It’s been getting pretty heavy up in here for, oh, most of 2013.
So today, how about a break from that? Because frankly, I’m tired of writing about my feelings and about what I do behind closed doors in the bathroom.
Instead of a novel about how I appear to be in full-on flare-up mode again, or about how I feel wildly unprepared in any way to attempt to run the New York City Marathon in 18 days…
…I’ll instead provide you with 20 Facts You Never Knew About Me. In case that sort of thing interests you.
1. I am completely disgusted and horrified by baby powder and bar soap. The smell of baby powder makes me nauseous and I don’t know what the deal is with bar soap, but I’m repulsed by it. I am also creeped out by rubber gloves.
2. My favorite game to play with people, especially people I’ve just met, is “If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?” My answer is usually macaroni and cheese. Sometimes I go with pizza. Other times I’m in a chocolate souffle kinda mood.
3. Beyond that, I am obsessed with learning peoples’ life stories. I find it fascinating to learn how people got to where they are today.
4. Reading the phrase “holy yum” is enough to make me go mad.
5. Every time I spell “entrepreneurial” correctly on the first try, I feel a surge of pride. And I don’t mean to brag (yes, I do, actually), but I always get this one right.
6. In sixth grade, I made it to the state-level spelling bee in New Hampshire, which was obviously a huge deal. I was the second person called up to spell a word, and thus became the first person of the entire bee to be eliminated.
To this day, my deepest-darkest secret is the word I spelled incorrectly to get the boot. Becky Barker, this secret goes to the grave.
7. A not-so-secret fact about me is that I was a store model for Limited Too at the Steeplegate Mall in Concord, NH.
My BFF Becky and I did it together — because we did everything together — and we liked to stand really still in the windows, like mannequins, and then jump out at people and try to scare them as they walked by. I’ve always been very mature.
8. One of my greatest pet peeves is people who question elevators. Like when you’re going down, and it stops at a certain floor, and the person waiting on that floor looks at all the people packed on the elevator and asks, “Is this going down?” Hey lady, see the giant flashing green neon arrow pointing down that lit up when the elevator stopped for you? Yup, a down arrow means down. Idiots. Elevators are not difficult. Get on, face the door and be quiet.
9. I love spoilers. I don’t like suspense. I always read the back page of magazines first.
I sometimes read show recaps before I watch the actual episode, too. Go ahead and hate me for this one (Brian is furious about it): I watched three episodes of “Breaking Bad,” then read this, then watched the series finale live, and now I’m continuing to get through the show from the beginning. I like knowing how things are going to turn out so I’m not so stressed during every shootout.
10. I have never colored my hair or cut it any cool way. And yet sometimes I spend hours giving myself online makeovers, “just to see.”
11. Babies with pierced ears. No.
12. I can’t stand those “said no one ever” quotes people are always posting on Facebook. Maybe people do regret their workouts sometimes. I once went running on what I knew was a busted shin-thing, and I regretted that run, because the pain was so much worse afterward.
13. I usually prefer the cake to the frosting and the cookie to the cream.
14. The word “epic” makes me cringe. Because if everything is epic, then nothing is epic.
15. I love reckless cab drivers. Hit 60 mph going up Madison Avenue to get me home a few minutes earlier, and you’ve just boosted your tip by at least $2. The number of red lights you run is directly proportional to the size of your tip. Go loco, cabbie. You rock. Just don’t hit a cyclist, please.
16. I am not someone who looks like any celebrity, in my opinion. One time, a cab driver told me I looked like a hybrid of Jodie Foster and Dakota Fanning. A few people last year also told me I looked like some chick from “The Bachelor.”
17. I have never, and will never, watch “The Bachelor.”
18. The TV characters I relate to most are Claire Dunphy from “Modern Family” and Monica from “Friends.” They’re both really uptight. How charming.
19. I prefer sitting on the floor. As much as I love my new couch, I still find myself eating most of my meals on the comfort of my apartment’s wooden floor.
20. If I say, “I’m fine,” I’m definitely not fine.
NOW, SINCE I SAID IT’S MY FAVORITE GAME, YOU HAVE TO PLAY, TOO: If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
114 Responses
Your pants are back 🙂 http://www.express.com/clothing/printed+drawstring+track+pant/pro/1567962/cat2008
SO LATE TO THIS GAME, but Limited Too was my everything for so, so long, and I had that pansy pattern on shorts and a T. But I think the sunflower line was their best work.
