The Unsaid and Unthought Peer Pressure Gets to Me

So, i've figured it's maybe about time to do a "hi, this is me" blog and provide you with some (relatively) concrete words.

CONCRETE CONCRETE CONCRETE

^ few people i know will enjoy that, many will roll their eyes, all will take it as further proof of the nutcase i profess to be (or inhabit the body of).

Onwards!!!! [she cried gallantly, whilst posing as a knight in 14th century England]

Lets see how far into a list of "103 things about me" we can get before i remove my laptop from it's precarious perch atop the side of my right knee. (yes, Helena, 103, think about it)

1. Hi, my name's Sara {hi Sara}. My blog name (?) comes from my nonna's nickname for me, Saricella. Other nicknames include Sarz, "hey you" and idiot (courtesy of my loving brother).

2. Guess i should say i'm an aussie of italian heritage (hence 'nonna'). I love Italy and i cannot wait to go back and visit the family i have there. Also cannot wait to go visit famiglia in Ohio, USA.

3. My name was pulled out of (no not a hat) a glass. The other options were my grandmothers' names. To my knowledge, my brother did not have the whole name choice thing.

4. I have two birthmarks, you get to guess where.

5. My favourite colour...does not exist. I can just hear all the physicists out there going "no, why did she say that?! Dont listen to her, there aren't any colours that don't exist!!!" Relax, i'm not suggesting anything of the sort. Just that i have no preference. If i see a colour i don't like, i'll let you all know.

(break for dinner, precariousness has ended, laptop on lap now)

6. (ooh evil number!) I actually have the whole 'certain number from Revelation' superstition. Also don't like walking under ladders, although there is an aspect of adventure in it. I like black cats and friday 13th (excuse to eat black jelly beans), but i don't put shoes on the table and i do like >3 leafed clovers.

7. My mobile phone used to be my dad's. I've had it almost a year now. It's umm... a phone, lol, a flip phone, Telstra. Ooh and i just got some more credit for it the other day (the day i first started writing this).

8. Music was implanted in my soul when i was four. My family and i were in Italy, in my dad's village. It was the day of the village festival. That evening a band was playing and i fell asleep to Ravel's "Bolero". I've loved it and music every since.

9. My first musical instrument was a keyboard. I started learning when i was five and quit when i was 11. By that time i didn't want to practise because the teacher was nuts. I learnt more about musicology in yrs 9 and 10 than i did in six years of keyboard lessons.

10. I did eventually get a piano...and an acoustic guitar...which i gave to my brother...once i got another acoustic guitar...and then an electric guitar. That's the extent of my instrument collection.

11. I like lego. Currently, there's a lego pyramid sitting in the box of lego, built by me. Part of me could be an engineer, the lego part.

12. Harry Potter holds a special place in my heart (the story and potterverse, not the character or actor). As much as he looks like my brother, he's still good looking. As much as people will bash the story, i love it, i will obsess over it, i will someday get a quidditch uniform!

13. Ah, 13, we have finally arrived. Yes, 13 is my favourite number. Yes, my birthday is the 13th September. No i wouldn't mind if i had a black t-shirt with a white '13' on the back...

14. I have a lot of blue t-shirts. Even though i don't have a favourite colour, if you forced me to pick, i may utter blue.

15. Consequently, i only have one green shirt, one brown shirt, one red shirt, one pink shirt, one tan shirt, no purple shirts and one grey shirt (with Elmo).

16. Come to think of it, i have about four or five black shirts as well...

17. Speaking of black clothes. The only time i've been shopping with mum, her sister and my other aunt (and my cousin) was last year, after my nonno died. It was surreal, being there with them. Mum said it well, "we should've been out having fun shopping just before Christmas."

18. It's the one day i'll never forget, the day he died. Totally ruined my brother and cousin's last day of school. Death is something you can never imagine...even once you've seen it.

19. Also a week i'll never forget. Aside from all the black, there were a lot of people. Some family i don't remember seeing, some people my mum, aunt and uncles hadn't seen in years.

20. As you may have picked up by now, i have a laptop (der). Mum and Dad payed for most of it, but i contributed as well. It's a MacBook, white, i already have msn for mac on it :) I'm set!

