Am I That Transparent? I Want You. I Need You. Oh, Baby, Oh, Baby.
Many a moon ago the floral-laden Mrs. Daisy tagged me for a “five things you don’t know about me” meme. More recently, but still quite a few moons past (I am nothing if not prompt), the wonderfully bohemian Jeanine tagged me for a Stuart Smalley sort of game, wherein you freely admit to liking yourself.
Or, at least, you freely admit to liking ten things about yourself.
I don’t know about you, but admitting I like myself (out loud, on my blog, wherein I mostly talk about myself anyway) is harder some days than others. It’s a bit counter-intuitive, sure, but I’ll venture a wild goose chase guess that I am not alone in that regard.
So, in an honest and heartfelt attempt to multi-task and participate, I will hereafter attempt to share ten things I like about kerri anne, five of which might be unbeknownst to most. I might go so far as to proclaim aloud that I “love” a few of them. Just know that I’m probably cringing from behind The Box as I do.
Given my unimpressive history with memes, especially the part where I didn’t realize how to even pronounce meme for oh, a few years, I don’t promise greatness. I merely promise me. Ten times over, in fact.
1. I like that I’m a documented card and paper nut. I like that I own probably every card you would ever think of sending me, like that I perpetually think about sending cards, to anyone and everyone, even if they never make it to you, or are horribly late in making it, I think about it, and have your card(s) chosen carefully and set aside somewhere. As soon as I remember where, you might even receive said cards. As it is, Chris gets the bulk of my card-loving bestowal, mostly because he’s amazing and appreciates my sense of humor, but also because there is no longer any stamp and address required.
2. I like that I am fiercely loyal. To a fault. If you wrong someone I love, rest assured I will not forget it. (I still maintain I would have been far happier far quicker had I practiced that same loyalty with myself years ago. Seriously. Why do we protect friends and family relentlessly and yet routinely walk ourselves into emotional minefields?) I wouldn’t say that I hold grudges, I try not to burn bridges, but if you’re an ass, you’re an ass. And if you’re an ass to someone I love, well, you better hope you run faster than I do.
3. I like my eyes. I like that they are blue, that they are observant (most of the time), that they are capable of seeing people perfectly and imperfectly. I like that there is a spark, a hidden fire, behind them. I like that they look like my mom’s eyes, that they look like my sister’s, too.
4. I like the way I enjoy music. (Almost) All kinds and all genres of music. I don’t know it well, don’t know every artist and every song title; I can’t tell you who won what award which year. What I can tell you is that Bach moves me, and Beyonce makes me want to shake my booty, and Ryan Adams, John Mayer, David Gray, and Feist make me want to write. What I can tell you is Peter Gabriel’s “I Grieve” makes me physically ache for my father, and how every song by Sarah McLachlan and The Indigo Girls makes me think about my lovely Hans, and how she introduced me to both.
5. I like that I’m a lover of nature. I prefer, have always preferred, being outside to being inside; I feel better surrounded by all things green. All of my family, on both my mother’s and my father’s sides, are all very outdoorsy and thus I grew up swimming in lakes, picking anything with a wild bloom in the woods surrounding my grandparent’s house, spending summers riding my bike on lake-side trails, hiking and huckleberry picking.
6. I like my height. I’m almost 5′11″ with no heels and I used to be embarrassed about it; I was shy about being taller than many of my girl (and guy) friends, but then, in high school and college, I met many far taller than I and I realized I liked playing basketball and behold: the advantage. I like that being tall sometimes automatically equates being strong, even if that wasn’t or isn’t always the case. Mostly I like that I can reach things in high places. I like that when I wear heels it requires more confidence than when I wear flats, because hello stratosphere. (OK, so I don’t really reach the stratosphere; I’m not (six, even, or) seven feet tall. Although I do suppose that would have its perks.)
7. I love that I’m a strong swimmer. I love even more that both my mom and dad taught be to be. When I was younger they called my sister and I “fish” because it would take a minor miracle to get us out of the pool or the lake on any given occasion. There is something about being in the water that feels inherently right to me, and I think it goes beyond the water in the womb theory. There is nothing simultaneously more motivating and captivating to me, simultaneously more peaceful and uncertain, than being completely immersed in water.