You had me at pizza. PIZZA!!!!
One food: Ice cream.
I am also obsessed with learning about people’s lives and hearing their life story.
I’m a sit on the floor person too… and when I say I’m fine that is my Sunday Church answer.
mac ‘n cheese-for sure, even Kraft (a whole box) but pasta even more! with lots of garlic and parmesan cheese! Pure comfort and joy!
Would intolerances be null and void regarding this ONE food? Would I be deriving all my necessary nutrients from it?
I also love learning life stories. And nom nom kills holy yum in the cringe department.
So bummed you’re flaring. That really, really sucks.
I’m happy you have this comment section because as I was going through your list, I noticed that we have a lot in common! I was hoping to write you in hope for some motivational talk! Also, I was going to mention that I JUST asked a friend of mine that EXACT question yesterday. Coincidence? I think not. MY answer: A peanut butter cheesecake with crumbled Oreo toping. 🙂
It would either be mac and cheese or pizza. Grandma slice from my favorite pizzeria, naturally. My weird thing is I have being barefoot, even in my own apartment. My neighbor had a thorn tree (Why? Still don’t know) and when we were running barefoot one went up my foot… 1 1/2″ worth. I HATE the thought of anything hurting me feet again!!!
It’s a tie between pizza and ice cream. The pizza must be thick crust… not deep dish and definitely not thin crust. For the ice cream I need a few different flavors to mix together, preferably with a vanilla base. I’m picky and slightly uptight as well 🙂 It’s charming, right?!
That’s such a difficult question. I’m gonna go with mashed potatoes though. Even better would be potatoes with bacon and chives.
And I’m totally with you on being like Monica from Friends. I get compared to her quite a bit actually.
French fries, baked potatoes and broccoli!
LOVE the smell of baby powder *and* baby lotion.
You cracked me up about the elevator – so true!!
That is a tough question for someone who loves to eat. However, since it’s Fall… I will go with the Gobblerito – a specialty of a restaurant in Pittsburgh!
Basically, it’s Thanksgiving in a burrito – turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, & black beans wrapped up in a tortilla, covered w/gravy, & served w/cranberry sauce on the side.
It’s seriously amazing. Add in a Pumking to drink, and you are headed for one seriously satisfied nap after eating. 🙂
Happy Friday!
Bean and cheese burritos with guacamole!!!
And I hate the word “gutted”! A big one used in the triathlon world. Listen people you didn’t have the race you wanted but really “gutted”…it’s just a race!!
Pet peeve…people who can’t return their shopping carts to the proper place and just leaving then in the parking lot.
My all time, can’t live without food has got to be Fettuccine Alfredo. Maybe Stuffed Pork Chops (my mom would cook us whatever we wanted for our birthday meal to be and mine was always Stuffed Pork Chops). No, definitely Fettuccine Alfredo. As for hated words how about literally. It is so overused. For example: “Those stuffed pork chops my mom made were, like, literally the most epic I’ve ever had”.
Potatoes, for sure.
I also was in a spelling bee (in 6th grade) (but just in my town, and I got out on sort of purpose because I was MORTIFIED.)
Hello! Long time lurker, as I am a fellow colitis-sufferer. You have such a great blog. So upbeat, despite your downfalls,
And, I am a fellow State Spelling Bee participant, out in the first round. Oh yeah!
–Eva
Homemade pancakes FOR SURE. I signed up for my first half specifically because they promised pancakes for any finishers. And as a kid, they were my after school snack (not kidding).
Either pizza or pb&j sandwiches.
And Breaking Bad is worth it even if you’ve seen the finale…
I have so much to say about so many of these!!!!
2. veggies/hummus/tortilla chips! I realize those are three things but I always eat them simultaneously, so they are one food in my mind. And I love them and eat them every day.
6. My first thought after seeing the bold part was…I’m going to write XXXXXX in the comments!! Then I saw what you said so I won’t spoil it…although technically my name is no longer Becky Barker, so maybe I should spill the beans! D….just kidding!
