100 Facts, Part 10

• My drink of choice is a Malibu and Coke. If I’m going the non-caffeinated route I’ll ask for a vanilla vodka and cranberry because it tastes like liquid cheesecake.
• I am a firm believer in The Law of Attraction. I’ve seen The Universe give me what I want and need simply because I’ve thought it into being. I realize that this sounds very hippy-like, but it’s happened far too many times for it to be a fluke.
• When I go on trips my goal is to bring back at least one or two new pairs of earrings. I love accessories and they’re easy to transport.
• I have this weird thing about my alarm clock: it must be set ahead at least 20 minutes. I KNOW it’s set ahead that much but still. It must be done.
• The best dishes I make are meant for parties: savory taco salads, melty baked bries and vats of cheese or chocolate fondues.
• I’d rather buy books than borrow them. That way if I like them I can add them to my ever-expanding library. If I hate them I’ll throw them against the wall (I’m looking at you Twilight and Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single) and forget I wasted money on them.
• One of my goals in life is to see one of my secrets on the Post Secret website.
• Since leaving grad school I’ve become pretty good at forming and asking reflective questions of my staff, students, friends and strangers.
• One of my favorite snacks is frozen Cheetos. You may scoff or judge but seriously? Try it. They’re SO MUCH BETTER frozen!
• I’ve been described as a more intelligent Kelly Kapoor (from The Office) and a more high-strung version of Monica Geller (from Friends).

100 Facts, Part 9

• I have a routine for Chinese food buffets: one plate of appetizers, one to two pretty full plates of noodles and stir fry and then a light dessert.
• I’ve worked since I was 9 years old. I began babysitting and picking strawberries then. The value of hard work was instilled in me by my very Finnish family.
• One of my favorite simple indulgences is a long, hot shower. I could spend hours soaking in the hot water and steam.
• If I were stranded on an island and could only bring three items, I’d make sure that they were a large blank journal, a pack of pens and a warm, versatile blanket.
• I never went to the prom. Mainly because my tiny podunk school didn’t have a prom.
• I can’t lie. I always begin smiling and giggling because I think “heeheeee! I’m totally getting away with lying right now!!” It’s awful.
• My two favorite items in the world are my ruby ring that I received from my Mom for my NMU graduation and the purple wool blanket I snagged as a souvenir when I studied abroad in Scotland.
• I refuse to answer to people who call me Kris.
• My comfort TV show is Friends. I watch it most nights because I’ve loved it since its start and it reminds me of my high school and college friends. It eases my soul.
•  I would do anything for my mom. She is the reason I push myself to go further and achieve more. I just want her to be proud of me.

100 Facts, Part 8

• I am secretly obsessed with Drag Queens. I will drop all plans if I get to see a Drag Show and I’m thrilled when they talk to me/become my friends. I draw so much inspiration from their wardrobes and interpretations of songs.
• My soul cries when I watch shows like America’s Best Dance Crew and So You Think You Can Dance. I love dancing so much but I have no background in it and I’m pissed I wasn’t put in classes as a kid. I could’ve been good!
• I’m a collector of quotes. I have a massive Word file on my laptop that records both inspirational quotes and the hilarious things my friends say.
• I didn’t see mountains until I was 26 years old. I know!
• One of the proudest accomplishments of my life is earning my Masters Degree, especially since I completed it in the face of a lot of adversity my second year.
• I am a hopeless romantic. I swoon over sweet texts, beautiful bouquets of flowers and meaningful words on paper.
• My favorite city in the world is London.
• My favorite US city is Chicago.
• I rarely carry cash on me. I rely far too heavily on my debit card. This should bother me more but it doesn’t.
• My favorite animal is the penguin. I want to own them as pets one day. I blame the children’s book Mr. Popper’s Penguin for this idea.

