20 choses

[jawnbc]

1. I applied to the requisite 5 universities colleges during senior of high school. This one said no, this one, this one and even this one said yes. This one said no--but no one explained that the date stamp on my acknowledgement card was, in fact, the time of my interview.
2. After both high school and my undergrad I went backpacking through Europe for 5 weeks. Those experience were the ones that shaped who I am, the sort of life I wanted for myself, and helped me finally understood many of my discomforts with «le rêve americain».
3. I finished the 8 courses required for my MA in 8 months; it still took me 2 years to finish the thesis.
4. Whilst rollerblading in Central Park I shattered my tailbone. I still took the subway home to Park Slope (45 minutes) because I knew the wait in emergency at a Manhattan hospital could be 24 hours: at Methodist it was only 4 hours.
5. My great great grandfather, William C Upton, wrote a book called "Unce Pat's Cabin" about the Irish farm labourer experience. It earned him a one-way ticket to the New World to avoid prison.
6. My Dad coerced me to get my driver's licence at 17--seriously. Boy did he regret that: within the first 3 years I'd had at least half a dozen fender benders. After the last one he said "no more driving until they create a foam rubber car.
7. Subsequently I've learned how to drive manual transmissions, motorcycles, and passed road tests in Canada and Australia. And still have my 40% good driver discount on my insurance.
8. I didn't really have any friends until after university. i realize now that's largely because of me: I had convinced myself that no one who knew the real me could ever stand me enough to be a friend. I regret those I pushed away as a result.
9. At some point before I started kindergarten I managed to pierce my nose...on the side. For years I would sometimes poke a paperclip through it just because.
10. I didn't get my ear(s) pierced until I was nearly 30. Only discovering my über-str8 cop brother had one convinced me it was OK.
11. At one point we had (I think) 17 cats at home when I was growing up. Puddy had 3 and we kept 2. All three of them got knocked up and gave birth within days of one another: Puddy had 6, as did Calico. Blackie only had 2. I think we named some after the planets; don't remember what happened to any of them.
12. In high school I worked at both McDonald's and Burger King.
13. i started a PhD because for the first time evar someone gave me $ to go to school. Reading someone else's dissertation that first year took most of the pressure off: if that piece of shite earned a doctorate I'd have no problems (and didn't).
14. The dissertation might turn out to be the most profitable paper I ever write, but it's not the most important.
15. My mother's eulogy was the most important paper I've ever written. They liked it; I gave her a copy before they closed the coffin.
16. Living large isn't the best revenge. No revenge is.
17. I have a great job, a nice apartment, a wonderful husband, good friends, and an awesome life.
18. I've had no job, no home, been single and friendless, which sucked
19. I've had a crap job, an OK apartment, and good friends, which was awesome too.
20. I am a surprisingly good dancer.