Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life - D

D

Dave Matthews Band - I am in love. Enough said.

Dill Pickles - I love, love, love me some dill pickles! Not sweet pickles, not bread and butter pickles. Dill pickles. Ah...when I was a kid I'd go to my grandparents' house after school and I'd scoop out some of Mamarj's homemade pickles and eat them with ranch dressing (I was a visionary, I tell ya!). Not much has changed over the years. When I go to Mazzio's and hit the salad bar I load up on their perfectly chopped bite-size pickles and ranch. Mmmmm...I think I'm salivating a bit here. And you know you have great friends when you're at lunch and they offer up their own pickle just because of the sheer joy it gives you. Thanks, Steph!

Dogs - I've always loved dogs and have almost always had them growing up and as a grown up. They're so cute. And sweet. And so loving. Even if you've had a rotten day and don't spend as much time as you should with them, they're there with those big understanding eyes and a wagging tail. Just hoping they can do something, anything, just to make it better for you. Also, I collect porcelain dog figurines. Of the vintage variety and not so much of the dollar store variety. I have just gone room by room and counted 20 of them. In bookcases, under cloches, on pedestals. They're everywhere! Just as they should be.

Drinking - Except for the occassional stolen swig of schnapps from my dad's kitchen when a friend spent the night or a random sip of beer (with some adult's permission) or the accidental glass of champagne I got at my stepaunt's wedding reception (I honestly thought it was a punch fountain! And I only took the one sip.). I really never drank alcholic beverages until I turned 21. Even then, as a student at a faith-based college, I rarely did. After college I loosened up a bit but I was never going to be mistaken for a party girl. Not until the last couple of years have I ever really experienced being intoxicated. And thankfully (knock on wood) I have yet to experience a hangover or sleeping next to a toilet. It's not a goal I have. And drinking is just too dang expensive to make a habit out of it.

Driving - Ugh. Driving is one of my least favorite things. I spend at least an hour a day in my car on my way to and from both jobs and various errands. I feel trapped. And I get angry. Yes, I suppose the term "road rage" could be used to describe me. And I'm not so great at it, to tell you the truth. I've backed into my fair share of parked vehicles. As much as I dislike driving I did, however, plan and execute a long road trip a couple of years back. I traveled to FL to pick up my best friend, meandering through towns of interest and stopping to visit friends along the way. Once I got to her, we headed to New Orleans together and then continued on to TX. I actually really enjoyed that trip, even the 8-hour legs on any given day. I don't think there was much road rage on that trip, even in the places I was unfamiliar with. Wonder what the difference is. Hmmm...