Thirty-Three....

Happy 33rd birthday, to me!

Here I am at my first birthday. "Give me some cake."
In honor of my 33rd birthday, I'm going to tell you 33 things you may not know about me. This is going to be tough because I've already done similar posts in the past (like this one) so these have to be totally new. I'm not sure I know myself that well. Let's try.

In no particular order....

1. My Kindergarten school bag had Wonder Woman on it.

2. I graduated #21 in my high school class of 500+ kids. But, I remember being embarrassed at the time that I didn't do better. That's how lame I was.

3. When I was little, my grandpa told me to close my eyes and put out my hands. He handed me a live bird he just caught in the yard. Now I cringe and hesitate when someone asks me to close my eyes and hold out my hands. Don't ask me.

4. I got sent to the principal's office in junior high for starting a big fight on the bus and no one believed that I didn't do it. Even the bus driver got called on speakerphone to testify. That's when we finally learned that there was another Amber at my school with the same middle and last name as me.... and she was naughty.

5. I'm not a rule breaker.

6. I don't like going to video rental stores, especially with groups.

7. I went Christmas caroling with friends in college. For some reason, 2 of us dressed as elves and even kept the costumes on later for dinner. Talk about decking the halls.
8. I had tea parties for my family when I was little but I didn't like hot tea so I made chocolate Coke instead.

9. Pretty much every note in my junior high and/or high school yearbooks say "To a quiet girl". For those of you who know me now, this may shock you. You would probably not pick the word "quiet" to describe me today.

10. In Junior High health class, we played a game called baseball where someone stood at the front of the room to answer questions (the batter). In my naivety, I got to bat and answered a question wrong about where sperm comes from. Talk about being laughed at. I was teased all year. (Karen, you'll have to ask Chuck if he remembers this).

11. I toy-shopped in the same aisle as Tony Dungy and his son at Target and we exchanged a few words. We're like this (picture my fingers crossed tightly here).

12. I've seen Bill Cosby perform stand-up comedy on stage in person

13. Strangers often stop me in stores to ask me where to find things.... as if I work there.

14. I can't roll my R's.

15. I'm too tall for petite pants but too short for regular pants. I'm apparently an alien height to the fashion world.

16. When I stay in hotel rooms, I always pick the spot on the bed closest to the bathroom.

17. I won't light those little matches that come in matchbooks. I'm terrified.

18. When Nathan asked me out on our first date, I told him I'd go but that "it wasn't a date."

19. I'm obsessive compulsive about checking my alarm clock... even if I just did it already.

20. I don't like Tootsie Rolls.

21. All of my empty hangers in my closet must hang together. They cannot be mixed in with hangers that have clothes on them.

22. I once got hurt playing a game of Red Rover in a dark corn field (still filled with corn) late at night and I'm now pretty skeptical about the game.

23. My name in Spanish class for 4 years was Violeta.

24. I enjoy driving down the street on trash day and seeing what other people are throwing away.

25. I've had some scary run-ins with Mexican police back in the day. I'll tell you more about those times later. Here's a picture of the only good run-in that I had. Notice all the automatic weapons they carry (and don't hesitate to aim your way... by the way).
26. I like sweet relish on my hotdogs.

27. I have to use the bathroom..... a lot. But, I'm also the fastest pee-er that you'll ever meet.

28. I like to play practical jokes on innocent victims.

29. When I worked at Menards (hardware) during college, they called me "The Destroyer" because I always turned down dates with co-workers.

30. I've never watched Lord of the Rings.... and would rather not.

31. My prom theme was a cheesy "I Love The Way You Love Me."

32. I have a 'neck spot' and if you try to touch it you will see my Venus-flytrap reaction.

33. It's my birthday!!!!!!!