All about me

Molly over at The Lovin' Spoonful has tagged me for an award. Thanks, Molly!

So to show my appreciation (and to procrastinate just a tad), here goes. 10 things about me you may not know.

1. I have 6 2008 KU National Championship t-shirts, 1 hoodie, and 1 hat. And a bumper sticker.

2. My first car was a red Saturn named Scarlett, after Scarlett O'Hara.

3. Every year, I get up at 8 a.m. on the Saturday and Sunday of the final weekend of Wimbledon to watch the men's and women's singles. To honor the All England Lawn & Tennis Club, I always prepare myself a bowl of strawberries and cream to eat as I watch the finals.

4. I had a long-term relationship with Pete Sampras for most of my 20s. He was not aware of this relationship, though he did once look in my direction when I cheered him on in the 5th set against Greg Rusedski in the 3rd round at the 2002 US Open. Clearly, my cheering him on helped him to win that tournament and retire on top.

5. I collect mini-bats from baseball stadiums. It started with me buying a mini-bat when I was at a stadium other than Kauffman Stadium. Then I decided to buy a mini-bat at every stadium I go to. Over the years, though, both my dad and one of my best friends, who travels a lot, have added to the collection. I've also got a couple of specialty bats, commemorating George Brett (greatest 3rd baseman ever) and the Negro Leagues. I am up to 14 mini-bats. (If any of my blogging friends ever come across an old Montreal mini-bat, I would pay handsomely.)

6. When my sister and I were kids, we wrote parodies of the Star Wars trilogy. We thought they were brilliant. They were named "Scar Warts", "The Umpire Strikes Out", and "Return of the Judo". See, I told you: brilliant. I played Princess Playa Organ. In the 3rd play, I was taken hostage by the evil Gingerbread Hut (convincingly played by our Barbie Dream House). I finally freed myself from the Hut's clutches by burning it.

7. In 3rd grade, the school play was about George Washington. For some reason, George had cheerleaders. We were sort of like the Greek chorus, popping up to comment on the action from time to time. We would chant out his name: G-E-O-R-G-E Wash-ing-ton. I was the first "G" and I am the only part of the cheer that is audible on the video. I may have been small, but I was loud.

8. In high school forensics, I performed a Duet Act with my friend Mary. She played the devil and I played a crazy woman. We received a disturbing number of comments that we were the most perfectly-cast DA the judges had ever seen.

9. I don't really love chocolate. The fastest way to my heart is with cheesecake. Or the ginger biscuit, vanilla custard, fresh berry, and whipped cream dessert at that one steakhouse in Minneapolis.

10. Yo quiero Taco Bell. Seriously. I probably eat there once or twice a week.