20 Facts About Me

Posted in Q&A by

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The 20 Facts game has been floating around Instagram for the last week or two, and I’m finally getting around to writing my list.

20 Facts (Confessions) About Me:

1.  If you tickle me, I will punch you.  Consider yourself warned.
2.  I hate peppermint desserts.  It tastes like you’re putting toothpaste on chocolate.
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3.  I do approximately 60 squats while brushing my teeth.  My Sonicare has a 30 second quadrant timer, so I shoot for 15 squats per quadrant.  Do you think I’m OCD?
4.  I feel obligated to buy your product if I eat your sample.  The Farmer’s Market can get really pricey!
5.  I always enter to win the hgtv Dream Home.
6.  I think I have a nut butter addiction.  Current pantry situation:
You Fresh Naturals, PB2, and Wild Friends are my favorites.
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7.  I can sing the 50 States in alphabetical order and so can two of my best girlfriends!
8.  I am picky about where I want to sit in a restaurant, don’t like having my back to the door, and I always prefer a booth.
9.  I get compared to Sarah Jessica Parker, which leaves me conflicted.  She’s always on the ugliest celebrities list, so I’m never sure if it’s intended as an insult or compliment.
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10.  I can’t drive a stick shift.  Many have tried to teach me and failed.
11.  My brother and I used to pretend to be wrestlers and my alter-ego was named Aquafresh.
12.  I’m not sure if I want kids.  I’m really happy and don’t feel incomplete without them.  However, I would love to have some loaners on Easter, Halloween, and Christmas!
13.  I recognize that we might decide the time is right for kids, so we’ve already gone through the entire adoption approval process.  It’s a heck of a lot of work to adopt, but we’re ready when we’re ready.
14.  My Ultra Dirtbag sticker is the one and only sticker that I’ve ever put on a car.
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15.  If we’re racing side by side, I have zero desire to compete with you.  In fact I secretly wish we could talk, become friends, and cross the finish line together.  That’s not creepy at all, right?!
16.  I never know if I should go to Arrivals or Departures at the airport.  I’m arriving to depart.  I will forever be confused.
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17.  I keep ongoing lists of potential dog and beach house names.
18.  I’m working on my self-deprecating humor.  Compliments are SO uncomfortable for me.
19.  The odds of me returning a voicemail are slim.  Can’t we all just agree to text or email?
20.  I’m very outdoorsy and love trail running, but I’ve never camped.  I’m A-OK with that!
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I would love to read your 20 Facts!  Tag me in your post so I can make sure to read them. 🙂
Camping?  Yay or nay?
Do you get competitive in races?
What is one food that you always buy too much of?  
Who is your celebrity look-alike?
#choosejoy

60 thoughts on “20 Facts About Me”

  1. 20 Facts About Me
    1I was a golfer as a girl
    2 I write poetry
    3 I love Math Problems
    4 I can’t swim more than 25 yards freestyle without a stop
    4 I want to move to Cozumel MX
    5 I love to snorkel
    6 I dislike cauliflower
    7 I hate brussel sprouts
    8 I am very competitive I am all business in races
    9 I make a clothing list on a spread sheet when I travel
    10 I love Southwest Airlines
    11 I listen to Adele on the elliptical
    12 I always buy too many packages of spaghetti noodles
    13 I love Modern Art
    14. I love ” Southwest Airlines”
    15 beverage of choice Corona
    16 I love to horseback ride
    17 I love to cycle
    18 I have kept a training log for many years
    19 I ran my first marathon at 61
    20 I am a strict rule follower

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  2. When running a longer race, I tend to want to talk with the people near me. I think the chit chat helps the miles pass faster. But once I’m close to the finish line…SEE YA! I then try to out kick everyone around me. I’m horrible in that regard.

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  3. This was so fun 🙂
    I never used to camp, but my boyfriend is super outdoorsy and we used to go during college. It was fun to spend the night away from campus and feel disconnected..then wake up and go to classes in the morning!
    I’m not competitive anymore (except with myself!). I ran XC, indoor and outdoor track from middle school to college, so I’m past trying to always win.
    I don’t know if I have a celebrity look-alike, but some people have said Amanda Seyfried and Katy Perry. I don’t agree with either of them. I can see a little bit of SJP in you, but like her prettier younger sister!

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  4. I think SJP is beautiful, so I’d take it as a compliment! I am 100% with you on voicemails. I probably won’t even listen to it until I get tired of my phone telling me there is a message there. I meet alot of people at work and sometimes there are people that I’m really impressed with and I just want to say “can we be friends?” but it would probably be creepy. Right…?

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  6. I’m with you on almost all of that, except for the part where mint in any form is the best thing in the world besides coffee and grapefruit.

