17 Things About Me, If You’re Curious to Know – My Special Bday Post!

my bday blog 1024x829 17 Things About Me, If Youre Curious to Know   My Special Bday Post!TODAY is MY Birthday! I’m officially one year YOUNGER ;)!

Oh, and in case you’re wondering…

  • YES, those are baby scorpios on the cake since I’m a November child.
  • NO, it’s not this year’s cake and I’m not 29 – there’s a plus sign right next to the 9.
  • NO, I”m not sitting in front of my laptop on my Bday writing this post. Actually, yeah, I am. But it’s only a couple hours into it.
  • YES, I have every intention of having a rockin’ time (hopefully) to celebrate this momentous event.

I’ve been wanting to write a post like this for quite some time now, but I suppose I didn’t build up the courage or better yet, the balls, until now.

Besides the small About Me section on the Home page and the WTH is nG? page, getting personal on nittyGriddy is something I don’t do. But once in a while, it’s okay to make an exception.

I see more and more people doing the personal post in blogs. Actually, I’ve read a few up close and personal style posts lately which encouraged me all the more to write my own and share it with you today. The only difference is, mine wont’ be THAT up close and personal. Not the kind of news that’ll have you calling your BFF at 8 am to gossip. I’m keeping the juice to a strict minimum :(.

Sorry folks, but I’m a rather private person and I live in a tiny country, where like Cheers, “everybody knows your name” [this line sounds much better if you sing it – go ahead, you know you want to :)!]

But, this post is still pretty good, so keep reading!

And here it comes…

“Without further ado and blah blah”, I present you with 17 + personal but NOT SOOO personal things about Griddy.

1. I love AND hate my birthday.

I love the fact that people – even the one’s you don’t talk to everyday and the one’s that live abroad – remember you and always have the kindest things to say.

I love how the checks and presents come rolling in simple smile 17 Things About Me, If Youre Curious to Know   My Special Bday Post! – the checks cause I know the bank won’t call again for at least another month lol and the presents – well, who doesn’t like ripping them open?!

I love that even though I hate the idea of turning a year older, I mean younger, I still make a big bash out of it and celebrate with my XXX closest friends.

I love that I can use “sorry, no can do, it’s my birthday” as an excuse for not meeting with a client on this particular day – as I just did yesterday.

I love seeing all the messages on Facebook that I sit and reply to individually – yes, I actually take the time to do that!

I love that I’m in such denial about getting older – NOT old – that I still open my passport to triple check that I was actually born in 19xx.

I love blowing the candles on my cakes – yes, that’s plural – one at home with my family and one with friends.

I hate how I always head to the mirror to stare at my face just to make sure it hasn’t aged or changed in any way. PHewww, thank God! Still no wrinkles :)!

bday 17 Things About Me, If Youre Curious to Know   My Special Bday Post!

2. When I first started nittyGriddy, I had no clue what it was going to be about.

Really, I didn’t.

And you can clearly see that from my first few posts – the one about my first blogthe one about the pig farting fiascothe one about the donkey being turned into a zebrathe one about the drunk kid and the giraffe…I kinda sound like a commercial for Friends simple smile 17 Things About Me, If Youre Curious to Know   My Special Bday Post! – you know, the one where…

All I knew then,  is that I wanted to write – my passion. And I’m happy I did, because I’ve learned more in a year than I ever have.

I’ve come across and gotten to know some incredibly insightful bloggers, and I’ve learned a ton from them.

I even talk like a Social Media blogger now…SEO this, Plugin that, I should write a Post about this, do you Meta tag, Google Analytics or Alexa, what’s your Klout, follow my RSS, Tweet this, RT that, is your blog Monetized, Garrett or Godin, Mashable or TechCrunch…

All I know now, is that if I continue to put my heart and soul into this blog, it will turn into something great.

3. I may not look it, but I played fast pitch softball for the NCAA’s.

Crazy but true!

I was actually a huge athlete until I graduated college. A jockette if you like.

Sports were pretty much my life since as early as I can recall. I have more All-Star patches from high school than I can count.

I pretty much dominated tennis, kicked ass in soccer and rocked the bleachers at softball. Yes, I had an ego the size of Australia. Why Australia? For one, that’s how far I could hit the ball; and two, it seems all the great bloggers are from there lately lol.

I’ve been playing softball since I was 7 and I absolutely love it. Everything about it. The psychology of the game, the competition, the thrill, the sliding and diving, the fun – just not the early morning practices lol…But unfortunately, I haven’t touched a bat in over 12 years.

So, now I’m just lady like without the glove :).

4. I’m a smoker.

Don’t give me that look! I know it’s a bad and ugly habit.

But in my sorry-ass defense, I first started (way back when) because they told me it was cool. And it was – so I thought.

Just holding that Marlboro outside the campus gates had all the other high schooler’s looking up at me with that famous, popular crowd, head nod that said “hey, what’s up?

