I started doing this on March 5, 2008. I finally finished it tonight. You can all thank my insomnia while you read this ridiculously long post.
1. My name is Alison Marie Boulter Warner. I wasn't named after anyone. My mom heard the name Alison and liked it. My dad liked the name Marie. Therefore I was named.
2. I was born in Heber City, UT during a huge snow storm. I was the only baby in the hospital and they let my mom and me stay for a week so the nurses would have something to do.
3. Both my parents graduated from Brigham Young University and hoped their kids would all go there. None of us did.
4. I have two sisters - Anne and Amy. Yes our names all start with A, but it was an accident. So was the fact that it goes one syllable (Anne), two syllables (Amy) and three (Alison), and that it's backwards alphabetically (Al, Am, An). Craziness.
5. I married a man who was everything I never knew I wanted. And I thought that only happened in the movies.
6. I have yet to decide what I want to do with my life, career wise. I have a Bachelor's degree in
Psychology, but unless I get a masters, my options are ridiculously limited. I just returned to school as of today, and oddly enough, I'm happy to be back! Life will be better with a masters.
7. The one issue I've had consistantly throughout my life is my weight. Even when I was at my thinnest, I wasn't really thin. It's a mortal obstacle I will never overcome, but I'm getting better at accepting it.
8. I have two dreams. One is to become a famous singer. The other is to be independently wealthy. I think if I obtain the former, the latter will fall into place. I also think they will both stay dreams forever. And that's ok.
9. I am incredibly allergic to rabbits. I am also allergic to walnuts, pecans, anything made by Neutrogena, bleach, and as of 2004, dairy products.
10. I once tried to teach myself to be ambidextrous. I would make myself spend a half hour a day writing sentences with my left hand. It lasted about a month, actually, and I started to get pretty good at writing with my left hand. But I've lost that ability now. My left hand is once again useless when it comes to writing.
11. When I am 30 years old, I am going to try out for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Possibly before, but that's the age I chose.
12. When I'm around someone a lot, I tend to pick up little words and phrases they use. It is annoying to myself but so far no one else has told me it bothers them. Although it probably does. But I can't help it. I'm only human.
13. When I was 5 I used to catch ants and put them in a cup with water. They would float to the top, and when I had enough I would scoop them off the top with a spoon and eat them. My mom didn't approve of that. I also had a pet daddy long leg spider that I named Ross the Friendly Spider. I even had a song for him. I'll sing it for you if you request it.
14. When I'm nervous, I bite my cuticles. Not my nails, just my cuticles. It hurts.
15. When I was 4 years old, my dad lost his job. That year on Christmas Day someone delivered two big boxes of presents for us, including a stuffed Kermit the Frog for me. I cherish that frog and still have him. And I've never forgotten the feeling of gratitude I had even at such a young age. It gave me such a sense of the real magic of Christmas. Plus that was the same year my sisters told me there was no Santa.
16. My first big injury was when I was 3 years old. I was running through the house and turned to go into my room, but turned too late and hit my head on the wall. I got stitches on my forehead and have a lovely little scar.
17. I never really applied myself in school. I think if I had more self discipline I could have had much better grades and possibly more scholarships and honors. But at the same time I wonder if that all would have mattered.
18. Before college I made a promise to myself that I would never take out a school loan. And I didn't. I paid for a lot of it myself, and when I was eligible, I got financial aid to pay for the rest. And I am SO glad I did.
19. I think my parents are two of the smartest people in the world. I know that's something little kids say about their parents, but it's something I will always believe. I have learned so much from them, and I will always look up to them.
20. I wanted to be an astronaut when I was younger. I studied the space program for 2 years and at one time I could have told you all the parts of the rockets used during the Apollo program, when man landed on the moon.
21. Speaking of man landing on the moon, someday I will have Heather believing that it's true.
22. I also wanted to be a cheerleader for the Bulls, a tractor driver, and a teacher just like my mom. I had some great ambitions as a kid.
23. I still think Disneyland is the most magical place on earth. Especially during Christmas time.
24. When I was young, I was really shy. In fact, I wouldn't even talk to my extended family (my aunts and uncles or cousins). But my dad kept encouraging me to be more outgoing, and eventually I overcame that.
25. I've always gotten along better with guys than girls, although I've had 3 or 4 really close girl friends in my life and I still consider them good friends of mine. (You know who you are!)
