The ABC's of Shme

So to start the new blog, a little bit about me, in the form of an ABC survey.

A is for Age:

I’m 28.  I have to really think about how old I am, sometimes.  Recently, I stopped getting carded for alcohol, and it made me sad.  I am giddy when I get carded now.  For example, I was out for a happy hour drink with coworkers last week and I didn’t even bring my ID to the bar with me and practically skipped back to the table when I was told I needed it to order drinks!

B is for Breakfast this morning:

Same as every morning–Cheerios and skim milk.  We have dabbled in carb-free diets in the past, and the hardest part for me (aside from snacks) was definitely giving up my bowl of cereal in the morning.  If it were a balanced diet, I would probably be OK eating nothing but cereal and milk for all meals of the day…and used to before meeting Eric and starting to run.

C is for currently craving: 

Sponge candy.  I bought some at Wegmans and it’s safely tucked away but calling my name.  If you don’t know what sponge candy or Wegmans are, I am so sorry for your loss.

D is for dinner tonight: 

Date night to Colie’s Cafe for my favorite chicken caesar wrap.  Sadly, I think they changed their dressing, so it was not as good as I had thought it was going to be.  On the plus side, I don’t know how tempted I’ll be to go there for dinner any time soon…

E is for favorite type of exercise: 

In the past couple of years, I have officially become a runner.  It took me a long time to embrace that identity, but I fully do now.  I also really love soccer.

non-runners dont go out in this kinda weather...

F is for an irrational fear: 

I am scared of the woods at night.  It’s a problem, because I love camping so much.  But nighttime freaks me out and I find myself restlessly “sleeping” and waiting for the morning so we can hike and play.  If we are in a crowded campground, I worry about the weirdos who might be camping nearby.  If we’re out backwoods-style camping, I worry about animals and/or creepers.  Recently, we’ve started trail running with a group and the runs are at night and I am starting to be more ok with the woods at night, but I don’t think I’d want to be out there alone…or be the caboose of the run!

G is for gross food:

I hate tomatoes (the texture and taste make me sick and I don’t even like to cook with them, even if they’re getting blended up because I hate touching them) and most seafood (anything that’s fishy tasting).  I am also allergic to tree nuts, so it’s not gross so much as deadly haha.

H is for hometown:

Buffa-love

I is for something important:

Respect.  I think all good relationships are built on respect and so many problems in the world are due to a lack of respect.  You don’t have to like me and I don’t have to like you, but we have to be respectful.

J is for current favorite jam:

Miranda Lambert–Fastest Girl in Town (I love blaring it and pretending that I’m a badass haha).  But really I listen to a little of everything from country to rock ‘n’ roll to Latin to pop to rap.

K is for kids:

None yet.  I have some medical issues complicating that, but I like to think that the wait will be worth it someday.

I believe that we are supposed to learn from everything that happens (or doesn’t happen) to us…

L is for current location:

Rochester, NY–we love Western New York–tons of cool things to do here, the cost of living is SUPER affordable and it’s home.

M is for the most recent way you spent money:

Buying sparkly ribbons to make headbands for a New Year’s Eve run tomorrow night and a seam ripper because I broke mine sewing the other night.  Yeah.  I like to sew.  I’m a tomboy in a lot of ways, but I love dresses and sewing.

N is for something you need:

Spring to get here soon…seriously this snow is putting a cramp in my plans.

O is for occupation:

I am a middle school Spanish teacher.  It’s a lot of fun most days.  I’m also certified to teach ESOL, which I think that’s really my dream job.

P is for pet peeve:

Ignorance.  I love a good debate, so people who have differing opinions than mine are great.  But please be able to have a real, intelligent conversation about what you think and why you think that way.  I used to want to be a lawyer, and sometimes I still wish I could go back to school–because getting paid to argue every day would be so cool!

Q is for a quote:

I am a quote-whore.  But I recently read an interview with Sandra Cisneros (one of my fav authors) and she said, “I think all books are medicine, and and they are meant for a person who has an ailment of a certain kind. That’s why certain books don’t speak to us, because we’re not ill with that ailment.”

R is for random fact about you:

My Oma (grandma in German) is my hero.  She came here when she was very young from Hungary right after the end of WWII.  Her and my Opa escaped in the middle of the night with my great-grandma, aunt and uncle (who was 6 months old at the time).  When they got to the border of Hungary and Austria (Hungary was communist post-WWII and they weren’t allowed to leave), a soldier caught them.  He told them to go home and Oma told him they weren’t going, that he could shoot the whole family or let them cross, but they weren’t going back.  He obviously let them go.  She has countless other stories like this, and it makes me so proud to know that THAT’S what I’m made of.

me, my seeester and oma

S is for favorite healthy snack:

Fruit!!!!!! Strawberries are my favorite, but oranges and bananas are also high on the list.  I also really love celery.  I think sometimes people think I just say that because I want to lose weight or something, but seriously I just love celery.

T is for favorite treat:

I have a horrible sweet tooth–ice cream, homemade brownies (with chocolate chips in them), butter spritz cookies (only at xmas time!), banana bread, chocolate (the Hershey’s nuggets are the best, but I don’t discriminate).

U is for something that makes you unique:

I’m the oldest of 10 kids.  We’re all from the same parents, yes we’re Catholic, no that’s not why my parents had a big family.  They believe in birth control, they just (obviously) didn’t use it.  I can’t imagine not having that many siblings, and I can’t even begin to tell you all of the ways they have enriched my life.

me and the 4 youngest. theyre getting so big, but theyll always be my babies.

V is for favorite vegetable:

I love baby spinach salads. I cook with lots of onion and garlic.  I also love red peppers.  I like green peppers, too, but I burp them for days afterwards, which is gross.  Green beans are pretty awesome (but canned, not fresh).  Corn is yummy.  Recently I’ve discovered sweet potatoes.  I guess I don’t have a “favorite” because I love most of them.

W is for today’s workout:

Today was an off day.  Tomorrow I’m running 800 repeats in the morning, then doing Ab Ripper X, then tomorrow night is our annual “run outta one year and into the next” where we start running around 11:30 and run til after midnight.  Super fun.

X is for X-rays you’ve had:

Just some on my teeth and one on my hip back when I trained for my first half.  They couldn’t see anything because of the inflammation, so they sent me for an MRI and I had a panic attack in that stupid tube.

Y is for yesterday’s highlight:

I have 2.  I ran 9 miles (which isn’t that much really) in super snow, which was an incredibly challenging workout, physically and mentally.  It’s my first challenge of my marathon training.  After we ran, every year, our friends have an omelet party, where you bring over a bottle of champagne (to make mimosas–or as we call them, MOREmosas) and then fill out an order form for whatever omelet you want (ham, peppers, onions, cheese, mushrooms) and cheesy potatoes, bacon and English muffin.  It’s delicious and fun.

Z is for your time zone:

EST!!!