Six Secrets About Me

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Secret #1:  I would use pretty plates and arrange my food in appealing ways even if I didn’t have a food blog.  When your food looks pretty, I swear it tastes better.  And then my mouth, mind, and tummy are satisfied.

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Secret #2:  I am 100% convinced that James understands English.  Therefore, I have conversations with him about my innermost feelings.

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Secret #3:  I am 100% convinced that Maggie has no idea what the hell is going on. Ever. About anything.

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Secret #4:  Last night, my mother-in-law ran into the living room and yelped, “Come look! Come look!”  One of her exotic African plants, which only flowers one night a year, had opened up.  This seems like a very good omen.  I then proceeded to spend thirty minutes, laying on the concrete patio and taking pictures of said mystical flower.  Because I am the kind of person that does this sort of thing.

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Secret #5:  I will run around the block or do laps in a parking lot to reach a round number on my Garmin 305.  I think this is due to completing nearly 30 races.  The race isn’t over until it’s over, kiddos.

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Secret #6:  I put on perfume before I go to sleep because I think it makes the Husband dream about me.  Keeping the romance alive for nearly seven years requires a little creativity.

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What are some of your secrets?  Quirks make us special.  🙂

{ 195 comments }

 

  • Jules September 30, 2010, 9:53 am

    #3 – HAHAHAHA. so hilarious!!!

  • Christie {Honoring Health} September 30, 2010, 9:53 am

    OMG, I have no idea how you sleep with perfume on! Of course, I am allergic to perfume.

    But I do think the idea is romantic!

  • Angharad September 30, 2010, 9:54 am

    Your last secret is adorable! I won’t change my perfume even though I’m bored with it because it’s the one the husband knows and loves from our 6 years together! Ha.

    • heather September 30, 2010, 11:47 am

      I retired specific bottles of perfume I wore during my last relationship because I feel that the scent is “tainted” with those memories. New season, new scent – right?

  • Ashley @ Nourishing the Soul September 30, 2010, 9:54 am

    Love the perfume idea… might have to try that one! And I also make my Garmin go to a round number, but I think that’s because of my slight OCD 😉

  • JenATX September 30, 2010, 9:55 am

    hehe that pic of Maggie is hilarious

    One of my secrets is that I prefer to write in blue pen. In fact, if I ever forget a pen/pencil for class I ask around until I find a blue pen… black just looks ugly & why would I want to study ugly notes? Weird, I know.

    • Sara September 30, 2010, 9:57 am

      That’s so funny! I’m exactly opposite: I will NOT write with a blue pen!

      • Tiffany (Stuffed with Fluff) September 30, 2010, 10:20 am

        I’m the same way! I can only write with a black pen. For some reason, my office only stocks blue pens, so I bring my own supplies into work. So much for taking advantage of free supplies =P

      • Wei-Wei September 30, 2010, 10:32 am

        I find that blue pen looks so much weaker than black. It fades so much more quickly… and then you have so many shades of blue. There’s the deep, sort of navy blue, and the other sort of raw, artificial plasticky blue.

        Wow. I didn’t know I possessed such opinions about colour of ink.

    • Leah @ L4L September 30, 2010, 10:19 am

      In my line of work, we are only allowed to use blue pen. When I start writing in black ink, it makes me freak out for a second!

    • heather September 30, 2010, 11:45 am

      When I was in high school, my best friend gave me this article on how red ink helps you to remember things. There were some scientific studies along with the article, and the explanation of this is why teachers and editors often use red pen to correct and grade.

      I wrote in red pen only for YEARS, unless specified not to by a teacher, professor, or employer. (apparently red pen is not the best choice for filling out IRA paperwork – who would have thought.)

      I still love to use red pen when writing out valentines, christmas cards, and occasional to-do lists but I no longer carry a trio of red pentel RSVP fine point pens on my person every day.

      But, of course, now I want to.

      • Sara September 30, 2010, 11:59 am

        I work as a proofreader, so I’m always using a red pen. I love NOT writing in red when I can! 😉

  • Sara September 30, 2010, 9:55 am

    My latest blog post includes a list of some of my favorite posts, which included this one where I wrote about my quirks:

    http://www.howeverabsurd.com/2008/08/28/quirktastic/

    I had forgotten about this post; I like it!
    My secrets will remain secrets. 😉

  • Evan Thomas September 30, 2010, 9:56 am

    1. I hate rap but I love Love The Way You Lie
    2. I spend way too much time on Facebook
    3. I eat nut butter straight from the jar. A lot.
    4. I have a $200 rice cooker sitting and operating in my room(so not dorm policy)
    5. One of my biggest fears is of dying alone.
    6. I call my dog things like “Lil’ shit” just to see if he answers. He does.

  • Heather @ Side of Sneakers September 30, 2010, 9:56 am

    I LOVE the reason you wear perfume 😉 I use lavender “sleep” spray on my pillow at night and now when the husband smells lavender it reminds him of me and he can’t figure out why 😉

  • Charlie September 30, 2010, 9:57 am

    This flower is beautiful!

  • Freya September 30, 2010, 9:57 am

    I do that Garmin thing too – I always finish on a round mile! I have never, ever done a .5 mile, or .75..always a whole mile!
    I secretly always always save a final mouthful on my dinner plate, so the last mouth i eat is the best and most delicious 🙂

    • heather September 30, 2010, 11:52 am

      I have a round number issue as well.

      When watching television, if the volume meter on the tv screen is shown in numbers, the level must be kept at a number divisible by 5. MUST.

      There have been several times in the past where certain former roommates tell me to close my eyes or leave the room before they turn the volume up or down.

      I also once lived with a girl who felt the same way but her volume preference was simply an “even” number. This caused an issue, as turning the TV up or down was constantly a 10 point difference.

      my sharing all these quirks in relations to commenter quirks is making me realize that I may not be quirky. i may just be weird.

      • Allison B September 30, 2010, 12:27 pm

        I am the same way in regards to the radio volume in my car, but it has to be an even number.

        • RhodeyGirl September 30, 2010, 1:17 pm

          Heather, everything I do must be divisible by 3, especially TV volume. I even buy snacks in packs of 3.

          My friends think I am nuts, but I enjoy it. I also count random numbers I see and keep adding them up until they equal a 3, 6, or 9 because then I know that number is divisible by 3. It all started with a love of math and boring car rides, but now it is kind of ridiculous.

