I regularly share food and lifestyle content here, and opening up about personal details can feel a little nerve-wracking when you’re not used to it. One of my favorite types of posts from other bloggers is the “random facts” format — I love learning small, personal things about people. So, I’m taking the plunge and sharing 25 random facts about me that you might not know. I hope you enjoy getting to know me a bit better!
(in no particular order)
1) My first job after high school was at the local Williams Sonoma, and that experience helped steer me toward food and home content.
2) I’m allergic to cats.
3) I wish there were a college degree in Jeopardy-style trivia — I’d sign up in a heartbeat.
4) In fourth grade I memorized all 50 states and capitals in a single night. I was obsessed.
5) I’ve watched every episode of Grey’s Anatomy — all 12 seasons and 293 episodes.
6) I’m also allergic to shellfish and to bees.
7) Before switching my major to communication studies, I was declared a geography major.
8) Jared and I met while working as counselors at a summer camp in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Four years later, we haven’t looked back.
9) I didn’t try a taco until I was 16 — and yes, I was a picky teenager.
10) I’ve never naturally been a morning person; most days I hit the snooze once or twice.
11) I don’t have any tattoos, but I do have six piercings.
12) My middle name is Ilene — Elizabeth Ilene Van Lierde.
13) Two desserts I rarely refuse are fresh chocolate chip cookies and mocha almond fudge ice cream.
14) It took me three attempts to pass high school algebra. Just thinking about it stresses me out.
15) I played softball from age 8 until 16, but I stopped because I disliked the politics of high school sports.
16) I have an unusually sensitive sense of smell — I notice and react to odors more than most people do.
17) As a child I loved building blocks, Legos, Lincoln Logs and, of course, Barbies.
18) We have a nine-month-old golden retriever named Rascal who’s the best companion.
19) In high school I dreamed of becoming a magazine editor.
20) In 2014 I was accepted to transfer to UCLA as a geography major with an $8,000 scholarship, but my acceptance was revoked two months later after I failed a statistics course at community college — a harsh reminder that math has never been my strong suit.
21) I graduated from the University of Northern Colorado, the same college Jared’s dad attended — a small, fun connection for our family.
22) Until I was about twelve I had a gap between my two front teeth large enough to fit a straw through.
23) My first job out of college is at a private athletic and social club in downtown Los Angeles, where I’m currently working.
24) If blogging or event design doesn’t pan out, I’d love to try my hand at interior design — it’s something I’m passionate about.
25) I once locked my keys in the car twenty minutes before my driver’s license exam. I managed to get them out in time and missed only one mark on the test.
Thanks for reading along with my 25 random facts!
If you have questions or comments, feel free to leave them below — and please share a random fact about yourself too!
Like this? You’ll love these!