Welcome to my blog! I’m Grace, the creator of this site, and to introduce myself, I’ve brainstormed 10 fun things you might not know about me. Let’s go!
1. I’m an only child
Actually, a lot of people know this about me. Off to a good start! Let’s move on.
2. I am obsessed with washing my feet
Seriously. Three, four, eight, twelve times a day. I have to wash them if wore socks and shoes for more than an hour. If I wore sandals. If I went to yoga. If I walked barefoot outside. If I walked barefoot inside. I wash them every time I return to my home from being out anywhere and I cannot fall asleep if I have not washed my feet before bed. Which brings us to my next weirdness…
3. I have a phobia of dying in my sleep from dehydration
I mean, I’m pretty sure if I was so dehydrated that death was imminent, my body would wake me up and remind me to drink some water. I’m pretty sure. But not totally sure. What if I just got super drowsy and didn’t notice because I was already sleeping and just drifted off into the hereafter? I’d rather not risk it – there’s still 161 countries in the world I haven’t seen. So, I always drink a glass of water before I go to bed and sleep with a water bottle IN my bed. Just in case. Stay hydrated, folks.
4. I am an amazing vegan cook
This might surprise you because I am a horrible, and I mean HORRIBLE, non-vegan cook. But vegan food? BOOM! I got that on LOCK. I wish I could take all the credit but it’s not me, it’s the cookbooks. Last year I chose to be vegan for a year and made it a goal to cook a new recipe from one of my vegan cookbooks every day. I felt super healthy and clear-headed, I saved a lot of money by cooking for myself using simple, natural ingredients, and I had a ton of fun (seriously, puttering around the kitchen to some vintage tunes is my idea of a great Saturday night). Check my favourites:
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5. My biggest regret is…
Not doing international exchange in university. After I declared a physical geography (geology) major, I was invited to attend the University of Arizona for a year. Arizona is like Geology Disneyland. I could nerd out on rocks and faults and fluvial geomorphology and get my first taste of international travel all at the same time. But I chose not to go. Why? Oh, because I wanted to stay home and hang out with my boyfriend. AWESOME PLAN!! Do I even know that guy anymore??? No. I do not. At least that wasn’t my one and only chance to travel and I’ve since taken advantage of numerous opportunities to work and travel all over the world. But still, never been to Arizona. And still, kinda mad about it. (2018 Update: I went to Arizona a year after writing this post and it was amazing. No longer my biggest regret.)
6. I am addicted to true crime television shows
It’s bad. Like, I watch these shows to the exclusion of ALL OTHER TV shows. I know it’s serious when Netflix sends me emails titled, “Grace, we just added a series you might like: Nurses Who Kill.” Not only is this a real message they sent me, Nurses Who Kill is also a real show. And they are right – I do want to watch it. Despite the horrific subject matter, I find these shows relaxing because they’re usually narrated by some hypnotic, soothing voice and when I see real people dealing with extremely difficult circumstances imposed on them through no fault of their own, it makes me appreciate how simple my own life is. For example:
7. I LOVE doing laundry
The fluffing! The folding! The freshness! I could do laundry for hours. Days. Weeks. The put-dirty-clothes-in-the-washer part isn’t my fave but folding the dried laundry? LOVE IT. I fold the items into crisp, flat rectangles – all the same size so they stack perfectly. I strategically arrange the folded clothes in the laundry basket like some form of 3D Tetris. It is important to ensure none of the stacks extends above the edge of the basket lest a violent breeze take hold of an unfortunate delicate and fling it to the dirty ground, initiating the whole cycle again.
8. My favourite season is winter
I don’t know why people seem to hate on winter so much. Maybe they live in Toronto. In which case, I get it. But out west, I love it. When it starts getting darker earlier and everything feels quiet and reflective. Air is fresher. You get to wear a comfy, puffy coat. And cozy sweaters. And the feeling of stepping into my warm, cozy apartment after a brisk walk in the dark outside, especially if a savoury stew is simmering in the crockpot – wonderful.
9. My Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (personality type) is INTJ aka “The Scientist”
I’ve done dozens of MBTI tests and versions of it and they all give the same answer: INTJ. I did some research about what characterizes an INTJ. Let’s discuss:
- With a natural thirst for knowledge that shows itself early in life, INTJs are often given the title of “bookworm” as children. (check)
- INTJs radiate self-confidence and an aura of mystery, and their insightful observations, original ideas and formidable logic enable them to push change through with sheer willpower and force of personality. (aura of mystery… formidable logic… sounds about right)
- Rules, limitations and traditions are anathema to the INTJ personality type – everything should be open to questioning and reevaluation… (um, yeah. obviously)
- An INTJ scientist gives a gift to society by putting their ideas into a useful form for others to follow. (you’re welcome)
- Highly gifted strategists; extremely intelligent and capable; tremendously insightful; great at seeing the big picture. (aw shucks)
Famous INTJs include Michelle Obama and Gandalf the Grey, so I have a pretty solid tribe.
10. My right front tooth is half fake…
…because I chipped it when I fell on my face doing arm balances on a rock in Iceland. I had been practicing yoga for like, 6 months at this point, so obviously arm balances on rocks were totally within my realm of capability. Then I broke it again eating a plum. And broke it a third time picking grape skins out of my teeth. The moral of the story is: fruit is dangerous. Be very careful. But by all means, bust out a parsva bakasana on a rock in Reykjavík. You can do it.
