I always choose to take the stairs.

It irritates me when people say that they don’t have time.

I’m a sucker for a good elbow patch.

I wanted to name my first child Scout. It got vetoed. I still love the name.

I don’t like potatoes. Or chocolate. Or ice cream.

I have the circulation of an 85-year-old woman. I even sleep in socks, buried under three quilts.

I hate my teeth. It’s the part of me that I’m the most self-conscious of, the most aware of. I would fix them if I could afford it. I can’t afford it, so instead, I’ll continue to cover my mouth with my hand on a regular basis. If you know me, you’ve seen it. I’m not proud.

I really, really like Cher.

I am a published author. There are books with my name on them. It doesn’t matter that they are first graders.

I love old things. Planes, cars, bicycles, trains. Bonus points if you drive an Alfa Romeo, something in the ’69 era. Spider, perhaps. Of if you’ve heard of the Shelby Cobra 427 Roadster.

I love musicians. Bonus points if you play the guitar.

If I ever get a tattoo it will say this: Let me hold it close and keep it here with me. No question.

I am still trying to get through this final book in the Harry Potter series. At first, it was a nice thing my son and I were doing; a project for just the two of us—no sisters allowed. We’d each read the book and then watch the corresponding movie together. Speedy McMagicpants has finished the series. I, however, have read about 17 books while trying to get to the end of this series. I just can’t get into it. Dumbledore is dead. Harry and crew are no longer at Hogwarts. I don’t really care about Horcruxes. If I wasn’t so bloody stubborn, I’d pretend to have finished the last book, so the boy and I could just get to the last two movies already. I assume that Harry Potter saves the world and that Ron and Hermione finally do something snogtastic. AmIright?

I am stubborn. I could probably medal in stubborn. Gold, likely.

I am addicted to medicated Chap Stick and Tic Tacs.

I prefer Jon Stewart to Stephen Colbert.

When I watched the original Planet of the Apes for the first time just a few years ago, I had no idea what the ending was. I watched it completely unspoiled and was blown right the heck away.

I think blog lists are stupid, and yet I still wonder why I’m never on any of them.

Mad Men is the best show I have ever seen.

I hate boats.

I have never been drunk.

I have smoked exactly three cigarettes in my life. I did not enjoy any of them.

I am anti-raisin, especially the hidden kind.

I wish I could spend all day with a teacher and a camera in front of my face.

I had a nose job just before I turned 18. It’s true. It was equal parts to fix a deviated septum and to get rid of a bump that I hated. I don’t regret it. Not even one little bit. It changed me as a person.