Going around on Facebook right now is the “25 things” note. Someone writes a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, goals, etc about themselves and tags 25 people to do the same. I’ve been tagged by at least 5 people and enjoyed reading all my friends’ notes so far. I wrote and posted this note on Facebook tonight, but thought it was also appropriate to post on my blog. I’m hoping it will set up a few of the things I want to write about in the near future and catch y’all up on my life these days. If you like it, leave a comment below. Without further ado…
1. I started noticing my friends being tagged in these “25 things” notes and was wondering why no one was tagging me, since they know I’m on Facebook at work all day anyways. Maybe I’m not that interesting? Then Thursday hit and I’ve been tagged in five or more notes since. It was only then that I realized Holly tagged me first on January 4th and I should’ve done this a few weeks ago.
2. It will either take me two days to write these 25 things or twenty minutes. I am guilty of consistently over-estimating the effort I think it will take to write notes, blog posts and emails, so I tend to put them off until I feel so guilty about not blogging or responding or saying hello that the whole vicious cycle starts again. The exception to this is daily emails to Garrett when he’s underway on the ship. He will be the first to confirm that I can bang out a ridiculously long email without much effort.
3. In another broswer tab, I have NHL Gamecast showing the Dallas Stars (v. Columbus) game. [Stars are winning 6-3 btw] I have never made an effort to watch pro hockey, except maybe the Stanley Cup finals, until the 2008-09 season started and I had a reason to. Like most other things that I do or share with Garrett, following the Stars seems completely normal and comfortable, like I’ve been doing it forever.
4. My mantra keywords for 2009 are TIME, CONNECT and MOVE. The goals (resolutions) and things I want to focus on this year all tie into those three words. Chris Brogan, who is one of the smartest and most giving people I’ve never actually met, inspired me to do these keywords in a blog post on or before Jan 1, 2009. I plan to explain my personal keywords (and give Chris a trackback link, not like he needs it) in a long-overdue blog post, soon.
5. I never expected to achieve my dream job at age 23, but I definitely feel like I put in the work and effort to have achieved it. All of the steps I’ve taken in my life and the decisions I have made have led me to where I am now. I firmly believe that we all have a plan laid out for us by God and when one door closes, another will open. Sometimes it might just be a window, but I’ve always had faith enough to move through what’s next, even when I don’t fully understand why.
6. I am grateful that I can now look back at many different key moments in my life and see the lines that have been drawn from point to point. It helps me understand that I shouldn’t regret anything, just be thankful for an experience and learn from it, even the ones that end unpleasantly.
7. I have been in love three times. I’m so thankful that Dana explained to me in Ireland that you will never love anyone in the same way and that is okay. She was absolutely right.
8. I really love writing and don’t give myself enough time to do it. The same goes with reading. [And I think I’m pretty good at both.] Ironically, I get sick of the internet and that is where I waste all my time.
9. Some of the people I will tag in this note that I consider dear friends and amazing people, even if I haven’t spoken to them in months or years. I feel terrible about letting friendships go that long without real authentic connection. Facebook is a poor excuse for staying “caught up” with someone you really care about. Those who fall into this description probably can figure out who you are and I hope you are doing great in life, wherever it has taken you. Re-read #4 and know you are inspiration for “CONNECT”.
10. When I get married, I’ll skimp on spending for the the dress and splurge on the shoes. I have no plans to wear more than one wedding dress in my lifetime, but I’ll definitely wear a pair of Jimmy Choos or Manolo Blahniks whenever I have an excuse!
11. My favorite number is 11. I’ve always liked it, probably something about the double 1’s that I think looks cool. It was my uniform number anytime I could choose. The only reason there is a 5 on my golf ball tattoo is because 11 wouldn’t fit, and 5 is symbolic to me too.
