100 Things About Me ... Final 50!

And just because you can never get too much of me ... here's my final fifty things!

52. My name is not officially "Ali". I was born Sandra, then affected a name change (which you can legally do in Canada), to Alexandra when I was 19. About 1/3 of the people in my life call me Sandi, the majority call me Ali but a select few (from my Opera days) call me Alex. Believe me, it's hard to keep straight! Especially at Christmas card time because I can never remember who I am to that person!
53. Oh yea, I'm Canadian. Born in Orangeville, Ontario, grew up in Bramalea, Ontario and went to high school in London, Ontario, University (the one I graduated from anyway!) in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.
54. I once helped a cat deliver her kittens. I needed to slip my finger inside and help pop the last kitten out. The momma cat was exhausted from a long and difficult delivery. That kitty, "Olivia" that I helped birth (had to cut her cord and such myself and clean her off myself because momma was just too tired) became my best and sweetest little furry friend. When she disappeared a few years later I was devestated and can still recall the pain of losing her.
55. I'm finding it hard to remember what I've already told you! Guess I'm a bit senile too!
56. My favorite treat are dark chocolate truffles. Yum.
57. My favorite chocolate bars are Canadian ... you haven't lived until you've had an Aero bar.
58. One of my virtues, if you can call it that, is that I like to try new things: If I've wanted to do something, I believe in trying that thing ... risk can lead to failure, it's true, but it can also lead to a whole new adventure, new skills learned, new wonders discovered.
59. I have one truly precious friend in life ... Sheri. I have several really great friends, but Sheri is that rare friend that is just really special. She is a true gift to me. Unfortunately she lives about six hours away from me!
60. I don't think I'm a very good writer, but I think I have great ideas.
61. I like to do Jazzercise.
62. I am an orange belt in Kwan Shoo Karate, and I plan on sticking it out through the long haul and getting my black belt one day.
63. When I was trying to conceive, I found a support group online at IVillage. I ended up getting pregnant with twins and moved on to a support group for moms pg with twins. I've now been friends with the same group of women (we've since moved into a private forum) for over eight years now. We've gotten together a few times and they have been a wonderful support for me, not only in the early crazy days with twin babies, but in regular life too. They're awesome!
64. My favorite color to decorate with is a deep red, like a cranberry or brick red.
65. I am about 20 lbs overweight and I think I'll never lose it. I try, but then I get super stressed and focussed on the food and then I go crazy and then I blow up and blow it. Argh.
66. I am a perfectionist and have a hard time forgiving myself when I don't do things perfectly well.
67. I miss being able to drink coffee and tea because they are comfort foods to me. When I was sad or I was having a close moment with my mom, we would have cinnamon toast and tea. When I feel sad, even all this long time later, that's what I want ... cinnamon toast and tea.
68. I am a terrible gift-giver. I just can never think of what thing a person would most like to have. I am, however, good at giving compliments ... I can usually think of something sincere and meaningful to say to a person.
69. My favorite song is "Tristesse" a classical piece by Chopin.
70. My favorite contemporary singer is probably Sarah MacLauchlin.
71. My favorite LDS singer is George Dyer. I love all of his stuff.
72. I am a slow reader. Darn it.
73. I am rather shy, even though I'm good at pretending I'm not.
74. I can, and regularly do, bake whole wheat bread from scratch - including grinding my own wheat and such. Yummy! My boys actually like it too preferring it over store-bought bread (although they think white bread is a super yummy treat, lol!)
75. I am not a good housekeeper. I mean, I can keep basically on top of things (a la Flylady) but I hate, hate, hate scrubbing stuff.
76. My favorite story in the Book of Mormon is the story of Abinadi. Reading that story for the first time was a life-changing experience for me and is the moment I mark as the time my testimony in the Book of Mormon was born.
77. My favorite T.V. shows are Smallville, Jericho (which might come back for a short last season - can't wait!), and Heroes. I like T.V.
78. There is no other place than on a stage, looking out at a darkened audience, the light shining in my face, the music flowing through me, where I feel more alive. That is where I live.
79. I relish the moments that come far too rarely when I laugh so hard I pee my pants, my stomach hurts and I can't breathe. Sounds awful, but I love that! Last time I had that was with my sister in New York - a year ago! Too long!
80. I drive a 2000 red Honda CR-V and I love it. It's the greatest little car.
81. I have never been anywhere 'special' on vacation. Sad, but true. I hope to change that one day!
82. I would like to be one of those people who loves exercising so much and is totally fit and strong.
83. I think I am a good friend ... I am loyal and sincere.
84. I already told you that I think the best thing about me is that I'm willing to take risks and try new things. The worst thing about me is that I'm always afraid people aren't being sincere with me and that I'm really no good at anything.
85. I wish I could sing with a little celtic band.
86. I love it when it snows.
87. I love to sleep.
88. I love that my boy Xander loves to sing and will sit beside me in Church joyously singing along with me. He can't carry a tune in a bucket, but he makes up for it with his style.
89. I am currently working (and I use that term loosely because in point of fact I haven't done any work for quite a while now) on two books: One is the Devils Daughter about the 16 year old literal daughter of Satan who wants nothing more than to be good, and The Jump Boys, a middle grade sci fi adventure about two boys who live on Jupiter.
90. I write blogs on happiness for ldsblogs.com.
91. I'm very happy to be coming to the end of this list because this has been really, really hard!
92. My favorite memories of my mom are driving on the long road to Grand Bend in Ontario where we would camp for the weekend, with the 8-Track blaring "Rockin' Robin" and "Hang Down Your Head Tom Brody" and the like. We would hang our heads out the windows of mom's carmel colored Cordoba (with genuine Corinthian leather) and sing at the top of our lungs. Good times.
93. I can't wait for Christmas! (did I already say that one?)
94. I'm looking forward to trying a new shortbread recipe I found ... ever on the hunt for that perfect shortbread recipe that will remind me of my Gran's (you know the one I scarfed down when I was like, 8 years old?). Wish me luck!
95. I despise grocery shopping which I have to do tomorrow.
96. I have been really touched by the Spirit while reading the Christmas Story with my boys these past few nights. Dont' know why I should feel it so strongly this year, but I really have been. It's been wonderful.
97. I love that my boys still believe in Santa. It's obvious to me that it's a choice they are making at this point; they are smart enough to know, but they are choosing to believe and not to be synics and I love that about them.
98. I've been missing Sam a lot lately and wish he could come home.
99. I am so thankful for my Savior and for the atonement. I don't like to think about where I might be if a new life had not been made possible for me.
100. I am thankful for my internet friends who read my blog and make feel like I'm not alone, not so different, after all.
101. Bonus! I'm looking forward to another 100 posts! But what's the blogging tradition then? I shudder at the possibilities!


Thanks for reading! I'm glad that's over - hey, that's 102!