This is real, this is me, I'm.... really hoping I didn't scare you away

Ok, everyone.  In case that last post caused you to think that I'm possibly not a very strange, scatterbrained nut, then let me tell you.

Let me TELL YOU I SURE AM.

Here is a list of very strange things about me.  I admit them freely.  Don't judge me.

• Today, I was boiling eggs.  I forgot about the eggs.  Enter the kitchen who-knows-how-long later, look at pot.  Wrinkle brow.  Tilt head.  "Why is there no water in the...."  Run to turn off the stove.  I cooked the eggs so long that all the water evaporated.  I don't know how they'll taste, but we all know I'm eating them anyway.  I'm on a boiled eggs kick right now.  
• Today, I spent twenty minutes or so on Picnik seeing what I would look like with other hair colors by using the highlight action under touch-ups.  I'd make a pretty good red-head.  Blonde?  Notsomuch.  Pink?  Forget about it.
• Earlier this week, I gave directions to a neighbor who needed to know how to get to a certain jewelry store that I had just been near the previous day.  Let's just say these directions involved sentences such as "um, ok, cross the street and turn left at the statue of that one guy with the cane" and "turn down the street by the booths.  You know, the touristy ones."  
• I was combing my hair this morning and I screamed.  Why?  Well let me give you the back story.  This summer, somehow, my hair basically turned black.  It was so, so, so dark, very much like my brother's.  Mom let me buy a subtle highlight kit so now my hair has a little dimension and lightness, which I need because I looked a little goth because my skin is so pale.  WELL.  I forgot that I highlighted it, so when I was combing, I noticed I have highlight roots, which looks weird.  The top part of my head is dark and it fades into these subtle highlights.  And the highlights that I buy I can only purchase in Naples at the military base.  Which is two hours away.
• This morning, I forgot to eat breakfast until noon.  Threw off my whole eating schedule.  You see, the forgetfulness is a pattern with me.  It's a harsh reality, folks.
• For two nights in a row I've had a dream that I have the same camera as my brother.  It's awesome.  But it's really boring if you think about it because all I do is take pictures of pink pansies.  PINK. PANSIES.  
• I have a lot of nightmares.  The pink pansies are definitely a step up from Nazi-Burglar-Terrorists.
• I'm not a very organized person, but for some reason when it comes to the kitchen while I'm in the middle of baking, I have to clean as I go.  It's very odd.
• I know three different versions of "Baby, It's Cold Outside," (four including the one that's my own style) and, yes, I have attempted singing both the male and female parts by myself.  
• My parents have just arrived back in Italy, and there were two nights I spent on my own in between the time Lisa left and today.  Don't worry, it's perfectly safe and we have neighbors who know me and who check on me, etc.  But I would like to admit, here, that yesterday I was feeling really quite sick and after about twenty minutes of groaning on the couch while watching Elf, I realized I was totally talking to myself.

And that's not even the half of it.

Welcome to my head.  There are emergency exits to your right and left.  We advise that you please make use of them.

This is just embarrassing. And I can't stop watching.

25 Secrets

I've been tagged by my buddy Valentina for this meme.  I have to tell you 25 "secrets."  But she said they don't necessarily have to be secrets, but I can just have some things people may not know about me.  I think I've done this kind of thing before, but I'll give it another go.  I never pass up a tag!!

1.  I like hanging out with babies almost more than I like hanging out with grown people.  They like to cuddle, I like to cuddle, and they don't do mean things.  It's really a win-win-win situation we got here.

2.  I love shopping, but I dislike trying on clothes immensely.  I would like to spend that time ogling and actually purchasing.  Wouldn't it be nice if everything just instantly always fit?

3.  Everybody tells me my hair looks pretty when it's straight, and people rarely compliment it when it's curly.  I understand this I guess, but I feel better when my hair is curly.  I just love the way it moves.  So, sorry everyone for offending you.

4.  My hair is suddenly stick. straight.  It used to be really wavy and textured.  I think it's because I have a long curl shaft, and when I lopped it off, it cut off the waved part nearer the bottom.  I am, suffice it to say, growing my hair out again.

5.  I spend too much time on makeup some days, but I don't do it to look like a super model.  Because, let's face it, that's never going to happen.  I just do it because I have fun mixing colors and looks.  Makeup to me is like drawing to other, most likely more sophisticated, people.

