Ms. Contrary Plays Tag

I'll openly admit it - I do have the tendency to be contrary.  Don't get me wrong - I'm not one to pick fights or openly disagree or argue just for the heck of it.  But I have been known to abandon a hobby or not read a book on the best seller list just because everyone else likes it.  Or I'll be the lone Democrat in a room full of Republicans or suddenly be a Republican in a room full of Democrats just because I'm, well, contrary!  Which brings me to this game of tag that bloggers across the world have been playing.  I've been tagged - I'm "it".  And I've been dragging my feet about posting "8 interesting things" about myself - because that's what everyone else is doing (and because I'm hard pressed to think of 8 things - ha!).  Instead I thought I might post a little game of 7 Lies and 1 Truth or post the 8 most UNinteresting things I could think of about myself.  But I think now that I've got all the cynicism out of my system, I can actually play along.  Except that I'm not going to tag anyone else.  I mean, I have to be different somehow, right?

My 8 things:

*Disclaimer:  I'm not sure if these are at all interesting.  I'm sort of going more for random.

1.  I'm contrary.  See above.  :)

2.  I had my first baby with an epidural and the last two naturally and I'd choose a natural delivery over an epidural any day.  My epidural with Joshua was really scary for several reasons and then it didn't take and I didn't know how to handle the pain.  The experience was bad enough that I used the Bradley Method to deliver my next two babies sans drugs and it was hands down a much better experience each time.  Crazy, I know, but I've loved my natural deliveries.

3.  The first concert I ever went to was The New Kids on the Block the summer before I started 7th grade.  My New Kids obsession started in 5th grade (I was in love with Jonathan) and was pretty much over when the New Kids came to Utah 2 years later, but my friends and I got tickets and our parents let us go all by ourselves so we thought we were pretty cool.  I think the last concert I went to was either Coldplay or U2, so my taste in music has definitely improved since 7th grade - lol!

4.  After I graduated from college I went to L.A., crashed at the apartment of my 9 months pregnant sister (sorry Caz!) and worked helping to produce the Revlon Run Walk for Women for a few short weeks.  The event was an amazing and intense experience - I think we had 45,000 participants that year and raised several million dollars for breast cancer research.  Working with breast cancer survivors was incredible, and watching everything come together from behind the scenes was really cool too.  I even got to watch Halle Berry do promo interviews for the event - it was really fun!

5.  I asked Dan once if I was an optimist or a pessimist.  Without missing a beat he said, "Pessimist!"  Really?  I was shocked.  Why?  How?  I'm a pessimist?  So he revised his statement.  Apparently I'm a "cheerful pessimist" which I guess is a little better?

6.  I used to be the worst eater.  And I would never try any new foods.  I ate boneless skinless chicken breasts, pasta with marinara sauce, frozen yogurt, and candy.  And then I would get on these food kicks where I would eat one food exclusively for months.  Like chocolate malted ice cream shakes or poptarts.  Or one time it was junior mints.  No joke - for breakfast, lunch AND dinner.  After taking Food Science Nutrition at BYU I added broccoli to my list of acceptable foods, but it took months before I enjoyed eating it.  Anyway, when Dan and I got married he asked one thing of me:  that I would at least try new foods.  And 8 years later I'll eat almost anything.  I still don't like sushi and Thai food - but I keep trying it with the hope that one day I will.  And we eat really well now - a diet of whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, lean meats and fish.   Yes, I still LOVE chocolate and ice cream - but in really small quantities.  And the crazy food kicks only come back when I'm pregnant (a typical meal when I was pregnant with Noah was 5 oranges, 2 grapefruit, and a jar of pickles!).

7.  I love even numbers.  Especially the numbers 2 & 4.

8.  I really want to live abroad.  Spend summers in Italy or France or Greece or Sweden or Australia or Japan or or or. . .  Give the kids a chance to learn a second language and experience life outside the US.  Wouldn't it be cool to pick a new city each summer and spend 2 months there?  A girl can dream, right?

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Whew!  Now, back to our regularly scheduled program:

Meet Ms. E - the beautiful daughter of my good friend Steph.

Comments

[Dan]

Reb, You are awesome. I loved reading this and thinking about all of your great quirks. As for the pessimism thing, you know what I meant :) And the living overseas thing...let's talk. I could be convinced.

[Gloria Meredith]

We are all somehow rebellious inside, aren't we?
I love movies, but I've never gone to the mose popular ones- Dances with the wolves, Flash dance, The last emporer.... Good to know you more. ^_^

[jen]

You can tag me!! I'd love it :)

And I also have three kids, the first one being the only 'drugged' labor. I now am on a crusade to tell everyone how much better Bradley is. They all, of course, think I'm nuts. Except my two best friends who witnessed Meghan's birth. Now they know it can be done and were pretty amazed at how simply it all went. I actually love labor and would do that all over again. Glad I'm not alone as a Bradley girl.

Jen

[denaro]

oooh oooh Dan! I'm coming over to convince you too, I know a *great* place for you guys to live abroad....and Estuary English IS a different language for the kids to learn. LOL. And Reb...you're not so different afterall...I refused to tag anyone. haha

[denaro]

ooops, one more comment--for your mom--when you read this email me I have a juicy little secret about Rebecca to share with you...

[Julie]

Okay, those are pretty funny. I definitely learned some things about you. I don't necessarily have to be different--I just don't like people telling me what to do--ask Sam. Food?!?!? Crazy, you appreciate good food now so I had no idea. One comment on the NKOTB (Isn't that the code--I don't know. I was never into them)--did your nerd husband have anything to do with your change in good music/concerts?!?!? hhahahahaha.

[Julie]

ps--you KNOW I'm all about natural childbirth. Even if I do yell, "Get IT out of me!"

[stephmodo]

Oh Miss Rebecca...how I love these pictures!!!! I cannot get enough of them. How will I ever decide? Gees, now you go making things all difficult for me by taking such fabulous shots leaving me to decide between a million choices. It must've been those waffles I fed you beforehand...next time you come to UT for a shoot...I'm servin' Eggs Benedict baby. It's all in the breakfast, no?

Can't wait to see my little guy and my littlest gal. I'll try really really really hard to be patient for once! xoxo

[Shelley]

I recently discovered your blog and I'll definitely be back back for more. Love the the pics against the pink wall, very elegant.

[Abi-g]

GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS! Now I had to laugh at your 8 things, that was fun! It made me feel even more grateful for the opportunity coming our way next month. My husband is being relocated - from California to Bologna, Italy. We will be there for 2 years. Our little monster will learn Italian also - hopefully. Thanks for the reminder that even admist the packing, tears and cleaning - there is the blessing of this opportunity.

[Staci]

Hi Rebecca,
You don't know me, but I have been looking at your blog for some time now. Thought I should leave a comment. We love looking at all of the pictures you take. (I knew Dan in High School and stumbled onto your blog through Jared and Mary's blog.)

[Haylee]

THANKS Rebecca!.....I knew you had it in you LOL! You seriously crack me up....I thought I liked to be unique & against the norm....you win! Hands down! LOVE the pictures.....the pink room is to die for!