7. I tell most people I meet this fun fact, and how cool we were trying to scare people hah
10. You wish you were cool enough to get a perm in 4th grade 🙂
11. Agreed! If I have a daughter she is never getting her ears pierced after my horrifying experience haha
18. I was always secretly mad at you for making me be Monica when we “played” Friends (oh my gosh we were so cool!) but now I’m totally like her and it always makes me laugh how uncool I thought she was
Miss you lots, can’t wait to hear about all the fun you have running around NYC!!! xoxo
Cheese.
LIKE YOU EVEN HAD TO ASK.
Honeycrisp apples and cheddar cheese – if you put them together it counts as one food, in my opinion
So many things I can agree with. Especially #4. and #13. I have only watched the Bachelor one season, because he was from my town. Had to watch that train wreck!!!!!!
Hmmm…I always have a tough time answering this question (clearly I’ve thought about it a lot haha) But I’d have to say Old Cheddar cheese and/or Granny smith apples.
Also…I’m an elementary school teacher and my kids use EPIC all the time and it kills me!!!!!
PS-I wasn’t a spelling bee nerd but I was a public speaking nerd who went to the provincial championships and game 2nd. I still have a slight dislike for the girl who won (guilty of slight jealousy as her topic was cheezy and dumb)
I miss mixed CDs!
Life without berries would be sad for me.
Fav food-birthday cake…..you know that gourmet kind from costco. Holy YUM .
I would absolutely choose macaroni and cheese! Also, Claire is awesome and she has Phil, who, let’s face it, is guaranteed to provide solid gold entertainment for life. “What’s the plan, Phil?”
holy yum…… almost as bad as “yummy yoga”……
Pizza. But it would have to be good pizza, as in NYC style pizza. None of that Domino’s/Pizza Hut/Papa John’s crap.
Also – pet peeve – and I don’t even know how to describe them – phrases? words? Obvi… Totes…. Oh Emm Gee… you know the ones. What happened to the rest of the word? Why is it unacceptable/uncool to use the whole word now? All I can think of is Valley Girl, snapping her gum away. Makes me cringe. Another pet peeve – people who overuse hashtags. Especially when they #hashtag#every#word#individually. Why? Why do that? Am I misunderstanding the point of the hashtag? Maybe I’m just old…!
Happy to say ‘holy yum’ has not made it’s way to Scotland yet…if it does I will do my very best to kill it dead before everyone starts using it!!!
Macaroni every time for me!! 🙂
hahahah “holy yum” makes me want to throw my computer on the floor. just stop!!!!!!
YES YES YES to #3, #8, and #14. The elevator one particularly drives me bonkers.
Soup! And if you asked me drink I’d tell you either gingerale or lemonade!
I hate all powder (texture thing)
Crackers with peanut butter or any nut butters.
I would probably choose “cereal”, because there’s quite a lot of variety in that, and I love breakfast food, and cereal is totally dinner right?
Now, off for a bowl of granola…(for lunch). Holy yum! [Sorry. Couldn’t resist.]
Part of my family has been in Jaffrey for many years. Beautiful area!
It would be pizza for the rest of my life, And where does the name Contoocook come from? I giggle every time I see the exit
Man oh man. I would have to say loaded mac and cheese with brussels sprouts or eggplant and bacon or an overwhelming combination of frozen yogurt (think 16 handles) I’m not such a fan of people who use the term hangry. I guess I’m just not used to it 🙂
So, thanks for reminding me that I “modeled” at 5-7-9 back in middle school. WHAT.
Also, I lost the spelling bee on “balloon.” Guaranteed, I have never spelled it incorrectly since.
I play the ‘what food for the rest of your life’ game all the time as well!
My food is potato cooked anyway.
What is the one food I’m really allergic to and should be avoiding at all costs…. Potato. How’s that for irony.
OMG, this list is so freaking hilarious– I was literally crying at the “BRB ON MY WAY TO THE SALON” picture.
P.S. I was the second one to be eliminated from the school-wide spelling bee in 4th grade. The word? HAMMER.
Holy yum. Enough said. Stupidest phrase EVER.
Lobster Mac n Cheese
Bagels.
LKF – My first college roommate was from Contookit, NH. I’m sure I misspelled that.