26. Technically my first kiss was a dare when I was 14. But I only count one kiss as my first kiss, and that's the first time I kissed someone that I had true feelings for. And that first kiss was with Scott.
27. I'm really grateful for the values I was raised with. Without them, I think I would have led a VERY different life. And I know I wouldn't be nearly as happy.
28. I do my best thinking at night right before I fall asleep, but I never write anything down.
Maybe I should.
29. The most important event of my life so far was my wedding day. It was THE most perfect day in this history of weddings. From the ceremony to the luncheon to the reception, there's not a thing I would have changed.
30. My first actual job was at a video store. I thought it was so cool because I got to watch a lot of movies. I still watch a lot of movies.
31. I feel like Scott was the only person that believed I would actually graduate college. Other people may have believed that I would but I never felt like they did.
32. The best decision I ever made was to serve a mission. I didn't really WANT to go on a mission, but I couldn't deny the answer I got when I prayed. But I wouldn't trade it for the world. I had so many amazing experiences, and I met Scott there.
33. When Scott and I first met, we couldn't stand each other. I thought he was immature and annoying. He thought I was stuck up and judgemental. At the time, we were both right. Somehow, though, we were brought together and fell in love. If I believe in fate at all, it's because of this.
34. I plan on traveling the world someday. I at least have to visit New York City and London before I die.
35. My biggest fears are bees, fire, and poverty.
36. My most embarassing moment happened while I was a missionary. We were at a big birthday party for a new member, and there were at least 50 people there, 20 of them other missionaries. As my companion and I went to leave, I slipped and fell down a full flight of stairs. I ended up at the bottom with my skirt over my head, and a line of heads leaning over the railing looking down at me. Only my pride was hurt, though.
37. I often wonder what it would have been like to have a little sister or brother. Or a brother at all for that matter.
38. I don't believe in aliens or ghosts. But I do believe there's life on other planets, and spirits among us. If you'd like to hear my definitions of both, feel free to ask.
39. I once threw a rock at my best friend when I was mad at her. I was 11 and she was 10 and it hit her square in the back. I felt so bad about it that I wrote her a letter and bought her candy with my own money, and took it to her house. She moved a month later and I didn't forgive myself for it for years.
40. I used to love the winter. Now I love the summer. I hate being hot, though.
41. I had a cat for 15 years. Her name was Splash. She died the night I graduated from Seminary. She had cancer.
42. Speaking of cancer, I have a brother-in-law who has had cancer 3 times. He was given 9 months to live at one point. That was 2 years ago. His life is a miracle, but I know he is supposed to be here to take care of my sister and nephew. He's a great person.
43. I used to HATE politics. Suddenly this year I took an interest in them, and realized that I have some VERY strong opinions about things. Who knew?
44. Scott has made me happier than I ever thought a person could be. I am amazed at how easy marriage is. And people said it's hard work...Sure we have our little arguments, but I can never stay mad at Scott. He is such a naturally happy person, that he radiates that happiness and I instantly forget why I was mad at him.
45. Spiders don't scare me. They make me MAD. What right do they think they have that they can come into MY house and crawl on MY things? Seriously. They make me angry.
46. I feel VERY strongly about abuse. I feel that people who abuse innocent women, children and animals should be locked up and tortured. If I could build a huge house and take in all the abused women, children and animals and care for them, I would. It breaks my heart to see that, and yes, I cry during the ASPCA commercials.
47. When I was 14, I designed a homeless shelter/halfway house. It had 30+ rooms, a library, a rec room, an employment center, and a fitness center with a pool. It is still my dream to have that built. I still have the plans!
48. I want nothing more than to be a mother and have children, but I have only a 15% chance of ever getting pregnant, and even lesser of a chance that the pregnancy would be free of complications. But I am also very much excited to adopt a few children. I will love them as if they were my very own.
49. At the same time, though, it breaks my heart to know that Scott and I might never have a child of our own.
50. My biggest weakness in life is a good cheeseburger.
51. One time I went to a Catholic church out of sheer curiosity. I have never felt more out of place in my life.
52. I am only now starting to see what my natural hair color is. And I don't think I like it.
53. I see myself as a very agreeable person. But if I'm crossed, betrayed or deceived, I'm not one to be messed with.
54. However, I don't hold grudges for very long at all. I have tried. I just can't do it.
55. Scott is the one person in my life that I can tell ANYTHING to. Absolutely anything.
56. In high school, I was never a part of any one "group". I kind of floated around inbetween groups. I had friends that were jocks, nerds, wanna bes, cowboys, and other such stereotyped friends. But I had one solid best friend from the time I was 12 until now. She knows who she is.
