Back in November, someone “tagged” me on Facebook to write a post about 16 things about me. I ignored it.
Two weeks later, someone tagged me to write a post with 17 things about me. I ignored it.
In the past week, 2 people have tagged me to write a post with 25(!) things about me. I don’t think I can ignore it any longer… this thing keeps growing.
So, anyway here we go (I’m not terribly interesting, but I’ll do what I can).
1. I’ve lived in 4 states in 4 rather different regions of the country. (Eastern Pennsylvania, Central Ohio, Southern AND Northern California and Texas).
2. I don’t eat tomatoes in any form (yes… that included ketchup and most pizzas).
3. I have three beautiful nieces.
4. I just bought my first home in October and I LOVE it. I have lots of plans for things to do with it, we’ll see if it ever happens. 
5. I’ve been trying to decide if I should take the $7500 interest free loan (repaid over the next 15 years) tax credit for being a first-time homebuyer.
6. I have 2 cats… but I’m still not really a cat person.
7. I love cooking for others, but rarely cook for myself.
8. I knit all my own sweaters (and many for other people as well).
9. I’ve kept some sort of online journal since March of 2001. It’s gone through many phases, but I honestly never thought it would become such an integrated part of my life for so long.
10. I went to Christian schools from Kindergarten through my Bachelor’s Degree. Since then I’ve worked at 4 other faith-based institutions.
11. I’ve given up buying household cleaning supplies and make my own at home, mostly with baking soda, vinegar, essential oils, and some all-natural soap products.
12. I love NPR! (but do wish that the local station here carried World Cafe Live at some point during the day instead of classical all day).
13. I really enjoy coffee, with cream and sugar, and would drink it all day if it were healthy to do, but caffeine still keeps me awake so I have to drink decaf anytime after 2pm.
14. I have been pierced 8 times. 4 on my left ear, 3 on my right, and my right nostril. I can’t really imagine getting any others. My nose I pierced, (at the same time as my bestie Patti) in the spring of 2001 and sometimes I forget about it. Like when someone looks funny at me and says… “Did that hurt?” I often have no idea what they are talking about.
15. I just turned 33 and I’m single. I’m not particularly happy or unhappy about this. My current life is full of wonderful things and people, but also would have plenty of room in it for someone else, if the right person came along.
16. Right now I live alone in my house, but eventually I’d like to have other people join me who need a place to stay for a short or long period of time or want to live in a semi-intentional community (some shared meals, shared housework, etc). There’s always room for more! (If you know anyone in Central Texas that needs a community, let me know)!
17. On July 1st of 2008 (when I left California homeless and unemployed) everything I owned fit in boxes. Now I have some furniture, but every piece of it was either given to me by family or purchased used. I kindof like that. It’s all random, but feels warm to me.
18. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I grew up immersed in reformed theology between my church and my camp. Now I’ve been attending a baptist church in my neighborhood, but there are still things that surprise me about the differences in the theology of grace, and the fundamentally different understanding of the place of the Christian in relation to culture.
17. I’ve been to the Dominican Republic, The Netherlands, Canada and Mexico, but other than that the world is still unexplored.
18. I love camping… and think that the same food cooked at home doesn’t taste nearly as good as it would if cooked over a fire or a propane stove.
19. I can spends hours just walking around a neighborhood or small town checking things out.
20. As much as I love my job, and enjoy working, I think I would be happy as a clam if my life allowed me to not work and just build relationships and contributed to my community each day.
21. It doesn’t matter what time I go to bed, 7am ALWAYS feels early to me.
22. I don’t like having wet hair.
23. I’ve traveled long distances by car and by plane to attend concerts and even a birthday party once.
24. I like my beer on the dark side, but not too wheaty.
25. If I had just done this thing when I was first tagged, I would have been done 20 minutes ago!
Okay. So there we go. If you’re still so curious, you can also read my About Lara page.
Your turn!
25 facts about you, but no photos. Sad.
Haha. Well.. when I do the “25 pictures of you” meme, I’ll be sure to include some.
A third niece! Congrats … looks like a somewhat recent happening! congrats. Glad your site is back up too!
Yeah! She was born last November. Such a sweetie!
I noticed you make your own cleaning products – I’ve heard that hydrogen peroxide is a good substitute for bleach. You might want to google it.
Thanks for sharing about yourself, these lists are really fun.
Would like to read an elaboration on #18, especailly the relation of the Christian to culture. Also, while there are no PCAs that I know of in Waco there are PCUSAs – I was wondering what made you decide to change denominations?
Jen…. oh, interesting. I’ve actually been realizing I need to buy some bleach…. perhaps I’ll try hydrogen peroxide first to see what I think.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
Brian….
Well, there is a PCA church in Waco, and I’ve been there a couple times, but it’s about a 20 minute drive from where I live and so I haven’t chosen to make it my long-term church home… it’s a great place though. ( http://www.redeemerwaco.org )
Secondly… I think what I mean is that here, in this very Baptist world, it seems like people go one of two ways (and this is a stereotype and not meant to contain every person)
a) avoiding intersections with culture and the greater world, like not going to movies, or not going to bars, or not reading Harry Potter. some people i’ve met here are uncomfortable with dancing, or drinking socially, or using tobacco and cite moral reasons.
b) participating in all these activities but using some odd scripture to “justify” it. I went to a church where a pastor spoke about his love of some TV show… Project Runway, I think. Anyway, it sounded like he felt guilty for watching, so he justified it by telling the audience that God made us creative and watching this show was watching God given creativity? I dunno. It was weird, but I see that type of justification all the time. Or… people that do things but won’t admit them to their friends because they might “look bad.”
Eh… perhaps I stated it wrongly in my previous post, or perhaps I’ve just become a crazy liberal in my time in California, but I just sense a much different vibe here with what folks think God requires of us and what is considered sacred.
I wouldn’t say I’ve changed denominations…and if anything, the more I learned about Baptist theology, the more I know I have no interest in joining a baptist church. However, the church I’ve been attending is right in the midst of my community, which I’ve decided is a huge value for me right now. I want to worship with and serve with the people that I also live with. I don’t think I need to agree with every point of theology and I don’t think I would anywhere I went….
Thanks! I thought twice about posting my comment because it sort of read like a homework assignment, but thanks for the details! I will keep reading. I know what you mean about wanting to attend a church in your neighborhood. That’s been my standard for 8 years now.