8 Things, Etc.

So Doppelganger is helping me write again, which is awesome. She's insisting that anyone who read her 8 Random Facts supply their own. Perfect to get the brain flexing on a Monday morning!

1. You know those giant mascot costumes? I had to wear one once. I was being Arthur the Anteater for my mom as part of a book promotion thing. It paid like $8 an hour and I was in high school so it sounded great. The problem is kids are evil to people in costumes, with poking and kicking and saying mean things, and you aren't allowed to say shit. Arthur thought seriously about going on a killing spree those three or four days.
2. I don't eat cheese by itself. This seems really odd to people, as I love grilled cheese and cheese on stuff, but I just... can't get behind eating it solo. It's probably textural, most of my food things are. But I really need to get over it, because it makes me a bitch to please at cocktail parties, etc. Oh, and I also can't stand macaroni and cheese. Bleh.
3. My mom was super-duper over-protective. I wasn't allowed to ride my bike in the street (in a suburban neighborhood) until I was 14. I wasn't allowed to walk to the library (which was literally across the street) by myself until I was like, 13, and even then I had to take a pager so she could get a hold of me, and I had a time limit.
4. I was like every other young girl in the world at one point and wanted to be a ballerina. My mom told me I couldn't be a ballerina because I was going to end up getting really big boobs, and I insisted that I wasn't ever going to have those. I was so wrong as to be hysterical. But really, my mom should have just told me no because I had flat feet.
5. I like ranch salad dressing on so much stuff as to probably branch into gross. I particularly like it with meatloaf, which tends to gack out everyone around me. At least I don't put ketchup on my turkey like my brother-in-law! And it's got to be Hidden Valley. Nothing else tastes right.
6. I'm afraid of birds, which is one of my go-to oddities. I'm working on being less afraid, but wing-flapping scares the hell out of me.
7. When I was a kid, I wanted to be the following professions: lawyer (because I watched LA Law with my parents), actor/singer, marine biologist, President, writer. All things I still like, but none what I ultimately plan on doing.
8. I'm really good at massage, and am so far self-taught. I want to get certified, though, so I can use it as a way to supplement my income. How awesome would it be to have a therapist who's also good at massage? I joke about it, but really, that might be a profitable career path...

Also, because I watched a fair amount of Inside the Actor's Studio over the weekend, I keep thinking about that survey from the end (you know, the one by Ber-nard Pe-VOT. I love James Lipton.) and have decided to answer it as well, so I can be prepared if the need arises.

What is your favorite word?
"Bulbous" because of the way it makes my sister laugh.

What is your least favorite word?
I hate the word "moist". It gacks me out.

What is your favorite curse word?
Bollocks. Though I say "fuck" far more frequently.

What sound or noise do you love?
Running water, great music, or genuine laughter.

What sound or noise do you hate?
Sirens really hurt my ears. I also hate the sound of parents speaking harshly to their kids, it makes me really anxious.

What turns you on or excites you?
Things that allow me to be funny, to think, or to do things for other people. Great music, or books or conversation.

What turns you off?
Small-mindedness and bigotry. People who don't listen to each other. Excessive egotism.

What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
Well, we'll assume that my intended profession is out of the way, since I plan on being a counselor. I really do love performing, so any setting that would allow that.

What profession other than yours would you not like to attempt?
Anything that's excessively paper-pushy or mind-numbing. I need something that makes me think and really allows me to be creative and helpful. An Office Space type job would probably destroy my soul.

And finally, if Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
"Good enough."

If you've read this, consider yourself tagged for one or both!