12. One of my first sports memories was watching the Trail Blazers in the 1990 Finals against the Pistons. After the final game of the series, I knew we had lost but I asked my parents why the teams didn’t line up and high five each other like I did in my own soccer games. I think I was onto something there…
13. If I wasn’t working in sports, I’d want to be in the music industry. Those two environments have the potential to be the most fun work settings ever. You get to meet cool people, attend great events, and see amazing things like John Mayer play the guitar, Dave Matthews do his chicken dance, Sergio Garcia make a double-breaking up-the-hill momentum-charging putt, and Martell Webster color with 3-year olds.
14. I have wanted to get a second tattoo since before I left for Ireland in 2005. I still want it – a simple celtic cross, 
with a rose in the center symbolizing St. Therese the Little Flower (my patron saint). I still need someone to draw it out for me. When I have that, I’ll have to face the fear of getting it put on my ribs and the disapproval from a certain someone (or someones, but I think my parents would be ok with it). Maybe someday I’ll get it, but probably not before I get back to Ireland.
15. French fries, or Irish “chips” dipped in mayonnaise are one of the most delicious things ever. Especially when you wash it down with a true pint of Guinness. Anything my mom cooks also goes on the list of most delicious things. Especially our Christmas Eve ’08 meal that we killed on [prime rib, homemade ravioli, roasted vegetables, great wine] even though the only electricity we had that week was routed to our Traeger BBQ.
16. Oregonians are foodies. That’s the easy way to say our tastebuds (for most of us) appreciate interesting, complex and flat out good flavors. This isn’t just limited to food…also extends to wine, beer and anything else that can be grown, raised, crafted, brewed or created locally. I’m so lucky to have grown up in a family full of foodies.
17. There are a few more than 25 people tagged on this note. I apologize if anyone’s keeping track. While I do want to read 25 things about all of you, I mostly just want to say hello 🙂
18. I have this habit of picking up my life and moving myself into a place where I know no one. Luckily, I also have a habit of succeeding when I do that. This started in high school, when I chose to go to La Salle (a private school) rather than my local school, Molalla High. Even though I moved back to MHS during my sophomore year, I’m glad I left. At Northern Arizona University, I remember sitting in my dorm room the first week thinking “I know absolutely no one here.” Ireland and Jacksonville were the same. I’m not sure why I do this and hope it is not something negative in my unconscious. (Dana, you may have to help me with this one!)
19. Both Molalla High School and NAU had awesome cross country and track teams, yet I never had any interest in running. I actually despised running for most of my life. In September, I decided to give it a try as a totally new way to challenge myself (and it seemed like a good distraction). I have since completed two races (Race for the Cure 5K + Outback 6K) and am working towards the Gate River Run 15K in March and Country Music Half Marathon in Nashville in April.
20. Part of my drive to push myself stems from wanting to be an example for my siblings, cousins and people who come after me. Then, over Christmas, I realized that my younger cousins don’t really know who I am or even what my name is. This made me sad until I learned that telling them I work for Tiger Woods and other golfers at the PGA TOUR now makes me the coolest relative they don’t know.
21. I really am logged onto Facebook 95% of the time I’m at work, but the difference between me and many of you is that I’m usually doing work on Facebook. You think the PGA TOUR pages and photo galleries build themselves? 🙂
22. Tall girls in tall shoes sometimes really annoys me ( even if it’s you Laura, Ashley and Raechel). My height is probably the only physical thing I’d change about myself. My ideal height would be 5’5″ or 5’6″…I don’t want to be tall, just not short.
23. I was named after my aunt Therese, who I never met. I think she is my guardian angel who protects me from all the stupid things I do. She died, along with my Dad’s parents, in 1977. Had I been a boy, I would’ve been named Neil after my grandpa, which makes me wonder what my cousin Neil (next in line after me) would’ve been named?
24. Brandon Roy might really be one of my heroes. But he’s nothing compared to my favorite Roy, my dad, who is the best father, protector, example and hero a girl could have.
25. Things I miss: Dance parties, turtles, high school golf, NAU Live!, Kilmurry Village, watching the sunrises and sunsets at the house I grew up in, not having a car payment or student loans, Cloud 9 and Crowbar, winter beach trips with the girls, living with my sibs, the smell of Flagstaff, the feeling of being home. And probably you, a little bit!
Lauren Teague 
