100 Things: the first half

In anticipation of SP9, and the fact that I want to be as cool as the others (I'm really not much of a follower), I think I'll join the 100 Things Meme love-in... here you go.

100. I am the oldest (and only girl) of 4 kids (age range: not quite 30 to not quite 16).
99. As a direct result of the above, as friendships go, I'm generally more comfortable with the males of the species. As I get older and (hopefully) more mature, I'm getting better at being friends with women too.
98. My mom and I are really close. I realize how lucky I am for that at least once every day.
97. I met my husband on a blind date set up by his sister and my brother, around Christmas 1999.
96. We became engaged on President's day, 2000 (It was a Valentine's day pre-emptive strike).
95. We were married on Good Friday, 2000.
94. I always said it would be cool to be a "millennium bride", if only for the fact that my (future) husband would always remember how many years we've been married.
93. The brother and sister-in-law that set us up on that fateful blind date got married to each other last summer.
92. Yup, that means double cousins.
91. I am a notorious procrastinator
90. I tend to do my best work under a swift-approaching deadline, thereby reinforcing #91.
89. I learned to read when I was 18 months old.
88. I read my first "real" book when I was just a bit shy of 2.
87. It was The Hobbit
86. I haven't stopped reading since.
85. As a kid, I used to compulsively count things. My brain is too full now to do much of that anymore.
84. I have a semi-photographic memory
83. Because of #84, I am a really good speller
82. My almost-finished Bachelor's degree is in Biological Sciences
81. My true love is English Literature
80. I have an unhealthy obsession with semicolons and parenthesis.

79. The majority of my jobs have been medical related.
78. I wanted desperately to go to Medical School, but Organic Chemistry and getting too involved with patients pretty much deterred any further progress.
77. I started writing children's stories when I was in the 2nd grade.
76. I am having two stories published this year, and a series in development with my artsy fartsy graphic designer brother. (He's the coolest!)
75. I am an idea person. Not a detail person.
74. I had a very creative childhood.
73. My parents were and are extremely supportive of everything I do. They never told me that I couldn't do anything I set my mind to. Again, I realize how lucky I am to have had this growing up.
72. I hope I can instill the same mindset in my kids.
71. I can sew, quilt, knit, paint, collage, bead, sing, play the cello, put up drywall, tile a shower, lay hardwood/tile/laminate/vinyl flooring, shingle, cook, bake (not the same thing), frame, and "fix" things.
70. I despise cleaning with every fiber of my being.
69. I love to travel. I don't get to do this very often, but I love it.
68. I hope to go to the UK someday.
67. I spent most of my formative years learning how to do household-y things (except clean... yrch), like make great food, decorate, sew, etc. to "impress" my future husband and he really doesn't give a rat's behind if I can do those things, except make chocolate chip cookies.
66. If there was something in my repertoire I wish I could do better, it would be make better chocolate chip cookies. I have a curse. I can bake anything else to perfection. Just not those. Not for lack of trying, mind you.
65. I think I look my best while pregnant.
64. I'm pregnant right now. Baby's due the middle of September. This is #3 (and most likely the last one) for us.
63. I would seriously consider being a surrogate for any of my family members.
62. I am truly amazed at the capability of my own body to grow and nurture another person. This humbles me in more ways that I can imagine.
61. My religious faith has a definite grounding aspect for me and gives me a great deal of comfort in my life.
60. My political faith does not.
59. I spent most of my adolescence being labeled a "liberal", when in actuality; I was just about as conservative as they come.
58. I am a pragmatic idealist
57. I believe in responsible conservation, but not to the point of impeding human progress
56. If they took volunteers for the Mars colony today, I'd be one of the first to sign up... family in tow.
55. I have a very strange sense of humor. Must have been all of those BBC shows I used to watch on Public Television as a kid.
54. I write a mean (often dirty) limerick... just try me!
53. My favorite color is red, though I've been going through a brown phase for the last couple years.
52. 60% of the clothes in my closet are black
51. I have very dark brown (almost black) hair, but 2 of my soon to be 3 kids have blonde hair. I'll report back if baby #3 is different.
50. In case you were wondering, my husband has blonde hair. I was counting on the dark to be dominant... no such luck.