Six weird things about me

Jennifer tagged me to participate in the weirdness meme, and I'm finally able to catch up to it.

1. Among things I don't eat, popcorn, hot dogs, and eggs are the common foods I don't touch. I was a picky eater as a kid. I've expanded what I will eat now, but these three items are holdovers from that time. I'm fairly certain I tried all of them at some point. I haven't felt a need to reassess if I'd like these foods. It seems especially weird to people that I'm a movie critic and don't eat popcorn. What I do eat at the movies? Nothing usually, although I'll have coffee and a dougnut or muffin if it's a morning screening. I eat meat, so there's no philosophical objection to hot dogs. As for eggs, I mean eggs as the primary dish, not anything with eggs in it. Whether in an omelet or made scrambled, sunny side up, or countless other ways, I'm not interested in any of them.

2. For the last year, whenever I have gone through the Dayton area, I stop to stock up on the ginger-flavored soft drink Ale-8-One. I came across "Kentucky's soft drink" a couple years ago when driving through the Bluegrass State. When I learned that Ale-8-One's limited distribution crept as far north as Dayton, I called the sales center to find out where it was available. Any time I've gone home or been headed west, I stop at a grocery store in Springfield near I-70 to replenish my supply. As far as I know, the beverage's biggest national exposure came when Orlando Bloom wore an Ale-8-One t-shirt in Elizabethtown.

3. I find the sound of typing very soothing. I also love the sounds of hockey. Hearing the skates on the ice, sticks hitting the puck and ice, and the puck and players hitting the boards is pleasurable for some reason. As much as I like basketball, I could do without the relentless shoe-squeaking.

4. When getting a magazine or newspaper, I never take the top copy. I have no idea why.

5. I can recite all fifty states in alphabetical order. In junior high choir we learned "Fifty Nifty United States". (Until I found the link for the lyrics, I never knew Ray Charles wrote the song.) Most of the other lyrics have vanished from my memory, but I can still rattle off every state from Alabama to Wyoming.

6. I am not crazy about getting in natural bodies of water because I don't like the thought of fish touching me. I've been in the ocean, although it was with some reservations, but I don't recall swimming in any lakes. I imagine a lot of it has to do with not being able to see what's in the water, but when the family would go fishing, someone else would have to take the fish off my hook because I didn't want to touch them.

I'm supposed to tag six other people, but since I don't know that many who read this site (and Ruth has already participated), I'll tag Donna and second Jennifer's motion for Kristin to share when she gets the time.