      • emma-kate October 1, 2010, 2:34 am

        I have to have everything divisible by three! Not just volume – syllables in a line of lyrics in a song, for instance, freak me out if they’re not divisible by three.

    • loreejo September 30, 2010, 2:49 pm

      My observation is that some people just “think” in terms of numbers. Like some think in terms of music or language. My son is a numbers guy; I found out this summer at dinner when I was asking him and my husband if they count stuff like I do. I don’t care what the sum is, I just see stuff and count it. He said that he will count it or for instance if he sees a phone number on the side of the road, he adds them all together and divides by 7. Um, he’s much better at math than I am (studying for CPA), but I think it’s just a way to occupy a number-thinking mind! My daughter sings everything she sees or reads…makes it a melody or makes up a song (she’s 20). 🙂 We’re all wonderfully different!

    • tammy September 30, 2010, 7:35 pm

      FINALLY!..someone else who is a save the best bite for last!… I’ve done this as long as I can remember. My family thinks it is SOOO bizzare that I eat my hamburgers, sandwiches, etc in a circle—saving the best bite, the center for last….and if I have a plate w/more than one item, I make it so my last bite has a tiny piece of each item…

      • Marika October 1, 2010, 2:27 am

        I do the last bite thing too!! I’m a firm believer in saving the best for last :-).

  • Madeline - Greens and Jeans September 30, 2010, 10:00 am

    I still know all the words to “Mo Money Mo Problems.”

    • Caitlin September 30, 2010, 9:53 pm

      great secret!!

  • Andrea (@ Puppy Dog Tales) September 30, 2010, 10:01 am

    I’m OCD about the way things look. I will rip up a To Do list because I don’t like my handwriting! The husband thinks I’m nuts!

    • Tiffany (Stuffed with Fluff) September 30, 2010, 10:22 am

      I do this as well! And if I’m writing a list and make a mistake, do I cross it out and continue? Noooooo, I start over. I think this is why I moved onto creating to-do lists on my phone…it’s less environmental waste, haha

      • Maddie September 30, 2010, 11:12 am

        I do that too! In high school when I did math assignments I would erase and erase util the numbers looked right. I thought this was totally normal until a friend caught me and said, “WHAT are you DOING!?” Haha!

        • Cara September 30, 2010, 12:01 pm

          HAHAHAHA coincidentally, just THIS MORNING I rewrote a to-do list three times to get the handwriting perfect…and then rewrote it again because I crossed something off and wanted a clean slate…spaazoid.

    • Alayna @ Thyme Bombe September 30, 2010, 12:02 pm

      Ha! I’m a serial list-maker as well. As soon as I cross off more than a few things on it I have to rewrite it because it “looks messy now.”

      • Susan @ Journey for Health October 1, 2010, 6:52 pm

        I am totally the same way. Whenever I make a new list, I tell myself that I’ll keep it till I cross everything off, but then I always have to make a new one cause I want to add things to it and cannot do that to a messy list 😛

  • Shannon, Tropical Eats September 30, 2010, 10:01 am

    hahah my roommate always used to put perfume on before bed! i think she was just obsessed with hygiene though.

    my secret is that one day i’d love to marry a redneck. pickup trucks and camo baseball hats are really attractive!

    • heather September 30, 2010, 11:53 am

      this is the last thing I ever expected you to say. ever.
      i will never forget this. ever.

      • Shannon, Tropical Eats September 30, 2010, 12:10 pm

        hahah im holding you to that! i pretty much grew up in the wilderness (which sounds WEIRD). We camp in Georgia every summer + my grandparents had a cabin on the Suwannee river in the middle of nowhere. I <3 reading everyone's quirks!

    • Jessica October 2, 2010, 10:15 am

      that’s one of my secrets too! if a guy has a truck and wears a camo hat he is instantly more attractive to me! plus, southern guys really live up to their name (for the most part lol )

  • Nicole - yuppie yogini September 30, 2010, 10:01 am

    Poor Maggie…maybe its best not to have a clue.

  • Jen September 30, 2010, 10:02 am

    Poor, sweet Maggie. Looks like the lights aren’t on 🙁

  • Barbie September 30, 2010, 10:02 am

    I love #2! I talk to my dogs as a human because I am also convinced they can understand English.
    Great photos BTW =)

  • ari September 30, 2010, 10:02 am

    hahahaha i love that perfume secret! such a clever idea. does he know that’s why you do it?

  • Holly @ couchpotatoathlete September 30, 2010, 10:05 am

    Poor Maggie. Ignorance is bliss! 🙂

    Secret about me: I dream of gorillas at least once a week. Why? Who knows!

    • Michelle @ Chasing Ambulances September 30, 2010, 10:16 am

      I had recurring dreams about tigers for months! So weird!

    • heather September 30, 2010, 11:55 am

      When I was young- probably 5 or 6 – i had two reaccuring dreams that would wake me up from slumber 2-3 times a week. Once or twice a year I still have the same dreams. IT IS FREAKY.

    • Shannon, Tropical Eats September 30, 2010, 12:12 pm

      LOL this is hilarious

  • Jenn @ LiveWellFitNow September 30, 2010, 10:06 am

    Love it! Especially the perfume one…I’m gonna try that for sure!!!

    Let’s see…about me….

    One silly one:I have to write my todo list with perfect handwriting with my favorite pen. If it looks messy, I throw it away and start over. If I do something extra, I write it on my list so I can cross it off. 🙂 In perfect handwriting of course!

  • Jaya September 30, 2010, 10:09 am

    This is so great! I think Maggie is probably happier for her total oblivion!
    I have to admit that I am just like Barbara Streisand in The Way We Were… I eat every meal in “perfect bites”! I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that we share a birthday!

  • Jamie @ Food in Real Life September 30, 2010, 10:11 am

    The perfume secret is really cute and unique! I still sleep with a stuffed animal cat. I think it makes my husband NOT want to dream about me. 😛

  • Trish September 30, 2010, 10:11 am

    LOL! You’re so funny! 🙂

  • Amanda September 30, 2010, 10:13 am

    Haha I love that you wear perfume to bed 🙂 Some weird quirks about me include…I wake up and get out of bed the moment the alarm goes off- I hate laying around in bed, it is a waste of my time. I eat my food in a particular order and when I start on one part of my plate, I have to finish it before I can move on to the next and foods canNOT touch. I cut my pancakes and dip the individual pieces in maple syrup I hate soggy pancakes. I know there are many more quirky habits too 🙂

  • brandi September 30, 2010, 10:17 am

    That flower is beautiful!

