100 Facts #10-17

Yikes! It's been a week since I posted new facts. Well, here we go. More Facts About Me:

10: Part of the reason I was so quiet over the weekend was due to back pain. I was hobbling around like an arthritic man 50 years older than myself. I pulled the muscles doing lab work; I didn't actually 'throw it out' like usual. I blame this on my father's side of the family. My dad is very inflexible and his back is prone to pain as well.

11: As a tie-in to #10, I'm so inflexible regarding my back that I cannot touch my toes. I couldn't do it when I was a kid either. I'm lucky most day if i can reach my knees by bending at the waist. My sit-and-reach numbers in gym class fitness testing were deplorable.

12: I got my first professional massage on Friday to try and fix my back. On campus certified massage therapist, how cool is that? Oh, and affordable for a grad student budget if you aren't going every week. It. was. so. fabulous. Wow. I was ready for a nap afterward.

13: I generally dislike the scent of lavender. I'm not sure why, but most lotions or candles with that scent put me off. The exception? The massage oil/lotion from Friday had me sneaking little sniffs of myself. Also, whatever they use at Aveda salons which is a lavender combo. I like that one too.

14: I had mono when I was 15. I stayed home from school for two days with a fever and my mom said if I didn't have a fever the next day I was going back. No fever, so I went back. My voice was very odd that day, and every single teacher I had said I looked like death and should have stayed home. The next day the fever was back, I had the worst sore throat of my life, and the Dr. finally had a diagnoses. I was only out for another week, my case was pretty mild. The best part was a month "get out of gym free!" card because my doc was worried about spleen damage.

15: Mono was the worst sore throat I ever had, but when I was a kid I caught strep throat at least five separate times. The last time I had it was right after I moved here to University Town. I blame different germs.

16: After 3 years my parents have finally re-decorated my old bedroom. My mom had made a few changes right after I left: it was a guest room with no beds! Apparently it is now a very tasteful forest theme with a wallpaper mural and fern-green and chocolate brown accessories. Sounds very peaceful. I'm a little sad to know that the room I designed after we moved in doesn't exist any more.

17: My hair has been the following colors: brunette with blonde highlights, brunette with more blonde than anything else due to too many successive highlights, copper red, light brown/blonde with twin pink streaks, and dark brunette. My natural color is a light brown, which is how it looks currently.