33 Things Celebrating 33 Years

33. In the 33 years I have been alive I have moved 22 times. That's an average of every 18 months.

32. In order to remember things like phone numbers and addresses, I turn the numerical sequence into a math equation. For example, our house number in Fresno was 3228 so 3x2+2=8 was how I remembered it.

31. I love when the weather gets cold because I can throw on a heavy sweatshirt or coat and not wear a bra to the grocery store. I really loathe wearing bras and am slightly envious of women who have had mastectomies.

30. I often find myself asking who was the first person to think of certain things and then actually think it was a good idea to do them. And then HOW did they convince another person to do it, too. The more bizarre stories I hear from nurses who have worked in ER's the more baffled I am at human behavior.

29. I have recently discovered that I am seriously naïve. But, honestly there are certain things in life I never needed to know and am happy with my current lack of knowledge. There are just some things you can't unlearn.

28. I am a closet Barry Manilow fan and know the words to all of his songs.

27. Despite many protests to the contrary, I do enjoy a good love story. Not the Hollywood, Disneyfied fairy tale love stories but the ones that happen to people in real life. The stories of how my friends met their spouses, my parents' love story, the interview sections in "When Harry Met Sally."

26. Once I have driven somewhere I don't need to get directions again. I would rather look at an atlas than use a GPS.

25. When I kill a cockroach, I smash it with whatever is at hand 3-4 times and then either flush it down the toilet or grind it up in the garbage disposal. I'm convinced if I don't do that the thing will miraculously resuscitate itself.

24. I am surprised every time my nephew EAST begins a question with, "Auntie E, if you get married.....?"

23. I'm in love with my nephews' laughter!

22. My Spanish language vocabulary is slowly growing larger due to the assistance of patients and co-workers who are willing to tell me words and phrases.

21. I entertain a daydream of selling everything I own and working for Doctors Without Borders as a Surgical Nurse. No bills, no permanent address, a nomadic life helping others and seeing the world.

20. The only things I miss by not having a TV is watching PBS and Jeopardy!

19. I prefer pie to cake any day. My favorites being Cherry Sour Cream or Pineapple Sour Cream.

18. I own several books I haven't read yet.

17. For some unknown reason I occasionally miss being in Paris. I was only there for a few days almost 20 years ago but it has an irrational pull on my heart.

16. I have never had any desire to touch someone's pregnant belly. I know it's a miracle and all but it kinda creeps me out. Part of me expects a scene out of "Alien" to occur.

15. I'm always surprised when other people are surprised by how old I am. They always guess about 8 years younger and I'm honestly not sure if it's because I look young or if it's something else.

14. I find it difficult to relax because I feel pulled in 10 different directions all the time. My life is seriously unbalanced between school, work, home, family, and no social life.

13. I have several quilt projects started that I haven't touched in about 12 months.

12. My dad's youngest sister died of Leukemia when she was 6. I was named after her and on my sixth birthday I went into the bathroom to see if I looked sick. For some reason only logical to my child-brain, I was convinced I was going to die when I was 6, too.

11. I feel more awkward and self-concious in my own skin now than I ever did when I was 13.

10. I was accepted to university without having a high school diploma or GED.

9. I have officially worked either part-time or full-time for more than half my life.

8. If it is true that like attracts like and you are supposed to be the type of person you want to have for a helpmate, I'm not so sure I want someone like me. Shouldn't one workaholic, stubbornly determined, mildly OCD, insomnia plagued introvert be enough for one couple?

7. When I need a good cry to release clogged chi I watch the end of the movie "The Champ" with Ricky Schroeder and Jon Voigt. Those last 10 minutes do me in every time.

6. I find it oddly relaxing washing and preparing a body to go to the morgue. There is a certain peace in performing that final service for another person. I don't know how to explain it adequately but it is quite clear that the person who inhabited that body is no longer restricted to a physical existence in an imperfect home.

5. My biggest joy at work is making a patient laugh.

4. I cannot stress enough how important it is that every person write down their personal wishes regarding medical care if they are not able to make decisions for themselves. If you don't have an advanced directive or a will make that a top priority.

3. I often wonder if somewhere in my adolescence or young adulthood I ended up having a negative resolution to psychosocial situations as explained in Erik Erikson's Psychosocial Stages of Development. Did I never establish an identity as an adolescent and therefore become confused about my role in society leading me to this present state of isolation where I find it severely challenging to develop intimate relationships? I see where this can lead and am concerned that I will stagnate as I progress through middle age.

2.  As demonstrated by #3, I think too much.

1. I laugh when I am in severe pain, extremely uncomfortable, nervous, or embarrassed. It doesn't help the situation at all that I have a tendency to snort when I laugh.