    And too funny about the running: last week, I ended up running 3 or 4 circles in a parking lot on my way back just to make sure I hit 5 miles 🙂 I’m sure I looked ridiculous, but oh well! Mileage is mileage.

  • Leah @ L4L September 30, 2010, 10:18 am

    Oooh, the perfume thing is cute!

  • Estela @ Weekly Bite September 30, 2010, 10:20 am

    Gorgeous flower!

    When I run and see a traffic light up ahead thats green, I like to speed up and pass it before it turns red 🙂

  • Kjirsten @ Balanced Healthy Life September 30, 2010, 10:21 am

    I Still sleep with my childhood blanket. The Husband can’t stand it, so I hide it in one of my pillowcases to make him think its not in the bed.

    Also, I can’t stand when the toilet paper is coming from the bottom of the roll. I always have to have it coming from the top of the roll. I will even change this in friends houses if I see it this way in their bathrooms.

    I agree on making food look pretty. Its always a presentation in our house too. The better it looks, the more I enjoy it! : )

  • Gwen September 30, 2010, 10:22 am

    I’m wearing jeans that may be borderline too small today because they make me feel thinner. But they are my “skinny jeans” if you will and they fit (zip!) so I am claiming victory!!

  • steph September 30, 2010, 10:23 am

    i love that maggie photo 🙂 lil cow. this post was so great

  • Meg September 30, 2010, 10:25 am

    I’m a longtime reader but I had to come out of my lurker shell to tell you what a hugely fun post I think this is! I love the tidbit about the perfume.

    Also, I think Maggie is the victim of parental profiling and her inner genius is just being stifled. Like me, Maggie’s true intelligence was overshadowed by her sibling at a young age and here Maggie sits out of the spotlight, being categorized as dazed and obtuse. I must take a stand for her!

    The wonder of that flower is breathtaking!

    • Caitlin September 30, 2010, 10:29 am

      Hahahaha. Major lols! Maggie says thanks.

    • heather September 30, 2010, 12:01 pm

      best comment ever.

  • Kelly September 30, 2010, 10:28 am

    I think of my dogs as my chidlren.
    I sleep with a body pillow.
    I hate the ticking of clocks. (I feel like Captain Hook!)
    I dislike air blowing on me…including in the car and ceiling fans.
    I really care about other peoples feelings.
    I want to adopt a baby after I have had biological babies.

  • Natalia - a side of simple September 30, 2010, 10:29 am

    I love this! Hm… I could probably put ketchup on just about any food. I don’t hold back. I tend to deny this, though, in real life. But when I’m alone…

  • Amykinz @ Foodie 4 Healing September 30, 2010, 10:30 am

    I truly heart you, Caitlin! lol

  • Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat September 30, 2010, 10:31 am

    Hehe I love these! I would also put my food on pretty plates even if I didn’t take photos of it, and I always need to finish a run on a round number! 🙂

  • KitKat @ Pursuit of Happiness September 30, 2010, 10:32 am

    Haha these are great, I especially like the last one!

    Let’s see a few of my secrets & quirks…

    1. When adding a tip on a check I always have to add it so that the total (total and tip) equals an even number.

    2. When I eat ziti I always eat it one piece at a time – by sticking my fork into each tube one by one!

    3. My absolute favorite part about waking up early is when I have a boyfriend. I quietly stand up on the bed while he’s still asleep, then start jumping and yelling EARTHQUAKEEEEE.

    4. I had a phase where I would eat a pickle with a square of Ghirardelli dark chocolate as my dessert each night. (It’s really good!)

    • Kendall September 30, 2010, 11:58 pm

      I died at #3. Will be trying it out this weekend.

  • Tami September 30, 2010, 10:40 am

    i opened a fortune cookie this morning and it said “keep your plans secret for now”!

    i haven’t been a person where numbers but today i realized that the marathon I am running in on Sunday will be my 36 run of this training cycle and I am will be 36 4 days after the marathon….just an interesting tidbit I guess.

  • Katie @ Healthy Heddleston September 30, 2010, 10:45 am

    I LOVE that you put perfume on before bed.. I put deodorant on before bed! Lol.. I guess most people don’t do this? 😛

    • Allison B September 30, 2010, 12:35 pm

      I put on deodorant at night too!

  • kyla September 30, 2010, 10:46 am

    I have no control over peanut m&m’s. I’m blaming this one on genetics since my father’s side LOOOOVES them.

    I run a lot because I really like food.

    I just wish the Cubs would win the World Series already so I don’t feel like a fool anymore cheering for a cursed team.

    I find older men more attractive than guys my own age.

    • heather September 30, 2010, 12:03 pm

      oh, girl. I hear you on those cubbies.

      • kyla September 30, 2010, 1:08 pm

        I go to school in St. Louis too so for just one year I want to rub it in all the Cards fan’s faces that we truly are better than them!

  • jessica September 30, 2010, 10:46 am

    that flower is insanely beautiful! what a great chance to see something so miraculous.

  • Annie Crow September 30, 2010, 10:48 am

    Beautiful photos of the flower, thanks for taking them! And I love secret #6. I don’t wear perfume, so this isn’t something I’d try, but it does make me think about what other scents might have a similar effect.

  • tina September 30, 2010, 10:48 am

    omg, love your secrets!!!

    secret #1 for me (especially this week): I try to get away with wearing lululemon clothes to my business casual job every day!

    secret #2: i LOVE liquid meals- smoothies, dips, soups… they are my fav!!! something about it sits in my tummy better.

    • tina September 30, 2010, 10:49 am

      oh yea, and secret #3: i can only start runs on a tenth (1:00, 1:10, etc), and can only finish on an even number!!!

  • Peggy September 30, 2010, 10:48 am

    I eat everything, everything, in a bowl with a spoon. Mushy, mixed up food > normal food.

