The Commoner Thinks This is the Best Thing Ever

I have a lot of habits, a lot of things I say and do all of the time.  Okay I'm a little OCD....

 One thing I've noticed my self saying is "This is the best thing ever."  

One of the things that I think are the best thing ever is my Keurig coffee maker that is -get this-in my classroom. So when ever I feel like I need a pick me up or a calm me down, there it is with that great noise that they make.  It's the best thing ever.

 Another thing I often say this about is my refrigerator freezer.  It has something I've never had.  It has an indoor ice maker and water dispenser.  Yes I know I've lived a sheltered life.  I love this because I'm constantly able to drink ice cold iced green tea, or use the crushed ice feature to make smoothies.  It's the best thing ever.

The Iphone is really cool.  After all it's a computer in your hand.  It's a map, it's a phone, it has apps for anything you want, it's a stereo, it's everything.  It's a TV it's a book. It's a running coach. Ask my daughter Meghan and she'll tell you that having your IPhone stolen is worse than having your pocketbook stolen.   It's really the only promise from The Jetsons that's been filled.  it's the best thing ever.

One more best thing ever for tonight (we just had 2 earthquakes so really the best thing ever is nothing fell)  but the last best thing ever is face wipes.  Whoever made these wonderful inventions has changed my life.  I use them all the time, when I come home from work before I go running (makeup on is gross when you are running) usually at night before I go to  sleep because they remove make up; but best of all, I keep them at work because I must rub my eyes alot -hence mascara all over my face.  These face wipes are the best thing ever!

The Commoner Eats An Apple

That's kind of a typo on purpose.  I wanted to get you all excited that I may actually eat fruit other than grapes or watermelon.   Relax I didn't eat an apple I ate at Apple.  

When I graduated college a looooonnng time ago from LIU-CW Post with my business degree I spent a lot of time interviewing for jobs all over New York City in buildings that look like this.

 Long story short-I never worked a building like this because the starting salary wouldn't have covered my train fare.  I worked for a media agency specializing in radio advertising in a three person office in a very old house on Long Island.

Fast forward to California and a lot of years of teaching and I still haven't found my way to the west coast version of these buildings.  If you are wondering I'm talking about these famous Dave's.

 But we're talking Apple here and that's the best of the best, the coolest of the cool, the top of the pop, the dream job, the dream building.  I almost felt that I should be sitting in the waiting room with my shoulder pad interview suit.  But that's not why I was there.

My son Joe works for Apple, he hires and trains people to work at the stores.  He has runs trainings at the Apple Mother ship and has a pass and took me to lunch in their crazy cool cafeteria.

You can't take  pictures of anything in the building but I'll tell you this.  That place had everything you could want to eat at cheap affordable prices-even for the millionaires that work there. 

There was sushi, pizza, prim rib, a salad bar where they made the salad for you, sandwiches, burgers, bison burgers, a soup bar, desserts (including actual gelato in multiple flavors) any kind of beverages you wanted to drink.  The workers serving the food were happy, cheerful, and kind.  Everyone there is happy.  This sure beat my sac of snacks.

I wanted to act out the Seinfeld episode where Kramer goes into a company and pretends to work there.  I was going to show up in some lower level office and say, "Hi! I'm the new person."

A quick stop at the store finished off the day, oh yeah and the free valet parking, oh yeah, and the really cool thing they have which shows you every app ever and as they are downloaded they blink.  

That was really cool.  The coolest of the cool.

Apple is cool.  It's the company that changed the world and it's located right here in our own back yard.  And oh yeah, my son works for them-just don't ask him when the new Iphone is coming out.  

He won't tell.

 

The Commoner and The Butt Hip Pain

5 Dollar doctor was good.  I rested until Thursday -took a lot of 
Advil and sat on my left butt cheek only.  But the Thursday run, while better was still not good and I needed help pronto.

I have not found a doctor I'm really comfortable with since I moved to California.  The one doctor in town that is actually really good lives in my neighborhood.  I saw him tonight actually as I stepped out of my house walking the dogs.  That would be awkward if he were my doctor.  My doctors always lived in the rich part of town. I never once saw one of them anywhere other than in the office or hospital.  That's how it should be.

So I went to my insurance companies web site and did a doctor search.  First I put in a San Jose zip code.  Then I knew I wanted a doctor that practiced in a richy area because that to me meant he would be good.  So I looked for one in Los Gatos-but with a closer San Jose address.

