So, there was this post on BlogHer’s Own Your Beauty page yesterday about authenticity and the things that make us stand out as individuals. I kept thinking about it, wondering what makes me unique. Other than my Lebanese nose (read: Jamie Farr), how am I different? It was harder than I thought to come up with a list of 25 things that aren’t typical.
I think women spend a lot of time trying to look like one another, but it is our unique traits that make us beautiful. Now, don’t get me wrong…I’m not going to stop dying my hair, but maybe I won’t worry so much about that darned chipped tooth.
1. I have big hands.
2. I have big feet. Size 11, to be exact. But, you know what? They’re pretty.
3. I hate to fly.
4. I hate to drive long distances almost as much as I hate flying.
5. I’m convinced I will die a tragic death. Probably in an airplane crash or a car accident.
6. I take Zoloft for anxiety.
7. Coffee, chocolate, peanut butter and beer are my four food groups.
8. I don’t mind all of the scars on my body, because they all have a memory associated with them. Good or bad. Even this one.
9. I shave every day. My legs, that is. I can’t stand the feel of hair against clothing. *shudder*
10. I save articles from magazines and newspapers for my daughter to read when she’s old enough to move out. Things that I hope will keep her informed and safe.
11. I think it is disgusting when people bite their nails.
12. I bite my nails.
13. I also pick at my cuticles constantly (see above re: anxiety).
14. I hate elevators.
15. And, carnations.
16. I am terrified of cats (not kittens, but the full-grown, sneaky, pouncing, scratchy kind).
17. I have a cowlick on the back of my head. In the 4th grade, I cut it off because it wouldn’t lay flat for school picture day. It looked delightful growing back.
18. I open my mouth and throw my head back when I laugh. Probably so everyone behind me can see my cowlick and everyone in front of me can see my fillings.
19. You know how people have those camping chairs in a bag that they lug to fireworks or their kids’ baseball games? Well, I still use a good, old-fashioned lawn chair. The kind with the interwoven straps.
20. I’m good at painting walls and never need tape.
21. My musical tastes range from Joni Mitchell to Black Eyed Peas.
22. I’m tone deaf. Well, not really…because I can actually hear that I can’t carry a tune.
23. I constantly have songs stuck in my head and they will change at the drop of a hat. Someone says the word “prerogative” and it’s suddenly all Bobby Brown up in here. You’re welcome.
24. My favorite flavor of popsicle is banana.
25. I have a crooked smile.
Now it’s your turn. What makes you different boys and girls?
I know two ways you could be different…you could be the winner of a $100 gift card to Dick’s Sporting Goods courtesy of BlogHer and sponsored by Gatorade or the winner of a $100 gift card to Best Buy courtesy of BlogHer and sponsored by Samsung.
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Melisa
And I love you just the way you are.
Mr Lady
It looked delightful growing back.
I LOVE YOU.
And I love your laugh more than almost anything in the world.
Momo Fali
You are so good to me. And, for me.
Caroline
Cats, Momo, really??! Also, thanks for the Bobby B. infusion into my day.
Momo Fali
You are quite welcome. 🙂
Elisa Camahort Page
I sometimes use the word “prerogative” in conversation *just* so I can get the Bobby Brown earworm going 🙂
Amanda
You’re awesome. And I can’t believe there are people so amazing at painting walls that they don’t need tape! Even with tape, I still end up with paint all over the ceiling and molding.
UP
Unique is good, very good.
I try to be different every day…well, except my hair!
UP
Tara R.
I can completely turn my tongue over… you’re welcome for that mental image. I think you are fantastic… and love this list of your uniqueness.
SurprisedMom
I love your list. You are a uniquely, wonderful woman! I’m still pondering my uniqueness.
Tina Woodcock
I am not sure I am that different, Hubby disagrees so here goes:
1. I didn’t train to be an accountant until I was 32 and that is only because I like studying and thought that might be the next good thing to learn.
2. I have one eye lower than the other that is really noticable in photographs.
3. I think it is a good idea to keep a puppy from each litter so we now have so there are more dogs in the house than humans.
4. I love Christmas so much that I get carried away in the supermarket at Christmas and don’t realise I am dancing and singing along to tunes in the aisles while Hubby and my daughter follow 10 paces behind.
5. I love any type of cute alien.
6. I have frequent episodes of being so giddy that I have jokingly started to blame it on the little aliens that live in my head.
7. I am one of the most organised of people at work but I leave my brain there every day and become the scattiest person my friends and family know each and every day.
8. My favourite film of all time is Toy Story – possibly unusual for someone who is approaching 40.
9. My favourite advert of all time is one which has cartoon weeds, one of which is so defiant it sticks it’s tongue out and blows a raspberry at the idea of keeling over an dying.
