OFF-TOPIC

But not, because it is about me, your Queen. Here is a list of 101 things you should know about me. Thanks, Ken, for the idea! ;-)

1. My name is Hattie.
2. I was named after my great-grandmother.
3. I was born and raised in Meridian, Idaho.
4. I came back after two years away.
5. I live by myself with the neighbors from hell.
6. I love to read.
7. I love to write.
8. My favorite book is the Power of One.
9. My favorite series are Harry Potter and Aubrey/Maturin.
10. I used to be a teacher.
11. I scared the administration.
12. I was a temp for two years.
13. It sucked.
14. I recently was offered a permanent job at the City of Boise.
15. I'm took it.
16. I wasn't supposed to live past the age of 12, which should explain the title of the following blog.
17. I have another blog: My 32nd Year at soldatdronning.wordpress.com.
18. I haven't updated it in a LONG time.
19. I read a book a week, or there about.
20. My favorite movie is Princess Bride.
21. My favorite TV show is Psych.
22. I LOVE Samuel L. Jackson.
23. I have no favorite band, but enjoy many.
24. I'll listen to anything once.
25. I like Tim Burton/Johnny Depp projects, especially Sleepy Hollow.
26. I want to try Nordic Walking -- I just need the poles.
27. I used to think I was a closet nerd, but my mom pointed out that there's no closet involved.
28. My friend Jami likes to hear me swear.
29. I do that often.
30. I have road rage.
31. I drive fast -- but not stupid. There is a difference.
32. I am bad about cleaning -- I'm doing this rather than doing that.
33. I love to cook, but only if I have someone to cook for.
34. I've never had a real boyfriend.
35. I miss my students, but that's all I miss about teaching.
36. I still keep in touch with former students, including kids from my student teaching! They're getting married and having babies.
37. I feel old, even though I know I'm not (see above for a reason why).
38. I used to own a horse. His name was Donnie. It worked out -- I was in my NKOTB phase.
39. I still don't have the tattoo I wanted. Damn it!
    
40. My favorite grandmother passed away three years ago, and I'm still not over it.
41. I haven't taken heart meds since high school.
42. I get REALLY vicious Migraines.
43. There's only one person in this world on whom I would wish my Migraines. If you want to know who, you'll have to ask.
44. I have watched No Greater Love three years in a row, though I refuse to go to church.
45. I have a canine nephew named Chubby and a canine niece named Jackson.
46. I have a "nephew" named Thomas ( or Boo) and a "niece" named Madeline.
47. I've never met Madeline -- she lives in Belgium.
48. I also have a "nephew" named George and a "niece" named Mary-Kate. They're new.
    
49. My oldest friend (not counting my sisters) is Valerie Sohie from Belgium.
50. I am a published poet.
51. The first poem I published was about a boy. He is now married to a former teaching colleague.
52. I am mostly Norwegian, German, and Dutch.
53. I look it.
54. I'm 5-foot-10.
55. I have naturally blonde hair.
56. I have green-blue eyes.
57. My eyes change color.
58. I am quite pale, and people like to point it out to me.
59. I do not wear blush, though I've been asked which shade I wear. It's all me.
60. My favorite perfume is L'Instant de Guerlain. Valerie gave it to me.
61. I'm almost out of it.
62. My hair is growing out right now.
    
63. I get bored easily.
64. I ride the bus to work daily.
65. I love it.
66. I have dual crushes on a guy at work and a guy on the bus.
67. Unfortunately, one's oblivious and the other's taken. Damn.
68. I've come to terms with the first, but not the second. I'm taking action!
69. After a lifetime of not drinking coffee, I am now addicted to Starbucks.
70. I blame my job -- it's right across the street.
71. And Starbucks -- there's crack in that stuff, I swear.
72. The baristas and I know each other's names, and they can all spell mine, which is an accomplishment.
73. Almost every time I answer the phone at work, "PDS Records, this is Hattie," I am answered, "Hi, Pattie." It's really annoying, but I'm too nice to correct people.
74. I was referred to as Hattie Fattie throughout elementary school.
75. I've never been "thin."
76. And I never will be.
77. My mom wants me to lose some weight for my parents' 40th wedding anniversary, which happens to be this year.
78. I'm trying -- though not too well right now.
79. I love flannel sheets and use them year-round.
80. I love Celtic art and history.
81. I plan on earning my Master's in Library and Information Science.
82. I really am a nerd!
83. I have two younger sisters, Ginna and Mary.
84. Both my sisters are married.
85. I took exception to that, but not anymore.
86. Sometimes I think I need therapy.
87. Most of the time, I think we all need therapy -- at least a little.
88. My therapy is hanging out with Elena, Boo, and MaryKate.
89. Or Jami and George.
90. Or Mindy and Emily (my friends and their kids).
91. I am a Mac snob.
92. My MacBook's name is Bianca. She's white, like me.
93. One of my newest and dearest friends is Malu, a coworker.
94. I might have committed homicide if Malu hadn't come to work in the Records Center last September.
95. I tend to nickname people, probably because I get nicknamed a lot myself.
96. My favorite nickname is Hattation. Only DawnDawn calls me that. Wonder why.
97. My parents, Vaughn and Gail, have known each other since they were 12.
98. My user name means "warrior queen" in Norwegian.
99. I have degrees in English and History.
100. I completed a summer program at Oxford University while in college.
101. I want to raise a family near my parents up in Cambridge, Idaho.

Now you have to tell me 101 things about you! Just kidding. But a few would be cool! ;-)

THIS REALLY IS A DECREE

I am writing my first, true literary command: You must read The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. It is the most amazing book.

I read this book when I was a senior in high school and going through a lot with friendships and classmates. I always had trouble as a young person keeping friends. This has now changed, but in high school, losing friends was highly traumatic. This book came along at the height of my drama and taught me something very important: I don't have to do things on my own, but I can if I need to. I do have the power to create anything I want.

This is the lesson Peekay, the main character, is taught in the novel. He goes from a bullied little boy to an accomplished young man, fighting against apartheid inside and outside of the boxing ring. In the end, he learns that while he doesn't have to do things on his own, he, like me, can do it if he needs to.

I have attempted to reread this book many times, but each time, I get to a certain point and cannot do it again. This book was such a strong emotional journey for me that it is impossible at this point in my life to reread the book that made me cry on one page and laugh on the next, as it were. This book has made the rounds of my family, including my father, who never takes time to read. He spent an entire day finishing the last half of the book. He didn't work at all that day -- that is saying something.

Please take the time to read this book. It is wonderful.

SYMPATHIZING WITH THE UNSYMPATHETIC

I attempted Terry Pratchett years ago with Witches Abroad. I failed, or rather Pratchett failed, miserably. The book was quite boring and silly-in-a-bad-way. I was unimpressed. However, last month, I was loaned Going Postal and encouraged by a fellow book-lover to attempt Pratchett once again. My first thought was, "Where was this book when I tried Pratchett before?"

The hero of GP is Moist Von Lipwig. And he insists you say it correctly: Von Lipvig! He has a point -- I have a first name few can pronounce, and I find it rather annoying when people screw it up. Chalk one up for sympathizing with a supposedly unsympathetic character. In the end, Moist is sympathetic, although he would wish you to think otherwise.

He is a thief, after all, and always will be one. But he's no dummy, and he uses his thievery wiles to his advantage and to that of the local post office's as well.

I won't say much -- to say even a little will give all the juiciness away, and we don't want that. But this book was quite amusing, even laugh-out-loud funny at points. It was also heartwarming and dark as well. In all, it's a great introduction to Discworld, and I wish it had been mine.