And.... TAG!

I have been tagged by two spiffy {Hey, don't knock my verbiage!  I'm bringing back old-school.  Like the 50's...so REALLY old school.} ladies MMS & Kristine. I want to give both of these tags the attention they deserve, so I'll do one today and one tomorrow!
The rules:
1) You must post the rules.
2) Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post. {I'm not interesting...but I'll pretend for a minute.}
3) Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you've tagged.
4) Tag eleven people and link them on your post.
5) Let them know you've tagged them.

Fun facts:

1. I carry my passport with me at all times.  I laughingly say it's so I can flee the country... but I actually have left the USA spur of the moment before.  
2. I'm allergic to coconut.  Not life threateningly allergic, but tingly lips/fuzzy tongue allergic.
3. Generally, I'm very "go with the flow".  However, I am a control freak about driving.  I much prefer to be the driver than the passenger.
4. I try to see the best in people.  Sometimes, that means I get hurt because I give people too much credit.
5. I have very little tolerance for people who think the world revolves around them, people who hurt children/animals, and the otherwise rude!
6. I can. not. wait to find a new job.  It means that I can indulge my desire to add a new pup to my little herd. :-)
7. In real life, I'm extremely shy.  That is, until you get to really know me.  Then it's hard to shut me up!
8. My dream jobs: Owner of a doggie day care, author, international tour guide, bakery owner, make-up artist, and press secretary.
9. I'm a major insomniac.  I have a really hard time both falling asleep and staying asleep.  Having the dogs sleep with me actually helps me sleep a little... My PCP has a theory that I'll be cured of insomnia when I get married - that having someone sleeping next to me will force my biorhythms to sync into a normal sleep pattern. {BTW, I don't believe her.}
10. I love jewelry!!!  But I'm really picky about it.  I prefer ruby (my birthstone) and diamonds best, like simple settings, and only gold.
11. The "clumsy" gene runs in my family.  I should buy stock in black t-shirts because I drop things on myself so often!
12. BONUS FACT: I learned how to knit when I was five.  It's a very zen activity for me.  Actually...most creative activities are really relaxing to me.

The questions from MMS

1) What one item of clothing do you have that you absolutely refuse to throw out?
I have a stash of my baby clothes that I want to pass on to my future daughter...then make a quilt out of.

2) What was the greatest gift that anyone ever gave you?
That's a hard one!  My favorite gift was my professional grade Kitchen-Aid mixer. {I cried when my parent's gave it to me for Christmas a few years ago.} 

The "greatest" gift that I've ever gotten is my dog Peach Blossom.  She went to Rainbow Bridge about 6 years ago. Here's the short story of Peachy... My grandpa {mom's dad} passed away Christmas Eve of my freshman year of high school.  I was devastated! He was the first of my grandparents to pass away, and honestly one of my favorite people.  My parents very astutely knew that I needed something to focus on as I mourned. {and puppy kisses can heal even the deepest of wounds}  So, they bought me Peach Blossom!  She was such an amazing dog!!!!  Everything that a Cocker Spaniel should be - loving, devoted to me, affectionate. 

3) Who was your first celebrity crush?
Wow.  I could easily tell you who my first real life crush was...but celebrity is a bit harder.  I'm going to have to go with Ryan Gosling back from the MMC days.

4) What was your worst date ever?
Oh...here we go.  My worst date ever was a blind date {predictable, huh?!}.  A very sweet friend set me up - on. my. birthday.  and it was an ambush date.  Seriously.  I thought I was meeting her for drinks.  She greeted me, introduced me to my blind date and excused herself. I'm sure that under normal circumstances this man is very nice.  However, he had JUST broken up with what he believed was the love of his life.  Literally days before.  I spent 2 hours nursing a drink while he cried on my shoulder about how he could never life life without Jenna {or whatever her name was}.  And then, he was so upset that he didn't pay the bar tab.  I had to!

I don't ask a lot.  Just please, don't set me up on blind dates on my birthday!

5) What is your one food guilty pleasure?
Once a year or so, I make Reese's peanut butter bars and don't share them with others.  I freeze the whole batch and then nibble one or two a night until they are gone.

6) Do you drink? What is your alcoholic drink of choice?
Yes, I do drink.  I'm a big fan of Reisling {a super yummy white wine}, mudslides, hard cider, and Alabama Slammers.

7) What was your favorite vacation?
My favorite vacation was the two weeks I spent on a tour of England, Scotland and Wales when I was 16.  I went with my mom, my grandma {mom's mom}, my brother and one of my cousins.  Every single day was hours spent on the tour bus going to a new attraction/city, getting corralled through countless museums/castles/etc., a forced understanding of what haggis and mead are, fire alarms in the middle of the night, having to use the men's room at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, tales from our guide {who looked exactly like Ringo Starr}, trying to decipher Welsh road signs and lugging my mom's vastly over packed suitcase to the bus each morning.

In other words - it was MAGICAL!! Every single moment of that vacation will be etched into my brain forever!

8) What is one thing that people like that you just don't get the appeal of?
Uggs.  I'm so sorry...but I just don't get it. They are bad for your arches, look ugly {in my opinion. I understand that I may be alone in that opinion.}, and are super expensive.

9) What is your favorite tv show?
I don't have just one favorite show.  I will share my current favorites! The West Wing {which I'd likely list if you made me pick just one}, Torchwood, Doctor Who, Covert Affairs, Dancing with the Stars, Two Broke Girls, Royal Pains, Criminal Minds, New Girl, Glee, and Bones.

10) Do you sleep with a stuffed animal?
Nope.  Just my two live animals.  :-)

11) Are there any foods that you won't eat?
I have a "thing" with food textures.  I don't like mushy.  That means no yogurt, pudding, cheesecake or pie.

Other than that, the only foods I really dislike are: mushrooms, eggplant & brussel sprouts.  Oh and I don't do animal organs {tripe,liver, sweetbreads}.

My eleven questions:

1. If you had to pick a super power, what would it be and why?
2. What was your best date ever?
3. You have to move to a new city now.  Right NOW!  What city would it be?
4. What current fad to you just abhor?
5. What's your favorite childhood memory?
6. You have to choose to not speak for a week or not use social media for a week.  Which do you choose?
7. What qualities are you looking for in a mate? {Or helped you find your hubby/boyfriend}
8. What is your favorite book and why?
9. How do you relax?
10. What's your biggest fear?
11. What can make you smile, no matter how bad a mood you're in?

"Tag" to eleven people:
Mrs. Jones
Kasey
Jessica
Holly
Beach Bum & Baby
Andrea
Janna
Michelle
Jane
Meg
Jill