Ex Libris

Because I took the time to write it… and haven’t posted many blogs lately… I thought, why not just post it here. Though there will be no tagging of people as per the rules of the game, as I don’t think I can really do that with WordPress.

1. I know I am only really happy with life when I have a good balance of the three spheres – mental, physical, and social. My perfect weekend day would involve waking up, lazing around for a bit and engaging my mental sphere (a book, a video game, a movie, writing), then taking my dog for a hike (preferably with company), coming home for a little more cerebral goodness (preferably something different than the first), and then heading out with a group of friends for some sort of general mayhem and revelry.

2. My favorite body lotions tend to be cucumber melon and other things inspired by fruits. I simply love the smell of it. I’m not one to wear strong odors (perfume) but I do like the sort of subtle smells of body lotions and body mists.

3. I used to not be the sort of person have a lot of bottles of stuff in the bathroom, but very recently I noticed I have gathered quite the collection of “products”. I am not sure how I manage to use them all, but I squint at them and can’t think of which I would throw out.

4. I am not a person who gets tired out very easily. I tend to build on what I have done. Using energy for me seems to create more energy, whereas, laziness tends to drain it. For example, if I make my morning work out, I will have a spring in my step the rest of the day, and if I don’t, I’ll feel lethargic. Every once and awhile this catches up to me… like sleeping 11 hours every day in Hawaii… but rarely.

5. I have somewhere in the realm of 4-or-500 books. 10 of these books are probably worth more than the others combined because they are antiques. I tend to batter my books a bit, and frequently write in them if they make me think. I will happily lend any but the antiques (even the signed ones, I only ever get signatures as an excuse to meet the author), and encourage you to write in them.

6. I lose my temper easily at times, but I can’t hold a grudge. I have tried, and it only lasts for so long. I don’t really want to, anyway, because there is nothing to be gained with anger, but I think some people have probably gotten nice-ness from me who don’t deserve it.

7. I scored ENFP (Extrovert – Intuitive – Feeling – Perceiving, as opposed to Introvert – Sensing – Thinking – Judging) on the Kiersey temperament score recently. I scored almost identically on E and I, though, and this has to do with the dichotomy of my being both incredibly shy and having an incredible love of people/company. If I can manage it, I will never live alone and always be surrounded by friends (or beat my head against my shyness to make friends with the people around me, so sometimes it’s a long, slow process), but at the same time, I know I keep a lot inside, which often lends people to saying I am hard to read.

8. I have a goal to visit all the continents by the time I am 30. If I can’t afford that Antarctic cruise though… I will forgive myself.

9. I have delicate eardrums/sinuses (though ‘exceptional’ hearing) and thinly-enameled teeth. These two things have caused me most of the health problems I have had in my life. Though I have also developed an allergy to the Santa Ana winds… Other than that, I am a very healthy person. I require no regular medications, have text book levels of everything (or low), and it requires me working beyond recommended limits for cardio exercises to get winded/start sweating.

10. If I could do anything really well (professional level) that I can’t do really well now, it would be sing. I have always loved to sing, but I’ve always wished I could sing in such a way that would actually move people.

11. I have never had a favorite song until I heard Beirut’s “The Penalty”. Now I find I listen to it almost daily. It is wistful and bittersweet, quiet but hopeful. It seems to me to be all about understanding that the greatest journeys in life must often be gone on alone, but that those we love are always somewhere waiting with the light on for us. For this wanderer, it is a comfort.

12. Despite how different the various members of my family are, we all love the ocean, and we all have a curiosity and adventurous spirit that draws us to travel. We are probably kelpies or something, and one day will slip back into the sea.

13. Believe it or not, I genuinely enjoy eating healthy food. I don’t have to force myself to do it or do it only because it is healthy. My body reacts to things like “ooo fresh” and “ooo full of nutrients” with very happy thoughts and feelings. This is not to say I don’t ever eat bad food… egg rolls and chocolate will probably kill me… But avoiding it is not just something I do just for the sake of my health.

14. I’m not a person to wear their heart on their sleeve when it comes to matters of romance. I don’t fall for people quickly or easily, but I love a good love story, so it’s not cynicism. I do love people very easily, though, and care very deeply about all of my friends, and even passing acquaintances.

15. I love antique aesthetics, which is probably tied into my love of and fascination with history. My aesthetics appreciate clean lines with dark woods and rich stone and tile work, leather and brocade upholstery, Asian influenced styles, and things like they seem like they could belong in the court at Versailles or in the lounge area of an African hunting lodge.