Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Have I Shared Too Much?

LAP here. OK, so I was tagged in MEP’s last blog to do a meme. From what I gather, this meme involves listing 6 quirks about myself. So, let me reveal my freaky ways…

1. My toes are way out of alignment. Let me attempt to describe this for you. We start out strong with the big toe. It appears normal in size and shape…nothing that would require a second glance. Next we have my second and third toes which I have always referred to as the twin towers. I know it is not unusual for your second toe to be taller than your big toe, but I don’t know the stats on toe number three being taller than the big toe as well, as is the case with my feet. What comes next is really what makes my feet look bizarre. Picture a five story building next to a skyscraper. That’s what my fourth toe is to my third. Ants could parachute off toe number three and get a thrilling fall before landing on my tiny fourth toe. I have to be careful when selecting dress shoes and sandals so as not to have a strap that lays on my foot in a way that gives the illusion that I only have three toes. Finally, my baby toe is extremely shy and hides behind toe number four. I pry it out when painting my toenails but otherwise allow it to remain a recluse.

2. I enjoy eating in the car. We’re not talking road trips here. Let me set the scene to present an example. At my last job, there were some periods of time where my lunch partner options were shaky at best. So, rather than subject myself to a lunch of discussing the Iraq war (again), listening to my needy cubemate tell about his unaffectionate wife (who I firmly believe was a lesbian), or eat in the dingy breakroom with my dieting friends (depressing), I often opted to eat in my car. There was a strip center about a half a mile from work that was not busy due to its main anchor moving out. So, I parked my car on the side of the building, facing the highway so I could watch cars if I so desired and ate my lunch in peace (sometimes with a magazine I’d packed or with the radio on). This could be done spring through fall, as long as there was some sunlight steaming through my windshield. Sounds pathetic perhaps, but those are some good memories. The best days of course being when I went through the McDonalds drive-thru for a post-meal McFlurry and savored that in the front seat of my car. One day, a fairly new, potentially cool coworker pulled up next to me, about to eat his lunch. He tried to tell me this was the first time he had ever done that, but I wasn’t buying it. He never did return to that spot though so he was either scared of me that I admitted to coming here regularly or else found himself a new spot.

3. I can burp the alphabet. Don’t know what else to say about that. I am not necessarily proud of that talent, but I like that people are surprised that I would even attempt such a thing. I try not to give performances very often as my body sometimes likes to keep going even after I get to “z.” Pleasant, ey?

4. I heart Frisch’s. The local Big Boy restaurant for those of you who might be unfamiliar. Sure, lots of people might like it, but I believe I am a tier above the “like” stage. The hamburger is the perfect size and is the only circumstance in which I consume tarter sauce. The fries are admittedly only average, but the vegetable soup makes for a nice substitute. Of course, the grand item for me is the Diet Vanilla Coke over perfectly crushed ice. I love it. I consume a couple cups while there and then like to get a to go cup when I leave. For the forty-five days following Halloween and Valentines Day, you can use kids coupons (purchased 8 for $1) to get free kids meals. We’ve been known to go weekly during that time. It especially works out well around Halloween when my husband can order some pumpkin pie, sometimes splitting a whole pie with wall builder M. Myself, I prefer the hot fudge cake if I am going to go with dessert. Yum. There are suckers for kids on the way out which can serve well as incentives for eating and staying seated through the meal.

5. I have a thing for cash registers. As if points 1-4 don’t make me sound odd enough, I will reveal that I love playing with cash registers. Perhaps that’s why I chose accounting as it’s one of the few professional jobs that allows me to display my speed on the numeric keypad…a skill honed in my cash register hayday. It started with the Buddy L toy cash register as a child. I made PITA purchase items before bed, threatening that we couldn’t have the night light on in our room unless she did. I graduated to a push button old school register no longer being used at the AmeriStop gas station my dad’s friend owned. Finally, when I showed no signs of giving up my cash register playing habits, my parents broke down and bought me one of the electronic ones I used to play with on trips to Sam’s Club. I had a system for entering UPC codes and prices, making receipts, running through my pretend charge cards, and accepting returns. I once told a partner at my public accounting firm that if someday years from now he sees me working at a checkout lane, not to feel sorry for me. I asked him to instead think to himself that I’m finally living my dream. Of course, truth be told, the dream as I knew it is dead thanks to scanners. There’s no fun in scanning. Cashiers don’t even get to ask cash, check or charge anymore. Still, I have my electronic register in storage in our basement and will only bring it out when I feel like Fancy and Swiper are old enough to treat it with the care it deserves.