10. I have a phobia of feet, not good when I have to have two of them. The UK advertising industry has a habit of putting advertisements on TV for eliminating foot fungi right around dinner time so I have to insist on the TV being turned off or to a channel without advertisements.
Not really sure any of them make me unique but I can certainly be strange.
Irish Gumbo
You are correct: It is your unique traits that make you beautiful.
Right on. Pretty nifty, great list.
Michelle McCort
i can’t believe how much alike we are!!! just substitue cymbalta for the zoloft…. 🙂
Amie
Hmmm…
1) I have an irrational fear of being trapped in a submerged car (I have one of those window-breaking, seatbelt-cutting hammers to keep that from happening).
2) I have an even MORE irrational fear of being trapped in a car in the event of a nuclear bomb strike (because I recall learning in 7th grade that when a nuclear bomb hits, all battery-operated and electrical equipment will stop working, and so many cars have automatic locks and windows–nevermind that the window-breaking hammer would work in this case, I can still manually unlock my car doors, and HELLO, why would I want to be running around outside my car during a nuclear bomb strike?).
3) I really, really, really like monkeys.
4) I can pinch with my toes.
Jessica
Great post! I LOVE your old fashioned lawn chair – brings back memories. I posted my list on my blog. Thanks for the inspiration.
http://thejourneyoftwo.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/celebrate-differences/
Colleen
I personally think that if you DON’T throw your head back when you laugh that you aren’t really laughing at all!
I should do this post for myself!!!
Rachel @ finding joy
Love it.
And I love those lawn chairs as that’s all we own.
Rachel
found you via the gatorade link up via blogher — i was another one of the reviewers.
CatheG
1) I dont wear makeup, only because I dont know how to put it on correctly.
2) I love a very neat and clean house. But I hate to clean house.
3) I have a full kitchen but don’t know what to cook for dinner.
4) I think sleeping in on sunny days is a sin.
5) I would rather trail run, mountain bike or ski then go shopping.
6) I hope my kids know how much I love them.
7) I miss my Dad everyday.
8) I care too much.
9) I love to dance – but it embarrasses my kids.
10) I can oversleep and still get to work on time!
erin
hmmm –
1. i am strange combination of homebody and global traveller. i crave interesting adventure. but i also LOVE my home routine and neighborhood.
2. my naturally curly hair was stick straight until i was about 16. couldn’t make it curl when i was little and can’t make it straight now.
Lisa
Things that are different about me:
I, also, am absolutely petrified of flying and won’t do it;
I love to play wii games with my 13 year old, even though I never win;
I am a baseball and football fanatic;
If it was up to me, I would hang out in my house and never leave it – weird but comforting!
Ang
Awwww, don’t like kitty cats?? I WISH I didn’t!! – I’d have two less mouths to feed!!
Have you ever tried Nair or Veet instead of shaving?? Just curious as it seems to keep the stubble from showing up as quickly, much slower than shaving. I’m kind of like that with the um…delicate areas- either has to be a jungle or smooth because anything inbetween makes me INfreakingSANE. Ok, TMI, sorry. 🙂
Maybe I’ll get around to doing my own list- haha!
Dawn
Just read your blog for the first time…
You have a lot of the characteristics of an anxious person. It takes one to know one. At 50 I decided that I wasn’t going to be afraid anymore.(Substitute celexa for cymbalta.) I now fly, stand on high mountains,speak publicly,openly defend people’s rights and feel empowered. Its a really good feeling. I try not to embarrass my adult children too much. I also love cats…but I never found them scarey…pit bulls…yes.
Shea
Lol! I love the cowlick one!
Things that are different about me:
1. I love watching Spongebob Squarepants…without my kids.
2. I am a voracious reader. If books were food I would NOT go hungry.
3. I could make a meal out of crackers, cheese and pickles.
4. I love to grill. My husband doesn’t do it, I do.
5. I have eaten snails (escargot) and loved them.
6. I have three cats even though I am allergic.
7. My favorite thing at Sonic is a giant breakfast burrito and tater tots…at any time.
8. I am a night owl even though I have to wake up early.
9. Coffee does not make my hyper.
10. I love the smell of crayons.
LauraL
What a great list! Here’s a few about me:
1. I hate wearing glasses! I will wear my contacts all day until I’n ready to rip my eyeballs out!
2. I have 5 tattoos… got my first one in my mid-30s. Don’t tell my mother (ok, I’m 43)!
3. I chipped my front tooth trying to remove a staple. My dentist filed it and now I can’t chew on my chapped lips. (really bugs me!)
4. It scares me to look at my hands and see my mother’s hands… where did my hands go?
5. I wish I was gutsy enough to do something funky with my hair… like I did in high school and college.