57. When I was 14, someone told me about how they slaughter pigs for the meat and how they treat them before that, and I didn't eat a pork product of any kind for 2 years.
58. My first boyfriend broke up with me for another girl. And then broke up with her a month later for a guy. It really opened my eyes to the world of homosexuality and how it must feel to be a severely persecuted minority.
59. I am 1/564th Choctaw Indian. In fact, we are able to qualify for grants and scholarships from the Choctaw tribe, and we get birthday cards and newsletters from Chief Pyle every year.
60. My favorite color is silver. Always has been. Although I do love a nice forest green or pastel pink. My wedding colors were pink and silver.
61. I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity for 3 months. I also volunteered at the Women's Crisis Center and they were both VERY rewarding experiences.
62. I love to go target shooting. Someday when we have money, I am going to buy the little gun I've had my eye on. It's a silver 22mm pistol. It's super cute.
63. Oddly enough, though, I'm afraid of guns, and I won't go near the gun safe. So who knows if I'll ever buy that little pistol or not...
64. The first funeral I ever went to was my Great Grandpa Patterson when I was 5 years old. I remember so much about it, and I remember asking my dad questions about death. He answered them so well, that I never thought twice about it.
65. I have terrible separation anxiety. I had a very hard time leaving my parents when I left for my mission, I had a very hard time adjusting when Scott started working nights, and I've had a hard time letting my Grandmother go since her death a month ago. But I always get through it.
66. I went to a formal dance with a boy who was 6'7" when I was in high school. I'm 5'5". It was awkward.
67. When I'm unhappy with a business or service, I like to threaten that I'm going to write a strongly worded letter. Because I think it is funny.
68. I get random laughing attacks. When that happens, I sound like a psychotic chimpanzee.
69. Apparently I've had asthma most of my life. I had no idea how it felt to actually be able to breathe well until this past year when my doctor diagnosed me with it and gave me some inhalers.
70. I'm legally blind in my right eye. And can't see out of the other. And one time I drove from Salt Lake to Heber without my contacts in. That was really stupid.
71. I believe that the Spirit really does protect us when we are in danger. One time I was following closely behind a trailer with two four-wheelers on it. I felt a super strong feeling to slow down, which I did, and I watched in horror as one of the four-wheelers flipped off the back of the trailer and landed right where my windshield would have been. I was so incredibly thankful for that.
72. I was in the play Saturday's Warrior that my ward put on while I was in high school. My part was "Pre-existent Singer". I thought that was funny. All I did was sing the theme song a few times throughout the play, during the most dramatic scenes.
73. I love going to concerts. My first concert was Jewel when I was 16. Since then I've seen Weezer, Dashboard Confessional, Yellowcard, Gwen Stefani, Black Eyed Peas, Blue October, Soul Asylum, Hoobastank, 30 Seconds to Mars, The Used, Vertical Horizon, Nine Days, MXPX, and many many many others.
74. I totally love Missbimbo.com, even though it's so wrong.
75. My favorite shows of all time are Friends, Full House, The Simpsons and CSI.
76. I can't sleep until my house is clean and all the cupboards, closets and doors to all the rooms are closed. I also have to sleep with earplugs every night because I will wake up to every little noise. I've had to do that for years! It's annoying.
77. My favorite job I ever had was working at Taco Time when I was a senior in high school. It was just so much fun, and I was actually sad when I had to quit!
78. I absolutely love going to Las Vegas. Scott and I go there whenever we get the chance. Although we never gamble in Vegas, but I can rock the blackjack tables in Mesquite with the best of them!
79. On the drive home from Vegas after our honeymoon, Scott and I started talking in this really funny Mexican accent, and we talked that way for 5 hours straight. We couldn't stop. And we laughed so hard.
80. Scott and I were almost on The Biggest Loser couples edition. We made the final call backs but they wanted us to fly out to LA the next day for filming, and we couldn't just up and leave our jobs, so the next person in line got to be on the show. It would have been a life changing experience!