Or maybe they were just doing that because I was a Varsity athlete? Hmmm…

I admit that I enjoy smoking. Especially after a meal or with a drink. But I also admit that I’d give anything for enough will power to stop. Not cut down. Cold turkey stop!

It’s by far my greatest if not only, regret. And to tell you honestly, I’m petrified of continuing. No explanation necessary.

But the odd thing is, I don’t like smoking in the dark, or outside if it’s really windy. I don’t know, it just tastes different.

Son of a B@#$%- I’m actually holding one now as I type! WILL POWER, where are you?!

5. I can’t stand being lied to.

Okay, who does? I mean, seriously, do people really think you won’t find out one day? Maybe not today or tomorrow, but a lie can only go so far before it comes back to slap you in the face.

I can handle a harmless little white lie – hell, we all do that. But flat out bullshit straight to your face? No, No!

You see, the thing about me is – I don’t look stupid. And I’m not! Some people just have that stupid look about them but are actually brilliant. I’m plain out smart, and even worse, I’m kinda witty. So please don’t insult my intelligence by feeding me crap. I ain’t buyin’ any!

Wow, tell us how you really feel Ingrid lol!

6. I love my friends more than anything else in the world.

Actually, I treasure my close friends. They’re almost like family to me, and some actually are.

There is nothing I wouldn’t do that’s within my power or means for a good friend. You know why? Because they would do the exact same for me. And let me tell you, I am beyond blessed with some of the most amazing friends a girl could have.

If one is feeling down, I will go so far as acting like a buffoon to make them laugh. That’s the other thing about me which I’m gonna slip in here. I love to make people laugh, especially my friends. I have a good sense of humor and consider myself to be relatively funny, so why not put a smile on someone’s face if I can? After all, I do it for you quite often with my posts :).

I could write an entire book here but I won’t. Instead, I leave you with this quote by William Arthur Ward which pretty much sums up a good chunk of what friendship means to me.

“A true friend knows your weaknesses but shows you your strengths; feels your fears but fortifies your faith; sees your anxieties but frees your spirit; recognizes your disabilities but emphasizes your possibilities.”

7. I’ve watched one too many movies.

You may be thinking – so has everyone. But seriously, I win here.

I’ve watched so many Hollywood’s and Bollywood’s that I practically live in them at times.

I still expect to be swept off my feet one day like Bed of Roses – even though I know deep down that it doesn’t work that way – anymore.

I want to take karate lessons after I see another one of Jet Li’s flicks.

I want to become a lawyer after I watch an episode of Law and Order.

I’d rather not mention what I wanted to be after I saw Pretty Woman lol. Com’on, so did every girl!

I wanted to be a baseball champ after I watched The Natural – and what do you know, that one, I accomplished :).

I wanted to start scuba diving to find the blue diamond the old lady threw overboard from the Titanic.

I wanted to be an archeologist because of Harrison Ford – well, that and I lived in Egypt for many years.

You get my point?

Basically, I wanted to be a shit load of things. But you know what, I’m ME. And bottom line is – I love being ME cause ME ain’t so bad after all – could be much better – but, I’m an okay gal :)!

8. My favorite food is Lebanese food.

No, it’s not just because I’m Lebanese – well, maybe a little ;).

But seriously, have you tried it? I’m not just talking the basics like Hummos, Taboule, Shawarma and Falafel. I’m talking the real stuff. The Kebbe be Labnieh, Bazella w’ Riz, Shish Barak, Kafta ou Batata bel Feren…

There are so many yummy dishes that I could fill up this entire blog with more names you won’t understand or know how to pronounce if you don’t speak the language.

I guarantee you, it’s by far the richest food out there.

Sure I love Italian, French, Mexican, Indian and Chinese. And God knows I could live off Sushi for a month but hands down, Lebanese all the way!

9. I can’t cook to save my life.

It’s not that I suck at cooking, I really don’t know how. Not even rice!

And I’m not proud of it. I actually mentioned this before in my post about the Epicurious iPad App.

What’s funny is that I lived alone for many years and probably should have learned how. But…

I attempted to cook steak many times, but it pretty much tasted like charcoal.

Then I thought – how hard can eggs really be? Luckily, not so hard. My sunny side ups, I’m happy to say, are eatable.

As for spaghetti, let me put it this way. I throw a string at the fridge. If it sticks, then they’re good to go. If not, then ooops.

Actually, I don’t know why I’m talking in the present tense here. The last time I tried cooking any of the above was when Clinton was doin’ the dirty with Monica lol.

Note to my future husband (one day) – Sorry!

10. I’m a sissy drinker.

It’s true. For some reason, I’m not the biggest fan of alcohol although I really try :).

I’ve been drunk maybe two or three times but that’s about it. I’ve been tipsy a few, but still sober enough to drive and make sense of my words.

My favorite drink is the one most teenagers start off with. The Screwdriver. But mine tastes like watered down orange juice since I always ask the waiter to pour a touch of Stoli or Grey Goose (decor, as I refer to it) and the rest, pure orange juice. Oh, and full ice of course.

As long as I don’t taste the vodka too much, I’m fine and can drink a couple.