Next step they had to be a sports doctor...this left me with a lot of choices so the next step was to find one who went to a great college.  I found that-Dr. Nate Cohen educated at Columbia University.  A New York trained orthopedic sports doctor with an office in Los Gatos trained at Columbia University.  I called and they gave me an appointment the NEXT day!

 Hey it's summer-I have nothing but time and off to the town of Campbell, California one hour away.  Campbell is also where the running store I go to is (Road Runners)  and is close to Rob's work and Joe was there too, so we were also going to have dinner at Chipotle AND I could stop at Whole Foods for Marshmallows and Macaroons.  What could be better than this?

I filled out tons of forms with a fancy electronic pen and waited an hour to see the doctor.  I was feeling more at home already as I always waited an hour to see Dr. Gerber.  The place was clean, the staff was professional and after questions answered to one of the clone nurse staff they took xrays right there!  Plus they are the Sabercats doctor-and a sports doctor good enough for our arena football team is good enough for me.

The doctor finally came in and as I explained I was training for a marathon he recognized my still audible New York accent and boom -I was in good hands.  To make things even better he had raced the NYC marathon 4 times so he was a runner as well.  Also-same age.  You know we are few and far between. 

He assured me that I had some kind of bursitis.  He gave me anti inflammatory medication, and said you can keep on running-let your pain be your guide.  He gave me training advice and the name of a physical therapist right here in Hollister.  He assured me they were good and I knew he wouldn't betray a fellow New Yorker-I was good.

Today I was back running 8 miles.  It's still slower than I'd like but I made it the whole way and was pretty pain free. He's cured me already.  i go back in a month and now have an orthopedic doctor on the payroll.

 So if you have the time and need a good orthopedic doctor  Dr. Nate Cohen is your guy.  Dial a doc did say bursitis was one of the possibilities on his diagnosis so he rules too.
 

The Commoner A to Z

I was going to blog tonight about my great trip to a real live doctor for my hip-but I'll save that.

I was going to write about LeBron James and his head band but I'm going to save that as well.

That too will have to wait.  Sorry LeBron.

Because today I couldn't resist s fun activity making it's way around the cyber world.  The A to Z Blog challenge.  Here goes.

A. Attached or Single?

Attached for a very long time. B. Best Friend?

Benjie and Bella
 
C. Cake or pie?
 
Cake.  Who picks pie?  Tarts maybe pies no.
 
D. Day of choice?

TGI FRIDAY!!!  It's such a great day it has it's own restaurant.
 
E. Essential Item?
 
Iphone of course.
 
F. Favorite color?
 
 Blue

Like me you are wondering.  If blue is my favorite color why are the questions in red?

G. Gummy bears or worms?

Worms because they are sour.
 
H. Home town?

Westbury NY

I. Favorite Indulgence?

Buying things on QVC!
 
J. January or July?

You are kidding right?  I love my job but I love July even more

K. Kids?

3 Grown ones.  33 rent a kids on any given year and 2 fur babies.
 
L. Life isn’t complete without?

My children
 
M. Marriage date?

October 5th
 
N. Number of brothers/sisters?

0-Nada-zilch
 
O. Oranges or Apples?

Apples covered in chocolate and dipped in marshmallow.  Come on you know my relationship with fruit.
 
P. Phobias?

Snakes, cowboys, clowns, prison, nature, close spaces, Chuck E Cheese.  Should I keep going?
 
Q. Quotes?

Reach for the stars because if you fall you'll land in a cloud.

Kanye West 
 
R. Reasons to smile?

Summer

S. Season of choice?

SUMMER!!
T. Tag 5 People.

You, you, not you, and you three in the back. (I stole this one!)

U. Unknown fact about me?

I can't imagine anything you don't know about me?  I talk about everything.
 
V. Vegetable?

Ugh-hate all of them.   Cucumbers are good if someone peels, cuts, and seasons them and also gives me some dip for it.
 
W. Worst habit?

Is sarcasm a habit?
X. Xray or Ultrasound?

Neither I hope
Y. Your favorite food?

I have three-because I can-pizza, popcorn, and doughnuts.
 
Z. Zodiac sign?

Libra and I pretty much fit that one well.

The Commoner Goes To Lunch

One of the best things about being a teacher is summer.  I bet you never knew that.  I turn into Real Housewife of Hollister and my day goes something like this.

• wake up and hang around with the dog
• work out  (I run)
• go out to lunch with your friends or go shopping
• Catch your husband up on the drama when he comes home.