I’m totally with you on the mac and cheese thing. it is the most comforting food on the planet, like a big carb-y hug in a bowl. I’ve had two life changing ones recently, one was topped with cheez its and goldfish and the other was topped with cheeto dust. CHEETO. DUST. Why didn’t I think of that first?!
Contookit. Am I right?
Fried rice!
Cheese. I love it.
My fav things about you are: epic, said no one ever, going as fast as possible in a cab and cake and cookie – YES!
I have nothing interesting to say but bless the exchange above on “running all the miles.” The only acceptable use of the phrase is from Hyperbole and a Half’s brilliant “This is Why I’ll Never Be an Adult.”
http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-is-why-ill-never-be-adult.html
Respect, y’all.
OK, that’s where it all came from right? I feel like that post was so popular and that’s when everyone started doing the “drink all the beers” (lies) and “run all the miles” (you ran three of them) and “register for all the races” (doubt it). It drives me batty EXCEPT when Allie does it. Then it’s allowed.
I’m not sure about everyone else, but for me, that’s always where it came from! My sister and I would text each other in caffeinated cleaning rages “CLEAN ALL THE THINGS!” in 2010/2011, giggled to ourselves and moved on, then years later everyone is eating all the food and running all the miles. No idea what happened between then and now.
Spelling nerds are the best! I went to some big bee (not sure if it was state or what) in 4th grade I think. I got STRETCH wrong. the person before me got sidewalk. So unfair! I’m not bitter at al 😉
In middle school I was a spitting image of Hilary Duff. Not anymore!
Totally unfair. That competition seems like it was rigged.
I would probably eat French fries for the rest of my life! So healthy. Fun fact: I actually worked at Limited Too for 4 years of my life! It was my first ever job when I was 16!!
OMG did you get a discount? That would be my dream.
Damn, one food for the rest of my life. That’s a hard question!! Sushi, maybe. Or my mom’s meatloaf. Or both, maybe.
I would do terribly at a spelling bee, because I can always spell better when I write it down instead of spelling it in my head.
Also, I love that you are a hybrid of Claire and Monica. Friends and Modern Family references are ALWAYS good.
Please also go get that haircut. So stylish! (It took me FOREVER to spell stylish correctly for some reason. At least you MADE it to the spelling bee!)
1. The smell of baby powder or baby powder scented ANYTHING makes me gag…. like really gag.
2. I am loving the Limted Too overalls…. I didn’t have the overalls, but you did just trigger my memory of the same pansy print shirt and matching shorts that I most definitely had from the Limited Too.
3. And last… if I had to pick one food to eat for the rest of my life, it would be macaroni and cheese, for sure!
I HAD THE SHORTS, TOO. Classic.
Sometimes I look up spoilers for tv shows too because then I can enjoy it stress free! It also makes my boyfriend so mad… maybe because I also accidentally give away what happens usually… oops
I had those same overalls from Limited Too!! Cheese fries with ALL the cheese!
The next time you get into a crowded elevator wait until the doors close and then turn around and say, ‘I bet you’re all wondering why I’ve gathered you here today . . .’
Sadly I too relate to Monica & Claire vs Rachel & Gloria and have been told I look like Celine Dion which I don’t find to be a compliment at all ; (
How do you not like the smell of baby powder???
And it always comes back to pizza . . .
HAHAHAHA that is amazing. I want the courage to do that because it’s hilarious. Also, CELINE DION IS BEAUTIFUL. So you are probably beautiful, too. And I bet you have the voice of an angel.
Oh my gosh. That’s hilarious and now I want to do that.
My life involves almost zero elevator rides – sadly – but that made me laugh out loud.
Holy yum (sorry couldn’t help myself); I’d pick Mac and Cheese too. Or maybe fruit because I adore fruit and it’s so versatile…all the wonderful options and it’s hydrating too.
I can relate to Monica and Clare as well and we are not uptight; just a little control obsessed…maybe.
Salmon Fried Rice.
Thank you for #12. I totally regretted going to spin class when I knew a virus was coming on. I also regretted the 20 mile ride I did (slowly) right before I found out I had strep.
I would eat peanut butter.
“You never regret a workout.” —Said Ariana and Ali
I respect you even more for hating the word “epic.”
