I have one other meme to post, thanks to my friend Anastasia from The Gift. This one is fairly straightforward. I just have to share seven random facts about myself and then tag seven other people to do the same. Here are “the rules”:

And here are seven random things about me:

1. I can eat a lot. I mean – like a ridiculous amount of food. I have always been able to eat a lot and have amazed people far and wide with this gluttonous prowess. Okay – so that’s a huge exaggeration. But it’s true that I can eat like a lumberjack and I have raised a few eyebrows on more than one occasion. And my “talent” has only been called into question once. The Tombs in Georgetown has (or had – it’s been a while) this amazing chocolate chip cookie pie. I once boasted to some friends that I could eat the whole pie in one sitting. One particular naysayer named Kevin was having none of it. In the course of the debate, I developed a strategy for accomplishing this feat. I did concede that it would be a challenge – but with some training and preparation, I could definitely do it. The way I saw it, I could expand my stomach by eating as much as possible for a week or two. Then my body would be used to consuming large quantities of food in one sitting. THEN, on the day of the “event,” I would fast. So I would be ravenous by the time I picked up my fork. There would be no time limit on the pie eating – so I could pace myself. I’d have to make sure that I didn’t eat too quickly and make myself feel sick, but I would also have to make sure that I didn’t allow myself to start feeling too full before I was done. It wouldn’t be easy, but I felt pretty confident. Of course I never actually did this. That would be gross.

2. I have a very strong loner streak. I LOVE being by myself. I can spend a whole day out running errands and not say one word to anyone (with the exception of the required pleasantries with retail staff). It takes a lot for me to feel lonely. But at the same time, I have many friends and a very active social life – so most people wouldn’t know that I am such a hermit at heart. My children of course, have put an end to any significant amount of alone time. But I’d like to think that this quality will help me survive the inevitable defection of my children once they become teenagers and prefer not to be seen with me anymore.

3. I have infinite patience for children. Even my own. Which is saying a lot. When it comes to other people’s kids – they can do no wrong. I tend to think bad behavior is funny. Mainly because I know that all kids act up every once in a while and assume that whatever tantrum I’m witnessing isn’t a reflection of the child’s everyday personality. While I have to be a bit less understanding of my own children’s bad behavior, I still don’t let it bother me too much. The good always outweighs the bad, so I just power through whatever unpleasant scene they choose to play out. And it helps that as the director, I do have the option to yell “cut” and throw everyone into their rooms for a time out.

4. The most amazing invention that I’ve ever seen is the digital camera. What I mean by this is that the first time I saw one, I was actually “amazed.” We’ve reached a point in history when true technological breakthroughs aren’t all that accessible for regular joes. Computer chips and wireless technology aren’t something that we can see. And even though I’ve had a first sighting of computers, cell phones, microwaves, etc. in my life, that technology developed slowly. It’s not like we went from telling the operator the number we would like to call to picking up a tiny cell phone. Computers have taken a long time to become so slim and portable. But cameras are something else. They’ve been small for a long time. They’ve had fancy features for a long time. But to be able to take a picture and then look at a screen immediately afterward? I had never seen anything like it before. We really did go from polaroid prints to digital images – and that’s a big leap. It’s not everyday that you see something that makes you open your eyes really wide and say, “oh my god – look at that!” So when it does happen, it’s pretty thrilling.

5. I never recognize famous people. I’ve had many opportunities during the time that I’ve lived in cities, and generally have to be informed by someone else that I just brushed elbows with a celebrity. I have a few good stories about this, but the first time that I didn’t immediately recognize a star happened when I was fifteen. I was in New York with my family and we were doing a little window shopping on Fifth Avenue. While in Barney’s, I saw a woman that looked really familiar. She was tall and had tons of hair, and there was something very glamorous about her. Suddenly it came to me. She was the actress who played Hope on Days of Our Lives. I was a big fan of soap operas at the time and was feeling rather starstruck. I surreptitiously followed “Hope” around trying to decide if it really was her. I even got into the same elevator. And there was no denying it. Those high cheekbones and bold eyebrows were too much of a giveaway. Anyway – I was way too cool to ask for an autograph or try to talk to her, so I just perused the nearby racks while she shopped. It was only after she left that I discovered my mistake. The sales girls were all clumped together talking about her, and as I passed I head one of them say to a newcomer, “did you hear? Booke Shields was just here.” Sigh. Nothing has changed. I’m still hopeless when it comes to this.

6. I went to the Top Gun premiere at the Kennedy Center. I grew up in DC and my father was the creative director for an agency that did some kind of promotional work for the movie. It was very exciting. I was around fourteen at the time, and had never been to a black tie event before. As would be expected, everyone was looking for the star, and I was no exception. I loved Tom Cruise (obviously this was before his days of jumping up and down on talk show couches and berating women for using medication to treat post partum depression). At one point I decided to go up to a balcony to see if I could spot his location in the crowd. As it turns out I had been right next to him! I just didn’t realize it. After that, an up close view was impossible. Cocktails were over and the movie was starting. It was fairly anticlimactic – but it was probably the first time that I had the “well what the hell would I say to him anyway?” conversation in my head. That one you have when you see someone famous and debate whether you should approach them or not.

7. I have a killer idea for a gay club. A theme I mean. A gay MEN’S club I mean (although there could be a gay women’s version as well…I’ll have to give that some thought). Anyway – I had this idea a while ago and actually did run it by a few gay guys that I know. They thought it was genius (remember, I’m an idea person – so this should come as no surprise). Sadly, Chris’ reaction to the topic of my amazing idea for a gay bar ranges from eye rolling to obvious fear that I will say something in public and embarrass him (hi honey!). So I don’t think I’m ever going to get this baby off the ground. And now I suppose you want to know idea. Well – I’m not telling. I can say that I’ll never do anything with it, but at the end of the say, I don’t believe in “never.” So if you have a lot of money to invest in a gay bar that is purely theoretical with no business plan of any kind, let me know.

Now – here are seven people that I’m tagging:

1. Carolyn from Carolyn…Online
2. Heidi from Fancy Feet
3. Nicole from Digs and Adventures of an East Coast Chick Turned Midwest Mom
4. Christy from Fiona Foo
5. Kirsten from The Norwindians
6. Connie from The Young & the Relentless
7. Heidi from Life in Pink

If you’ve already done this one, I apologize. If I mistakenly assumed you already have and didn’t tag you – feel free to be an honorary #8. And if you don’t like memes, don’t worry – I understand and won’t be offended if choose to ignore this completely.

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