That's pretty much my summer and I LOVE IT.

So Today I got a text from my commoner friend Kristen to have lunch tomorrow.  I was all in.  But then-I decided to call an orthopedic doctor and he said he could take me tomorrow so lunch was changed to today.  Of course it took 50 confusing text messages to set that up.

We met at the 19th Hole -a bar/restaurant in a town next to Hollister called Tres Pinos.  Yes that's right.  That's the name of the town.  (Insert laughter and hey get a load of thises)

To tell you about the 19th hole and Tres Pinos in general.  It's a no stop light town.  You will think you time warped into the old west.  It's like going to a ghost town.  Its a bar with the swinging doors and cow hide on the wall.  




They make great steak though.  I love that place actually.  I've had a lot of good times there.  But still-being there makes me often say 'where on earth do I live'.

My friend Beth -second picture-on the left.  Lives in Tres Pinos.  She has a big house with a lot of land in a sub division called Stone Gate, or Stone Hedge, or Stone Rock.  

Beth's from Maryland and is the daughter of a Navy Admiral or some high rank, who made her living as a sky diver before becoming a teacher.  You can't make this up. 

Since moving to the country Beth has added chicken farmer to her resume.

She promises to guest blog with her story of her newest baby chick Pancake.  Yes Beth names her chickens, her rooster, and the chicks.  The chicks name is Pancake.

Can you imagine how Pancake got his name?  Did you know one chicken can sit on 45 eggs?  Did you know you can eat eggs that are fertilized?  Or unfertilized?  The only way an egg becomes a chick is if the chicken sits on it?  Do you know that chickens are so dumb they have a brain the size of a pea?  Did you know that a chick can survive being crushed?  Did you know one rooster can service a lot of chickens?  Did you know any of this?  Did you know that you can put up surveillance cameras to see who is killing your chickens?


I learned all of this at lunch.  By the time of that lunch was over-I was dizzy.  As we were leaving we saw this sign and it pretty much sums it all up.

Cowboy Burger-(yep I saw a cowboy on a tractor go right by)  Out of New York  ( I am-I really am)
 

The Commoner's Ode to A Celebrity

A few hours ago I like the rest of the world heard about the passing of actor James Gandolfini.  I don't know much about him really but he played Tony Soprano and there was A LOT I felt I knew about him.  

So I give to you 10 things I love and will miss about both James Gandolfini

And Tony Soprano

• Both of them are Italian American's from the New York Metropolitan area.  You may be Italian American, but when you throw in New York Italians (Yes they are both from New Jersey)  it's a whole different culture.

•  Since moving to California  watching the Sopranos was a way of remembering old family values and traditions  (the legal kind-WE WERE NOT MAFIA)
•  Watching The Sopranos makes me think of my mother and grandfather.  They both would have LOVED this show.  I know my grandfather would have owned all the DVDs and watched them all the time. He would have known the lines by heart.
• Little known fact about my mother-she always wanted to be a mafia wife.  Not because of the killing but because mafia wives are taken care of and in turn their job is to take care of their families.  She was confused about weather she should be a mob wife or June Cleaver.
•  They eat the foods I ate (I can't quite pull off heavy Italian any more).  Their parties are like ours.
• Jim Gandolfini was a good guy-everyone says that
• James Gandolfini was in the movie "The Mexican"  which also starred my favorite Brad Pitt
•  JG (that's what I'll call him) was my ageish.  
• People in the Sopranos called Tony-T.  Lots of people call me that.  
• The Catholic Church

• A lot of my leadership skills were developed by watching the Sopranos. 

I'm not delusional.  I understand the difference between a real person and a character.   Today a real man-an actor, a husband, a father, a friend, a talent-died.

But today no matter what?  We finally have an end to the Sopranos.  One that David Chase refused to give us.  Today Tony Soprano died of a heart attack.  

That's how the story ended.

The Commoner and Dial a Doctor

Do you have the time to listen to me whine?  Of course you do and thank you Green Day

As you remember from Wednesday I hit a snag with this weird hip Butt issue that I had.  Today is Sunday and was my seven mile run and things still hurt.  It's not a hurt hurt but a achy pain.  My form was shot, my time stunk, I looked like this.

Since my butt-hip started hurting on Wednesday I've done the following things.  A massage which focused on my hot spot and stretching, and yoga for hip pain.  I've been really good about taking care of this problem.  I stayed off my feet.  I was doing good

But Sunday's fail on my trail  (like that?  When you listen to rap you learn how to rhyme) really freaked me out.  I'm training for a marathon I have no time for injury.  