I can also do the other and even sissier girly shot – Sex on the Beach.

I’ll drink a few sips of Champagne, just for the toast but I don’t like the smell of it, much like Whiskey.

I pretend to like white wine, but I squirm with every gulp.

As for tequila – been there, done that – but Jose and I just don’t click.

So sad, I know!

It’s not so much that I like being in control of myself, but more so that I really don’t like the taste. I’ll keep trying though ;).

11. I don’t sleep before the wee hours of the night.

To say that I’m nocturnal, is an understatement.

For some reason, I just can’t sleep early. Plus, I need TV. 8 out of 10 times, I’ll wake up to the blue screen.

I’ve been that way since birth I think.

I got used to doing homework at night and realized that I concentrated better when it was dark and quiet outside. That and I was the queen of procrastination; hence the countless all nighters I’ve pulled – till today.

I simply work best under pressure.

Needless to say, I don’t do morning meetings.

I’m useless before 11 am. I’m awake, but my thinking cap isn’t on – unless I’ve been up all night.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not lazy, even though I can be. I work my ass off, especially on this blog, but I just don’t do it at 9 am.

12. I speak 4 languages.

English – obviously, French, Arabic and Spanish.

I’ve been speaking all of them since I was a child.

Where I come from, most people speak 3. And if you’ve been to Lebanon, then you know we mix all 3 in our daily vocab. Actually, one sentence can have a word of each. Totally cool and understandable – for us.

French, English and Arabic are mandatory in schools here. But I grew up abroad and was in the American system my whole life where only English was taught – until high school where a foreign language was required. That’s where I learned Spanish.

French and Arabic on the other hand, are spoken at home, and like English, are also my mother tongues.

Remember what I said about little white lies in #5? Well, here’s mine:

On my resume that I sent out after I graduated college in Boston, it said I spoke 5 languages. I used to include Egyptian Arabic lol. True, the dialects are very different. But it’s still Arabic. So maybe it’s just half a white lie ;).

13. I detest being told what to do.

Okay, so I can act like a spoiled brat at times, but seriously, who likes to be told to do something they don’t want to?

Just let me figure it out and do it on my own.

The more I’m told to do something unappealing to me, the more I’m inclined to do the opposite.

I’m disciplined – at least I used to be much more than now. But please don’t push me.

Not that my parents will ever read this but just in case, SORRY!

On a brighter note, I was a pretty good kid. I never got into any BIG trouble. Probably because I was too scared to pay the consequences lol.

When a client sends me an email requesting if we can meet at a certain time, then yes, absolutely. But when they send me an email telling me the meeting will take place at X o’clock. Then NO.

My college coach once told me to run the mile again cause she didn’t think I ran it under 7 minutes the first time round. Are you kidding me?

I stormed into her office and told her to go @#$% herself. That was probably the first and last time I lost my composure – and my head. And boy did I regret it.

I was running laps like I was training for the Boston marathon the rest of the day lol.

14. I very rarely lose my temper.

I’m as composed and diplomatic as they come – 90% of the time

I can be boiling inside to the point where I want to open a can of whoop ass and shove it down your throat! But I will remain calm and composed and speak in a low and polite tone. Believe me when I tell you that it’s hard as hell.

I learned long ago, that you don’t get what you want by yelling. You don’t get people’s respect by being impolite or rude. And nobody hears you if you’re screaming.

There is nothing more powerful than remaining calm when the person in front of you isn’t.

There is nothing like staying polite and dignified when they’ve done something so shitty that you actually want to swing a bat at them and yet you force yourself to look them in the eyes and speak calmly.

There is nothing like indifference – even if you’re not!

Sure, I can be sarcastic. I do it often under such circumstances and I’m quite good at it. But I’ll try to be sarcastically cool with a disappointed look.

For me to lose my temper would mean that all lines have been crossed, all barriers broken. And I don’t like me when it comes to that.

15. I’m a shitty karaoke singer.

I’m being kind with my ‘shitty’ adjective. I couldn’t carry a tune even if it killed me.

Actually, music is not what you call my forte.

In my car, I sound great. But that’s because I’m the only one listening.

In the shower…well, it’s already raining, how much more damage can I do?

I was a soprano in my high school choir because they felt sorry for me. I stood at the very back.

I played the same song on the recorder (Mary Had a Little Lamb) for 3 years cause I couldn’t read the notes.

The only song I can actually sing, and I’m so embarrassed to say this, is “Ice Ice Baby“.

For some retarded reason, I sang it as a joke once and somehow it stuck. So now, if I must make a fool of myself and sing in public, that’s the one I do.

I pretend to be making fun, but I’m actually pathetically trying to rap my way to rhythm.

My advice to you is EARPLUGS!

16. I love to travel.

Long distance, short distance, doesn’t matter. Love it, love it, love it!

I have visited more countries than I can count and have lived in some of the greatest and most cosmopolitan cities in the world.

I will spend my last dime on a trip somewhere, anywhere! I think discovering new places is one of the most fulfilling things in life.

