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By kilax, June 11, 2010 5:00 am

How good is your sense of direction? Are you good at reading maps and following them? Do you rely on GPS when driving? What’s your best “I got lost when…” story? Do you get nervous when you have to drive somewhere new?

This question was inspired by a discussion with two other bloggers, who shall remain nameless to protect the innocent! Well, you guys know which blogger I spend the most time with, so I am sure you can guess one of them, ha ha.

I generally do know where I am, and where north/south/east/west is. I usually read a map to see where I am going and follow the map on my GPS, rather than use it – unless I am in an area I am completely unfamiliar with, then I use it. And I can usually drive somewhere once or twice and remember how to get there in the future. I don’t mind driving somewhere new… as long as I am in my car. Ha ha.

I have made a few wrong turns though, and recently, seem to be a bad navigator for Steven! I have noticed I have problems with:

• Highways with similar names: when trying to avoid a detour two weekends ago, I confused I-80 and I-88. We do not go out of the way, but if I would not have realized it, we would have taken the wrong highway out of Iowa.*
• Overlapping Highways: when we were in Kansas City a few months ago, we were driving in areas with overlapping highways, and the GPS was unable to tell us which one to turn on to in time – I should have used a real map.
• Talking on the phone when driving: I don’t talk on the phone while driving anymore, but many years ago, I was driving to Chicago and talking to my Grandma and I missed my turn to go north of the city and drove to far in to the city! Oops!
• General cockiness: two weekends ago (again) I assumed there would be a south-bound connection on to a highway because there was a north-bound one. Nope. Oops again!

This list makes me sound pretty pathetic, but let me assure you, this is the extent of my list.** And when I make a wrong turn, I just have to laugh about it and find my way back. What else would I do?

And note: I rarely drive anymore, as my driving seems to scare Steven (???) so my main car duty is that of navigator.

*Yes, there is more than one highway in Iowa.
**Okay, okay, except for that time in Italy we walked around for 30 minutes looking for our hotel – the internet lied to me! THE MAP WAS WRONG!!!

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By kilax, June 4, 2010 5:44 am

Are you typically early, right on time, or late to events you have to attend (including work)? Or is your punctuality not something that is typical for you? Is it more random?

This guy must really be running late for work if he is on the beach!

I try to be early or right on time to everything I attend – work, work meetings, meet-up with friends… and I always try to arrive early at races I am running! Being late to a scheduled event causes me extreme anxiety, even living in an area like Chicago, where you have no control over whether your train is on time, or traffic (and how late it will make you).

I often think I try to be so punctual because I remember waiting to be picked up from school and school activities when I was a kid (sorry, mom) – and I didn’t like it. But I think it is respectful to show up on time to most things, unless it’s a party… and even then, I have a hard time showing up too “late”!

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By kilax, May 28, 2010 6:20 am

When traveling for pleasure, who do you prefer as your travel partner? Does it depend on the length of the trip and where you are going?

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A few people had their spouses with them this week for the work-training in DC. Of course, I thought about how Steven was with me when I came for work in September, and what a fun time we had. I still had fun this time without him, and actually struck up a lot of conversations with local people (something that is probably less likely to happen when you are with someone), but knew he would have enjoyed being in DC.

I think it’s very hard for me to find someone (that isn’t Steven or family) that I can travel with for a long duration of time, to a place far away, where we will be together the entire time. I traveled with a few classmates to various places around Europe when I lived in Rome and found myself constantly craving alone time. I like to be around people – but I need time to myself too! I did go to Denmark in college (after I returned from Rome) and had a great time with one other student – actually, the only female I’ve ever met and traveled with and not been annoyed with in the end. I could be upfront with her and tell her when I needed alone time, and she was cool with it.

Wow. I sound like a pleasure to travel with, don’t I?

