A Roommate's Influence

Since moving out of my mom's house at the age of eighteen, I've had sixteen roommates (not including summer projects). While anyone can tell you that living with a roommate can be a great learning and growth experience, what I've noticed is that many of the things I think, do, or like I do so because of a roommate's influence. I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane and see just what kind of an impact they've had on me. Because of roommates, I:

• know how to stretch my pants before I put them in the dryer so they don't shrink
• think being a vegetarian is a good thing
• know how to fold fitted sheets
• believe that Democrats and Republicans can actually live together and get along (and Christians and atheists for that matter ;-)
• have seen every episode of Buffy & Angel more than once and can sing along to the musical episode
• own all available seasons of Friends & Bones and know that getting a random quote via text can brighten my day
• value getting up a little earlier to read my Bible and pray
• realize that "eye, pirate, snake" can also mean I.R.S. 
• am aware that one way to conserve water is to follow the motto "If it's yellow, let it mellow; if it's brown, flush it down."
• am still watching Smallville in its 10th and final season
• wrap my sandwich in a paper towel before I put it in a sandwich bag so that I always have a napkin
• can play scales on the piano
• know that I love bulgogi and Chapagetti but not kimchi (I also know that kimchi is SUPPOSED to smell and should not get thrown out just because it stinks)
• can find my pulse on my wrist (seriously could not do this before)
• can tolerate watching Project Runway. No wait, I still can't do that
• am hooked on Grey's Anatomy
• know what the Millennium Falcon is
• believe Arrested Development should have had more than three seasons
• can't eat a candy cane without evaluating whether or not the curved part really does taste different
• think every trip to Disneyland should include as many silly hat pictures as possible

These are just a sampling of the infinite ways that I am different because of all my wonderful roommates. Thank you all for making me such a TV junkie! Really though, I am so thankful for each and every one of you who have put up with my idiosyncrasies and chore charts and helped make me who I am today. I dedicate this post to you.

Jackie, Jenna, Leah, Tracey, Krista, Beth, Katie, Melissa, Tania, Celia, Laura, Dustin, Mark, and Sharn - I love you all!