26 Random Things About Lindsay

Today, I'm 26! Here's a random list of things about me. You might know all of these already, and that's okay. I like lists a lot and thought it would be fun to come up with these. Happy Birthday to me!

1. Sitting through a movie or even a TV show without something to do is torture. If you've seen me creating lots of things, it probably also means I'm really caught up on the shows I'm watching because I can't sit still... I must have my phone, a project, or something in front of me. For the same reason, I'm not a huge fan of going to see movies in the theater. I get this from my mom.
2. I like to cook but I don't like to bake. I don't enjoy baked goods as much as I do a good savory main dish and all the measurements and the "chill for one hour" don't seem worth it. When I've done it in the past, I've liked baking, so I think if I had more people to practice on, I'd enjoy it, but two people certainly don't need 3 dozen cookies hanging around.
3. Trying new things is very difficult for me. I've found that I usually like whatever the new thing is (unless it's some sort of a new game - very iffy) but I HATE knowing I'm going to do something for the first time or be around new people. The anticipation kills me. 
4. I tell myself stories when I'm trying to fall asleep. My brain likes to compose lists of things to do the next day, or begin a mental countdown of how long I have left to sleep at night... so to distract myself and give me some mental "white noise", I tell a story.
5. To remember things, I have to make a clicking noise or snap my fingers. I'm not sure why I do it or for how long I've been doing it, but when I was snapping my fingers remembering something about a year ago, I realized that I'd been doing it while zoned out... in a coworker's face! Sorry!
6. I love infomercials. I've never bought anything from one (you have to call! and who wants to pay the shipping and handling?!) but I think they are such a great form of entertainment. 
7. Most of you who read this know this, but I'm 1/4 Mexican, from my mom's side. This is why I don't burn like crazy at the beach. I'm only writing it because when I was in Virginia in January, I was talking about our Christmas Eve tamales tradition and Brooke apparently didn't know that little fact... and we've been friends for 18 years. To be fair, it really isn't obvious and sounds like a lie. 
8. If I could have competed in any Olympic event, it would definitely be figure skating. I've always loved ice skating and I'm just certain that if I'd grown up in a colder climate, I would be world-renowned by now. When I was younger, I really wanted to do gymnastics, so that would have been a close second (a third would be something track related... just because it would be fun to see how fast you could go).
9. I don't have a favorite book (if pressed, I would give you the name of a random book I do like), but I do love to read. I'd probably say my favorite genre (if this can be called that because it's broad) is historical fiction. Many of the historical dates and figures I actually remember from grade school are due to historical fiction.
10. Around my birthday every year, I get a little freaked out thinking that every place I go is actually going to be a surprise party for me. I had one when I was 17 and while I did appreciate the thought of my kind friends, I really hate surprises. If I know other people like them, I have no problem even planning one, but to be the guest of honor? A recurring nightmare. True story: on my eighth birthday, my family was out to lunch and my grandmother had the wait staff sing to me. They entered the room, I jumped up, crying, and jumped in my dad's lap. Needless to say, no one's tried that trick again. 
11. People at my last two jobs have for whatever reason not just called me "Lindsay" but "Lindsay Bay". I know this is my name, but they've made it into a double name, like "Mary Katherine" or something. I think it's funny, and it does sound very southern. 
12. If I could do any form of workout, it would be something like running stairs. I used to do that in Spokane and LOVED it. And looking back at pictures, it paid off. I am not the kind of person who wants to be at the gym or sweating for hours upon hours. I mean, CLEARLY, but still.
13. I love candles, and of course I'm picky about them. I don't like food scents, like vanilla and caramel and apple pie, or things that smell spicy like cinnamon or cloves, or anything that's "cotton" scented (because it doesn't smell like fresh sheets. It smells like pure chemical). I love the Bath and Body Works Fresh Balsam candle at Christmas and the Pumpkin Pie candle by Walmart's Mainstays brand (thanks for the hint, Grandmama!). I like floral and citrus, mango, coconut, and lemongrass. Bath and Body Works is my favorite place to buy candles, and they're pretty good about having sales or good coupons.
14. My favorite Disney movie is Cinderella. I think it's because of the mice and not because of Prince Charming. 
15. I took Russian in high school. I wish I'd tried harder and practiced more and gone further with that. At this point, I don't know when I'd use Russian, but I think it's a beautiful language and I'd love to master it.
16. If I had been a boy, my name would have been Christian Palmer. If my sister had been a boy, her name would have been Christian Palmer. Six years after I was born, my parents had a boy, but his name is Scott. 
17. Coffee. I make it everyday, but I don't drink it. I'm at the point where I've tasted it enough and don't mind it, and could probably work a little to even drink it black, but since I don't feel like I NEED the caffeine, I'm going to put off trying to like coffee for another time in my life. 
18. My favorite time periods to read and learn more about are Civil War and World War II. My least favorite time period is definitely anything middle ages. I find movies or books or anything set in those times to be tedious. I don't know why!
19. I'd love to find something to do where I can work from home. Is this partially because I am lazy? Yes. But also I think it would be fun to develop a creative skill and get to the point where I can fully love what I'm doing. I think my problem is that I know I'm not REALLY great at one thing, I'm mostly average at a lot of things... so which to choose to get better at? 
20. I love personality tests. I re-take take the Meyers-Briggs test every once in awhile and with most versions of it, I am an INTJ. When I look up descriptions of that type, I'm not convinced that it's me. Since I was talking about it, I took this test and got ISFP.
21. I hate beer. I like hard cider and other things that do not taste especially like alcohol, so mostly, I stick to Diet Coke. It's cheaper and I'm guaranteed to like it. 
22. I've learned that I'm not an immediate trend-follower. I usually have a couple of months (or years) of hating a particular trend before I warm up to the idea or stick with my original impression. Things I've bought into but not until later include Toms shoes (I just bought my first pair last year), skinny jeans (2012; necessary with boots), topknots, and my nose ring. The latter was out of fear for pain though. It probably can't hurt to think on things for a bit before doing them? Plus I'm a chicken.
23. I'm getting into crossword puzzles, but I've been doing them via an app on my phone. These are marvelous! I love puzzles and logical things and trying to reason, and it's not something I just do naturally on a daily basis, so this is great. I think I've lost a little brain function in that area (because practice makes perfect), so maybe by this time next year I'll be in Mensa.
24. Carson thinks I'm the pickiest person EVER when it comes to food, and compared to him I totally am. Here's the thing though. I grew up eating white rice and porkchops and just very "normal" and bland foods. I didn't have an avocado until I was 22. I didn't eat ethnic foods until I went with friends. I'm not very adventurous and if I go to a place with a turkey sandwich on the menu and nothing else looks familiar, I'm probably getting it. But my point is... I've grown! I do try new things! Still hate carrots though. Nothing I can do to make myself eat a raw carrot, and I like familiar things. Sorry, Carson.
25. I didn't think I was the kind of person who loves getting gifts, but I totally am. It's not why I love Christmas, but it's definitely something I look forward to on birthdays and holidays. I can't decide if it's materialism or just because I like that someone thought of me. Likely a little sprinkle of each. I love coming up with things for other people too, but often fear of it being the "right" gift paralyzes me and I just send a card. 
26. I don't like doing things by myself. I know people who are adventurers and go out and explore new cities and countries alone, but I don't think I'd enjoy it (who knows, I guess). I think half the fun of seeing someplace new is talking it over and experiencing it with other people!