  • Paige (Running Around Normal) September 30, 2010, 10:48 am

    I do a couple of those things too. My neighbors probably think I’m nuts when I underestimate my distance, thus forcing me to run up and down my street until I reach a round number LOL

  • Lisa (I'm an Okie) September 30, 2010, 10:49 am

    I LOVE that picture of Maggie—absolutely hysterical.

  • Kelly September 30, 2010, 10:49 am

    Haha those are great secrets!

  • Christie September 30, 2010, 10:51 am

    I don’t care about food presentation. I just throw it on a plate and eat it.

    I really really hate tucking shirts in even though I’m supposed to at work, I don’t.

    I must always have a clean inbox and clear deleted items. If I keep in in the inbox, it means it must be followed up on. Its sits there staring at me until I finish it.

    I feel much better having confessed those. 🙂

    • Corie September 30, 2010, 1:49 pm

      I feel the same way about the inbox. I HATE when I can’t/don’t have the time to clear it everyday!

  • Lu September 30, 2010, 10:52 am

    I do the same thing before I go to bed. The hubby seems to like it. I always get a “mmmmmm” sound when I climb into bed. After 8 years of marriage and 15 years of knowing each other, it makes me feel pretty good. If not a little edible.

  • Tracey @ I'm Not Superhuman September 30, 2010, 10:52 am

    Ha ha…Maggie looks like she has no clue what’s going on in that picture, what with her tongue sticking out like Duuuuhh.

    Secret: Ketchup, when not on fries or a burger, makes me gag.

    Secret: If the toilet paper doesn’t roll over, instead of under, I fix it. Even if it’s not my house.

    • Michele September 30, 2010, 11:15 am

      That’s hysterical about the T.P. I’ve done that in other people’s houses too. LOL

  • rachael September 30, 2010, 10:54 am

    I love the Maggie and James secrets!!!

  • Eliza September 30, 2010, 10:55 am

    Hahaha! I put perfume on before bed too 🙂

  • Anne September 30, 2010, 10:56 am

    That picture of Maggie made me laugh out loud. Hysterical!

    I have to have my toenails painted at all times, even in the dead of winter.

  • Jean@RoastedRootsandPumpkinSpice September 30, 2010, 11:00 am

    Haha o Maggie. What a cute, clueless dog.

  • Babs September 30, 2010, 11:00 am

    i love the perfume secret. i bet it works 😉 my secret is that i dance in the shower. never actual “dancing” more of a side-to-side movement. i have done it for years, and don’t really know when or why it started, but i embrace it 🙂

    • Lungs September 30, 2010, 2:44 pm

      I do this side-to-side thing – all the time. Waiting for a bus, standing in the kitchen… It’s sort of a shifting of weight thing, and the worst part is that I’m very unaware of doing it. I’m sure I look ridiculous.

  • Sarah September 30, 2010, 11:05 am

    Secret: I read my own blog at least three times a day. When I find a typo (even on a post that’s months old) I fix it.

  • shorty September 30, 2010, 11:05 am

    That is fun! Love all the cute little things you do! I do a few of the same, like the perfume only mine is body spray:) I will make myself a cup of coffee every morning even if I never drink it. I have NO idea why I do this but I always think I need it but very rarely drink the whole cup:) Kinda fun looking at the odd things we do, gotta love it!
    Shorty

  • Monika @ ForeverImprovingGirl September 30, 2010, 11:12 am

    Heehee…that photo of Maggie made me giggle at my work computer. What a cute little dummy. (I love wiener dogs)

    I’m the same with the Garmin! I’ve looped around AND actually run back and forth a few times to get to a round number. The workout just feels unfinished otherwise.

    And I love the perfume idea.

  • Jami (Sensical Musings) September 30, 2010, 11:12 am

    I am all over #5 – I have to run to even mileage as well. Sometimes it’s just to the end of my street and back. I always wonder if the neighbors think I am crazy, lol.

  • Michele September 30, 2010, 11:13 am

    Hmm… three quick things.
    1. I actually prefer vanilla over chocolate (but of course love chocolate too)
    2. I eat one thing at a time (first the broccoli, then the rice, then the tofu, etc.)
    3. I can still speak and sing along with every single line and word from both “Grease” and “The Wizard of Oz”

  • Diana at Diana Tries a Tri September 30, 2010, 11:13 am

    Oh my goodness that picture of Maggie with the tongue out. It just makes me smile!

  • Teacherwoman September 30, 2010, 11:14 am

    Those are some great secrets! Thanks for sharing!

  • lena @loveeatnowafter September 30, 2010, 11:16 am

    o wow i had one of those plants growing up! somehow my mom calculated it to the day and was able to predict the night it would open i just remember stayong up till like three am waiting for the darn thing to open! its really pretty and an amazing site tho!

  • Jen September 30, 2010, 11:21 am

    Lol Caitlin. I’m sure Maddie is very smart, but I couldn’t help think about the Hyperbole and a Half about her dog: http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/07/dog.html. 😀

    • Dee September 30, 2010, 1:51 pm

      That post of hers is one of the best ever!

      Love that Maggie pic every time. I was laughing out loud at this in the airport!

  • Lindsay @ The Ketchup Diaries September 30, 2010, 11:24 am

    Maggie is so awesome. And I love # 6. Hysterical. Secret about me is that I pencil in my eyebrows every day and often get compliments on how nice they are. I feel like a fraud!

  • ashleigh September 30, 2010, 11:24 am

    Secret #6: I put on perfume before I go to sleep because I think it makes the Husband dream about me. Keeping the romance alive for nearly seven years requires a little creativity.
    THAT IS THE CUTEST THING EVER!!!!!!

  • Kristina @ spabettie September 30, 2010, 11:26 am

    awww, poor maggie!! 😉 Basil does the same thing – a little bit of his tongue usually sticks out…

    I love this list… so cute.

    I hope that flower IS a good omen, and all is right with your family again…

  • Sara (Running with Teaspoons) September 30, 2010, 11:30 am

    I totally agree that some dogs can understand English pretty well! And I love the perfume idea… I kind of want to try it now! Strangely, I can’t think of any quirks or secrets about myself… hmmm…

  • Angela September 30, 2010, 11:31 am

    Hahaha. I love the perfume secret. I don’t have many secrets. At least I don’t think I do. Its hard to when you have 11 brothers and sisters. Wait, I do have one. I sing a Chubby Lovey song to my BF every morning. I can’t leave the house without doing it. Even when I’m running late, I stop for a second to sing him a random rhyme that has the chorus, Chubby Lovey Baby. His nickname is chubbs because he never stops eating and is really thin.