Since budget cuts hit a few years ago my insurance well let's just say it's not good.  The copay alone is 40 dollars.  That's 40 QVC available dollars.  I knew my local primary care doc would just tell me nothing and would take up a good chunk of my day and probably be days before she could see me anyway.  I kind of have British health care without the cost savings.  But I had a solution.

We have this service through our insurance where you pay $5 dollars and you can talk to a 'doctor' on the phone or over the internet.  I was going to email the doctor but you know how it goes for me with passwords and such so I ended up calling.  

The doctor asked a lot of questions and said I had inflammation of the hip joint, or arthritis, or bursitis.   I should take 600 mg of Advil WITH FOOD (he kept saying that part)  every 6 hours.  No stretching! No pressure -oops that probably means the deep tissue massage was bad.  No sitting or sleeping on that side for 48 hours and definitely no running during that time.

Basically no anything.  So I ask him -look if I don't get better what kind of doctor do I go to.  He said an orthopedic or rheumatoid something doctor.  Now I know arthritis could spell the end of my career as a runner so I'm not choosing to have that one.

I am scouring the bay area for the best orthopedic doctor I can find. Basically they can perform the hip replacement on October 14th because I WILL be running and finishing a marathon on October 13th.  

I'm assuming that doing all the opposite things that I was supposed to do caused some damage to the poor hip-butt.

I'm a former cyclist I live in the Bay Area I'm sure there's a doctor somewhere who can 'help' me.  

 I'm just kidding about that?
 

The Commoner Tours The Country

A few years ago I made an observation.  What you wonder was that?  It's not anything profound like the meaning of life as exhibited by a butterfly.  No No No.   I observed through my whole life that I have traveled much but taken very few vacations.

It started when I bike raced when trips to Wisconsin and great sites on the east coast always involved a bike race.

 There was time for a few family vacations before all our time was taken up by hockey trips.  We all went to the local ones and would squeeze in trips to Disneyland etc.  I was able to see most of Canada and the midwest with Joe.  These were not vacations.

When we moved to California there were a lot of trips to Dublin and New York to see family.  These are great places to go and I always have fun but these are not vacations.

So one day I was inspired by a commercial for something and said -we like cities, we aren't really beach people. Let's make a list of cities we want to visit.  They don't take a lot of time, you don't really need a car and there's always something to do.

So here is our list of the 10 (and growing) cities we want to see.

1.  Seattle
A close by city we've been to but never had time to explore.  Close by and fun.  We go in 2 weeks.

2.  Chicago
Because of the marathon and the hotel costing so much we just added it to the list.

3.  New Orleans
I've always wanted to go there.

4.  Austin Texas

5.  Atlanta
Orion lives there!

6.  Memphis
To visit this guy

7.  St. Louis

9.  Nashville

10.  San Antonio
I just added this one because I watched the ESPN guys out there and think that River Walk looks cool.

Any other suggestions?



 

The Commoner's Terrible Run

I've told you before I'm running the Chicago Marathon.  I don't expect this to be easy.  I expect this to be torturous.  I don't expect that to be the case before I've even taken a really long run.  I don't expect this to be the truth in the middle of the second week.  But it is.

I have been running since my half marathon in San Luis Obispo in April quite nicely.  However  I found that my pace was slower than before-which was already slow.  I blamed this on not trying very hard, heat, work, and 4 O'Clock wind.

Tuesdays are my worst running day.  I blame it on being tired from Sunday's long run and general malaise.  But not yesterday.  No way.  Yesterday I was super girl.  I was flying I tried to slow down and I couldn't everything was on.  I was sure that I was back.  That running with the wind had helped me be a stronger runner.  I tell myself that every day in the wind. I'm going to be stronger.


My goal every day is to run faster than the day before.  Today was going to be a 4 mile run and it was going to have to be pretty fast to out do yesterday.  But the rule is that if you can't beat the pace then run the best you can and run to the music.

I've been fighting a few things this week.  A toe that seems to bleed for some reason and I can't figure out why the neighbor toe nail is stabbing it.  I also have had some butt hip pain.  I've been upping the glycocamine (that's spelled wrong btw), I've been stretching, I've been icy-hotting.

