Today is the 26th birthday of Kate Reis, currently of Nashville, TN. The Squidbag would like to extend a warm birthday tentacle in her direction, and also to offer you this list, compiled by her sister and siblings-in-law, because we love her. Since she is twenty-six today, here, for your consideration are twenty-six things you may not know about Kate.
1. She can beat the Squidbag at Trivial Pursuit.
2. Her family nickname is Katerie.
3. She is patient when explaining anything to an audience of earnest listeners. Regardless of whether or not they have the background to understand.
4. She's an excellent carpool companion.
5. She has been known to wear pleather.
6. She went through an "animal print" stage once and, as a result, is still getting gifts covered in leopard spots. (Please return the leopard print fedora and muff to the store where you got it, people!)
7. She can play the handbells, and in the past has toured the upper Midwest with a Moravian handbell choir.
8. She lived four years with the roommate she got her freshman year in college.
9. She is not above appreciating a fine cigar.
10. Her favorite wine is a Pinot Noir, preferably from 1997, but any odd year is okay.
11. She does brain surgery.
12. She has a green thumb. Not literally.
13. Forks, knives and spoons were some of her favorite playmates as a child and she put on utensil soap operas for her family at the dinner table.
14. She is an excellent artist and photographer. (Her nature shots especially rock!)
15. She got, like, a bajillion raises while she worked in the Psychology department at UW ('cause she's brilliant).
16. During high school, she had blond streaks in her dark hair that, some say, likened her to a skunk pelt. But she was still gorgeous.
17. She has a very enlightened view of the animal world's contributions to science.
18. She has a picture in her photo album she does not want her mother-in-law to see.
19. She side swiped the ol' Grand Prix on a telephone pole in her apartment building's parking lot.
20. She once participated in a kiddie swimsuit fashion show at a local mall in Ames, IA and proceeded to clutch her tush while cruising down the catwalk.
21. She made a mustard and mayonnaise sandwich as a little girl after seeing commercials on TV for both products (or so says her mom).
22. She's a very giving person. She once gave up a New Year's Eve to watch her nephew.
23. She's got a killer sense of harmony, a sweet voice, and excellent taste in music.
24. She writes poetry on her refrigerator, and some of it is good.
25. She loves to travel.
and finally...
26. In college, she and a guy went to the Memorial Union Terrace for a date and the guy embarrassed himself by saying that, because a pair of mallard ducks swam by, it was a sign that they were meant for each other. He and Kate, not the ducks. Needless to say, she never went out with him again.
Hope it's everything you want it to be, Kate! Happy Birthday, and remember, the best gifts are always several days late!