  • Kim September 30, 2010, 11:38 am

    That flower is gorgeous!!

    Amd I totally have conversations with my dogs too. They’ve proved they understand English! Or at least understand certain words!

  • Jasmine @ Eat Move Write September 30, 2010, 11:41 am

    I love the idea of putting on perfume before bedtime. 🙂 That’s so sweet. I’m going to try that.

  • kimmy September 30, 2010, 11:49 am

    I know every word to When Harry Met Sally, and I writing a novel (non – food related.

  • Krista (kristastes) September 30, 2010, 11:50 am

    It’s like the Dennis the Menace flower!!! Have you seen that 90’s movie?? It’s a flower that blooms every 10 years or something in the movie though!

    • Allison B September 30, 2010, 12:41 pm

      That is EXACTLY what I thought of when I read it. “Mr Wilson!” Good thing there wasn’t a garage door and a table of food when this flower bloomed.

  • natalie September 30, 2010, 11:50 am

    I am absolutely convinced that my girl dog understands english too. sometimes i will say something to her that there is no way she would know and she will go do it or walk towards what i said. my boy dog on the otherhand–well he’s like maggie 🙂

  • Ronja September 30, 2010, 11:51 am

    I love the idea of putting perfume before going to bed. That’s some romance!

    Secret #1: I don’t like chocolate except in the form of chocolate (um, like chocolate bar). All girls seem to go crazy about anything chocolate but I just don’t like chocolate cake or ice cream or anything.

    Secret #2: I don’t like sauces. Dressing, ketchup, mustard, sauce… you name it, I skip it. The only exception is caramel sauce, which I love on ice cream and apples.

    Secret #3: I started running so I could eat more food. What can I say, I really like eating!

  • Cecilia September 30, 2010, 11:51 am

    Oiy! My pants are wet (from sparkling water) from laughing so hard at Maggie’s pic, love her expression! She is my fav, don’t tell James! 😉

    The only secret I can think of atm is that:
    I talked to myself (as in a two way convo) a lot – out loud when I’m alone in my room/car, in my head when I’m around people.

  • Tina September 30, 2010, 11:53 am

    Love all the quirks. I think they make us all fabulous. I agree food tastes better when it looks nice.

    And I would say one of my quirks is that I always have to make a wish if I catch a clock at 11:11.

  • Carly (Swim, Run, Om) September 30, 2010, 11:54 am

    How is that a quirk? Of course Bowser understands English. He also knows Spanish. He’s a great conversationalist.

    My main quirk is when I’m not accepting an Oscar in the shower, I also act out scenes from my fave TV shows or movies. OR I sing in front of a large audience which includes Oprah and Queen Elizabeth.

  • anies September 30, 2010, 11:56 am

    i love secret #6. will try it myself. 🙂

  • Alyssa September 30, 2010, 11:57 am

    I have to shave my legs every day, even in the winter.

    I do the same thing with my Garmin – glad I’m not the only one!

    No matter how hungry I am, I can’t eat breakfast until I have drank one cup of coffee.

  • Marina September 30, 2010, 11:58 am

    Love the last one!
    I won’t shave my legs if nobody can see them. I hate brushing my teeth.
    I really have gassy digestion 😀

  • Amy @ Amy Starts to Run September 30, 2010, 11:59 am

    Seriously, the picture of Maggie is priceless. Tongue hanging out and everything. I’m fairly certain my dog believes she is a human.

    Secret #1 I’m terribly OCD about some things, like how laundry is done and put away, how dishes are arranged in the dishwasher, if the garbage bag isn’t on the right way. But I HATE cleaning, laundering etc.

    Secret #2 I’m getting married in one month, and its sorta kinda terrifying!

  • Clare @ Fitting It All In September 30, 2010, 12:02 pm

    I have the same round number issue! Worse on gym machines – won’t stop til I have either a round number in mileage, calories (even tho its not accurate) or time. Which one I choose depends on the day.

  • kate September 30, 2010, 12:03 pm

    Aw! Secret #6 is so romantic!

  • kate September 30, 2010, 12:04 pm

    I am a long time reader but have never commented before. Your posts have finally inspired me to create my own blog and now that I have entered the blogging community for the first time, I want to dive right in and start participating! Just wanted to say that I love this post! So fun! And that picture of Maggie is absolutely hysterical 🙂 so cute

  • Alayna @ Thyme Bombe September 30, 2010, 12:06 pm

    That’s hilarious about your dogs. I have two cats that I speak to as if they were humans, like “Lucas, you look bored. You should take up a hobby like knitting or basketball. You really should work on your resume, at least a part-time job would give you something to do!” He gives me an evil death look that clearly means he understands me and thinks I’m an idiot.

    • KatieTX September 30, 2010, 2:18 pm

      LOL my fiance does the same thing to our cat. It is quite adorable.

  • Lizz (leadingthegoodlife) September 30, 2010, 12:09 pm

    1. I love grocery shopping but still use it as a bargaining tool to get my fiance to do other stuff around the house.

    2. I love Bernie Mac. Love.

    3. My dog is my best friend. This is not a cliche, it is cold hard truth.

    4. The idea of being pregnant freaks me out.(I am not pregnant.) People say “beautiful” and “miraculous” and I think “tiny alien growing in my body!!”

    • Allison B September 30, 2010, 12:49 pm

      As a mom of 2, it’s more like a parasite that takes on the form of an alien, then miraculously transforms into a beautiful newborn baby. Then you sit back 9 years later and say “Where the hell has the time gone!?”
      My girls are 9 and 2…seriously though, where did the time go!?

    • Brittney September 30, 2010, 12:57 pm

      I can totally relate to the pregnancy thing. I’m glad I’m not the only one!

  • Lily @ Lily's Health Pad September 30, 2010, 12:10 pm

    I do the same when I’m running. If I set out for X miles…I’m running that exact number, dangit! I also run around courts a lot. It an easy way to add an extra.10 mile or so.

  • AllieNic @ Frisky Lemon September 30, 2010, 12:12 pm

    I love that picture of Maggie! Her little tongue is so cute!