81. My career goal is to be a high school counselor.
82. I'm always really jealous of the girls that have babies and then go back to being a size 2 the next day. That's just wrong.
83. I get REALLY annoyed by people who KNOW EVERYTHING. There was a lady in the ward I grew up in who was one of those people. She even had a T-shirt that said, "Those of you who think you know everything are really annoying to those of us that do." I couldn't stand her.
84. I really wanted to learn to play the guitar, but I was having a really hard time holding the guitar and forming the chords the right way. So Scott bought me a baby guitar, that not only is ridiculously cute, but it is so much easier to play! Although I only know 2 songs - When You Say Nothing At All by Alison Krauss and Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol.
85. I only had to have braces because I never got any eyeteeth and had a HUGE gap between my front teeth. I could fit a whole smartie in there. Sideways. Pretty gross, eh?
86. I also have a rare genetic flaw where I lost all my teeth twice. I kept all my money and all my notes from the tooth fairy in a fire proof safe, along with all the birthday cards I'd ever been given from the time I was born till I was 17. Now I've lost the key to that safe. I'll find it...someday.
87. Once in college I locked my keys in my car 3 times in one week. And the same police officer came and rescued me all three times. The third time he asked if he should just meet me there the next night, same time. I told him it would never happen again. And it never has! *knock on wood*
88. I have been pulled over a total of 14 times for speeding. Well, one was for street racing and my friend got pulled over at the same time. But somehow our ticket got lost in the system and we sat through 3 1/2 hours of court proceedings only to have the judge tell us they had no record of the ticket and just to slow down and drive carefully. I've had only 4 tickets in my life, and none of them ever went on my driving record.
89. I don't speed anymore. Very much.
90. I am a "Certified Secretary". It's cheesy and lame, but I took a bunch of business classes and have a certificate and everything. Most people just look at me funny when I tell them that, but it's handy when I'm trying to get a job that requires secretarial work!
91. I took College Algebra 4 times. I only passed the 4th time because the teacher felt sorry for me. I didn't miss a day of class, or miss one assignment, and even though I totally bombed the final, she gave me a B, because she said a person can only take so much math before they go insane. Then she told me it's a good thing I chose Psychology as a major. Because you don't need math for that. I told her she was my hero.
92. I love to go camping. But I'm afraid of bears. So I'm VERY peculiar about how things are set up, and I know it drives Scottie nuts. But he's so very patient with me. Thankfully.
93. Someday I'll own my silver mustang.
94. When I was a kid, my mom used the word "fronts" to describe a woman's chest. We thought nothing of it until one day my oldest sister came home from high school and said, "Did you know that NO ONE calls these fronts? They call them breasts!" When we asked my mom about it, she simply said that's what she was taught, and she thought it was the most proper thing to say. Now when we go out to dinner, we order chicken front sandwiches.
95. In high school, my room was wall to wall movie posters. For some reason I thought it was so cool.
96. I love to write. No one really knows this, but I have journals and journals of things I've written. I am kind of embarassed to show them to anyone, though. I did share a poem I wrote as a missionary in my homecoming talk. I'm pretty proud of that poem. Perhaps I'll post it as a blog someday when I have a bout with writer's block.
97. I whistle and sing when I am happy. I scowl when I'm mad. I randomly do the running man in the living room when Scott is least expecting it just to make him laugh. And somedays my eyes are green instead of blue.
98. I dream a lot. And I almost always remember them. I try to apply any meaning they might have into my life. I once had a dream that I was turned into a mint frosted brownie by a serial killer. I decided that I eat too much sugar and watch too much CSI.
99. I am head over heels in love with Scott, and can't imagine a better husband. He always opens my car door for me, he does the dishes and helps me with the laundry, he always takes the trash out, he keeps me warm so we never have to turn on the heater, he works extra hard at his job to support me, and he is so very patient with my selfishness and neuroticism. And every day he tells me that I'm beautiful, which means more to me than I think he'll ever know. He's perfect.
100. I love to pat Scottie. It's one way I show my affection for him. It's a genetic trait I picked up from my mom. Sometimes Scottie gets annoyed by it. But it's hard to not pat him. I just love him so darn much!
YAY! It's finally complete!!!! Thank you for taking the time to read this! And if you haven't posted this one yet, PLEASE do!!!
