My friend Sally posted this exercise on her blog, and I loved it. Soon I’ll be doing interviews, so I figure this was a way of dipping my toe into soul-baring waters. Or just to have fun. If you like this, maybe you’ll want to try your own.
Me from A to Z
Age: 49. But in cat years, I’m a mere child.
Bed Size: King. Which is not as great as it’s cracked up to be. And king sheets cost more.
Chore You Hate: Waxing anything.
Dogs: Can’t have one right now, which makes me sad. But if I could have one, he or she would be cuddly, toilet-trained, shed-proof, antibacterial, and would whip up a mean margarita.
Essential Start of Your Day: Slow, deep breathing before I get out of bed. It helps relax my muscles and get more oxygen into my body, to help wake me up.
Favorite Color: I’m a purple person.
Gold or Silver: Bronze. There’s less pressure when you come in third.
Height: 5’3-1/2″
Instruments You Play(ed): Piano, recorder, and two or three chords on the guitar, but I’ve forgotten it all. Everyone else in my family got the music gene.
Job Title: Ghostwriter. Author. Typo hunter. Finder of Husband’s inhaler. Schedule coordinator.
Kids: What? I was supposed to have kids? I didn’t see that in the contract.
Live: In my head most of the time.
Mom’s Name: Brenda. Or just, you know, mom. She answers to both.
Nicknames: They were horrible. Kids are mean. And very creative.
Overnight Hospital Stays: Ask me again after a few of Spot’s margaritas.
Pet Peeve: Inappropriate cell phone use. You know, to keep a table level or scrape your windshield. That really pisses me off.
Quote From a Movie: “Some days you win. Some days you lose. Some days it rains.” (Bull Durham)
Right or Left-Handed: Left
Siblings: Two biological brothers. Six step brothers and one stepsister. So you can pretty much torment me all you want–I can take it.
Time You Wake Up: Whenever the drugs wear off.
Underwear: Not right now, but usually.
Veggie You Dislike: Lima beans. Yuck. Okra. Yuckier.
What Makes You Run Late: Husband doing laps around the house making sure he hasn’t forgotten anything, and turning down thermostats.
X-Rays You Have Had: Right thumb, broken at 9 when a bunk bed ladder fell on it while I was trying to get a recalcitrant cat out from under the bed. Karma’s a bitch. Left middle finger, after unfortunate encounter with an X-acto knife. The knife won. Entire spine, at one point or another, and dental x-rays.
Yummy Food You Make: Lentil soup! I’ve been making this recipe since I was a starving, broke college student because it’s cheap, nutritious and filling. And it goes great with cornbread. I will never touch another packet of Ramen noodles, but I can eat lentil soup every day.
Zoo Animal You Like Best: Penguins! I’m not thrilled that any animal is in a zoo, but these little guys have stolen my heart. What does it mean the penguin is my totem animal?
If you don’t want to try this yourself, just try picking one letter and answering that question in the comments below.
Laurie Boris 
So fun Laurie! And yes – a great way for people to get to know you in a fun and light-hearted way.
I posted my list both because I love to play like this — and also, because I’d Guest Posted that day on another site and figured I’d give curious passers-by something fun to read if they opted to see what else I could do.
‘When the drugs wear off’ – know that I wish you a great day/week/month/year!!
Thanks Sally! You too!
Crap….Would have to censor mine…..
Love this, Laurie! I wasn’t gonna do it because I don’t blog anymore and I’m shy to post this on Facebook, but I’ll take a stab here since I’m avoiding my work in progress.
Age: 39
Bed size: queen
Chore you hate: polishing silver
Dogs: sadly down to one, Rocky, who seeks to eat any live creature smaller than she.
Essential start of your day: coffee in my favorite white mug, my journal (where I often talk to myself about my work in progress instead of about myself), cigarette.
Favorite color: blue. any shade will do.
Gold or silver: white gold (see ‘chore’ above)
Height: 5 foot zip
Instrument you play(ed): guitar, bass guitar (though not much in recent years), recorder (in 4th grade and loved it), piano (not with any skill or talent, but used to bang the keys melodically for hours as a child)
Job Title: Housewife Writing a Novel, Book Reviewer for Geeks of Doom.com, Cleaner of all Things Gross
Kids: None that I’m aware of.
Live: City of New York, Borough of Queens
Mom’s Name: PAM (it’s an acronym for Passive Aggressive Mother and her real name)
Nicknames: Pygmy (so named by a much taller BFF back in the day. we’re no longer acquainted); Mercedes Jenz; Ug Girl; Little JD; and my favorite, Jen-Jen (only my beloved step-dad calls me that and not because he repeats everything he says).
Overnight Hospital Stays: tonsillectomy, age 5. woke up in a giant crib in the middle of the night, screaming for my mother. no one came.
Pet Peeve: how much time have you got? people bug the crap out of me.
Quote From a Movie: “Everything you do is insignificant, but it’s important that you do it.” I forgot the name of the movie, but the character was quoting Gandhi, so it’s irrelevant.
Right-handed or Left: depends on the activity.
Siblings: one bio-bro, 18 months my senior; 7 or so step-siblings I hardly every see; 3 in-law siblings, whom I adore.
Time You Wake Up: 6:30am weekdays, significantly later on weekends.
Underwear: 100% cotton
Veggie You Dislike: lima and fava beans, can’t bring myself to try okra.
What Makes You Run Late: my horrendously poor time management skills.
X-rays: none recently, but used to get regular dental and occasional chest; left foot (chipped a piece of bone off – ouch).
Yummy Food You Make: pasta with fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil
Zoo Animal You Like Best: penguins are the most endearing to me.
Hi Laurie,
Enjoyed reading your post a lot. I’m reluctant though to post something like that for myself as I’m neither introspective nor funny/creative enough. But maybe some other time – who knows.
Best regards from Karnes City
Pit