My greatest asset is that wherever I go, I usually know someone – actually many a one! That’s the thing about my friends, they’re not only great, they’re also everywhere!

17. I’m damn proud of my family, background and education.

More than you can imagine, actually.

My family comes first in everything.

They have offered me a life that others dream of, an education that others fight for and a home that others yearn for.

I owe everything I am and have to my parents who without a doubt have raised me to the best of their abilities for they have instilled the proper values in me.

They have taught me to do what’s right. To be honest, virtuous and kind.

To take responsibility for my actions – even though I don’t always do.

To improve myself and make use of my full potential – even though I ought to be doing more.

To be polite and respectful – even though I should be more towards them.

To strive to be better than they are – even though they’re my idols and I have yet to reach their ankles (an old Arabic saying).

For that I am blessed and grateful everyday.

I could have continued this post for at least another 10 pages, but I’ll spare you the endless reading ;). I hope you enjoyed it none the less.

Your thoughts are always welcome here. So go ahead and share them if you like. And feel free to add a little about yourself if you feel inspired to do so. But most importantly, send some Bday wishes my way :).

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About the Author

Ingrid Abboud aka 'Griddy' is a whole lot of things with a ridiculous amount of interests. For one, I'm a Social Media enthusiast with a tremendous passion for writing and blogging. I'm also a pretty cool Copywriter but a more serious MarCom Consultant. But most of all, I'm the proud owner and driving force behind nittyGriddy.com - A Kinda Social Media Journal with Net News & more.

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  • http://www.seobywebmechanix.com Arsham Mirshah

    Dude, I totally just got lost in your blog…  This is how it happened: Saw your email update, clicked thru to the homepage, then the first link of the most recent Bring It to find this post … & definitely vibed with it.

    This is probably my Bring It response as well as my thoughts after reading this post…

    I hate my bday, Jan 2, not all that exciting, definitely deflated due to new year. 

    Your blog is awesome, you seem way cool and your friends and family are lucky to have you. 

    Hot that have some athleticism in you, but very sad to hear you smoke (negative points missy)… have you quit (or made strides towards it) since Nov 2010? Admittedly, I was a smoker in my teens and do still like a cig after many drinks, but that’s not often.  YOU GOT THE WILL POWER! J

    Every thing I’ve ever said to you was truth, and always will be… being lied to hurts, being cheated on is worse.  One of WebMechanix’s core values is “I practice transparency and candor” – it’s definitely a brilliant principle for all.

    Friends are great, watching movies with friends is awesome.

    I’ve never had Lebanese food (I think) – but I love everything Indian, Iranian, Afghan and the such, and the names of the foods you listed sound delicious… going to Google to find nearby Lebanese restaurant*

    I’m a pansy drinker too, but definitely have a lot of fun when I do it…  but a nice night cap puts me to sleep pretty well (was kinda addicted to sleeping pills for a while as it was hard for me to fall asleep).

     4 LANGUAGES!?  Very cool!!! Arabic and French = HOTTT!  I know a tiny French.. English and Farsi are fluent and I am going to RosettaStone my way to Spanish.

    Like you, I don’t like being told what to do, and will express so in an acceptable manor – and I don’t lose my temper ever after reading How To Win Friends & Influence People for the 4th time last year… brilliant book.

    Karaoke is lame (cuz I suck at it and have no practice) – Traveling is AWESOME as you get to learn so much about life in very little, yet very impactful time.  I was in Malaysia & Indonesia last fall, loved learning about their culture.  My family is from Iran, so 3rd world is very familiar and I’m extra thankful to be privileged to live in the US. 

    Family is very important – They are your friends before and after your other friends.  I would be NOTHING without my family, the culture they instilled in me, and the education they “forced” me to endure (I loved school looking back on it, & was really good at ti).

    Long story short, we would totally get along. 

    I feel a lot closer to you after reading this and it feels good.  I wish you the best in all your goals and dreams Ingrid… you have the vibe and energy of an awesome person and thus deserve nothing but happiness.

    Cheers,

    Arsham

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Hey Arsham,

      What an incredible comment you left for me and my readers here – thank you so much for taking the time to do that and for all the wonderful and kind things that you said. Very cool of you and I appreciate it big time! :))
      I’m gonna’ have to agree with you about having a bday on Jan.2 – or on or near any major holiday for that matter – you always get your thunder stolen and that must suck! Sorry :(.

      And you’re right – a big no no for me when it comes to smoking. It’s a filthy habit that I just can’t seem to shake – or to be more honest – I haven’t tried shaking it in a while. I’d even be happy being a social smoker – although that’s kinda how it starts – so be careful. Sometimes one leads to another. But I have a lot of friends like you – who will only have one or two when they go out and drink or maybe even after a meal.

      Let me know when you’ve had the chance to try Lebanese food. We have a few dishes that are very close to Persian. Especially our rice mixes and so forth. By the way – I love your food! I would eat if often in Boston.