6.  The term "self esteem" is sort of one of my pet peeves.  Even some Christians promote it.  I get the jist, but basically, you're saying that you need to esteem yourself.  How is that what God wants us to do?  Aren't we supposed to die to self and live to be defined by Him?

7.  On the other hand, I don't think people shouldn't care at all what they look like.  It's a courtesy to others, and we're supposed to take care of our bodies because they are temples.  But self-esteem isn't quite the right term, in my mind.

8.  Recently, I've become very careful as to whom I become attached.  Especially when it comes to, *ahem*, males.  I'm only sixteen, so I'm not planning on dating any time soon, but I still will a crush here and there.  

9. On that note, I think it is completely wonderful to be attracted to someone at an age like sixteen.  I don't necessarily believe that you should be out dating, but a harmless crush is, well, harmless.  And right now, I'm so happy that the person (why yes, there is one, thankyouverymuch) is someone I don't feel bad about liking.  He's a good Christian boy.  I have a feeling it won't work out for various reasons that are beyond my control, but again, I'm only sixteen, so it doesn't matter!  It's just fun to get all giggly and bubbly-tummied over someone who you think is a total dreamboat. ;)

10.  Oh, here's a secret for you!  I'm a little nervous that some of my readers will read those last few "secrets" and think poorly of me.  But I'm going to leave them there.  Why?  I don't know.  I knew a meme about secrets was going to get uncomfortable....

11.  I can't not talk.  So what do I do when I'm by myself at home?  I talk.  To myself.  "Oh, haha, I can't believe you just did that."  "Oh dear, oh dear, I have so much laundry to fold."  "Mmm... this sandwich is delightful!"

12.  It's very rare that I talk to myself in my normal mode of speech.  Usually I speak in Italian (what little I know), put on a British accent, put on a really heavy Southern accent, or anything else I'm feeling like that day.  Weird, I know.

13.  I blog-stalk people.  If someone I even just vaguely know has a blog, I'm all over it like white on rice.  And I will check that thing every day until you put new posts up.  I'm a voracious blog-reader.

14.  I'm a terrible photographer, but I really enjoy editing pictures.  I use Picnik and paint.net, usually in conjunction with each other.  That header up there?  I put the three of my own pictures together on Paint.net, uploaded it to Picnik, and used lobo-ish, cross process, boost, and some other things that I don't remember to give it a vintage feel, and then I added the text.

15.  I also like to make blog buttons.  All but two of those on my side bar were made by me.  (By the way, if you want a blog button, contact me and I'll be happy to make one for you!  My email for the blog is pastaandwaffles@gmail.com)

16.  14 and 15?  That's the extent of my technology knowledge.  You're welcome.  I just get confused....

17.  I have issues with listening, but none whatsoever with talking.  Strange, no?

18.  I often feel like if I put up too many blog posts in a day, people will get annoyed.  Yet for some reason, this is my third post of the day.  Will wonders never cease?  (And yes, I DID do school today.)

19.  I love having friends.  I wish everybody in my online classes would send me copious amounts of emails.  (Please?  I love you guys.  All of you.  Every. Single. One. Of. You.)

20.  I think this girl is gorgeous, and she's the best female photographer I've ever met.  (Well, met online.  I've never met her in real life.  Love you, Annie!)

21.  I think this girl is incredibly stylish, and she has amazing hair, is as flippin' cute as can be, and was my first great online friend!  Plus, her writing cracks me up, and her photos (that she edits on Picnik!!) are amazing.

22.  I think this girl is so strong and brilliant.  She's lovely on the outside, lovely on the inside, and we agree on everything.  Except she doesn't like leggings.  But that's a story for another day....

23.  I prefer being called Carolina over Caroline.  It rolls off the tongue quite nicely.  But, no matter which form, I love hearing people with accents say my name.  It makes me so happy.  Every time.  I would tell these people that, but then they would think I was weird.

24.  I assume you're beginning to get that impression about me yourself, no?  How's this one for you, then, if you're not already convinced: I only drink milk if it has ice in it.

25.  Yup, weird right?  And last but not least.... When I'm embarrassed or flustered, my face, neck, and skin near my clavicles turn beet red.  And I don't even like to wear turtle necks!  It makes awkward situations even more so.

Have I scared you away yet?  I hope not!  I'm just gonna go crawl in a corner!  And pretend you didn't read any of that!

No seriously.  Let's keep all this between us, ok?