6. I never set my alarm to a rounded number. I mention this only because it never ceases to amaze my husband. I am orderly about so many other things in life that it seems out of character. My alarm will never say 6:30, 7:00, or 7:45. Instead, some common wake-up times through the years have been 6:21, 7:01, or 7:44.

Sorry for the long length of this one. Perhaps you didn’t need so many details about my quirks but sometimes I don’t know when to stop.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love hearing everyone's quirks! It's like feeling dirty after watching a cheesey reality show -yes, it's a sickness that I relish. I just love the random factor of both of your meme's (a term that is new to me! but I'm a big fan... clearly.). Keep it coming!

Anonymous said...

I knew LAP was special from the moment I laid eyes on her. When she first burped the alphabet for me, well, I just had to get a ring on her finger before another dude snatched her up. The others quirks are just bonus!

mep said...

Ah, ain't BB the cutest dang husband ever?

I love picturing LAP eating lunch in her car and then looking over to find her co-worker doing the same. I just recently enjoyed a meal in the Burger King parking lot and strangers pulled up on both sides of me to do the same. NTB, but my car was parked in the shadiest spot.

Also, I do the same with the alarm clock, not that I need one these days.

Actchy said...

I've always been jealous of people who could burp on command. My middle niece can do it, and is training to get the alphabet done, too. She's always been a little shy around my husband, but this aspiration allowed the two of them some bonding time when he recently engaged in a conversation with her that was spoken via burps.

I could only sit by and listen.

Anonymous said...

LAP- Few things we have in common here...I had a love for cash registers as a child as well. My Dayton Grandma had a fabulous one that I used while instructing my brothers what to "buy" at the "grocery." Frisch's is the only time I allow tarter sauce in my life. And I never set my alarm clock to a rounded number either but I can take it one step further...I am strictly use odd numbers such as 6:51, 6:57 (personal fav) or 7:03.

Anonymous said...

Your post really made me smile. How well I know most of it, but it was nostalgic and fun to revisit. I had almost forgotten the alphabet, I am not good at burping so I am especially proud of you for honing that skill early on. m

Anonymous said...

Good post LAP. I will have to check out your feet next time I see you. I didn't realize they were so misshapen.

Anonymous said...

my alarm has to be set at a number ending in a 1 or a 6--7:36 or 6:21, seeming to be favorites, depending on the necessary wakeup time, of course.
and i, too, love frisch's way too much. can't get enough of that vegetable soup (my daughter is already a big fan, ntb), and the tuna melt, bacon cheeseburger, and salad bar are other favorites.
eating in my car--love it. driving or standing. though i have never been caught by a co-worker or other. that scene is right out of the office or something.
and i even get the cash register thing, though i was never lucky enough to have my own.
but lucky for me, our quirk-similarities end there--strappy sandles have never caused too much of a problem. (hilarious by the way!)

Anonymous said...

LAP... This was just what I needed for the beginning of my weekend flying solo. I didn't know about all of your quirks. I remember thinking how lucky you were when you got the cash register... Thanks for sharing... I think your toes are great... I didn't notice anything at the tea party. My Dad would do anything to escape eating with co-workers... or in places such as the Hickory Hut where people would stop to talk to him. He would tend to take his glasses off and bring a book if dining in a restaurant but a huge fan of eating in the car... You could always find the bags from several different restaurants in the passenger side of the maroon camaro. Thanks for helping me remember that! BDavin

 
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