THANK YOU FOR RESPECTING ME.
Food………….pizza… or salad….why isn’t there a pizza salad?
Pet peeve – people who don’t return the shopping cart to the store or the cart rack. Being that I have crohn’s I totally get that sometimes you “can’t” but I am guessing that the 27 carts in the lot everytime aren’t all due to emergencies or health conditions.
I read an article about “pizzalads” in Eating Well a couple months ago! Maybe you can have the best of both worlds.
I’m intrigued.
OMG I can not stand the word EPIC!
Loved reading this! 🙂
First of all, I am loving the online hairstyles. Second, I was also in a spelling bee in the 2nd grade and was eliminated because I misspelled the word “Wednesday”. That hidden “d” got me every time.
OK, but come on: Wednesday is actually a really hard word for a second-grader to spell. That doesn’t seem fair at all. I remember spelling the word “calendar” wrong in second grade because it was the only time I didn’t get a perfect score on a spelling test. MY ONLY NON-100 ALL YEAR LONG. Stupid “calender.”
Oh my! I just LOL’d (cringe – hate ” lol”!) at “BRB going to get this one”!! Anyway, pizza. Definitely pizza!
I won the third grade spelling bee at my school and they gave me coupon for a big sized sundae from Friendly’s. I would eat a chipotle burrito bowl everyday for the ret of my life.
CONGRATULATIONS! I hope you got the cone head sundae.
I would eat risotto with tomato sauce and basil and maybe some sausage forever if I could.
Also I am with you on the elevator thing. I find this especially annoying in my apartment building, as the elevator will only pick you up if you hit the down button and the elevator is heading down. Come on people! There’s a reason why there are UP and DOWN buttons.
Also I hate it when people talk to me in the elevator (goes along with my dislike for small talk and complaining about the weather). It’s usually first thing in the morning and I haven’t consumed enough caffeine to be sociable or right after work and all I can think about is getting into my apartment and watching x files and eating.
People love talking about the weather in elevators. Ugh. Next time someone brings up the weather in an elevator, I’ll just real quick change the subject: “So, what are your general thoughts on God, Jesus, politics and abortion laws?” Because why not make it interesting?
I just felt the need to comment and say that we are TOTALLY ON THE SAME PAGE with “holy yum.” That is a terrible saying, and anyone who says it sounds ridiculous. It makes me skin crawl!
Carry on 🙂
I don’t know…”cray” and “cray cray” are right up there with me.
Pizza or sushi. I’m gross. Also I can’t spell for shit and thus never entered a spelling bee. you’ve seen my tweets – grammar and spelling are not my thing. i feel bad for the 5th grader im tutoring bc i have to google how to spell things all the time. sorry kid.
HAHAHAHA. I’ll hire you to tutor me.
I completely agree on the bar soap thing. You’re basically cleaning yourself with your own (or who ever has used said bar soap) filth. In my top three list of things that skeeve me out.
Why is this the hardest question ever? I go between pasta with my family’s sauce, french fries and chocolate. Oh and cheese. And carrots with hummus. I give up. =P
xo Marie
Chocolate & Wine
YOU CAN HAVE ALL THOSE THINGS. I’ll allow it.
I was in a spelling bee in 7th grade and purposely spelled a word wrong because I was SO BORED. It lasted the entire day and I couldn’t stand it any longer.
I also was a Limited Too model, hahaha.
The phrase I hate the most is “all the____” as in, “let’s run all the miles!” or “let’s eat all the things!” Drives me nuts. (So happy to get that out. I’ve been keeping my hatred for that phrase a secret so I wouldn’t offend anyone, but I could not hold it in any longer).
Hope Brian is okay!
I was in a spelling bee in 7th grade and purposely spelled a word wrong because I was SO BORED. It lasted the entire day and I couldn’t stand it any longer.
I also was a Limited Too model, hahaha.
The phrase I hate the most is “all the____” as in, “let’s run all the miles!” or “let’s eat all the things!” Drives me nuts. (So happy to get that out. I’ve been keeping my hatred for that phrase a secret so I wouldn’t offend anyone, but I could not hold it in any longer).
Hope Brian is okay!
