I turned 31 just over 2 weeks ago and I wanted to share 21 things about me you may not know in honour of the beginning of my 32nd year on Earth 🙂

1) I play the french horn, the piano, and the fiddle. I don’t play any of them very regularly anymore even though I do own all three instruments. I’m trying to get back into it when I find the time!

2) I am extremely passionate about Cape Breton culture and fiddle music (Irish/Scottish). If you’re wondering what I’m talking about, here’s a great video of a live performance. I also love orchestral/wind ensemble music (hence the French horn love)…a particular favourite in that genre is here.

3) I used to get in trouble for reading late into the night as a child and my dad once took my copy of A Wrinkle in Time and hid it so that I would go to sleep (he claims this never happened, but it did!)

4) My extended family coined the term Heatherpedia to describe me after they realized the way my memory works – wedding anniversaries, birthdays, house numbers. My memory for random events and numbers has definitely gone downhill since having kids, but it’s still pretty good.

5) I haven’t really had hard liquor in 7 years. I was getting really sick after only having one drink, so now I just stick to wine and beer when we’re socializing (no regrets!)

6) I am pretty torn about whether we will ever own a pet. I didn’t grow up with one, and although I do like dogs, I can’t reconcile the amount of work owning a pet would be at this stage in our lives (so right now we’re waiting :))

7) I am passionate about research and analysis. I’m not a big lover of non-fiction though.

8) I played ultimate frisbee in a league for about 5 years until this summer when we couldn’t make it work with our schedule. Brian and I both hope to get back to it someday, but our kids’ activities are going to be a focus for the next few years. It’s SO much fun though.

9) I love playing board games. This is a love that Brian and I share, and it makes our lives a little bit better 🙂

10) I also really enjoy trivia and used to do quizzes on Sporcle regularly and go to trivia nights at the pub with friends. I really like learning about random things. My friends don’t like playing trivia games against me though…haha.

11) My favourite ice cream flavour is mint-chocolate chip but I also love candy cane ice cream that only comes at Christmas time and I tend to stock up a bit then 😉

12) I often experience nostalgia – missing a friend who I was once very close to, missing Calgary where I grew up, the ease of a single life or our life pre-kids or our dating days…but I don’t actually want to be BACK at that point in life or anything.

13) I was in a competitive swim club for 5 years as a kid, and I still love swimming. It was an incredible addition to my childhood both socially and physically.

14) 14 is my favourite number (what an original choice since my birthday is Aug 14)

15) My Masters thesis was published in an academic journal this year, but I did minimal work to get it published.

16) Since leaving university, all but one of my jobs has been a contract or “term” position – partially due to being on maternity leave twice, but also just the luck of the draw. Someday I’d like to make the choice myself about leaving a job. haha.

17) I love to make lists and used to spend a lot of time making lists about my favourite books, movies, etc.

18) To my knowledge, I’ve only ever finished 2 games of Monopoly in my lifetime. It just gets old after awhile, ya know?

19) I won an award for getting 100% in computer class in grade 9 and I think this was the year I really developed excellent typing skills. I often wonder if my own children will learn to type or will they mostly learn to swipe?

20) I don’t see us living in our current house forever, but I am also really reluctant to move. I love our area even though we don’t have close friends nearby.

21) I didn’t drink coffee until I was in grad school doing a summer internship. I hadn’t tried sushi until that summer either – and now coffee and sushi are two of my favourite things (not together though!) I am at about 1.5 coffees a day with a splash of milk right now so I don’t consider it to be a bad habit 😉 (yet).

22) I don’t really feel like I have a “best friend” right now, and I am 100% okay with that. I have a large social circle, and a lot of wonderful friends who are there for me whenever I need them, including amazing parents and siblings. I remember this being something that I used to obsess over as a teenager though.

23) I am not an overly girly person and I think that’s part of why #22 is the case.

24) I cry wayyy more now than I ever used to. I don’t necessarily mean because I am upset about something, but little things make me more emotional than they used to. #hormones?

25) I used to record songs from the radio onto my tape player. Did anyone else used to do this? I would sit and wait for hours for a song to be played (it was usually a popular song that was played multiple times a day) and then hit record & be able to listen to it forever after that. It was ridiculous, but it kind of makes me sad to think that this generation won’t know what that thrill felt like. haha.

26) I’d love to do a sprint triathlon someday, and possibly a half marathon. As of now, I have no desire to ever run a full marathon…but who knows, maybe someday?

27) I’m picking away at improving my French because Molly is starting French immersion next week. I was close to bilingual when I finished high school, but you lose it quickly!!

28) I feel like I used to do a lot more coffee dates – now we often get together at people’s houses.

29) I don’t see myself ever leaving Halifax, but I think where we ultimately end up will depend on where our girls settle as adults (this is what happened to my parents who just moved here last year).

30) I’ve mentioned this before, but I always had 3 bands/artists that I really wanted to see live: Bruce Springsteen, U2, and Coldplay. Only one to go (Coldplay)!

31) I’ve never left the continent…only been to Canada and the US. Someday!!!!