As I ran I kept watching the pace go slower and slower.  My toe was pinching and there was this weird thing going on with my butt hip.  I didn't stretch last night, you know because my running was great and I never icy hot before I run.  By mile 3 I was running so slowly I started walking/running.  That is HORRIBLE.  That is giving up but I was defeated at this point.

I finally finished and on my walk home called Rob and whined.  

See that poster above?  I HATE that saying.  A bad run is horrible.  It makes you want to do a do over later.  It makes you want to quit all together.  A bad run is not better than no run at all.  Not even close.

I went home-whined to Danny and the dogs.  Took a shower, broke out the ice, broke out in a skin irritation on my hip, noticed blood soaked to the outside of my shoe, whined to the Tigre my massage therapist who basically did surgery on my hip.

Tomorrow is another run.  It can't be worse because you can't really run slower than today.  I know this is one of many many many many many bumps in the body (the road is holding up fine) between now and Chicago. 

No commoner has any business flying to Chicago and running a marathon on her 50th birthday for the first time no less.  But since I am -you are going to have to put up with the occasional (I mean frequent) complaining and victories.
 

The Commoner Does the IPod Shuffle

Today's challenge is a fun one.  I have to put my Ipod on shuffle and list the first ten songs that play.   I decided to use my workout play list.  Since this is kind of a game of roulette I can only hope that my favorite running Jay Z song is picked.  

Also please don't be offended by any gangsta rap which propels my runs.

1.  Glitter in the Air by Pink

This may not be the most rocking song to run to.  I love it though, I love Pink in general for her kick ass attitude.  Something softer is a chance for me to catch my breath look around and not kill myself for 3 minutes.

2.  Club Can't Handle Me -Florida

I love that his name is Flo rida.  I also love all of his music because they allow for built in intervals.  They are fun too.

3.  Jesus Walks-Kanye West

I've told you before I CAN'T run without Kanye.  When I listen to this song I ask Jesus to run with me.  The prayer helps and the beat is fantastic.  Plus it's tough like me!

4.  Pump It -The Black Eyed Peas

My pace automatically increases with this song.  Plus its a happy one.  To train for a marathon you don't always have to be angry.

5.  Candy's Room -Bruce Springsteen

I love the beat of this song.  Plus I really feel like Bruce needs to be on my playlist because he's in his 60s and in great shape.  But honestly?  I keep forgetting to remove this song.  I don't love it so much.

6.  F**K You-  Cee Lo Green

Come on you know you just love this song  and you kind of miss him and his kitten on The Voice-don't you?  You don't well you know what???  LOL

7.  In My Life -By The Beatles

Another song that I love and simply have it in there to have a break and look around.  Plus the older I get the more John Lennon becomes my favorite Beatle.

8.  Everybody Talks-Neon Trees

I have a lot of boppy rock songs on my play list.  They are fun and I always feel like Everybody talks-don't you?  I just assume they do.

9.  Time to Move On -Tom Petty

A driving rock beat to drive me home

10.  Homecoming by Kanye West.

I love songs about going home-even if I hardly ever get home.  But also I love it because I'm always trying to get home from my runs in one piece.  Plus it's about Chi-town where I'll be running my marathon.  PLUS it has my favorite quote

Reach for the stars because if you fall you'll land in a cloud.


There you go-quite an eclectic list-10 random songs from my running playlist.  That was fun.  You try it-I have to go delete Springsteen

 

The Commoner Discovered Superman

You've read the title of the blog and you are saying "No you did not."  I will tell you "Yes I did".  I can spot a future beef cake actor a mile away.  If I could figure out how to make money from this talent I would not be a commoner.  

In one particular instance I discovered Super Man.  Stop it doubter I did.  

A few years ago on one of those 15 hour flights from Dublin-the very flight where Rob caught swine flu-I was watching a captivating show called the Tudors.  It retold the story of King Henry VIII  (8th).  It was a Showtime series.It was sexy, it was captivating, and I became hooked on a story retold as never before.  If you missed it you need to rent it-it's so good.

Jonathan Ryse Meyers was pretty cool as King Henry-he could transfix you with his eyes and go from captivating to deadly in the blink of one of those blue eyes.  

But it was his friend  Sir Charles Brandon played by Henry Caville (a name so English I often forgot which was the character and which was the actor).  

This character was Henry's one true friend through his whole life and possibly the most upstanding character in the show. You weren't sure if it were the actor's good looks or the characters loyalty which were more attractive.

 

 Okay it's his looks.

 The whole world will know him now and I'm glad because it means he won't disappear to some English tv show that I will never get to see.

