This looks like way too much fun, and my love is staying up late working, so it was obviously ordained somewhere that I do this. Nevermind that my lower back is killing me, did I mention FUN?
Speaking of hurting backs, here’s a PSA for my throngs of female readers, courtesy of my dear friend, Colleen The Most Amazing Massage Therapist, Like, Ever. Apparently, menstrual back pain happens [at least in part] because the softer tissues in your pelvis get a little looser, presumably so that some day you can dilate. So your whole pelvis gets a little wonky and weak, but there’s still all that weight on it – and so the lower back muscles clench around it, compensating. A little while like that, and misery sets in. You lose a lot of magnesium during that time as well, I’m not sure if it’s a side effect or a cause of the loosening. So if you take magnesium supplements (250mg, as far as I can tell from the web) for a couple of days before your period is due and then every day until you no longer need it, the pain should be greatly reduced or even not rear its ugly head at all.
Now, if only I’d remembered all that this month. Anyway.
1) My mother once: had the most infectious laugh that rang through the echoey woods when we went mushrooming.
2) Never in my life: have I been anywhere in Eastern Europe aside from the USSR, despite living almost at the border with Romania for the first 13 years of my life.
3) When I was five: I was probably still talking about that time when I was four and this cast-iron table fell on my toes and TWO of them BROKE and I had a CAST and would hop to the bathroom every morning, holding on to my dad’s hands as he walked backwards. Seasons changed, and soon we were getting up in the dark – I remember that hallway vividly still.
4) High School was: mostly pretty fun for the first two years in New York (Queens), mostly miserable for the last two years an hour north of Los Angeles. But then, those two years were miserable on many counts, so it’s probably not the high school’s fault. But I never did find my kind of crowd until halfway through college.
5) I will never forget: my dad. I’m very much like him.
6) I once met: Marcello Mastroianni. He came to give a talk at the University of Padova, which is a 20 minutes’ train ride from Venice, where I was studying-abroad. Being a college student, and having freshly found my own skin comfortable, I had no fears and so asked him some questions (albeit after the Q&A was over and people were going home). He was indulgent and wanted to know more about me. He seemed to be amused by the foreigner fan girl. This was about a year before he died.
7) There’s this person I know who: bicycled all across the United States. In fact, there are two of them. And they’re both girls. And they both rock my world.
8) Once, at a bar: I had a Bloody Mary. I was 16 and in Vermont with my brother (11 years older) and his then-company, on a ski trip. This was smack in the middle of a tech bubble. :) Anyway, this wasn’t binge or anything, alcohol was never taboo in my house, he just thought I’d like it. He knows me well; this remains my favorite cocktail.
9) By noon I’m usually: either really pleased with the progress I’ve made so far (on whatever it is, weekend or weekday), or guiltily flogging myself to pick up speed already.
10) Last night: I watched “I, Robot” with Ethan. It didn’t suck.
11) If I only had: money. Lots and lots of money, so that I could found a university and invite all my friends and acquaintances and other cool people who are being mistreated and/or vastly underappreciated by their respective universities. And pay them well, and take them on totally inspirational retreats to see wonders, and give them all ponies. Oh, and the standard: buy mom a house, take care of various debts, travel the world.
12) Next time I go to church/temple: it will probably be a temple in the desert or a regional variation thereof.
13) Terri Schiavo: was a slave.
14) I like: my cat Aki. A lot. In fact, I should post more pictures of him on the internet.
15) When I turn my head left, I see: the window through which Aki has disappeared onto the roof, where he likes to hang out. Yeah, my heart lurches, although it’s not as bad as it used to be; it’s a good training for when we have kids.
16) When I turn my head right, I see: Ethan typing away at his desk, with a still-full bowl of chowder in front of him.
17) You know I’m lying when: I’m lying. I can’t lie to save my life.
18) In grade school: I got more or less perfect grades in everything except sometimes behavior and/or citizenship. I also took all that my die-hard-commie teacher said at face value, and turned into quite a self-righteous little snitch until my parents realized what was going on and fixed it. Sort of. There were many things about social interactions that I learned on my own during that time.
19) If I was a character written by Shakespeare: I’d be Kate. Incidentally, I love the name Kate.
20) By this time next year: I sure as hell hope that dissertation writing is proceeding apace.
21) A better name for me would be: n/a. My name suits me well.
22) I have a hard time understanding: most U.S.-born people.
23) If I ever go back to school I’ll: hahahahaha! You’re funny. Back to school?
24) You know I like you if: I awkwardly try to make light-hearted conversation, and/or I try to feed you.
25) If I won an award, the first person I’d thank would be: that depends on what the award is for.
26) I hope that: all of Ethan’s insane dreams will be realized enough in our lifetime to make for a very, very cool world to live in.
27) Take my advice: or don’t.
28) My ideal breakfast is: cheese. Oh, a real breakfast? These days, eggs and snausages, or Neil Gaiman’s porridge. That stuff’s amazing.
29) A song I love, but do not have is: “Home” by Mashina Vremeni (Time Machine). They’re Russian.
30) If you visit my hometown, I suggest: that you go there in the midst of farmers’ market season and eat your fill of sour cherries. And go to the Valley of the Roses.
31) Tulips, character flaws, microchips & track stars: are all things I do not have. What?!
32) Why won’t anyone: do their goddamn research before posting drivel on the interweb?
33) If you spend the night at my house: Ethan and I will make you an amazing dinner.
34) I’d stop my wedding: if one of my loved ones was hurt or otherwise in enough trouble to need me. Then I’d start it again.
35) The world could do without: willful ignorance.
36) I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: …
37) My favorite blonde is: Colleen. She’s spectacularly blonde. She really is a landmark.
38) Paper clips are more useful than: kiwi fuzz. Why do kiwi fruit have fuzz? It gets all in your teeth and everywhere, and it’s abrasive.
40) And by the way: we went wild mushroom hunting last weekend, brought home like a dozen different varieties, and didn’t poison ourselves.
41) The last time I was drunk, I: n/a. I’ve never been drunk.
42) My grandmother always: loved me, when she knew who I was. Now she can dimly remember, I think.
She had stunning black hair and a great sense of style. She flirted with my grandfather by leaning out the window, so that her shoulder-length mane would fall to the side like Rapunzel’s.