      Good luck with Spanish – in all honesty, it’s not a difficult language to learn – and it often helps if you already know one of the other Latin derived ones. I learned Spanish last so French helped speed up the process. But then again – I was still really young.It’s nice to know we share the same values when it comes to family. I’d like to think everyone does but alas…that’s not always the case. 

      Thank you so much again for the words of support here and for sharing a little about yourself as well. It’s always nice to know some more about the people we so often interact with online – especially when you feel they’re genuine.

      I wish you all the same things you wished me and more. Best of luck to you in all your future endeavors. And most of all – health and happiness.

      Always great to read one of your comments Arsham and of course – it’s a pleasure to have you here.Have a great week.

      Cheers

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  • http://getbusylivingblog.com Benny Hsu

    Loved it!! Nice to learn about a different side of you. Where did you go to college? 

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Hey Benny,
      I’m so sorry – but I just saw your comment here :(.
      Better late than never I suppose huh?
      I’m glad you enjoyed this piece – it was definitely fun to write :).
      I went to college in Boston – both undergrad and grad school.
      Cheers

      • http://getbusylivingblog.com Benny Hsu

        It’s ok! I know it’s an older post so it’s easier to miss. 

        Thanks!

        • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

          Actually – I’ve been having trouble with my notification emails for the last 6 weeks or so and it’s been really annoying. They’re all going to my junk mail folder for some reason and I can’t seem to fix the problem. Grrr…..

  • Shawn E. Tuma

    Wonderful post – so nice to get to know so many interesting things about the woman behind the keyboard!

    p.s., being a lawyer, I can tell you there is very little difference between the Law and Order and Pretty Woman professions 😉

  • Shawnetuma

    Wonderful post – so nice to get to know so many interesting things about the woman behind the keyboard!

    p.s., being a lawyer, I can tell you there is very little difference between the Law and Order and Pretty Woman professions 😉

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Hey Shawn,
      I’m glad you enjoyed this post – I actually had a ton of fun writing it :).
      It’s always nice to get to know the folks you regularly read and interact with a little more.

      PS – Being neither a lawyer nor an advocate of the oldest profession in the world (LOL) – I can tell you that they often need each other – point in case – Pretty Woman haha.

      Great of you to stop by here Mr. Tuma
      Cheers

  • http://www.blistmarketing.com Brandon Yanofsky

    I think I can solve your shitty karaoke singer problem. You need to start drinking more often. Then you’ll find you’re a great karaoke singer.

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      LOL Brandon :)!
      I think you may actually have a point. But I’m afraid that the only one who will think so is me ;).

      • http://www.blistmarketing.com Brandon Yanofsky

        Remember what they told you in preschool: the only opinion that matters is your own.

        • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

          Nail.On.Head! 😉
          Worst comes to worst – they can always wear earplugs lol

  • Anonymous

    To Parle Francais?!? Tres Bien – and that’s all I got, well that and Je’m’appelle Paul – but my name is Alex, so that phrase was never going to be helpful!
    Loved reading this, and although I am late to the party (apologies) I did enjoy the atmosphere :)
    (stupid no smiley face disqus RAH!)
    First off let me allow my chauvanist in me to come out and summarise the post:
    ‘You are good looking, easy, sorry I mean a sissy drinker (LOL) and you smoke – oooh baby it’s a pity you can’t cook or you’d be all mine! LOL Ok apologies for myself, now moving on –

    Much respect for your langauage skills first off – especially seeing as English is not your first language but you are one of the better wordsmiths I follow online – brilliant!
    Also, why is it no surprise that this post is so epic Another thing about you is that you could talk the hind legs off of a donkey, but in your case, the donkey would say thankyou, and promptly turn around and walk upright!

    Love everything you do and share, and the fact that you love people is clearly evident in everything you do.

    Now go light up a smoke and think about what you are doing!
    I’m off to have one too :)

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Alex,

      Would saying this is an absolutely fantastic and kick-ass comment give you a good idea as to how much your comment rocked and how much I liked it? 😉

      And oui je parle Francais Paul hehe.
      I actually consider English to be my mother tongue as well – it’s the language I think, write and dream in. It’s the only language I enjoy writing in and am okay (cough) at.

      I’m sure glad you got a chance to read this post – even if you’re a couple months late. The comment made up for that and then some lol.

      It is indeed a pity that I can’t cook to save my life but I’m determined to learn one of these days. The operative words there are: “one of these days” hehe.

      You chauvinist side is actually very amusing and the summary is ummm…well, flattering for one haha!

      Thanks so much for all that you said. I really am flattered and I appreciate your amazing support along this blogging journey of mine. You’ve been wonderful.

      Needless to say that I too love everything that you share as it’s always so informative and entertaining.

      I just put out my last cigarette of the night but I did think a lot about things while smoking it ;). Hope yours was just as enlightening.

      Have a super weekend Mr. Whalley.
      Always a pleasure to have you drop by and share your humorous and valuable comments.

      Cheers

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  • Mark W Schaefer

    Fun idea!

