11 Random Things

Recently, I was tagged by Michele in her 11 Random Things post. It's been fun to get to know different bloggers a little more through these "random things" posts.

So, here are the rules of the game:
1. Post these rules.
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself.
3. Answer the questions set for you in their pot.
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
5. Select 11 people and tag them.
6. No stuff in the tagging section about you are tagged if you are reading this.  You have to legitimately tag them on twitter, facebook or on their blog.


11 Random Things About Me
1. My family and family friends (along with the majority of my brother and sister's friends) call me Say. My sister gave me this nickname when I was a baby because it means "small" in Cantonese and I'm the youngest of three children.

2. I have an irrational fear of open water swimming and waves yet I have completed an Olympic distance triathlon (NYC in 2005) and have taken up surfing. Go figure.

3. I also dislocated my shoulder while swimming. Don't ask. I have no idea how. I thought swimming was a no/low impact sport?

4. I tore my ACL and medial meniscus in my right knee skiing in Switzerland while I was studying abroad in college. (Wow, I sound injury prone) The best part was trying to communicate with the German ski patrol in my broken Italian and his heavily-accented Italian. Finally, he gave up and shoved a brandy-soaked sugar cube in my mouth and strapped me in to the ski patrol sled. Guess they do things a little bit differently in Europe. But, it was after this injury that I really started running and completed 3 marathons and 1 triathlon after this injury.

Yup, that's me riding in the back of the ski patrol sled. I even got to ride down on a special ski patrol gondola. But aren't the Alps pretty?

5. I have a ridiculous and out of control magnet collection. It started out as a joke between me, my sister and our two cousins and now it's really gotten out of hand to the point where every magnetic surface in my house is covered.

6. I never would have thought that I would be living in New York City and raising a family here. I grew up in the suburbs in Connecticut and imagined that I would eventually settle down in a similar place. But I've fallen in love with the city and all that it has to offer, especially Brooklyn. 

7. At the same time, I would love to live in Sydney, Australia or Portland, Oregon. 

8. I have several food allergies since I was a kid - peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish. As I've grown older, I've developed additional allergies including lentils, chickpeas, lima beans, green peas, and fava beans. It makes me super sad because it pretty much means that I can't eat Indian, Middle Eastern or Ethiopian food anymore. The worst part is that my kids have food allergies too.

9. If I could do anything career-wise, I would like to be an architect. It's not just about the engineering or look of a building but it's about creating space - the connection between culture, community, aesthetics, utility into one form. P.S. I studied Art History in college.

10. We're trying to teach my sons three languages (English, Chinese and Polish). My husband is Polish. So far so good. Their English and Polish are strongest and they understand Chinese but don't really speak it. I think it's because my Chinese vocab and ability tops off at about the level of a 3 year old, which is how old my youngest son is right now. Oh well. Right now, I'm just happy that they aren't mute!

11. I'm a Bon Jovi fan.

Source: bonjovi.com via Christine on Pinterest

Michele's Questions

1. What was the first race signed up for?  When was it? Where was it?  How did you do?

I honestly can't remember the first race that I signed up for.  I think that it might have been a Race for the Cure 5K in Central Park - kind of ironic now after all the hullabaloo the past couple of days. I have no idea what my time was but I'm assuming it was somewhere around 30 minutes. The earliest official time that I have a record of was for the Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5K in March 2002 in Manhattan. My time was 27:12.

2. What is your favorite color? 

I'm partial to purple and blue.

3. Do you prefer to read stories and the training of elite runners or every day runners? Why?

Generally I prefer to read stories and the training of every day runners because that's me and it's something that I can relate to. I find that I can get tips and ideas from people that are at a similar place/experience level and I can relate to their challenges and successes. I do read stories about elite runners and how they train from time to time because I am AMAZED at how hard they train and what their bodies are capable of doing.

4. Treadmill or dreadmill?

DREADMILL but I use it when I have to i.e. weather conditions, not feeling 100%, etc.

5. Gear junkie or Run Naked?

I lean more towards the run naked side of things. I do like to run with my iPod and that's about it. I am debating getting a Garmin though...

6. Is there an era of music that you prefer? Oldies? Classic Rock? 90s?

I listen to all kinds of music but if I had to pick one, I would say 90s.

7. Coffee or Tea?

These days, it's all coffee.

8. What is a childhood secret you never told your mom?

Um...nothing of course. I told my mom everything :-)

9. Favorite Olympic Summer sport to watch?

Hands down swimming. I get really into it like screaming at the TV excited. It's embarrassing sometimes. Really. I used to swim and have always liked watching swim meets. 

10. Favorite movie of all time?

That's like picking a favorite child! If I had to pick one right now it would be Dirty Dancing.

11. Cake or Pie?

Pie please! But only fruit-based pies. I don't like custardy pies. 

OK, so here are My Questions:

1. What's your favorite ice cream flavor?

2. What was the last movie that you saw in the theater?

3. What music do you have on your iPod that you don't want anyone to know about?

4. Salty or sweet?

5. What's your favorite book?

6. What's your perfect Sunday morning?

7. What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?

8. What's your current obsession?

9. What's your favorite weather?

10. What would you like to learn to do?

11. If you could go anywhere in the world today, where would you go?

I'm tagging...I think that most people have been tagged already? But some bloggers that I'd love to get to know better:

Brigid at Live, Breathe, Huzzah 

Ali at Miles With Style

Martha from Running in Mommyland

Erika at This Spartan Will!
Meredith at Swim, Bike, Mom

Surfing Grandma of the OC  

Rad Surfing Mom at Moms Who Surf are Rad
Surf Mama at Eat, Surf, Love