100 Facts, Part 7

• My go-to karaoke song is “Baby Got Back.” I also love singing “Holding Out for a Hero” but I can only sing that song with my Wifey. Both songs are surprising crowd pleasers, according to many past experiences.
• I seriously love McDonald’s Sweet Tea and will find any excuse to drink it.
• My nighttime ritual includes watching The Colbert Report and Jimmy Fallon and then reading a bit. I absolutely cannot sleep unless I read at least a chapter or an essay from one of the many books I’m inevitably working my way through.
• I wore super-dorky huge plastic glasses from grades 3 through 8. I HATED them. The day I got contacts was one of the happiest of my life.
• If one musician could write a song about me, I’d want it to be Gershwin. He’s my favorite composer. If I could commission a second artist to write a Krissy-centric song it’d be Lady Gaga.
• I’m a published writer. My first piece of non-fiction was published in NASPA’s Stories of Inspiration 2. It’s a Chicken Soup for the Soul kind of book for the Student Affairs crowd.
• I feel sexiest and prettiest when I’m laughing.
• My favorite flower is the peony. We had peony bushes outside of my childhood home and I loved how full they are when the bloom and how perfumed they were as a little girl. It’s stuck with me.
• I’ve seen every episode of The Office at least three times.
• One of my secret talents is dream interpretation. All of my friends come to me when they have odd dreams and wake up confused.

100 Facts, Part 6

• I have never received flowers from a boyfriend. I once got them from a guy I went on one date with, but that was merely to get in my pants so it doesn’t count. I don’t want them for the sake of getting them.  I want them because someone I care about knows that the thought behind the gesture is meaningful and he wants to make me happy down to my core.
• Although many friends and peers call me creative on a regular basis I don’t think that I truly am. I feel like I run with ideas that inspire me, that I usually get from others.
• I have never been to a professional sporting event.
• My fall-back coffeehouse drink is a Chai latte’ with coconut. Unless I’m at Starbucks because their Chai lattes are disgusting. (Then it’s a white chocolate mocha.)
• I don’t want to have children. I’ve known this since I was 17 years old. I love kids, but no. Just no.
• I have little patience for negative people. I don’t want that in my life.
• The five people to dinner question: Tina Fey, Oprah, Madonna, Jen Lancaster and Barack Obama.
• I am severely addicted to cuddling.
• The only sport I’m good at is fencing. I will parry and thrust the shit out of any opponent!
• If there is a reflective surface I will check myself out.

100 Facts, Part 5

• Almost every top I own has sequins, lace or animal print in some way, shape or form on it.
• I’m in love with MAC cosmetics.
• I love to knit, but can only create straight rows, so I’m really good at making scarves and blankets. And that’s about it.
• I feel naked if I leave the apartment without perfume on.
• One of my nicknames is KP. I adore when my friends call me that because only the people closest to me know me by this name. I feel loved when I hear it.
• When I grow up I want to be a life coach.
• Or work for Disney in some way, shape or form.
• My mom only has one vocal chord, yet is louder than my sister and I combined. This fact both annoys and impresses me.
• As girly as I am, I rarely wear dresses. I will done layers of jewelry, spend hours on my hair, rock the heels and wear the cutest outfits known to mankind, but putting on a skirt is for special occasions only. I’m talking weddings, formal banquets and extra-special dates only.
• A lot of my friends believe that I am a gay man trapped in the body of a woman.

100 Facts, Part 4

• I’m hesitant to trust anyone who won’t karaoke, even when drunk. Seriously, what have you got to lose?
• I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was 9 years-old. I realized I could be a writer if books like The Baby-sitters Club could get published.
• I have this weird thing about rings—I need to be wearing three of them, no more, no less. Luckily I have three I’m really attached to so it’s not an issue right now. It’ll become one if I find some other ring I’d like to wear daily.
• My favorite word is the F-word: fabulous!
• I can’t imagine myself without bangs. I tried for a year in high school and looking back on the pictures, I think I look awful. I haven’t been bangs-less since.
• I took five years to get my degree from Northern Michigan University. I reasoned that I was getting a fantastic out-of-classroom education through Res-Life, SLFP (the two-year leadership program) and event programming, so I felt no urge to leave sooner than necessary. I don’t regret it for a minute.
• My perfect man is a combination of Chandler Bing, Jim Halpert and Cory Matthews.
• I’m ordained. I can marry people or christen ships and stuff.
• As cheesy as it sounds, one of my favorite places ever is Disney World. It holds a special magic to me. I love the feeling I get when I’m there—like anything spectacular or magical could happen.
• I’m a sucker for self-help books and blogs. I practically salivate when I read a good improvement article on Oprah.com.