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Hey Mark,

      Glad you liked it. Hope it inspires you to write your own :).
      Thanks for dropping by.

      Cheers

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  • Antonia Harler

    I’m a newbie here – just popped over from Gini’s post and started reading your birthday post. So happy birthday :) Hope you had a blast. BUT on the other hand what I really wanted to say is, is it possible that we’ve been sperated at birth? I think it might be possible. 15 of the above 17 points are me. Like a 100 %. So I’m not sure what that means exactly but the one thing I know for sure is that I’ll have to come back to this blog WAY more often, starting today. :)

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Hi Antonia and welcome :),I’ll make sure to thank that super cool and fabulous Gini for sending you my way :).First and foremost, thank you for your kind words and wishes. And yes, I had a great time!I always wondered if I had a twin out there somewhere haha. I’m so happy you found me my long lost sista’ from anotha’ motha’ haha. But seriously, 15 out of 17? WOW! I’m gonna’ take a wild guess and say that we only differ in numbers 8 and 12. Did I guess right ;)? Yes, No?Well, regardless of what this lovely coincidence means, I for one, am thrilled that you intend on coming around here WAY more often. I just love hearing that and I’ll certainly be looking forward to seeing more of your very cool comments!Thanks again for coming by. It sure is nice to know that you liked what you saw Ms. SocialGlitz :)! Cheers

      • Antonia Harler

        Well hello sista from anotha mother – lol – you are bang on with 8 and 12 – however, not even those two are way off. I love Libanese food but it’s not my favorite and i speak 3 instead of 4 languages. haha does that count at all?

        As for the comments.. haha I saw you in the blogging world and you sure left very short comments. Love it! & Since you discovered that I’m Ms Social Glitz I sure hope to see you over there some time. And your birthday post might just have given me some inspiration for a post of my own. Thank you Thank you Thank you!

        BTW, are you in Paris yet? :)

        • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

          Well in that case Antonia, let’s just say we differ with only 1 thing. I’m according you half a point for each (8 and 12) since they’re super close LOL! So, yes – it counts ;).I was actually already following you before you stopped by here :).I wrote this pretty cool and obviously funny (if I may say so myself) guest post for Famous Bloggers not long ago called “10 (but in Reality 13) Kinds of Peeps I Don’t Follow on Twitter”. And when you added me, I followed you right back for all the reasons that I mentioned (that you don’t do – that’s a good thing lol) in that post! Check it out and let me know what you think. http://www.famousbloggers.net/…I’m glad this post inspired you and you should definitely give it a shot. It’s fun to write plus your readers get to know a little more about you. I stayed away from the very personal stuff – just cause I’m not big on sharing my “up close and personal inside life” with the entire online world lol. But I know that many people do, so it’s really as you wish and what you’re comfortable with.You’ll undoubtedly be seeing me on your blog. Just as soon as I return from my trip. Not there yet, but will be in 2 days :).Thanks for coming back and leaving a reply :).Cheers

          • Antonia Harler

            hahahaha I love that post. I’m exactly the same way. Lately I’ve been getting @mentions saying something like “when will you follow me back?” uhm.. well NEVER. or “#FF people who don’t follow back.” hahah well you know what, you are not getting 2 minutes of my time. Ever. And certainly not a follow back. My Twitter network isn’t massive but I appreciate every single one of my followers and am proud to have interacted with i’d say 90 % of them. I like to talk. Always. So my Twitter stream usually is full with @replies. The news and posts just kinda fall through the cracks. :)

            I wrote a little rant the other day about 2 twitter pet peeves of mine – http://www.socialglitz.com/for-the-love-of-pete-bring-some-personality-to-the-table/ – I can really relate to most things you said in that post. Heck, probably all of them.

            I hope you have a wonderful time in Paris. Je l’adore. :)

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  • http://twitter.com/MySOdotCom Kevin Green

    I just love this post and your writing, I see way to much of myself in the story, scarry

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Hi Kevin,It’s great to see you here. Glad the Twittersphere directed you to me and my blog as you’ve been a super support with all your RT’s :).Thanks so much for your kind and encouraging words. I’m glad you like this one – it’s rather special. Actually, there’s another special one coming up in a few hours for my blog’s 1 year anniversary. Looks like we have a few things in common then – hopefully it’s the good qualities (my double negative – goofy grammar) hehehe.Thanks again for stopping by. Looking forward to seeing you around these parts more often.Cheers

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  • http://www.bloggingbookshelf.com TristanH

    Happy birthday! May the next year bring you all sorts of awesomeness in spades!