    I always want to be friends with strangers in races, too.

    The only sticker on my car is The Blerch.

    When my kids were little, they thought I looked like Jennifer Lopez in Selena. Pointing that out was always a good way for them to get extra dessert.

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  7. I totally have a nut butter addiction…..wild flower sesame seed honey nut butter is so good…; I would take the SJP thing as a TOTAL compliment….; and of all of the things you listed, #15 if my favorite….I wish all women were like that, not just in running and races, but in life!

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  8. I am also an outdoorsy person who has never camped! So glad I’m not alone!!

    I always buy too much fruit…and wine….I mean wine is made from grapes so that’s like included in fruit right?! 🙂

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  9. I really love reading your blog each day and am so glad to finally read that there is another non-competitive runner out there! I love finding someone similarly paced in a run and chatting them up. It makes the race really feel like we are all in it together. I hope we accidentally on purpose run into each other in Boston! It’s my first Boston too (aren’t you SO EXCITED?!) Anyhow, I always end up buying too many bananas (which end up feeding my Banana bread obsession – have you ever tried putting butterscotch chips in your banana bread – DIVINE!) I’ve never actually commented on a blog before, so I think this was more rambling than commenting. Blame it on the taper. 🙂

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  10. camping– NOPE!!! I NEVER listen to voicemails. I will email and text anyone and everyone over calling them first!
    I am very competitive, but like you if I’m running next to someone I try to strike up a conversation or hope they will with me. I joined a pace group my first marathon and the constant chitchat was so welcome to take my mind off running 26.2 miles haha.
    I buy waaaaay too much Nuun and Peanut Butter & C o. White Chocolate Wonderful. Addicting!!

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  14. I really enjoyed reading these! Fun and its great to see that I’m not the only one with quirks ;-).

    Have you heard of glamping? Glamorized camping! Now that is more my style!

    I am more competitive with myself than others for races. I am like you where I’d be content making friends and crossing the finish line together.

    I over buy produce- I like to have as much fresh fruit and vegetables available through out the week to put together lunches and dinners (I work 10-8PM) but tend to usually overestimate.

    And I think Sarah Jessica Parker is beautiful for the record. Those lists are silly- who even comes up with them?!? I don’t know who my celebrity look alike would be!

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  15. HAHAHA this makes me love you more!
    1) Not when people tickle me, but I’ve been known to punch if people scare me. Reflex from my kung fu days.
    9) You’re wayyy prettier than SJP 😉
    10) Neither can I. My BF actually tried to teach me, back when we were best friends, and actually asked me out on the same day. Love is blind?
    11) HAHAHAHAHA
    14) I don’t actually like bumper stickers on my car, but I put 2 on out of guilt. One is a 13.1, the other a 26.2- both from my BF’s mom after I finished my first half and my first marathon. At least they’re magnetic and not stickers.
    16) OMG I thought I was the only person who got confused about this. This is why I hate picking people up from the airport- that split second when you have to decide which ramp to take…
    17) Totally have a list of dog names that I keep secret and I’m always bummed when a friend/family member names their pet one of MY names 😉
    18) Me to. My BF always gets a dirty or sarcastic look when he compliments me. He tells me to learn to accept a compliment and makes me say thank you lol
    -YES to camping if there are toilets!
    -And I’ve never been told that I look like ANYONE.

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  16. I’m an outdoorsy person but I’ve never tent-camped (I’ve RV camped though).
    I’m the exact same way with voicemails…and so I never leave anyone voicemails either.
    I always buy way too much fruit. I’ll literally buy like two bunches of bananas for just my husband and I along with lots of apples, berries, and whatever else looks good.

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  17. Loved reading this 🙂 I live in England and I’m learning to drive at the moment, stick shift is hard so I feel you!! I would much rather drive an automatic but most cars over here are stick! I’m the same, love hiking etc but have never been camping nor do I have any desire to!

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  18. Love this! You are not missing out by not camping. I HATE camping. Why would I sleep outside when I could sleep inside? Duh. My husband loves camping, so I we compromise by going staying in a fancy hotel for a night after a night of camping. I also compromise by drinking lots of wine so that I fall asleep quickly and don’t realize I’m outside where animals can get me!

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  19. Ah!! Too funny. I get compared to Sarah Jessica Parker too – all the time. I am also not sure if I want kids – hedging towards not. If I do decide to have them I want to adopt (so my being 36 years old isn’t a huge issue in terms of needing to make a decision NOW). The fact that you don’t have kids is refreshing to me. You post about activities that I enjoy and also participate in. There are plenty of blogs of runner moms with their kids – and I enjoy reading those blogs too. However you have a different voice that I appreciate and relate to!

    Great to learn more about you Jen! Thanks for sharing!