21. I am going to die of a chocolate overdose...or a sugar overdose.

22. When i was 10 i was diagnosed with 'glue ear'. I had grommets put in my ears when i was 11. The specialist was also an allergist, so he put me on this medical diet. I couldn't have milk or milk products, acidic fruits and a bunch of other stuff. I don't keep the diet very well...

23. Another musical note: i have a very healthy appreciation for opera. Scratch that, i love opera! My dad used to put opera on when we went to visit relatives ad spent an hour in the car.

24. My favourite non-alcoholic drink is lemon lime and bitters.

25. My favourite alcoholic drink is yet to be decided but is probably something girly like malibu and coke; though i don't mind a good beer.

26. I like maths. Simple as that. It just works, and i like things that work.

27. I guess it's a good thing that maths is required in my university course. The science faculty requires that all science students study at least 6 credit points of maths over the duration of their degree. So, i'm doing calculus and statistics this semester.

28. The other subjects i study in my degree are chemistry, physics and spanish beginners.

29. My primary goal in life, career wise, is to become a teacher. So, i'll need a further year of study after my science degree is finished.

30. If that fails, i'll study to be a librarian.

31. If that fails, I'm opening up my own lawn mowing business. I already have someone who'll join me if her plans also fail.

32. Truly, the dream is to go somewhere in America and make a film. Maybe a romantic comedy or something else, either way, as long as it has a good strong message and a good strong script.

33. Hehe, the bus i used to catch home from school was number 33. And the house two doors down from the school - the spot where mum dropped my brother and i off - was also number 33.

34. I often find interesting patterns like that.

35. One day i will probably invent my own language, or a code that works really well.
Amendment: i should have said, find a language i started to invent and finish inventing it.

36. About midway down my list of 'things to achieve' is break a world record. I'm not sure what, but it'll be good.

37. My absolute most favouritest pasta is mezza luna. Basically, they're similar to ravioli, but in a half-moon shape. They taste so good if you get them (or make em) fresh and eat them with (what the world would call) napoletano sauce.

38. I do have a soft spot for a well made burger or kebab.

39. I believe the statement "minority groups are destroying australian culture" is contradictory.

40. Though i'd always known they were Great, the first time i really fell in love with Queen was when i went to see "We Will Rock You", the stage production by Ben Elton. Everyone else went to the merchandise stand and bought the greatest hits CDs or the like, but i bought the score to the show. If i have it in front of me, i can play all of Bohemian Rhapsody.

41. I still don't know in what context to use 'i digress'.

42. My mind is adept at retaining trivial information. Hence, my love of trivia.

43. I like to use big words, because i can. I know what they mean and how to use them, so why shouldn't i use them?

44. Sadly, people think i'm being a smart arse when i use big words.

45. As such, i do want to write a novel, just so i can use all my big words at least once.

46. A true scientist, i am always fascinated by how things work.

47. I've always been the listener. Even when i've had my own problems to deal with, i'd take time to listen to someone else's problems and help if i could (and sometimes even if i couldn't).

48. Being the oldest of six grandchildren (on my mother's side), i have always been the mature and responsible one. When i was younger and wasn't interested in what the other children were talking about, i'd go and sit with the mothers' club and listen to what they were discussing.

50. I should probably be studying right now.

51. Recently, we acquired some goldfish. They are technically my brother's and he won't name them.

51.5. Woohoo! Halfway there!

52. I can never write the perfect song. After i play it for the third time, it sounds wrong.

53. I can, however, write the perfect poem. I love my poems. Apparently, so does my friend, she called one hardcore. I nearly fainted with pride.

54. That friend may never read anything i've written about her. Even if i didn't tell her she was the subject, she could guess it.

55. My experiences with acting have been good. I find it easy to become someone else. It's how i did well in my last speech in high school (i put on an accent from the British Isles, i think it was Scottish).

56. Mum does folk art. I wish i could paint like she does, but i like how i paint/draw anyways. It's more geometric, focusing on shapes and their interactions.

57. I bite my nails and the skin around them. My aunt's partner bites his nails as well. He says we have a mission. To stop.

58. We have two small mandarin trees out the back. Regardless of their size, we have gotten a pretty good haul the last two years.

59. No, i do not have kangaroos hopping down the street. If i went further out west, i'd definitely see kangaroos hopping along, possibly down a street.

60. If i were to give you a grand tour of the family home, i'd have to tell you who is in each of the photos and the context. Not something that was mandated, i just like doing so.

