Personal Preferences

I like to get to places early. You know, I like going to the ballpark and watching batting practice and soak in the atmosphere before the game starts. Maybe browse some souvenirs. Be seated before the national anthem and all that. Like getting to the movie while the lights are still on and the commercials are scrolling and getting decent seats. Leisurely getting popcorn and snacks. Watching all the previews of coming attractions. Like getting to church with plenty of time to stop and chat in the hallways. Going in to have a few minutes of solitude before the service starts. Like going to the ski slopes an hour before they open, getting a locker and getting good seats saved for lunchtime at the cafe. Riding the "apple carts" with no crowds and plenty of room for ski gear in the outside stow. Like getting to the airport WAY ahead of the flight and clearing security without worrying about rushing to the gate. Checking the e-mail on the laptop and reading for an hour before boarding is cool for me.

I always program my own music. This comes partly from liking obscure music nobody plays on the radio and partly because I just get in certain moods and I can't depend on the radio playlist to match that mood. So, when I mow or drive or whatever, I program my own.

I like to get all the "work" done "before" the weekend starts. You know, when I was in college I'd just stay at the library getting all the homework done and leave at 5PM. I try to get the yardwork done on Friday evening or early Saturday morning just to have it behind me. I think I like the prospect of free time.

I read a book from my stack and finish it and then move on to the next book. I'm not one for having bookmarks in five different books at any one time.

I've gotten to where I prefer watching shows when I want to watch them. With my DVR, I just record things and watch them when I want. I've also found myself getting annoyed when watching a show in "real time" because I can't fast-forward through commercials.

I like my morning routine of quiet. Bible, coffee, newspaper, blog check. If anyone gets up and turns on music or TV or my newspaper is late or the on-line papers have updated when I get to them it kind of throws me off.

I like little traditions we have in our family. Sometimes they evolve or change or disappear altogether, but I like them. For example, Monday (my day off work) mornings were the times I'd take my youngest daughter to coffee, then to school, oldest daughter to coffee, then to school. Before dinner (when we're all together) we still play "hi/low" where you talk about the high point and low point of your day. I tried to start a new one this year with the New Year's Day steak & egg breakfast, but with us having to leave at 9AM for the Cotton Bowl this year it didn't go over too well.

I like chaos and loud and fun when I'm in my house. I always liked coming home to a house that looks and sounds "lived in." We could straighten up before we went to bed, but I prefer the noise of a happy home than quiet order. And you can tell when you walk in a house if there's tension in it.

I like small cars with no frills. No electric windows. Stock CD/radio player. Four doors. Fabric seats. No tint. Just seems like the other stuff is so much of a hassle when it breaks that I'd prefer to lean over and roll down the passenger side window rather than have to pay for the electric motor to be replaced in three years.

I like function over style when it comes to housing, decoration and furniture. I'd prefer a comfy couch I can stretch out and take a nap on than one that looks great but you can't quite get comfortable on. I like lights near all the chairs because you never know when reading might break out. Same for the home because it can look really great and be really fancy but if you never go in certain rooms or use certain hallways it just seems like a waste.

I like dogs. Any other pet is off my list. And I mean any other pet. There should always be a good dog, and they should have a general run of the place.

I generally resist any new technology because I have a poor track record (read: Liberal arts education) with making it work. But once I get comfy with it I go after it with a vengeance and enthusiasm. Like I couldn't understand what was so great about an iPod when my Walkman worked just fine. Then my higher-order life-liver sister Jilly showed me the ins and outs of the deal and now I'm all in. This scares me with the iPhone on the horizon.

I like brand loyalty. You know, like I always buy Chock Full O' Nuts coffee. I like Toyota cars and will likely drive one the rest of my life. I like Apple computers (now--again, somebody showed me the ins and outs and now I'm in on Apple products). I've been using Pert Plus since high school. Levi's jeans. I stick with the same sports teams as my "favorites" and stick with them through it all. Rock bands. Magazines. TV shows. Universities. Seminiaries. Once I'm "in," I'm "in."


One last one: I like my hairstyle and clothing choices because they're comfortable for me. The hair is extremely low maintenance and the clothing might be 15 years behind the times but I don't really care. I'm not really striving to be up to speed in either of those areas.

I don't know why I told you all this...