friendship online with a guy and it fell apart after the first phone conversation since his voice was the most grating thing I'd ever heard.
55. I talk a lot. Not because I'm nervous, but because there's just a lot of stuff in my head.
    
    little me.

Me when I was a wee thing.