Versatile Blogger Survey

I am so excited that Meg tagged me to do the Versatile Blogger Survey because it's been awhile since something like this has come around. I love filling these out because I end up learning things about myself I hadn't realized before.

1. What is something people might be surprised to learn about you? My mom and I share a birthday! I always tell her I'm the best present she ever got.

One of my favorite pictures of my mom and me.

2. Have you ever met someone famous? I've met a few famous people...Most recently, I met Jill Biden, Eric Stonestreet, Cal Ripken Jr., and a few other baseball players during the All Star Game weekend last summer. I also met Sugar Ray when I was in high school and was a little surprised at how tongue-tied I got!

With Ironman himself.

3. What is something you hope will never come back in style? Mall bangs! I can respect a resurgence of '80s styles, but the hair is just bad.

Sorry, DJ, those bangs have got to go.

4. What is one thing on your travel must-see bucket list? This is tough, because there are some places I'd like to see again, but if we're talking places I haven't seen yet, I'd have to say New Zealand! If the photos of it are this breathtaking, I can't imagine how it must look in person!

I mean...how can you look at this picture and not want to go there?!

5. Who would you want to play you in a movie of your life? Probably Natalie Portman or Emma Watson. They're both brilliant women who have rocked the normal bodies, brown eyes, and brown hair nature gave them instead of going all Hollywood on us. Plus, Watson's activism is really admirable.

If you squint really hard, I could pass as their less glamorous sister!

6. Who is your favorite Disney princess? I have to say Belle. Even when I was little, I always identified with her the most - I loved that she was the only brunette princess, she's smart, and she doesn't take sass from any man!

Hipster Belle knows what's up.

7. What would you sing at karaoke night? "Don't Stop Believing'...I'm totally a cliche, but at least I embrace it.

8. Who would you want to be stranded on a desert island with? For my sanity, Matt. For my survival, Cody Lundin.

You know you've got a legit survivalist on your hands when he refuses to wear shoes...ever.

9. What is your biggest pet peeve? I have a ton of pet peeves (what does that say about me?!), but one weird one is people who talk really slowly or repeat themselves a lot. Why can't people be efficient speakers?!

10. What clothing item/accessory/shoes do you have way too many of in your closet? I own WAY too many jeans (well over a dozen pairs, and that's after donating literally 20 pairs this year) and cute-shoes-I-bought-on-a-whim-but-never-wear-because-they-pinch. Honestly, I rotate the same six outfits or so...I have no clue why I own so much stuff.

Now, I'm going to tag a few bloggers! 

Janelle @ Run With No Regrets

Kristina @ Kristina's Blog About Running & Life

Lizzy @ Run Hare Run

Kerry @ Yoga on the Run

Answer any of the questions above!

ABK

Five Confessions

I've never done a confessions post before, but I love reading them! It seemed about time I jumped on this trend.

Confession 1: On summer break, I regress back to my teenage years and sleep late. Really late. As in, nearly noon. I don't think I'll ever be an early riser!

Confession 2: I'm a slob, but I'm an organized slob! You know that episode of FRIENDS where Chandler opens Monica's secret closet and it's a disaster zone? That's pretty much how I live my life...Mess. But I know where everything is!

Confession 3: People tell me they're jealous of where I live because of the beach, but I actually hate the beach. It's hot, dirty, and takes a lot of work. And honestly, I kind of hate water in general. I'll jump in our pool after a run, but otherwise I rarely go in the water.

When I do get dragged to the beach, this is as close to the water as I get.

Confession 4: Sometimes I wish I had majored in biology. English is my true love, but sometimes I wonder what my life would be like now if I'd followed my other true love.

This could be me! (And if you don't know the story behind this hashtag, read up. It's ridiculously awful with a wonderful ending.)

Confession 5: Click-bait headlines, like the ones that start with a question or the word "why", drive me nuts. I also hate listicle titles, although I'll admit I sometimes get suckered into reading them.

Are you a late-sleeper?

Do you ever regret your college major?

Do you have anything to confess?

ABK

Being Likable is Overrated

I had to laugh (kind of) when Kristina posted about being "too aggressive" in a work meeting because I'd had this post under construction when I read hers. (If you haven't seen it, go read it! She tackles this topic eloquently and with, perhaps, more relevancy than myself.)

Over the last few years, I've been making the purposeful choice to not care what people think. This seems to be working for me; the result has been that my confidence has grown. It has made me a better teacher, a more honest friend, and a more dedicated hobbyist. (Seriously, once I stopped caring about what other people think, my running improved and so did my writing.)

One of the biggest mistakes new teachers make? Wanting the kids to like them.

Are there times I have to compromise? Sure. I work with administration and the curriculum team and that often means interacting with teachers that aren't usually on my grade-level team. Sometimes I have to swallow my personal feelings and be nice and likable because, as someone in a mentor position, that's kind of my job.

Are there times I'm worried I'll get myself into trouble? Of course! I've definitely found my voice over the past couple years, and sometimes it means speaking out pretty bluntly about what's going on at our school or with education in general.

But I've found that I'm happier. There's a freedom to being honest. I like knowing that my integrity is intact because I refuse to just smile and make nice when something is bothering me. I feel stronger. And if it means I'm not buddies with everyone, that's okay. I don't believe in burning bridges for the sake of burning them, and I know there's a time and place to lay on the charm, but I also know the people who can handle me are totally the right friends for me.

So what had me thinking about this? I read this article the other day and it really resonated with me; it confirmed for me that the path I've chosen to take is the right one. We often silence ourselves or defer to others in an attempt to be liked, and honestly? Being liked isn't always worth it. When being liked is all we strive for, it makes us passive. I don't want to be passive. I can deal with not being liked.

I'd rather be respected.

Do you spend time worrying about whether people like you?

ABK