Tagged

Now that my sister has a blog, I need to resurrect mine. (Blog forthwith resurrected.) Furthermore, I've been tagged, so here goes!

Ten years ago:
Wow. Ten years ago, I was flitting about Europe wondering what in the world had become of Moscow and wondering what in the world had become of me. Turns out Moscow had fallen prey to rampant capitalism. As for me, I had fallen prey to a random brain tumor. I'm thankful to be writing this ten years later in a relatively healthy state!

Five things on my "to do" list:1. Finish grading mountains of student work.
2. Restore order to my "office" that is currently completely overrun by piles and papers.
3. Go for my first bike ride this spring.
4. Cook something healthy.
5. Ponder potential dissertation projects.

Snacks I enjoy
ice-cream, salted nuts, fruit, chocolate, cereal bars from Trader Joe's

If I suddenly became a billionaire, I would . . .
Start a school, travel, buy organic food, and pay someone to take the remaining moola off my hands!

Three bad habits
1. Procrastinating
2. Second-guessing
3. Becoming very crabby when I'm sleep-deprived

Five jobs I've had
Daycare worker, secretary, teacher, babysitter, curriculum writer

Five things most people don't know about me
1. I like watching foreign films
2. I read the headlines of 3-5 newspapers each day
3. I have an aversion to horseradish
4. I would be perfectly happy (and busy) without a job
5. I want to start an herb garden even though I have never succeeded in keeping a plant alive

Five places I have lived
1. Idaho Falls, Idaho
2. Provo, Utah
3. Lansing, Michigan
4. Prague, Czech Republic
5. Moscow, Russia

Phew -- no wonder I stopped blogging! :)

A New Strategy for Finding a Husband

I'm always in the market for several things -- good food, a compelling book, and a husband. Admittedly, I've had much better luck with the first two items. Luckily, I have a new idea. I got it while eating some fabulous Korean food - thus reinforcing my longstanding belief that food is a reliable solution to all manner of life's problems. (The last time I got a fortune cookie with romantic prospects was at a Chinese restaurant with my boyfriend and his parents. The fortune read something like this: "great things are on the verge of happening." My boyfriend's dad got a huge grin on his face, stuck the fortune in his pocket, and said he wanted to keep it as evidence. I'm quite sure his plan was to pull it out at our wedding luncheon. Unfortunately, the relationship ended before the prophesy could be fulfilled.) But don't think this experience dulled my faith in fortune cookies. Oh no, I'm still a believer, especially after last week's fortune.

With great expectation, I carefully removed the little slip of white paper from the cookie. I could hardly believe my eyes. My heart started beating faster than usual when I read the first word: DESTINY. Could it be? After all these years . . . At last, fulfillment of my heart's desire. I continued reading breathlessly. Here is what it said (and I'm quoting verbatim): "Destiny points to a man whistling a happy tune."

Suddenly, it all became crystal clear. I had been blind to the obvious all these years. Not once had I ever specifically sought out a whistler, let alone one enthusiastically belting out a happy tune, his lips pursed and precisely rounded so as to create the purest tone. Whistling nowadays -- especially the happy tune sort -- is becoming a lost art. Think of the character cheerful whistling implies: a carefree, radiant soul who refuses to cave to stress, or boredom, or clogged arteries.

There's just one problem. The only men I'm aware of who habitually whistle are the Seven Dwarfs. And how would I possibly choose which one? I've nixed Grumpy and Dopey for obvious reasons, but all the others seem to have redeeming qualities.

Any recommendations?