formspring answers #2

It’s been quite awhile since I posted some formspring answers on my blog (hello! it was before the baby!)… so I thought I’d bring a few more answers over here!
[p.s. you can ask  me a question by just clicking here… or entering it over on the sidebar to the right!)

Favorite restaurant in Sacramento?

Ella (elladiningroomandbar.com)

Adore the style, the menu and oh my goodness the drinks! Think they
allow strollers in the bar area?

What is your favorite TV character and why?

I can’t pick just one… I really really can’t!

1) Rick Castle (of CASTLE): smart, witty, charming, totally willing to
make a fool of himself, incredibly deductive and a great father.
Watching CASTLE brightens up any day!

2) Patty Hewes (DAMAGES): evil personified. You think you understand her
and then… BAM… you realize she just did something you can’t imagine
she would do (either good or bad).

3) Rachel Berry (GLEE): Completely unabashed about who she is and what
she loves. She reminds me a lot of myself in middle school before I
realized that it wasn’t cool to be that way I shut myself in. I honestly
catch myself saying aloud, “I LOVE HER!” during every episode at least
2-3 times!

How many blogs are you subscribed to?

My Google Reader currently has 326 subscriptions — not sure if
that’s good or bad? :)

How tall are you? Did you wish that you were shorter
when you were growing up?

I’m 6’1.

I’m not going to lie and say that being tall was any sort of fun as a
teenager. I hit 5’11 by age 12, and even at the end of middle school
there were very few guys in my class that were taller than me. Height is
a very defining feature and it took a long time to just be ok with it
— thank you again mom and dad for my all-girls high school education! (I
can guarantee you I would have crumbled in any other setting.)

I’m not sure I ever wanted to be shorter though — just more “normal” —
if that makes sense? I adore seeing over crowds and being tall, but I
hate limiting my shopping to online stores, getting strange looks if I
wear heels, and people STILL asking me if I played b-ball/volleyball
growing up.

If you were to write a book, what would it be about?

I’d write a biography, because I love getting enriched in a
subject! I’d pick either Captain Cook, Darwin or Martha Stewart. Cook
and Darwin — adventurers who visited amazing locales (which I could
also visit?) and Martha because I could shadow her and see how in the
heck she really does everything that she does.

If I had to write it on something I knew about… I’d choose to write on
my inner-city teaching experience and the contrasts between my
positions at a failing school and a successful charter school.

A totally self-serving question because I need advice
and you are both tall and stylish: Where do you shop for clothes that
fit?

Two years ago, I vowed that I’d buy the majority of my clothes in
tall sizes… which often means online shopping at certain stores:
Banana Republic, Gap and J Crew. And while it gets depressing some
times, I realize how much better my wardrobe is because of it! If you’ve
ever washed a shirt to have it shrink 3 inches and be unwearable, you
totally understand my plight!

It doesn’t mean I stay away from non-tall styles though, and often find
luck at Club Monaco and French Connection. I also buy lots of
independent brands through sample sales (online mainly now) that I know
are made for a taller fit model. Favorite dress maker: Catherine
Malandrino hand down!

I’m not going to lie though – shopping can be very depressing. But if
you know you can’t buy it unless it fits, you’ll save yourself some
money! Just ask Mr. M about the sad J Crew yellow peacoat episode…
silly arm length!!!

I’m desperate to live in Cali someday – what’s your
favorite thing about living there?

Oh goodness… California just has everything. We have the beach,
the best snow/mtns for skiing, the fruit and veggies are as fresh as you
can get, and just about everything else you can think of.

But I do have to say, from a totally practical point of view, that no
one should move here unless you have to…. I’m a die-hard California
girl but it costs a heck of lot to live here and our state govt is going
down the drain.

But if you hit a personal lottery of some sort, do it and you won’t be
sad. You can even not live on the coast and it’s awesome…

My husband is sad you didn’t consider “Billie Jean”
for your child’s name. Now that baby M is born, can you let us know what
other names you were seriously considering (both boy/girl)?

I’ll share the names because I’m sure it’ll be awhile before we get
to use them!

The other 3 names on the table:

Girl – Charlotte

Boy – Kieran James or Jonathan

Is there a food item that you’re ashamed or
embarrassed that you love? What is it and what makes it so
embarrassing/shameful?

KFC Famous Bowls.

I don’t know why it’s shameful… but there is something ghetto-fabulous
about chicken, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy with cheese on top.
Everytime I crave it or indulge in one, I feel so guilty… like I’ve
committed a food crime of some sort!

What’s the most surprising thing about being a mom so
far?

How quickly the days fly by! My little girl is 2 weeks old
tomorrow… and the days just keep flying into one another! I completely
understand now why people go crazy taking photos everyday and tell you
to savor every moment!

(Most of this has to do with days running into nights and then running
into days again)

What’s a bad habit of yours that you’re looking to
kick?

sending thank you notes too late… I need to send them more
immediately than I do! I’m trying to change that right now with the baby
– but then I had to make them (of course) and the envelopes won’t
arrive until today… so I’m already breaking this new resolution. :(

If you could have the ability to know what everyone
thought about you, the good and the bad, would you
want to know or would
you choose ignorance?

Complete and total ignorance! Maybe knowing would alleviate some of
my neurotic tendencies, but I’m not sure it would not help me overall
in life.