Being that I am an overenthusiast, there are A LOT of things I enjoy. This list includes, but is not limited to: laughing, making pretzels, hanging out in Anthropologie, shopping for home goods in thrift or antique stores and reading non-fiction. Yet perhaps my most favorite thing to do is find ways to make other people feel really special. Please note that I'm not one to plan blow-out events...the pressure of a surprise party is a no go in my book. Rather, I am a veritable encyclopedia of things that my friends like/things I know they want. To me, it's not good enough to know that Rob likes ginger ale; it matters that he prefers Seagram's over Canada Dry.
Even more than caring for friends, I relish opportunities to nurture my twin sister. From a young age I used to make her pancakes that spelled out "I Love You" and when she came to DC for my graduation I greeted her with takeout because I knew she'd be hungry after the flight. She is equally considerate of me and I am hugely reliant on her encouragement and affection. My Mom compares us to a gardner and flower, saying that we trade off roles so that we both have the chance to blossom. Precious!
Being away from Sara is hard for many reasons, but a large part of me misses spoiling her. My inner caretaker has been going wild over the last few months and I realized that in the interest of my own sanity, I needed somewhere else to funnel this energy. The immediate conclusion was obvious: I should have a baby! If I weren't so young, broke and busy, that might actually be an option. I tried to think of something that's a step down from baby, so my next plan was to get a puppy. Sadly, the young, broke and busy stuff applies to that circumstance as well. Still, I wanted something more than a plant, and after pensive deliberation, I decided that my maturity (or lack thereof) meant I would only be a suitable parent for a hermit crab or a beta fish.
Flash forward to this afternoon, when I become the proud owner of two female betas: Pollyanna and Bathsheba. The man in PetsMart assured me that females can live together in the same bowl, but my two favorite ladies were NOT HAVING IT from the second I put them together. I should have known better than to take his advice--this PetsMart guy was obviously an idiot. Case in point: When my roommate, Charlie, told him that we graduated from GW he said "Oh yeah? Go Hoyas!" with a really proud look on his face. At first I thought he was trying to take a playful jab at us by referencing the Georgetown Hoyas, but through further interaction, it became apparent he was just.that.dumb. Seriously, anyone in the DC metro area with half a brain knows the difference between GW and Georgetown. We're rival schools...it's kind of a big deal. (P.S. I acknowledge that my harsh criticism of this man may be slightly unfair, but Mama wouldn't be so cranky if he hadn't encouraged her to jeopardize the lives of her precious aquatic children.)
Thankfully, I had a spare fishbowl in my closet (don't you?!) so Pollyanna is now comfortably swimming in the living room while Bathsheba remains in my bedroom. They are wonderful additions to the family...welcome home fishies!
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