Now, I like to travel with Steven, but don’t mind being alone, like in DC this week. I would love to try a trip with some girlfriends or a girlfriend (if I had some/one). And I wonder what it would be like to actually travel with my family. They came to visit me in Italy and I had a great time, but didn’t actually travel with them from start to finish (Steven did though!).

With Steven in Aruba, on our honeymoon.

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By kilax, May 21, 2010 6:09 am

Do you like going to garage sales? Do you go looking for something in particular, or do you just browse? What do you usually buy? Do you ever have your own garage sales? Any crazy stories to share?

Weird question, right? Well, the other day while in the car, Steven and I passed a banner announcing that our neighborhood garage sale is this weekend – Thursday through Saturday, in fact. I promptly told Steven that my idea of hell was spending a day going to garage sales.

I am not a very good shopper. I don’t like to browse. I like for a store to carry what I have in mind, or something adequate, then buy it, spending minimal time browsing. I don’t like to shop just to shop – to look for things just for something to buy, which is what would be happening if I went to a garage sale.

I know there are cool things out there to be found though! I’m just not driven to search for them, because I figure if I don’t want them now, I don’t need them when I find them.

And I think some people do go to garage sales looking for certain things. Again though, that is not for me because I hate to search/browse.

Right now, we give most of the stuff we could sell at a garage sale to Salvation Army (and deduct it on our taxes). I’ve heard horror stories about bartering at garage sales, so I am not sure if I would want to have one of my own!

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By kilax, May 14, 2010 6:35 am

Do you ever take notes on lectures, meetings, books, etc. – whether it be at school, work, or recreationally? If yes, how do you prefer to take them, and do you ever use them again? If no, why not?

I was a huge note taker in college and that has not changed. I take a ton of notes at work meetings (and still run them). I take physical notes in the books I am reading (see post-its picture above). I “add star” to the posts I want to come back to in google reader. I put sticky notes all over magazines. Notes, notes everywhere (I like to make lists too).

But, do I ever use them?

I have found that with the physical notes I take, in books/magazines and for meetings, I am more likely to go back to them. It seems that with the digital ones though, like adding a star to a blog post, I am less likely to go back. Maybe something about the physical ones seems more pressing, since they have, well, a physical presence.

Either way, when I am reading/listening and something strikes my interest, I often can’t get it out of my mind until I have done my own research. I wonder if anyone else is the same way…

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By kilax, May 7, 2010 6:28 am

Have you ever been camping*? Did you like it? Why or why not? Any recommendations on good places to go camping?

The closest I have come to camping is in my parent’s front yard and in a state park close to my parent’s home. And I never stayed in the tent the whole night (came inside, bailed early, it was raining, I was scared of the dark, etc.).

But somehow, I have it in my mind that we need to go camping this summer – we have a tent (with a built-in blow-up bed) that we have never used (bought maybe 5 years ago), I imagine it is not too expensive, and I think it could be relaxing to get away from technology. And in my mind, we go somewhere with beautiful trails.

There I go, living away in the future again. Notice my future does not include mosquitoes (who love me), lack of showers (heck, I don’t mind!), or mention of the heat?

But, do share your camping experiences with me! Enlighten me as to what is is really all about!

*In a tent or a camper. Or heck, even Bear Grylls style.

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By kilax, April 30, 2010 5:53 am

Do you collect anything? If so, what is it, how long have you been collecting it, and how did you get started collecting it? If not, have you ever thought about collecting anything? For either answer, is there anything you wish you collected?

I am somewhat ashamed to admit that sitting in my parent’s home, I have a massive collection of Barbie Dolls (still in the box), Star Wars Toys (some still in the box, but all from the 1997 and later re-release), and books. I am talking boxes upon boxes (the books are on shelves). These were just the toys that I loved from my childhood (Barbies) and teenage years (Star Wars) and most were gifts. Of course, I still do get random Star Wars things as gifts from time to time now. And do collect the Star Wars Hallmark Ornaments.