    I’ve decided to respond to each one of your points with a corresponding point of my own :)

    1. I could not care less about my birthday.
    2. Blogging Bookshelf is less than a month old but it’s already taking a different direction than what I originally intended.
    3. I’m a semi-professional rock climber. This means that I’m not good enough to be sponsored but good enough to get a free piece of something every once in a while :)
    4. I tend to speak my mind a bit too much.
    5. Yes, lying is bad.
    6. I love my laptop more than anything else in the world :)
    7. I’ve bought one too many domain names.
    8. My favorite food is Indian food. (But Lebanese food is AWESOME!)
    9. I can’t cook at all either. Sad :(
    10. I don’t drink.
    11. Me neither! I usually sleep from 2 to 8 or 3 to 9.
    12. I speak 3 languages (English, Russian, Ukrainian) and can get around in Chinese and Spanish (please don’t make me speak it, though!).
    13. Me too. It’s hard for me to keep a job because of this.
    14. I’m pretty mild-mannered but when I DO lose my temper, bad things happen.
    15. Me too, but I still LOVE karaoke! My roommates and I regularly hold karaoke parties.
    16. Yes, travel is awesome. I’ve lived in 5 countries, with hopefully many more to come in the future.
    17. Though my family’s been in the US for a 4 or 5 generations now, I’m 1/4 Armenian. The rest is English with some German thrown in.

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Well Tristan – that’s what I call a kick-ass comment :).
      Thank you for taking the time to share these things about yourself. Very cool!

      Here are my few thoughts on some of your points.

      – Blogging Bookshelf may be less than 2 months old, but I’m already an avid reader.
      – I too love my laptop. When people ask you what is the one non-living thing you would save if your house was burning (God forbid) – it would be my PC.
      – I’ve bought about 9 domain names that are just sitting there waiting to expire.
      – If I lose my temper (very, very rarely) – stay clear!
      – I actually enjoy karaoke, even though I clearly suck at it.
      – I would have never guessed you were any part Armenian since your last name doesn’t end in ‘ian’. BTW – tons of Armenians in Lebanon. Then again, I would have never guessed you spoke Russian – very cool!

      Thanks again for stopping by.
      Cheers to your continued success.

  • http://hotblogtips.com Keith Bloemendaal

    Happy B-Day Ingrid!

    Yeah, I am a smoker too, started way too young as well.

    I have never had Lebanese food, so would love to try it!

    Anyway, have a great day!

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Hey Keith,

      Looks like we both need to give up something this New Year’s then :). Let’s hope it’s not another 10 min long resolution though lol.

      Please do try some Lebanese food. You won’t regret it. If you do, you’re more than welcome to come back here and curse hehehe. Seriously though, I really hope you like it!

      Thanks a lot for coming by and wishing me a happy bday. Very sweet of you.
      Cheers

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  • Slkkhed

    Hey Ingrid…. Hope your day was wonderful…but you forgot to add that you told your parents that you were in the Olympics when you were in the NCAA’s so they wouldnt be pissed that you were missing your Graduation! Best of Days
    Lisa (Hedrick’s Mom)

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Hahahaha

      Mrs. Hedrick – What a pleasant and amazing surprise to see you here. You have me laughing out loud quite hard with the biggest nostalgic look on my face!

      Looks like I’m gonna’ have to add that one to my little white lies ;).

      To make a very long story short:

      Yes, it’s true. I told my parents – who know very little about softball except for that a ball and stick are involved (although my dad has seen me play a few times) – that the NCAA’s were a kind of US Olympics. And there’s a good reason for that.

      My mom and dad were on their way to my graduation in Boston while I was on my way to Wisconsin & Minnesota for the NCAA tournament. Needless to say that when my father called to say he had landed, I had quite a bit of explaining to do for why I wouldn’t be attending my graduation. And if you know my father, then you know that anything and everything that has to do with education comes first.

      So yes, I missed my college graduation and my father who flew back thousands of miles. My mom was okay with it and stayed and made a little vacation out of it. And my school was kind enough to have a little private ceremony for us 3 fabulous seniors who missed the official G Day.

      Needless to say, that SOMEONE wasn’t too happy with Griddy ;). And Griddy got the biggest lecture of her life!

      But you know what, I would do it again over and over in a heartbeat.

      What would you choose? Getting your diploma or playing in the World Series? Keep in mind, that I was still gonna’ get my diploma – only 3 days later.

      It wasn’t much of a choice for me!

      My Dear Mrs. Hedrick – you just brought back one hell of a memory. They were and will always be the best of my days!

      Thank you so much for that reminder – not that I could ever forget lol!
      I hope to see you here much more often :).

      All my best to you and your wonderful family that I hold very dear to my heart.

      PS – My day just became more wonderul.

      Griddy

  • http://dannybrown.me Danny Brown

    So you’re 29 and a half? 29 and three quarters? :)

    Happy Birthday, miss – make it a good one, and as my buddy Troy mentioned, you’re welcome in Canada anytime. :)

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      My Dear Mr. Brown, I simply stopped at 29 lol.

      I’m not a good liar, so I’ll tell you this much. One of the 2 numbers is a 3 and the other is definitely not a 9 – not for a long time anyways.

      If that was my sorry attempt to have this sound like a riddle, then by all means I totally understand if you take back that Canada invitation hahaha.

      Seriously though, I really appreciate that you took the time to stop by here to read this post and wish me a happy bday :). I hope you liked it. If nothing else – one thing’s for sure is that it’s honest.