100 Facts, Part 3

• I hold all my tension and stress in my neck and shoulders. I could get a deep massage weekly and still feel tense.
• Supervising a student staff is the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life.
• I don’t want to get a Smart Phone. I don’t like the idea of being that connected to my email or social networks. I don’t like being THAT available. I want to engage in life, not stare at a screen.
• I love painting pottery. Half of my bowls and a lot of my home décor is artwork I’ve done. I’m a bit addicted.
• In the Coke vs. Pepsi war, I am a Pepsi girl all the way.
• As of late, I’ve put together a Krissy uniform: dark pants, cute tank or blouse, form-fitting cardigan or blazer, funky jewelry and heels. Good for the office and off-campus adventures!
• I keep saying I’m going to read more classics but I’ve been stuck on the same chapter of Pride & Prejudice for two years.
• A good afternoon for me consists of a Chai latte, a bookstore and then a fantastic conversation with a loved one.
• My bucket list is ever-growing: visit all seven continents, publish my memoir, celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans and about 150 other things.
• I never eat breakfast but I LOVE breakfast foods. Scrambled eggs, bagels, French toast, bacon (BACON!!!), yogurt parfaits? Yes, please! God bless the invention of brinner.

100 Facts, Part 2

• I was a tomboy for a brief time as a child. That period lasted about two months before I got bored and realized I wasn’t following my heart. I think I was 9.
• My favorite fruit is the pear. But I don’t ever buy them.
• I’m very emotionally attached to my nose ring.  VERY attached.
• My Enneagram number is 7. If you have no idea what I’m talking about you should do some research. It could be life-changing, as the Enneagram has been for me.
• I’m ridiculously superstitious. I hate the number 13 and I avoid black cats at all costs.
• I love it when people write me notes, texts or emails that are personalized and heartfelt. It can be a sentence, it can be ten pages, it doesn’t matter. It means the world to me when I know that someone is thinking about me and telling me that I matter to them. Oftentimes I’ll tear up or do a happy dance when I receive a good email, card or text.
• When I was 2 years old, I wanted to be a Ghostbuster when I grew up. I still kind of do.
• My latest addiction is to cardigans. At last count I had at least 15. It’s a weakness.
• I adore anything zebra printed.
• The only sports team I’m truly interested in is the Michigan State Spartans. If they’re playing I will be enraptured for two to three hours, but that’s the only time I’ll ever truly get into a game.

100 Facts, Part 1

• I get excited every time I go to Target. I fucking love that store.
• Although I love dying my hair now, my natural color was/is a gorgeous cinnamon brown that would likely be lovely if I hadn’t mucked it up with chemicals.
• I was reading chapter books at the age of 6. My first one was Charlotte’s Web. It’s still a favorite.
• Blank pages are inspiring! I love the idea of blank pages being filled with lots of ideas. I can’t stop myself from buying tons of notebooks and journals for that reason.
• I love the color purple.
• My very first crush was on Egon from The Ghostbusters. My affinity for dorks began at the tender age of 4.
• I didn’t see a person of a different race until I was 12. This was only because we went to a city for a band trip.
• As a senior in high school I was voted “Biggest Mouth” and “Most Likely to Become an Infomercial Spokesperson”.
• I was a band geek. I adored playing the clarinet. My fingertips are still shaped to cover the holes of my beloved woodwind instrument, even more than ten years since I’ve stopped playing.
• I’m a Leo. And I fully believe in my horoscope—unless it’s a bad prediction.