In my own home, I just seem to have amassed a collection of books and running shoes. I have really cut back on buying books though, and much of anything, in general. We just don’t have a lot of space! Or, a lot of money. Ha ha. I’m sure if I thought about it though, I could come up with a few things we have a “collection” of: DVDs, random parts for the Datsun* with more on the way, t-shirts from races…

You can kind of see our bookshelves in this picture of  our “loft”/office (from this post). I cut back  on buying books we only had a few empty shelves left – and when I realized I never reread them! I need to update this picture, now that I have a real chair for my desk!

In the future though, when I am a super billionaire, I would love to collect cars. The real, life-size ones, with running engines, that you can drive. Maybe I could have something like this sweet showroom we visited in Módena, Italy. Or maybe something like this from the Ferrari showroom in Maranello, Italy.

*I kid, I kid! They are mostly gone now anyway!

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By kilax, April 23, 2010 5:11 am

If you could travel in to the future, and see how your life unfolds, but NOT be able to change it, would you want to?* Or would you pass up the opportunity and just live day by day?

You know, I think I wouldn’t want to know what my future unfolds, IF I couldn’t change it. I would hate losing the element of surprise of every day life! I would hate living my life knowing that no matter what I do, I am stuck with a certain destiny. I like to believe I am in some sort of control of my outcome.

Some people really believe in destiny, and that there is a path laid out for them. What do you think? I am a believer that everything happens by chance, and if that something is meant to happen, it happens! I also don’t believe in sole mates. I think there are many compatible fits for many people – it just matters where you are when you are ready to meet that person.

*This question inspired by watching The Time Traveler’s Wife last night.

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By kilax, April 16, 2010 5:10 am

What herbs/spices do you love? What herbs/spices do you loathe?

And the big question: cilantro – disgusting or delicious? (poll below)

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Yum, I could go for some salsa!

I love garlic, vanilla, nutmeg, paprika, rosemary, anise, cayenne pepper, oregano, dill, cumin, cinnamon, and yes, cilantro. I recently have started to think I may not like fresh parsley and maybe turmeric and marjoram.

I thought to ask this because Steven shared an article with me about why some people hate cilantro. Apparently, some of the substances in cilantro (modified fat molecules called aldehydes) are also found in soaps and bugs. So when some people eat cilantro and their brain searches for past associations to the food, all they can connect to is associations to soap or bugs, so the brain marks the flavor as a threat.  The good news is, you can re-wire your brain, if you want to…

Interesting (or not) fact: when I was a kid my mom was in some Herb Club and used to drag me along with her once a month. I remember I hated the way everything smelled. Now, I think it would be pretty cool to go to something like that! Oh, how times change.

Comments (42)

By kilax, April 9, 2010 5:21 am

Growing up, did your family take a lot of photos? Do you take a lot of photos now? What do you photograph?

I ask about family first, because I think the reason I am so in to taking photos now is because my mom and grandma always were. ALTHOUGH, IT IS NOT OKAY TO TAKE PICTURES OF PEOPLE WHILE THEY ARE EATING (I am talking to you, mom + grandma).

I loved going to my grandma’s house when I was a kid and looking through all of her photo albums. And even though she has a digital camera now, she doesn’t have a computer (I know, I know) so she prints out a ton of photos and I still love to look through them!

I think that taking those random photos at family/friend gatherings is such a great way to remember things, and spark conversation too.

Of course, now, I am like my mother and grandmother. I take photos of everything. People, animals, food, buildings, cars, peoples’ cars that are parked poorly, crazy stuff I think people won’t believe I saw unless I show them a picture… but NOT PEOPLE EATING!!! I like to back up all of my photos on to our external hard drive, and even put copies in our safe, because they mean so much to me.

When I wrote this, I didn’t have any photos in mind to share, but that seems kind of silly, so here are a few of my favorite photos from when I lived in Rome (click “continue reading”).

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