A Series of Updos.

I thought about doing a little series on hairstyles, but then I realized... I am not good at explaining these sorts of things. Still, I thought that it would be fun to gather a bunch of recent hairstyles I've done as ideas in case you're feeling inspired, and as a reminder for me so I can see what I've done. And again, I'm not good at describing what I do, so forgive me!

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For my job, I have to wear my hair up. If my hair is straightened, I'm fine with putting it in a ponytail. But if it's in its regular state? BAD, bad idea. It's nothing but a wavy mess (you'd be amazed how much it looks like Medusa). I also like to be able to see some hair from the front... I don't know why, but if it's all back and there's nothing interesting on the side or top, it feels strange to me. So I do a lot of experimenting and use a lot of bobby pins (it's thick) and here are some more recent styles I've done lately. 

And PS - best bobby pins? These ones from Sally Beauty Supply. It's $7 for 300 and they don't "stretch out" and they have the best grip. Mine are bronze, but they also come in black. 

The poofy bun. 

 This was originally tighter on my head, but it kind of hurt and looked funny. I just gathered my hair into a high ponytail, secured it with an elastic and twisted it into a bun, secured with half a million pins. I don't typically look in a mirror to do these, and if I do, I can't see both the front and back at the same time, so I use my iPhone to see if the bun is straight or what's going on back there.