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    • I’m so glad you wrote this! I almost didn’t broach the topic of kids, because it’s so personal for many people. I love reading mom blogs too, it’s just nice to know I’m not alone…thank you!!!

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  20. Ok… I was so excited to read your list when I saw your Instragram post this morning. I love learning things about the bloggers I enjoy reading about… it’s like we’re out to coffee or something! Here’s mine!

    1. I grew up in New Jersey, but I’ve lived in Colorado for the past 15 years. No one ever believes me when I tell them I was born a Jersey girl (but where’s you accent??)
    2. I love a great craft beer- and I live in a great place to try lots of them!
    3. I love to do jigsaw puzzles. I almost constantly have one going on the dining room table. I’d rather work on a puzzle or read than watch TV. Drives the fiance nuts…
    4. I really enjoy running alone sometimes. I just find some dirt roads/county routes and bang out the miles and let my mind wander.
    5. I get lots of anxiety about parking before races to the point where I am near tears.
    6. I finally finished a complete tube of chapstick… I feel like I always lose them before they are finished.
    7. I do not want to live in a world where I couldn’t eat cheese. I love pretty much all cheese.
    8. I have read each of the Harry Potter books at least 3 times each.
    9. I’m a lefty, except when I throw a ball, then I can only throw with my right hand.
    10. I was in marching band in high school.
    11. I was the slowest runner on my high school track team and I despised running- I quit after sophmore year. Now I love to run.
    12. I have two kitties- they are my children.
    13. I’m getting married next fall- I can’t wait!
    14. I would love to start a blog, but I chicken out every time I go to start one up. What if people don’t think I have anything interesting to say or they think I’m weird? (I am, in fact, quite weird.)
    15. I name pretty much everything- my car, house plants, even my running shoes, etc. I think it’s weird when people don’t name their cars.
    16. It is my dream to someday run the New York City Marathon.
    17. I’m running my first full marathon May 17th. I’m so excited but SO nervous!
    18. I love to vaccuum. It’s my favorite house cleaning chore and it’s so satisfying to see your floors afterward.
    19. I love the smell of gasoline.
    20. I wish that I could go on sabbatical for a year and just travel around the world. There is so much to see, and sometimes I feel like I’m just wasting all my young years sitting at a desk.

    Thanks for your list! Love reading your blog.

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    • I love your list!!! I can completely relate to pre-race parking and I seek out races where I can walk to the start/finish from my hotel. I love cheese. I’ve never read a Harry Potter book or seen a movie. I’m running NY this year and a huge congrats on running your first marathon!!!! It’s such a life changing accomplishment!

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  21. I love your list!
    When I’m running side-by-side with someone, I often introduce myself and strike up conversation. I’m not interested in competing with them either. I like the whole “Let’s get each other to the finish” vibe much better. Unless it’s a 5k race. Because let’s face it, in a 5k you’re probably running too fast to try and talk 😉
    I love that you squat while you brush your teeth too. I think that sounds fun and a great way to multi-task!

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  22. I love your list, too. I am with you on #7. When I was in the 4th grade, our school’s music teacher taught us “Fifty Nifty United States,” which lists all of the states alphabetically. It’s one of the most valuable things I learned in elementary school! (I kid, of course.)

    No on camping–too many bugs. I only get competitive in races if it’s close to the finish line. I always buy too much pasta. And I *wish* my celebrity lookalike was Olivia Munn, but I think it’s probably closer to Jennifer Tilly. 😦

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  23. I always enter the hgtv home also.haha and you’re wayyy prettier than Sarah Jessica Parker.
    I’m always competitive in races. I’m the annoying one racing everyone. lol

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  24. Jen, this is GREAT! You know that I’m going to want to call you AF now, short for Aquafresh – hahaha! I sort of like camping and sort of not; mostly not. I always buy too much almond milk at the grocery story; I can never remember how much I have left at home and end up with extra cartons in the fridge! I am definitely competitive, at times, but not with my friends; I’d rather see them achieve their goals than worry about mine when I’m with them! If I could keep up with you, I would LOVE to cross the finish line with you by my side! I’m not sure I have a celebrity look-alike but, for the record, I think SJP is beautiful and I think you are, too. Have a great day!

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  25. Hysterical, endearing, wonderful!! I loved every one of these, so much. Really nice to mee you. I saw you in comments over at HRG’s blog and had to check you out. Consider me a new devoted reader. LOL
    notes: Sarah Jessica Parker is a total compliment You are gorgeous. Arrivals’Departures also confound me, what??!! I have embarrassed myself many times asking for clarification. LOL I thougth i was the only one! I can’t do the 50 states song but I can say “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” backwards. LOL You may have inspired a new blog post, thanks! haha

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