61. The one part of the Sydney Royal Easter Show i have to see (when i go) is the produce section. I can live without the woodchopping and the polo matches and the showbags and fireworks, but i cannot live without seeing the produce section.

62. I like sport.

63. I did actually play soccer for four years, so i know what i'm talking about there.

64. Yes i do like the movie "Bend it like Beckham". It's just too much fun!

65. I think i can watch almost any sport. Even golf. I do like watching the rodeo, though.

66. I am continually inspired by how you can make a musical instrument out of almost anything. (as i sit here and blow across the top of a glass bottle)

67. As much as i want to live a long and happy life, i wouldn't regret it if i died tomorrow.

68. The acoustics in our house are so good, that even with a moderate amount of noise, you can sit at the back of the house and hear someone unlocking the front door.

69. Whenever i actually stop to think about this number, i cannot help but giggle.

70. Acoustic have led to many a call of "Sara be quiet" when i've been singing in the study.

71. When counting in italian (or spanish), i always get confused between 6 and 7, and 60 and 70.

72. I love languages. Any corny pickup line sounds so romantic in italian.

73. If i have nothing better to do, i will watch new in other languages.

74. I'm going to bug Helena to teach me to speak croatian.

75. A family friend once told me that if you can speak another language you are worth as much as two people who can only speak one.

76. She can speak five languages.

77. We used to live at number 77. We now live at number 3. 77+3=80. 8+0=8. The number eight is the number of cosmic balance. I don't know what that has to do with anything.

78. I have a dictionary of symbols. It has come in handy many a time.

79. As much as i want my own vast collection of books, i lack the finance to fund such a venture. For the moment, i buy the books i can afford.

80.The next book i'm getting is "Quidditch Through the Ages", a Harry Potter textbook JK Rowling wrote with all proceeds going to charity. It's going to be a little more difficult to get "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" (same deal as the last one, but this one's out of print).

81. I don't take criticism very well. Unless it is constructive.

82. I like baking. The first time a made a pineapple upside-down cake (in a ring tin, you know, a bunt cake) that didn't break, i took a picture.

83. I'm not as good at cooking as i am at baking. At least, i'm more sure of myself when i'm baking.

84. When i'm sure of myself and i work with someone who's more sure of themselves, it makes me second-guess myself.

85. I enjoy studying physics because it has such a profound effect on my understanding of the universe.

86. Recently rediscovered love of microwave popcorn. Seriously, my brother and i got through a whole box today.

87. Do i have body issues? I don't know...

88. I don't like shaving my legs. There's a certain mystique about it, but it's a bit of a hassle for me.

89. Actually, talking on the phone is a hassle for me so i don't often call my beautician and make a booking to get my legs waxed. Consequently spend a good deal of the year with hairy legs.

90. Oh, a bit of advice: don't jump out of a moving vehicle unless you know what you're doing.

91. As strange as you think i am, i am stranger still...

92. Born and bred Catholic. At times i am religious in a Catholic sense. At times i'm religious in an inter-faith sense.

93. I have a strong sense of social justice. It kills me to see anyone in pain of any kind.

94. Seriously, i even have trouble insulting people. To just think that i have a hand in hurting someone tears my soul.

95. So i figure if i were a character in Harry Potter i'd be a light witch. There i go again with the Harry Potter...

96. The way i study maybe doesn't look very effective if you're watching me study, but it's what works for me. I've had trouble convincing my parents to just let me learn in my own way.

97. I think the next instrument i will learn will either be bass guitar (strange as i'm apparently already a bassist in a band), violin or banjo.

98. I'm on the one hand not a big meat person. I can't just eat a steak, it has to be smothered in sauce or mashed potato. My least favourite meat to eat is pork, not for any Babe or Charoltte's web reason, it's a flavour reason.

99. I did use to watch Get Smart. I wanted a shoephone!

100. If i get to this age and Australia's still part of the Commonwealth of Nations, then i'll be expecting a letter from the King/Queen of England.

101. Yay! A Palindrome! Most people'd look at you funny if you said that... Not me i'd get excited :)

102. I love love. It's just that simple. I can accept being in love even if whoever i'm in love with will never love me back.

103. Ok, i'll tell you why it was 103 and not just 100 or 101. *sigh* You're all going to roll your eyes at me... If you take the 0 out of it you get the number 13. Refer to number 13...

Fin