8.I love that I’m an English geek; I love my passion for literature, for books of all genres, for all word counts and bindings. I love the tingle that runs up my spine when I’m reading Faulkner, and the way Melville makes me want to run away from the world and jump on a whaling ship, just to see if I can hitch a ride to a (mostly) deserted island. I love the way Dave Eggers makes me re-read sentences and the way Flannery O’Conner makes me want to write short stories as chilling as hers. I love the way Poe introduced me to resting a dictionary beside me as I read and how Sandra Cisneros writes so boldly, paints relationships so accurately, that it makes me laugh, and makes me cry, too. I love that literature is a gateway to a powerful and essential understanding of the human condition, a portal to a variety of interpretations of what it means to be truly alive.
9. I love the way I can watch a movie once and quote it almost effortlessly. I’ve been able do this forever, long before I learned that I don’t traditionally like horror movies but I do love anything well-written and witty. It was once suggested to me that I should put my supreme and unrealized memorization ability to better use, but really, I like that I can quote movies, good and very bad movies. I love that I can remember songs and baselines after one listen and recognize artists within the first two minutes of a song, even if I can’t tell you who said artist is. (That’s where Chris’ musical prowess comes into play. I only know that I’ve heard them before, and that they sing “x,” “y”, or “z” song, too.)
10. I love that I am able to live life vividly. For better or worse, faces and places, smells and textures, they don’t leave me. I can still remember the way my dad smelled of Old Spice and pine, the way his hands had callouses. I can still feel my grandfather’s smile light up a room, can still remember how you couldn’t help but laugh when he hugged you so tightly that you almost couldn’t breathe. I can still feel endless summers of chlorine on my skin and lake water in my hair. I remember how I would get so nervous before every track meet that I would nearly make myself physically sick. I remember being terrified to wake-board and standing up on my first try. I remember being taught my first jump shot, and being proud to be able to keep my opponents out of the key when I was playing ball. I remember watching looks that were once hopeful, once warm and tender, turn cold and barren. I remember compliments and insults long after their respective bestowals are completely forgotten. I remember being lied to. I remember lying, too. I love the way I hold onto everyone and everything I’ve ever loved. It hurts sometimes, in an almost unbearable way, but I can’t love any other way, and most days that remains something of which I am proud.
And now, for a bit of table turning (Fun! right?):
What do you like about you? Or, if you’re feeling shy, what do you like about Winter and/or the Christmas season? (If you say “hot chai” I say “amen.”)
*Bonus points for (anyone that read this far, hurrah! and) the first person that can tell me from what movie this entry’s title is parroted.
10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU!
Le sigh….I knew I loved you Kerri but this…THIS QUOTE….this quote MADE my Monday….
I like the fact that I am intuitive about people and situations. I can usually figure out very quickly when someone/something is off and I usually know how to help. I’ve been told that I have a nice way of making people feel better.
I like the fact that I am an optimist and can usually find the positive in most of life’s obstacles. It’s not always easy but most of the time, perspective is just around the corner.
I love the fact that I am learning to listen more. I talk, ALOT, and have learnt that sometimes this isn’t always a good thing. I’ve made alot of progress and I’m quite pleased about this.
I love my hair. That makes me sound narcissistic…but so be it. I have dark thick and healthy hair that is easy to care for and easy to manage. It’s good to feel good about something on a consistent basis.
I love the happiness that blog buddies like Kerri bring me on a regular basis (I know this one isn’t about me…but it kinda is…because people like YOU make ME smile!)
Have a good week little friend! May you find and read a truly excellent book!
————
WINNER. * scampers off to think of a suitable prize, that I will ACTUALLY SEND YOU, BY GUM *
Also: You are sweet, and I have missed! you. Also: Will you please pass the hair that is pretty and easy to manage? Thanks.
That was a fun meme. You identified a lot of stuff you like about you. That’s pretty impressive. Not because you shouldn’t like stuff about yourself, but you know, cuz sometimes it’s hard to admit the things we like about ourselves. Yeah.
—————
I left out the part where this took me over a week to write. Yikes, right? And then I had to erase a few because I was listing things I liked about, well, not me. Which was missing the entire point of the meme in the first place, because, clearly, I don’t follow directions without a fight.
I’m 5′11”, too! That’s awesome!
And, I LOVE this meme. Just might have to do it over at my blog, as I’m totally running out of NaBloPoMo material with just days left.
—————-
I so hear you. I keep muttering to myself “30 days. THIRTY days: why won’t you get here?” Chris is going to sign me up for The Loony if this continues much longer.