    I don’t know that I have any real secrets…I wash my hair once a week so that it doesn’t dry out…there are certain foods I can’t eat if I have to look at them…like eggplant or mushrooms: If they’re hidden in something, I’m fine, but I can’t do portobello mushroom burger…

  • Ali @ Food, Fitness, Fashion September 30, 2010, 12:19 pm

    hahahaha! I love these secrets! That picture of Maggie made me LOL.

    Here are some of my secrets:
    1. My two favorite foods are dill pickles and whole wheat pasta with my mom’s spaghetti sauce (and yes, I like them together!).
    2. I have been with my husband since we were both 15, and I was his first kiss.
    3. I co-directed a benefit production of the Vagina Monologues.
    4 love running in the heat, even though it is not good for me, I just love to sweat. (Is that gross?)
    5. My favorite part of my body are my quads and I totally flex them and check them out at least once a day, and am not ashamed.

  • Alyssa September 30, 2010, 12:26 pm

    Oh Maggie, I’m glad she has such caring and loving owners! And the flower is a good omen, it just is 🙂

    I love this post!!! I kind of secrets, more like quirks though…
    1. I sleep with a big stuffed SpongeBob because I need something to hold when I sleep (did I mention I’m 22?)

    2. Whenever I eat something with frosting I always eat the cake (or whatever it is) and save the frosting for last. Save the best for last right 😉

    3. I’m a little ocd and can’t stand it when people put things in the dishwasher in the “wrong” way, so I go back and rearrange it.

  • Stacey (The Habit of Healthy) September 30, 2010, 12:27 pm

    What a nice, light-hearted post!

  • Mary (What's Cookin' with Mary) September 30, 2010, 12:28 pm

    This post was so cool Caitlin. So open and honest… and freakin’ adorable!

    1. I can’t go to bed if my feet are dirty (ie I walked bare foot outside) – must wash feet!
    2. I talk to my cat like she is my child and can understand every word.
    3. I cannot leave a mess in the kitchen before I go to bed… I have tried and it bugs me till I know it’s clean.
    4. I (like Ali) love to ride my bike outside when it’s hot bc getting really sweaty and then showering is so cleansing to me… like I’m getting rid of bad vibes & negativeness or something.
    5. I wash my hand like 2384632463287 times a day bc I’m a germaphob.
    6. When no one is home, I turn up the music and dance around like a crazy woman sometimes 😀

  • megan September 30, 2010, 12:31 pm

    #3!! I just almost choked on my apple reading that and looking at the picture og Maggie…classic!! Luuurve your blog!

  • nicole September 30, 2010, 12:32 pm

    This is so cute- especially the dog part because James looks so intelligent and Maggie not so much!

  • erin fugal September 30, 2010, 12:39 pm

    the picture about maggie not understanding anything…ever…is priceless. If a picture could speak a thousand words. Priceless!

  • Jess @ atasteofconfidence September 30, 2010, 12:41 pm

    How romantic that you put perfume on before bed!

  • Kath September 30, 2010, 12:50 pm

    I put matt’s cologne on my pillows and make him put it on before bed! Sometimes I wear a squirt of it on my neck to yoga!! 🙂

  • Mary & Christina September 30, 2010, 12:51 pm

    i like this creative post! That flower is beautiful!!!

  • Caitlin September 30, 2010, 12:57 pm

    That perfume secret is so sweet–I’ve yet to find a perfume I like, but this is a little more motivation to do so. My secrets:
    1. I like to wear bikinis or fancy dresses when I’m home alone cleaning.
    2. I hate showering.
    3. I don’t want to go through labor or have kids, but I do want to be pregnant someday.

  • Nikka B September 30, 2010, 1:04 pm

    Just a few of my quirks:
    1) When I eat at a restaurant I don’t like to have my back to the door.
    2)I like to make up rap songs to narrate my morning routine.
    3)I have been able to quit soda, processed foods and alcohol but I can’t quit celebrity gossip.
    4)I always put my hand out to brace the passenger in my car if I need to brake unexpectedly and I will do it by habit even when no one is there! Reflexes!
    5)I get school-girl excited when I know I’m going to have time in the day to check up on all the healthy living blogs!

    • Allison B September 30, 2010, 1:16 pm

      My husband and I argue over who will not have their back to the door.

      I embrace the passenger seat too, either for the passenger or so my purse and work bag don’t go tumbling to the floor board.

  • elaine! September 30, 2010, 1:07 pm

    Ha! The vapid look on Maggie’s face cracks me up! And the flower is gorgeous.

    I always wash my dishes before I put them in the dishwasher, even though the dishwasher does a good job.

    I save the best bite for last. 🙂

    The first thing I do when I get out of the shower is put on chapstick.

  • Allison B September 30, 2010, 1:13 pm

    My secret/quirks:
    1. I will walk down the hall to turn on/off the light so all 4 light switches in the living area are always down when the lights are off.

    2. I walk around my house naked in the morning getting every thing together for the day, then I get my clothes, shoes, and jewelry on right before I leave for work (I’m up at 4am, leave at 5am).

    3. The bench seat, drawer pull on the kitchen table, centerpiece on the kitchen table, and light over the kitchen table ALL have to be centered together. The same goes for the stools under the kitchen island, they have to be spaced just so and are adjusted 5-10x a day (due to 2 kids, 2 dogs, and a husband).

    4. I have to clean every weekend (and spot clean during the week) otherwise I don’t feel clean and my home feels dingy.

    5. I’m new to running (more of a soccer and cycling person), but I have to have a run end with a song that uses the word “run” in it.

    6. I’m turning 30 on December 3 (123, for those that have a number obsession, I slighlty do too!) and I’m terrified that my health will go down hill like my Mom’s did. I cognitively know that I’m healthier and far more proactive than she was/is, but it still scares the bajeepers out of me.

    7. I will silently do something to prove someone wrong.

  • Lisa September 30, 2010, 1:19 pm

    I love the flower story. What a good omen!

  • corinne September 30, 2010, 1:20 pm

    What a BEAUTIFUL flower. Absolutely stunning. I would take pictures for 30 mins too!

    Little secret: I eat baby carrots like they are about to end production of these gems.

  • RhodeyGirl September 30, 2010, 1:23 pm

    1. When I sing along to music I sing ONLY in opera like voices and try to harmonize with the singer. This both annoys and amuses my husband.