YES! I HATE IT, TOO! You didn’t eat all the carbs. You didn’t run all the miles. You only had a small fraction of them. I hate it.
If I had to eat one food for the rest of my life, it’d probably be either pizza or tacos. But definitely not taco pizza.
Pizza. I always say pizza.
OMG my coworkers and I spend hours talking about if you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would be it? We also change it up to if you could only buy one thing, wear one thing, etc. (But I swear, we are all really hard workers…most days!)
I would 110% pick Belgi Waffs. Warm Belgian Waffles. YUM!!!! With fresh strawberries, a little bit of maple syrup and chocolate sauce and a whole lot of fresh whipped cream. I know, I’m not too specific of anything.
oh and I LOVE the smell of baby powder!!! my friend hatessss when i use my johns and johnsons baby lotion:)
WAFFLES!!!! Belgian waffles to be exact….or pancakes….Aunt Jemima buttermilk complete mix with a splash of vanilla in any way shape or form.
I am also horrified by baby powder and anything that smells like it. And I know what you mean about epic losing its cache….sad….
If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life it would definitely be pizza!
I read magazines from back to front too and I also love to read spoilers! I hate surprises and told my husband if he ever threw me a surprise party, I’d leave (maybe not, but I wouldn’t love it.)
Since you’re a grammar/spelling person I thought I’d share that when people say they feel nauseous, it means causing nausea whereas nauseated means to feel nausea (see #1.) 🙂
Yes! I remember reading that on one of those “Words you’re actually using incorrectly” lists, but clearly it didn’t sink in. My sincerest apologies for the mistake, and THANK YOU for the explanation! Let’s go share a pizza. J/K. Let’s go get two pizzas so we don’t have to share.
This is an amazing list! It seriously makes me laugh out loud. As I was reading them, I was like yep, yep, Oh Yeah, Yep. Basically, I agree with you entirely! Take care of yourself and try not to think about NYC.
It would either be chicken fajitas, with sour cream, guacamole, cheese salsa etc, or maybe crispy duck pancakes with hoisin sauce and spring onions 🙂
I would have to choose pepperoni pizza
Another spelling bee nerd here! I was eliminated from the 5th grade county bee with the word “placidity”. My version, “placididy,” in retrospect kind of reminds me of p.diddy, if p was the abbreviation for placid.
And one food? PIZZA. Maybe it’s cheating but if I don’t specify the type of pizza, maybe I’d be allowed to switch up the toppings when I got bored!
A platter of cheese (brie, blue, buratta DEF) and a variety of meats, and sliced tomato with a giant crunchy baguette. And red wine. def red wine.
All the cookies!
I was actually only considering this question the other day and it was easy. Apple Crumble and Custard. Every day, every meal!
TACOS!!!!!!
I made it to the New York City spelling bee! My whole class got to come as a class trip into Manhattan. The girl who won ended up winning the entire US spelling bee that year. I got my ears pierced at 7 months and I think it’s cute! One food for rest of my life…. pancakes.
That’s impressive!!! (The spelling bee…but also the pancakes.)
If I had to eat one food for the rest of my life, it would be Italian! Too general? Damn. Ok, it’d be cookies. And just because I’m in a sharing mood, something interesting about me is I’ve never owned an MP3 player/iPod in my life and have no music on my phone. I still buy CDs.
I LOVE CDs! I make a sweet mix for every road trip. Now we just have to get you out winning triathlons with a discman in hand.
Gyros….definitely gyros slathered in cucumber sauce and huge chunks of feta cheese… now I must find one immediately for my mid morning snack.
Ah so much in common!
1. I, too, was a spelling nerd. Never made it as far as you did, but I was my class champ in the third, fourth and fifth grades.
2. I love the smell of bar soap (like Dove) but hate how scummy they get in the shower and stick to shower gel these days.
3. I’ve never colored my hair either. Always been afraid of frying it. And come on, we can’t all be Beyonce and try to pull of blonde hair.
4. Agreed on the babies with pierced ears. My parents never did it to the twin and me because they thought we’d be all “ooh, shiny!” and yank them out of each other’s ears. Good call, parents.
Oh and the food…hmm…any cheese but American. And bacon.
pull off* !!! Gah, just noticed that. I’ll stop spamming your post now.