The braided updo.

This one is more of a favorite, but I haven't been able to replicate it again well. I braided the front part, then gathered the rest of my hair into a bun and secured it. I have a really high forehead (read: I look like I'm balding if my hair is pulled back tightly. No really.), so I loosely gathered my bangs and tucked them into the braid like they were supposed to be there. I have a love hate relationship with my bangs, but lately it's been a little more "hate" - they get in the way.

To the side.

This one isn't perfectly executed. If my hair were shorter, I think it would have been nicer because it would have looked simpler. It's a low messy updo to the side (I gathered pieces of hair, twirled them around my finger, and pinned them individually), and I tried to swoop my bangs in to get them out of the way. The bangs were repinned about a thousand times because they didn't look like I wanted them to, and I still didn't love it. 

Half-crown.  

A half crown braid back into a bun.

Side bun. 

Oftentimes, I'll braid one side and twist the other into a side bun. I like this because it's an easy thing to do and can be a beach hairstyle or a fancy updo. 

Here's a side shot... this is what I do in side braids or side buns to help it all stay secure.

I hate the part of my bangs that's hanging down, but the side bun actually worked.

Waterfall braid.

This isn't an updo, but it was a fun not-at-work style. I gathered the very top section of my hair and did a braid that just went across the top... it's like a french braid except you start on one side and gather hair just from the top, not the bottom at all. Google "waterfall braid" and you'll see tons of inspiration. 

Crown Braid.

This crown braid always makes my arms ache to do, but it doesn't take very long. I do an inside out braid (it has another name, but I can't remember it) starting just like I do for the waterfall braid, but gathering the hair only on the outsides... this one took a lot of frustrated practice to do the first time, and I don't do it very often because I think the side profile looks too flat. It's fun though, and looks like I should be frolicking through a field. 

Twisty braided bun.I'd been wearing my hair like this all day before I thought to have Carson take a picture. This is one of the easiest braids out there. I part my hair like usual, then braid the side with less of a part in a little braid, all the way down. My hair is coarse, so I can braid it to the end without it unraveling. Then I do an inside out braid on the top and down the other side, all the way down. I gather all that hair and make a bun. I think that the braided ends make it look interesting.

Side braid.

This is a more common hairstyle and one you've probably seen pictures of a million times. A lot of people can just gather their hair into a side braid, but mine won't stay that way, so I start on one side with a french braid going toward the bottom of my hair and add my hair, braiding it till the end. This picture is a year old, as evidenced by our old apartment in the background.

 

A variation of that side braid is the one where I braid the top part of my hair and work it into a side braid. Sometimes I'll braid both sides and make them go into this braid. 

Or I'll twist one side and braid the other. Whatever works to make sure the thing stays.

Pretzel braid. 

My favorite named braid, and mostly because I love soft pretzels. Worst picture of it ever, but I divided my hair in two, french braided one side, twisted the other into a braid and made a figure eight on the side, so I guess it's a side bun variation. I love this one, especially when it's close to the base of my neck. 

Twisted chignon. 

This one... well, I like it but I'm not sure what I was trying to do. I started off pulling my hair like I was putting it half up. I twisted it to secure it, then pinned it. I braided the rest into a french braid, then pinned all of that up. It doesn't really look like that, I know... There was some twisting involved. 

Zig-zag braid.

This is another older picture, but I do this zig-zag braid quite a lot. I start with a waterfall braid, just taking hair from the front. When I reach the side, I just grab hair from that top underlayer (so, the "front" again, if that makes sense), and then the third time, I grab hair from the bottom, so that I'm getting all my hair. I can leave the end of the braid in a side braid, but it's usually pretty thin looking by that time, so I coil the hair up at the bottom and pin it. It takes a second or two to learn, but it's not a time consuming hairstyle. I find that I struggle more with what the front looks like than anything.

My Birthday Weekend

This post involves a lot of pictures, just so you're forewarned. 

Carson wouldn't let me get up on my birthday until 9am, because he was decorating the house with streamers and balloons. I came downstairs and everything was so festive and fun! He'd wrapped presents and put them on the table, just like I remembered from my childhood. 

Shortly after, he had to go to work, so I stayed at home (looking mostly like I did in that lovely first picture) and did pretty much nothing until he got home at 6:30. I got a few phone calls and birthday cards in the mail that day.