    2. I completely judge people’s grocery carts. I know I shouldn’t but I do anyway.

    3. When I change purses I don’t empty everything out of the old one. Then months later when I change back to an old purse I find lots of random missing items.

    • RhodeyGirl September 30, 2010, 1:23 pm

      Ha. Note my comment above- all about 3s. Even my comment was in 3s. sick.

  • Dee September 30, 2010, 1:26 pm

    #1, 4, and 6 is something i do too! lol!

  • Jes (Self Motivation) September 30, 2010, 1:37 pm

    Oh I love them all! I am the same way with my Garmin. I am also pretty sure that your dog Maggie and my cat Ashe are probably one in the same. I think Ashe is really ditsy sometimes.

  • Stephanie September 30, 2010, 1:46 pm

    1. I like numbers that are multiples of 5

    2. I NEVER take the first box on a shelf….I always dig for one buried towards the back…I think its fresher and less handled

    3. If I go in one door I prefer to go out the same door otherwise I feel like I am wound up in the world!

  • Ashley September 30, 2010, 2:08 pm

    Loved your last secret – too cute! My fiance and I are finally getting married in November after recently celebrating 8 years together (yikes – getting old!)
    I’m always looking for ways to keep that spark alive <3

  • SueLy September 30, 2010, 2:11 pm

    Love the perfume idea, I am going to try that tonight!
    1. I hold my dog like a baby and says to her in a baby voice: “who”s the puppy? You’re the puppy!”
    2. I do not like my feet under the blanket when I sleep–they need to breathe.

  • Sally September 30, 2010, 2:31 pm

    1. Whenever I eat a bag of candy that is a bunch of different colors (such as Mike and Ikes, M&Ms, Skittles, etc), I have to empty the contents of the bag and then organize them by color. Then I will eat each color group until the amounts are equal (so that there are 4 red candies, 4 green candies, etc). Once the groups are equal in size, I will eat one from each group. I started doing this kind of absentmindedly when I was a teenager and the habit stuck. It certainly makes one bag of candy last FOREVER 🙂
    2. I play Bejeweled Blitz whenever I am angry or something is really bothering me. It helps me decompress and collect my thoughts.

    • Caitlin September 30, 2010, 9:58 pm

      haha i love your secrets.

  • E September 30, 2010, 2:33 pm

    Gotta love that Maggie pic!

  • Michelle @ IronDivas September 30, 2010, 2:34 pm

    Let’s see…
    1) I have converstations with myself. often.
    2) Even when I’m home alone I wear cute PJ’s, and have a need for my hair to be brushed.
    3) I can NOT sleep with open doors/closests/drawers in the room. I must close/shut everything before I go to bed… also before I leave the house… this might, or might not, have something to do with monsters (at least the closet part).

  • Bb September 30, 2010, 2:34 pm

    My quirks:
    1. I have round number issue.
    2. I always eat two chocolates a time.

  • Orla September 30, 2010, 2:53 pm

    1- I sing the words of spider pig spider pig… From the simpsons movie but change the words to Charlie Bird Charlie Bird. He’s my dog.
    2- Charlie Bird the dog is named after a news reporter on the national broadcaster.
    3- he has his own twitter page And email address.
    4- I like to pluck the hairs on my legs with tweezers.
    5- I have to French polish my toes before every race. In case I get injured and have to take my trainers off. This doesn’t disguise the fact that my feet are like blocks of wood. Rough, unsanded wood.
    No more you will get from me!

  • Sarah September 30, 2010, 2:56 pm

    I agree that when food looks good, it tastes better!
    And…I talk to my cat. I think she understands me:).

  • Amber K September 30, 2010, 2:57 pm

    I am actually the exact opposite as you for #1. I ONLY make my food look pretty if I am going to take a picture of it. In fact, I usually have my food on various small plates or in small bowls because I hate my food touching that much. But it doesn’t make for a good picture that way!

  • Ellen September 30, 2010, 3:15 pm

    Secret #3 made me laugh really hard in my office.

    Thank you!

  • eri September 30, 2010, 3:22 pm

    hahaha. poor maggie! hahaha.

    i love that perfume secret! i may just try that one day!

  • Stacy @Student of Healthy Living September 30, 2010, 3:31 pm

    1. I love alternative music but whenever techno music is turned on I start rocking out my old dance moves 😉
    2. The chicken dance really bothers me but I love the Cha-Cha Slide.
    3. Rap music bothers me, except for Eminem he is amazing!
    4. Before bed I put vasoline on my elbows, I worry that they will get wrinkly.
    5. I always look in the backseat of my car at night before I get in. Too many scary movies have scared me into doing this.
    6. If I wake up in the middle of the night and get out of bed, then get back in. In order to get back in to bed, I jump in, literally. Old habit from childhood, scared of monsters under the bed.
    7. I can not go to bed with dishes in sink, or leave the house.
    8. Everyday before I go to work I tell Abby girl to be good, because I fear that if I don’t she will have an accident in the house. It’s happened 🙁
    9. Right before hubby and I hang up the phone with each other, we always say I love you. I have moments where I almost say this to colleagues/friends/heck anyone before I hang up.

    • Caitlin September 30, 2010, 9:57 pm

      i hate going to bed with dishes in the sink… but i can. 🙂

  • Heather September 30, 2010, 3:41 pm

    One of my secrets is that my idea of a perfectly acceptable night is sitting in my pajamas, eating candy on my couch watching my favorite television shows.

  • Jessica (Fit and Clean) September 30, 2010, 3:51 pm

    I love Maggie’s pick. I have long, drawn out conversations with my dog, Biscuit. So not unusual or weird! At least I think so, LOL! Something about me? I have to tell my husband I love him and give him a kiss every night 🙂

  • Cynthia (It All Changes) September 30, 2010, 3:56 pm

    Love the secrets. We talk to Peanut all the time and poor Leo always looks confused.

    I put on workout clothes the second I get home from work and hope it prompts me to go to the gym. IT works sometimes btu other times they are just really comfy.

    Hunni bought me footie PJ’s for Christmas last year because I loved mine so much as a kid I made my mom chop off the feet so I could wear them until I didn’t fit.

    We don’t travel to see family for holidays because we are making our own traditions. We like it that way and sometimes they visit us but we are okay with them. My family is way to crazy at Christmas.

