carta gave me five things to elaborate on in my LJ. For her, I elaborate, but fortunately for you, I will not be paying it forward and telling other people what to elaborate on. If you want to elaborate all on your own, then you go with your bad self.

Tell me about California, being a big sister, rats as pets, manlove, ♥Christopher♥, and me. Ha ha ha, I'm just kidding about that last one. :D

1. California is my first true love, I think. There are palm trees in my backyard and snow-capped mountains visible from my front yard. I can get In N Out, Trader Joe's, and Wahoo's all in the same day. I can visit Disneyland and the San Diego Zoo in the same weekend. I saw Kobe Bryant last week at a restaurant. The beach is ten miles away. It's 70 degrees F outside right now, in February. Almost half of my state -- the most populated state in the US -- voted to save gay marriage. I'm in love with California.

2. Being a big sister was never cool until I got older. I used to make the :| face when my brothers called me that. Now when my baby brother introduces me to someone as "my big sister", I get all warm and squishy. My parents were never the type to leave child-rearing up to the oldest child, fortunately, so other than a few years of babysitting, I got to just be a sister to them and not a parent. I used to be kind of jealous that my brothers both got a brother AND a sister, and I was stuck with just brothers, but now I like it. Being the oldest and only girl makes me special in my family.

3. Rats as pets are the GREATEST. They're friendly and smart and curious and basically have a dog's brain in a teeny little body. The only issue I have with them is that their lifespan is woefully short. The three rats I have now were rescued from someone who didn't handle them as babies, so they're skittish, but still curious and friendly.

4. Manlove, sigh. Hot and sweet and wild and rough. Much more exciting for me to read/write about than hetlove. I participate in hetlove, duh. Therefore it becomes boring to read. :D (But not boring to do.)

5. Christopher. I saw him very briefly outside yesterday. He's a fourth grader now so his recess and lunchtime is different than mine, but I was walking my class somewhere and he was on the playground. I would have missed him entirely among the other billion fourth graders, but he called my name and when I looked, he waved. <3 I miss him a lot. Every year, I sort of look for a replacement Christopher, but so far no one's come along. They probably never will.

6. carta is one of those people that will always, always be on every friend filter I have. You know what I mean? There are those people that are just a steady, calm influence in your life. Ames is like that for me. We've emailed each other about private issues, we've met in real life and hugged each other tight, and I would trust her with my most personal secrets. She's also one of the few women I would make out with, if I were so inclined. Meaning, not straight and not married. Haha.