      Thanks so much to both you and Troy for your kind invite. I may just take you up on that someday.

      Cheers

      • http://hotblogtips.com Keith Bloemendaal

        Since I am 39, I guess I will stop there LOL

        • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

          Lol
          We all have to stop somewhere Keith ;).

  • http://kikolani.com/ Kristi Hines

    Happy Birthday, and great getting to know you post!

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Hey Kristi,

      Very kind of you to stop by here. Thanks a lot. Glad you enjoyed the post :).

      Cheers

  • http://www.famousbloggers.net Hesham Zebida

    WOW! Happy BirthDay Ingrid, very nice post!

    Good to know more about you, I am also useless before 11 AM, I am a night creature by nature! I Sleep very late at nights, maybe because I hate to sleep as I think it’s a waste of time haha

    My Wishes for a happy and a healthy life

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Hi Hisham,

      Zayak el naharda? Inshallah kheir.

      I’m really glad you liked this post :). I hesitated a lot before writing it, but then went with my gut instinct and said, what the hell. So I kept it appropriate and fun to read – at least I hope lol.

      You see, all great nocturnal minds think alike hehe. And your night creature habits seem to be doing wonders for you over at Famous Bloggers. More proof that out night method works ;).

      Always good to have you here my friend and thank you very much for your kind bday wishes.

      Cheers

  • Troy

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY INGRID -oop’s caps lock

    Awesome post!! It’s great to learn so many things about you (other than 140 characters worth) lol. I am new to your blog but thoroughly enjoy it- it’s always written with such energy and intelligence. Maybe one day you can make it up to Canada for one of our events, the Bonsai crew loves to have fun. Until the next post, I raise my glass to you and wish you a very Happy Birthday- Cheers!

    Troy

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Troy,

      I’m really happy you liked this post. I had a great time writing it. But had to force myself to stop at some point lol.

      Your very encouraging words are another one of my fabulous presents tonight :). Really appreciate that.

      Energy and intelligence – I like that ;)!

      Would love to make it up there for one of Bonsai’s events – hopefully soon. And awesome of you to suggest that – thank you :)!

      Would be nice to visit Canada again. Haven’t been in a while. But, I used to go all the time when I lived in the East Coast – but to Montreal mostly.

      Thanks so much for your kind wishes. I’ve raised my glass quite a few times tonight and it’s a pleasure to raise it again and say Cheers to you Mr. Claus!

  • http://www.extremejohn.com/ Extreme John

    of course you get a HUGE Happy Birthday! I hope your day is awesome!

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Hehe

      Thanks so much John.
      Loved my HUGE wishes :).
      Very cool of you.

      Cheers

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Hehe

      Thanks so much John.
      Loved my HUGE wishes :).
      Very cool of you.

      Cheers

  • http://seommotips.com Suresh Khanal

    How interestingly you put forward the things. I envy the way your write. You’ve lovely excuse for smoking too :-)

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Suresh,

      Such kind words, thank you very much. I won’t lie to you but I like the way I write too lol :).
      As for the smoking – well, no excuse is a good excuse :(. But gonna’ go on a quest for that will power soon!

      Cheers

  • http://www.sweetsfoods.com/ Gera @ SweetsFoods

    Great to know more about you Ingrid! Birthdays are always a problem. Since many years ago I stopped counting haha!
    I love Lebanese food too at least the basics :)

    Happy Birthday!! Feliz Cumpleaños!!

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Hey Gera,

      Thanks so much. Hopefully, you liked what you now know more of lol.

      The thing is – birthdays are kind of like a good problem. You know in advance that there’s no solution, they’re just gonna’ keep coming so you may as well try to make the best out of them.

      We all have to stop counting at some point – I stopped at 29 haha.

      Yay, I’m glad you like Lebanese food – now you gotta’ try the good ‘not basic’ stuff! Although the basics are always yummy too :).

      Muchas Gracias y que pase un buen dia.

      Salud

  • Noha Hachach

    Happy Birthday….what a great post! xo

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Habibti Noha – Thank you so much. I love that you read nittyGriddy! Yay :).

  • Hady Esta

    happy birthday nitty :)
    you are fantastic, i couldn’t stop reading you ( bio ) although i know all of it but the way you put it in writing is extraordinary .
    few things are missing though 😉 but all i can say is that you are a wonderful person .
    biz

    • http://nittygriddy.com/ Ingrid Abboud

      Hady,

      Thank you so much for you kind and thoughtful words. I appreciate every single one of them.

      I’m happy you found this post captivating to read, especially from someone who knows me as well as you do;). And you’re right, I left out many things. But, I think it’s enough for personal stuff here hahaha.

      I’m sure you would do a very good job continuing this post for me :).

      All I can say is thank you 10x for thinking that I’m a wonderful person and for your compliment in regards to my writing. It means a lot to me, as I’m sure you know.

      I’m really happy that you liked this post! I hope that you will continue to read what I have to share and give your opinion.

      Biz to you.

      Thanks again – truly.

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