Last year flying to Ireland there were less series to choose from Thank You Aer Lingus.  I went through everything.  I ended up watching the Irish movies.  Can you believe there are Irish movies?  They move very slowly.

One of them actually hooked me-it was called What Richard Did.  It was slow and quite surprising as it did not turn out the way I thought it would.  This movie wound up winning one of those Indy movie things, Sundown, Tri Beca, Cannes. one of those.

I kept thinking this was a great movie and would ask everyone in Ireland had they seen it?  They hadn't.  But the star - a Dublin teenager also was captivating.  While his character was not always likeable-the acting was great.    I kept telling Bob this kid's going to be a big star.

This movie was called What Richard Did-and this actor?
His name is Jack Reynor-he was just cast as the lead in Transformers.

The commoner wants her commission. 

The Commoner Plays Would You Rather

I was given this challenge by Olive to Run.  I thought it sounds like fun.  You can do it too!

#1. Would you rather bike 100 miles or run 100 miles?

That's ridiculous.  I would not want to run 100 miles unless is was over 6 weeks or something.  So of course I would rather ride my bike 100 miles.
 
#2. Wear TOO many clothes and then have to carry them because it's too hot. or wear TOO little clothes and endure a little coldness?

I always seem to dress just right.  I've never had to add clothes or lose them, although I would gladly throw some away.

 

#3. Would you rather run without your GPS or without your Music?

I have to have music because I have to have JayZ sing for me.

 
#4. Would you rather run socially or run competitively?

 Socially -whatever that means-because I'm not going to win the Olympics or anything.
 
#5. Would you rather start a race in the front or in the back?

 I always start at the front to lesson my chance of finishing last.
 
#6. Would you rather run a race to raise money for a charity or in remembrance of someone?

I don't know I didn't know you had a choice
 
#7. Would you rather have an awful race experience and PR or have the time of your life and NOT PR?

 I always want fun
 
#8. Would you rather run on the right side of the road during a race or the left?

I like the middle.

 











#9. Would you rather shower and take a nap after a long run/race or shower and be productive?


Shower and be productive-but really shower and watch tv





#10. Run with your significant other or your friends?

I run with Rob.  Even though he insist we run single file not side by side.


So there you go.  Would you rather???
 

30 Interesting Commoner Facts

30?  30? 30 facts about me -the challenge of the day.   That's going to require quite a stream of consciousness.  So Let's go.

1.  I am an only child

2.  From the time I was 18-21 the drinking age would change just AFTER my birthday so I never ran into  a drinking age blockage.  

3.  I love TV

4.  I hate gyms

5.  I hate crafts

6.  I like to read books

7.  I love to fly

8.  In spite of giving birth to three children I've never had a labor pain

9.  I miss hot summer nights

10.  I hate air conditioning  

11.  I have the taste buds of a 6 year old.

12. I've given up eating fruit and reverted to drinking it in smoothie form

13.  I really like steak

14.  I have never been to England

15.  U2 is my favorite band ever

16.  I refuse to go camping ever

17.  I only drink coffee and iced green tea ever-oops got carried away

18.  I don't play sports that involve flying objects -like softballs

19.  I only actually watch 3 of the Real Housewives series-Orange County, Beverly Hills, and New Jersey.  But I've seen every episode.

20.  Anderson Cooper is my celebrity husband-mostly because I want to be a Vanderbilt and have tea with Gloria. (Yes I know I don't drink tea)

21.  Three foods I miss from NY the most?  Pizza, Dunkin Donuts, Entemanns, and Kinishes

22.  I hate talking on the telephone.

23.  I have never been to Spain but I kind of like the music  (right?  That's a song)  Get it?

24.  I sing all the time and may suddenly break out in dance.  

25.  I hate singing songs in school -you know those kids songs you are supposed to sing?  Hate them.

26.  I love public speaking.

27.  I hate the country-not our country-the kind of country with rolling hills and pick up trucks-like a John Cougar Mellacamp kind of country.  Don't like them.

28.  I watch Boomer and Carton every morning on tv and then am pleasantly surprised when it's not snowing and 20 degrees or I don't hit traffic on the BQE going to work-or that no one else really cares that the Knicks are in a slump.

29.  Bill O'Reilly and I went to the same grammar school.

30.  I am 3 degrees from Kevin Bacon-  That makes you 4 degrees from Kevin Bacon.  Do you even know what that means?

That was easy.  30 facts about me.