  • Ellen@FirednFabulous September 30, 2010, 4:11 pm

    #1 is so true! Even if I’m just eating a sandwich from Subway, it seems to taste better when I put it on a plate with some veggies, rather than scarfing it down while I watch TV. My secrets? Hmmm…I eat breakfast foods for lunch and dinner at least a few times a week. And I’ve never watched a full episode of Glee!!!

  • Rose September 30, 2010, 4:47 pm

    I sleep with a body pillow. A friend recently said that body pillows were a public display of loneliness (ha!), but I disagree. It’s in the privacy of my own bedroom, so it’s not public 🙂

  • Amy September 30, 2010, 4:53 pm

    Great post. That picture of Maggie makes me crack up every time. It makes me think “which way did they go George? which way did they go?”. Now for some secrets:
    1. I’m a bit of a hypochondriac. Nothing extreme – I feel bad, I think I’m dying, I feel better, I move on.
    2. I sometimes judge when people are making unhealthy decisions. You don’t have to be skinny (I’m not), but you don’t have to eat fast food 5 times a week either. I know, I know. I’m trying to stop being judgemental.
    3. I have a ridiculous number of nicknames for my dog Rana, including Rana Ray, Rana Roo, Sweet Baby Ray, Rana Rooski, Spotty McSpoterson, and Poopopotomus.
    4. The hubby and I end all phone calls with “see you, love you, bye”.

  • mm September 30, 2010, 4:59 pm

    I love the pic of Maggie – my dogs are similar. I have one that I am pretty sure was human in a past life, and the other that is just a little bit stupid – but so cute and I love him to pieces!
    And all I can think about with that flower is the Dennis the Menace movie from back in the 90s where everyone is at a garden club meeting and they miss the beautiful blooming of the flower because of something Dennis did… did anybody else see that movie when you were a kid? haha

    Some of my secrets are the same as other people, but I’ll list some anyway:
    – I don’t like even numbers, except the number 8.

    – I can’t go down the condiment aisle in places like Costco or Sam’s because seeing (or even thinking about) large tubs of mayonnaise, ketchup, etc… makes me nauseous.

    – All of my fingernails have to be the same length at all times. I will cut them, file them, and check them one-by-one to make sure they match.

    – Pillows cannot touch the floor. Ever. Unless they are specifically “floor pillows”.

  • Jaime Runs September 30, 2010, 5:13 pm

    That photo of Maggie is priceless.

    I am scared of color. Most of what I own is black, white or wood. I don’t think that is actually a secret, though. It’s kind of obvious.

  • maria @ Chasing the Now September 30, 2010, 5:22 pm

    Number 6 made me laugh! Maybe I need to try that one! 🙂

  • Carly September 30, 2010, 5:47 pm

    I think the perfume idea is so effin cute. I wish my cat would appreciate a gesture like that

    My secret is that I love to work. Even if I find the job mundane or boring, I love that I’m out doing something.

  • Lesley September 30, 2010, 6:03 pm

    LOL, what a great post! I love learning other people’s quirks.

    One of mine is I can’t use a capped pen with no cap. If the cap gets lost I will throw out the pen or give it away.

  • Heather September 30, 2010, 6:07 pm

    LOL! I think my two dogs are like yours. I have the older wiser one, and then the spastic puppy who has no idea what is going on most of the time!

  • Kim @ Kim Lives Healthy September 30, 2010, 6:22 pm

    I’m gonna try the perfume idea tonight!

    Secret about me… I still sleep with my stuffed panda bear from the day I was born… and sometimes I wake up and he’s snuggled inside my fiancee’s arms 🙂

  • Laura Smith September 30, 2010, 6:40 pm

    I always run around in circles to make my milage too. Curse of the garmin i guess?? lol

  • Kasey September 30, 2010, 7:08 pm

    Love this post! My favorite form of cardio is putting on some good music and dancing around my living room.

  • Heidi - apples under my bed September 30, 2010, 8:14 pm

    OMG I LOVED reading these 🙂 number 2 then number 3 were so funny hehe. I am the same with the photographing (number 4) & the running (number 5). and I love number 6 – so sweet.
    hmmm, my secrets. I get so involved with taking the perfect food shot that often my food gets cold… haha, that is all i can think of for now 🙂
    Heidi xo

  • trang September 30, 2010, 8:44 pm

    I sleep with perfume on too and put on lipstick! It’s nice to know someone else does it too.

  • Kim September 30, 2010, 8:47 pm

    secret: your blog is usually the first webpage I open when I start my computer. Before my email, facebook or twitter 🙂

    • Caitlin September 30, 2010, 9:55 pm

      yay! thanks 🙂

  • chelsey @ clean eating chelsey September 30, 2010, 8:51 pm

    I honestly could NOT stop laughing when I saw that picture of Maggie after you talked about how she has no idea what is going on in the world. I could not even contain myself. Oh. my. goodness. Hilarious! My aunt had a dog like that too and she lived in “Lizzy Land” (hence… her name was Lizzy)

  • Marilyn @ Lipgloss and Spandex September 30, 2010, 9:01 pm

    That flower is GORGEOUS. The photos of your dogs made me laugh. And I do the same thing when I’m on a run–I just can’t cut it even 0.03 miles short!

  • Emily September 30, 2010, 9:29 pm

    I loved this list!! So wonderful to hear the quirks of another, makes me feel a bit less bizarre 🙂 I’m not even sure where to begin this list but, one of them, is that I buy fruit (bananas, apples, etc) in three’s…always!

  • Lee September 30, 2010, 9:43 pm

    I sleep with a special blanket. I got it when I was 8 and it has cartoon tigers on it. I can’t sleep very well without it touching my face.

  • Shelley October 1, 2010, 1:11 am

    Hahah that picture of Maggie is priceless, she sounds like so much fun!

  • Brittney October 1, 2010, 11:55 am

    LOVE the one about Maggie and the clueless look on her face in the picture! AWESOME.

  • Rachel October 1, 2010, 3:38 pm

    I can relate to #5, I do the exact same thing!

  • Cassie October 4, 2010, 2:16 pm

    Awww I love this post! It’s fun to get to know someone better and to find out that I’m not the only one that is 100% sure my dog understand what I’m saying 🙂

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