Ten on Thursday (v. 3)

First of all, thank you for all of your sweet, supportive comments yesterday. They were all so thoughtful & kind - so thank you for that. I am feeling much better - the worst part is getting over the initial disappointment. Now that I've cleared that hurdle, it's onwards & upwards from here!

Alright, now for something lighter! I'm back again with the 3rd edition of Ten on Tuesday, brought to you by the lovely Chelsea.

1. What are you going to be for Halloween?
Um, I kind of hate Halloween. I love seeing kids dressed up, but I do not enjoy partaking in that tradition as an adult. Go ahead, call me a fun hater. This year I am running a 1/2 marathon in the a.m. & then going to a 3 year old's birthday party in the afternoon. So I told my friend (the mom) that I will either show up as a) a beat up, very sore runner, or b) a librarian.

Because neither 'costume' would require me to wear anything out of the ordinary.

2. Have you ever been on television?
Nope.

3. Do you have a toilet paper preference?
I'm definitely an over v. under girl. I have to resist the urge to 'correct' the roll when at other people's houses. I'm not as picky with the brand but prefer something like Quilted Northern.

4. When you’re pregnant, will you find out the sex of the baby? (Or if you’ve already had babies, did you find out the sex?) Why or why not?
Nope and this is so out of character for me because I do not like surprises. Even when they are fantastic, fabulous surprises. But when it comes to finding out the sex of my child, I will not (unless my husband feels really strong about this - then maybe). It's just the way it's done in my family. No one has found out, and I feel like I would be the person who would be told she's having a girl, then paints her nursery pink, only to be surprised by a boy.

5. What are three items that every kitchen must have?
A saute pan, a good knife, and a cutting board.

6. Do you enjoy Christmas shopping?
Yes, I really do. It's the best feeling when you pick out that perfect gift for someone. I actually enjoy the shopping & giving more than the receiving. Don't get me wrong - I love the gifts I receive each year, it's just more fulfilling picking out gifts for others. I guess this means I am 'growing up'.

7. What is your go-to recipe? (The thing you cook more than anything else because it’s easy and mindless.) Please share the recipe.
Um, this is bad but I don't have one. It used to be this lasagna recipe of my mom's, but then I went gluten free and I am afraid to try it w/ GF noodles. But if I was having people over for dinner, I would probably make this recipe (assuming they liked mushrooms).

8. Do you sleep on your back, belly, or side?
I sleep on my side, cradling a body pillow. I used to sleep on my stomach, but it was causing arthritis in my neck... so the doctor said no more stomach sleeping. So I trained myself to sleep on my side. It was NOT easy!

9. How do you feel about Tom Cruise?
I don't care for him. I think he's very odd. And he's brain washed Katie Holmes, in my opinion.

That said - I'd love it for a guy to be so excited about me, he jumped up and down on a couch... even though that might not have been genuine and might have been a publicity stunt. But let's just all pretend for a moment that it was completely sincere. That must feel pretty awesome to have a guy THAT excited about you.

10. What books are in your “books to read” stack?
Oo, good question. Let me show you...


Yep, those 2 shelves. 2 freaking shelves. And yet, I continue to buy books. Why? I don't know. But I have been much better about not buying books lately. I have maybe bought one book each month - which is pretty good. Here's a random selection of some books on those shelves:

Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
Marathon by Hal Higdon
The Red Scarf by Kate Funrivall

You all know the drill - answer some, answer all, post them on your blog!