Hurrah! for we tall(ish) ones. Happy! Monday.
Great quote and post title. It seems especially appropriate given the topic. Sometimes the post title is better than the post (or is that just mine).
Anyway, thanks for being so revealing.
————-
Are you insinuating that my titles are better than my content, kind sir? Because I would heartily agree on some (very, extremely rare) occasions. ; ) You’re welcome!
I like that I’m an emotional person because feeling things so intensely and so passionately is a blessing. I was told once by a very wise lady that being so emotional can make life very tough. That is true, but it also makes it very sweet.
I’m a very fiercely loyal person too so I love your number 2.
————–
Being emotional is indeed tough more times than not, but as you mentioned it’s also more beautiful, I think. More sweet, surely. And to me it’s always been more real, been more ME, and I can’t fake not feeling. I’ve tried (and since given up); I ended up looking like a cross between a wet rag and a robot. Not so pretty.
I like my eyes too.
The get me both into, and out of, trouble.
;)
———–
I like your eyes, too! (I have meant to tell you that, if I have not yet.)
Ooh, I loved this post! Tall (I’m 5′10″), water-loving, nature-loving, book-loving chicas unite! Seriously, that whole paragraph about feeling at home in the water, could have been taken directly out of my own head.
I like that I don’t notice when people get haircuts or new glasses. I think it means that I am looking at them not on the outside, but on the inside.
———–
Solidaire! When you come visit we can go swimming. In a puddle, if need be.
Number 7 also could have been pulled directly out of *MY* head. Weird.
I love this list!
Re: Me? Well, I like how comfortable I am around new people. I hug almost everyone I meet. I have never ever in my life been called shy. I tend to think this is a pretty neat thing.
————
I love that you have never been called shy. Someone once called me shy and then later I realized they were drunk. (I, too, am a proud hugger.)
Because of number nine I started to go through that entire scene of Ten Things I Hate About You in my head. Perhaps I’ll watch it when I get home. I am OBSESSED with that movie.
————-
Me, TOO. Best move of all time, clearly and without a doubt. The fact that it was filmed in my Northwest neck o’ the woods is only icing on an already deliciously acted cake. (My high school track coach, and two girls I went to college with went to the high school where it was filmed. And some of my good friend’s friends comprised the girls bopping their heads to the music in the convertible in the opening scene. / end random trivia, heh.)
I love your new banner! It’s gorgeous.
———–
Thank! you. I am still a bit on the fence about it.
recognizing things i like about me isn’t a particularly easy task at the moment. thus, i’d like to say “Amen, sister” to your list, as i also love every one of these things about you. additionally, i would like to supplement your ten things with two of my own:
1. i love that you’re an amazing (and ever so patient with your hans) listener. because, seriously, this girl (read: me) can talk.
2. i love that you’re HIGHlarious. because you are. and that makes me laugh. a lot. :)
i love you
————–
Awh, my Hans. You are the best. I could list twenty (five hundred) things I like about you. Want me to do it? (oooh, I totally am going to.)
Also: Is one of the (unmentioned) things you like about me the fact that I convinced Chris to take me to SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE tonight? Because right now I’m liking my mad persuasion skillz. Word. (Love YOU.)
This has little (nothing) to do with your post, but have you ever visited your doppelganger at kerrianne.com? I was looking for your blog without the benefit of google reader and got lost. Then confused. Finally, amused.
———–
Ah, yes. I also share the “kerri anne” google search with an apparent talk show sensation in Australia. Sweet.
kerrianne dot com was what I originally wanted for a domain name and so, of course, I HAD to see who had snagged it first. I was soon after a trifle scared. It used to be much more pornish than it is now. Her site, not mine. ; )
Number 9, holla! I am totally that way, too. I love movie quotes more than is reasonable. I think I could possibly re-enact The Princess Bride in its entirety, complete with music cues.
This is fabulous. You are fabulous!
One thing I like about myself is that I laugh at my own jokes. Hey, when I’m funny, I’m funny.
Very cool. I am so number 1… and tall, too!
cisneros is awesome.
I admit it - I still don’t know how to pronounce meme - sometimes I say it like me!me! but mostly it is meh meh. I’m not sure if I have ever said it aloud. I like my eyes too - but I would like them more if they had some sight behind them. They are mostly just for show because they don’t work too well.