That night, we got dressed up and Carson took me to dinner. But first, pictures. I discovered that Carson took some test photos trying to set up the self-timer while I was still upstairs. This was my favorite.

We went to The Melting Pot and it was FABULOUS! We had a terrific server and a table tucked back into a corner so it was fun and cozy. We've never been but I've always hoped to go and it was even better than expected. We had a cheese fondue for our first course, which we consumed entirely.

Carson with the fab forks

And our dinner course was fun too - there was a pot of boiling water with spices and vegetables inside. We were served raw meat, which we pierced with our forks and put in the pot to cook. Then there were all sorts of spices and sauces to enjoy with the meat.

Last was dessert. I'm not a huge dessert person, but it was really good. We had a cookies and cream fondue with various fruits and cheesecakes, marshmallows and rice krispy treats. On the side, our server brought out a plate with chocolate covered strawberries and a birthday message. He then lit some liquor (Rum, I think?) and poured it on top of the fondue as a "birthday candle", which was by far the coolest candle ever. No one sang the birthday song, which is always my number two birthday request (number one is no surprise parties).

More pictures when we got home, but Carson forgot that we were going to do that and changed.

Day Two
That night, my friend Casey brought over a delicious cheesecake. We didn't want to eat it before our huge meal, so we saved it for "breakfast" the next day. SO GOOD.

A few weeks ago, I told Carson that all I really wanted for my birthday was warm weather. I was joking (but if I thought it were possible, I'd really have wished for that), but the day of my birthday was sunny (not warm) and the day after was sunny and warm. It was 63 degrees, which sounds like winter weather to the old me, who used to live in South Carolina, but because it's Ohio, we saw people in shorts! I had to document the first warm day.

And as if there wasn't enough sweet stuff for the weekend, Carson bought a little ice cream cake and sang happy birthday (I'm okay if it's just one person singing).

Despite the fact that we probably have diabetes from the weekend, it was pretty great! I felt loved, overfed, and warm, which are not terrible things to feel on a birthday weekend.

2012 in Review

We began the year in Spokane, drinking sparkling cider at midnight on January 1st, watching fireworks, and breaking our Taco Bell fast (we have not craved or even eaten any since). We played in the snow as well. 

In February, we celebrated Valentine's Day, and apparently didn't too much else, or else I didn't take pictures of it! 

In March, Carson's cousin Savannah got married in Seattle, and Carson was the officiant. We celebrated my birthday the day before that, and one of my gifts was to see Straight No Chaser in concert in Spokane. During spring break at the end of March, we drove up to Canada for the day, and back again. 

We celebrated Easter in April with good friends - old roommates of mine, now married and old "Spokane friends" of ours. This was also the month that we discovered we would be moving to Cleveland!

  

May was a busy month. At the beginning of the month, I "ran" Bloomsday with Izzy, then we helped plan John and Rachel's wedding reception, I was finishing up school, we had Moody's Spring Formal, our second anniversary, our families visited, and I graduated. 

In June (okay, the last day of May), I went to Ukraine. It was supposed to be until mid-July, but I had a miscarriage and came home after three weeks.

 July was our last full month in Spokane, and it was full of crafting, goodbyes, fun outings, and time with friends. We celebrated 4th of July with good friends, and fireworks downtown, went to Olympia for a garage sale, walked around Spokane for the last time.

In August, we drove across the country to Ohio! We saw Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, visited with Kristine and Ryan in Iowa, stopped by South Bend, and finally made it. That weekend we celebrated Zack and Erica's wedding in Akron! 

In September, we went back to the Lowcountry for the first time in almost two years. I got to spend a little time with Emily in Beaufort and to see my family, but the main reason was for Becca and Thomas' wedding in Savannah!

In October, Carson rode his first roller coaster at Cedar Point, Morgan and Caleb got married in Florida and I got to escape the cold Cleveland weather to be a bridesmaid, and we celebrated Halloween (well, technically, all we did was dress up)

In November, we took our Christmas card pictures and celebrated Thanksgiving -- twice! 

In December, Carson had a birthday, we did a lot to prep for Christmas, worked a lot, and finally celebrated for the first time in our new home in Cleveland! We got to see friends from "back home in Spokane" as well: Rachel and John, Zack and Erica. We finished the new year off right by having friends from Beaufort (now Virginia): Brooke and Levi come for the weekend to ring in 2013!

It was an eventful year! Can't wait to see what 2013 is going to hold!

Here's our 2011 Recap, if you're interested.