Weird and Random Meme

Well, it's been a while, but I've once again been tagged with a blog meme, this time courtesy of former Single and expectant father Cap'n Bumper

Here's the rules kids: Once you have been tagged, you have to write a blog with 10 weird random things, facts, or habits about yourself. At the end, you choose 5 people to be tagged, list their names, and why you chose them. Don't forget to leave a comment that says "you're tagged" on their profile and tell them to read your latest blog. ENJOY!!

Of course, finding 10 weird and random things to list about myself that haven't already been covered in my usual weird, random ramblings (not to mention previous meme tags) could be a bit of a challenge, but I shall give it my best shot.

1. I rarely instigate phone calls unless I have an immediate question or need; if someone calls me, I can yak all day about random stuff (surprise surprise), but I seldom if ever call someone else just to talk. Not that I don't think every once in a while "Man, I haven't talked to so-and-so in ages, I should give them a call"; I just don't follow through. Chalk this one up to my neurotic worry that I could be interrupting people while they're doing something vastly more important than talking with little old me.

2. While I'm not gifted at coming up with original nicknames for folks, I have the odd habit of bestowing some friends (usually guys) with what are essentially bastardizations of their given names -- which is basically what most of my high school nicknames boiled down to (Toddy, Toddly, Toddles, etc.). It's one of those unconscious, automatic things that just pop out of my mouth, and then wind up sticking; occasionally, other people pick them up as well.

3. It's virtually impossible for me to go to bed if there is anyone else up and about in, for fear that I might somehow miss out on something; it was true in Parker, it was true in the house on Knoblock; and it's true now at Benjiman Street. Of course, it was much easier to get away with back in the Stillwater days, since I didn't have to worry about getting to work by 8 the next morning.

4. I am almost pathologically compelled to tell on myself when I do something wrong or potentially embarrassing. I once lost out on a Christmas present because I basically confessed to peeking at it; another time I blurted out to G'ovich that I had written something for my Creative Writing class comparing him to a snake. Heaven knows how many things this blog has been responsible for bringing to light; heck, I'll probably tell on myself about something else before this list is through.

5. Every time I check my mail (be it voice, e, or snail) and find that there's nothing for me, I instantly get the chorus of Portishead's "Sour Times" stuck in my head: "Nobody loves me, it's true . . ."

6. Since I have music playing constantly in my head, I often (when I think nobody's looking) break into random little dance steps as I venture around the office; a couple of weeks ago, I finally got caught by our newest employee, who was hidden in the corner of the breakroom where I couldn't see her, but she could see me do a little Salsa-step up to the kitchen sink.
Her: [amused] "Hi, Todd."
Me: [startled] Oh, hi.
Her: Did I just see . . .
Me: [sighing] Yes, yes you did. You see, I have music in my head all the time --
Her: And sometimes in your feet?
Me: Yes, and sometimes in my feet.*

7. I am horrible at keeping up email correspondence, which is why I'm in much better contact with my friends who frequent Instant Messengers programs than those who don't. An IM is like an informal conversation, due to its immediacy, and so I have no problem just shooting one off to someone when they log on just to say hi. But with an email, I feel the compulsion to give it a lot more weight, and so put off writing them until I feel I have the necessary time and creative energy to compose something worthwhile; sadly, this time and energy never seem to be available at the times when writing said emails crosses my mind.

8. I'm a bit of a pack-rat; I have boxes of old papers and various knick-knacks which I've accumulated since high school, everything from old assignments to drawings Cedric did during our week at Speech Camp to random campaign material from Student Council State to letters and cards from friends and family. Some I keep for nostalgic reminders of my friends, some I keep as a reminder of how much I've changed over the years, and some I keep for no good reason at all other than the possibility that they might, someday, trigger nostalgia as well; these last are the things that get tossed when I get the urge to do my irregular weeding of the junk in my life. I still mourn the many random items which were lost when my parents' house burned down, and the memories that went up in smoke with them.

9. I already have a name picked out for the next pet I get; yes, it's comic book related, and yes, it's going to get as many puzzled stares from people who hear it as Rebel Monkey's decision to name her dog Dakovy**, but I have a long history of naming my pets odd things. As for what the name is, well, if you read In a Cabin in the Woods, you've seen it in use already, and that's about all the clue I'll give you; don't want anyone stealing my pet name!

10. There are currently 24 monkeys displayed in my cubicle at work; I am only responsible for three of them, and come February first they will be there no longer as my Futurama Wall Calendar goes from a Wizard of Oz parody to an "Amok Time" parody.

Think those are weird and random enough?

As for tagging others, I'm going to pick on some new found bloggers who have escaped my previous tags:
my cousin, Penny Arcade
my roomie, PigPen
my former classmate at both Wyandotte and OSU, Delinda
mi madre, Mrs. E.
my favorite cookie-baking paintballer, Squiggly

*See, told you I'd tell on myself again before the list was done.
**Pronounced (and spelling later changed to in order to lessen confusion) Dakoby