Tagged by Sarah!

I guess it's my turn to be tagged--this time 100 interesting things about me. I'm not sure if I even have 50, but here goes:

1. My full name is Melissa Ann Phillips.
2. I was born on August 15, 1980.
3. I was born in Palmer, Alaska and lived in Alaska until I was 12.
4. I loved the winters in Alaska, even though they're a little long.
5. My family and I moved to Zillah, Washignton when I was 12.
6. I learned how to read when I was 3 years old.
7. The first words I read were Crest and All, as in the detergent. Who says you can't learn anything from TV?
8. I haven't stopped reading since I learned how, it quickly became a favorite pasttime.
9. My favorite books are: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
10. Mama Day by Gloria Naylor.
11. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin.
12. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
13. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.
14. Can You Keep A Secret? by Sophie Kinsella.
15. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.
16. In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez.
17. I could actually keep going on about books, but I won't since it bores a lot of people.
18. I hate doing laundry.
19. Sometimes, I will neglect folding my clothes. Finally, I'll just rewash everything because I don't want to hang up or fold my wrinkled clothes.
20. I do like to do dishes and vacuum, however, so I'm not a complete slob!
21. I'm not much of an animal lover, but I love my parents' dog Licorice to pieces.
22. I'm the oldest of five kids--four girls, one boy, and one sister-in-law.
23. I went to BYU--Go Cougs!
24. I majored in English with an emphasis in Editing and Writing.
25. I dream of writing a book one day (see, I can't stop talking about books even when I try).
26. I love old movies. My parents didn't like a lot of the movies that came out when we were kids, so we watched a lot of old movies instead as a family.
27. My favorite old movies are: Charade.
28. How to Steal A Million.
29. Roman Holiday.
30. The Philadelphia Story.
31. Father Goose.
32. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
33. The Parent Trap.
34. Summer Magic.
35. Vertigo.
36. I think old movies do a better job because they rely more on the story and its characters rather than flashy, special effects and typical, washed-out storylines. Don't get me wrong, though. I appreciate a good chick flick just like any other girl, but I wouldn't exactly call them original ideas.
37. I'm not really impressed with any of the presidential candidates this election season.
38. I'm kind of skeptical of the whole "going green" phase.
39. Mostly because it reminds of 10 years ago when everyone was all about AIDS awareness, but really it was just a trend. Is anybody pushing for AIDS awareness now? Do you see anybody wearing those red HIV ribbons at red carpet events now?
40. I am somewhat cynical.
41. Ironically, there's a part of me that's wildly optimistic as well.
42. The best day of my life was my first time through the temple.
43. I've read the Book of Mormon more times than I can remember.
44. I don't hold grudges.
45. Mostly because I forget about that stuff pretty quickly.
46. I love to laugh and have a pretty loud laugh.
47. I kind of wish it were a little less loud . . . maybe more demure, instead?
48. I was really into red for about five years. Now I've segued into tiffany blue and chocolate brown . . . is there anybody else who has such specific taste when it comes to colors?
49. I've lost 40 pounds since getting a trainer and I want to lose about 20 more.
50. My favorite forms of working out is spinning and lifting weights.
51. I think training is the best form of therapy I've ever had. It's so empowering to think you can't do something, and then somehow you do it.
52. I've never colored my hair. But I'm not necessarily opposed to it in the future.
53. I've had knee surgery twice. And to this day my knee still hurts.
54. When I first started training, my "bad leg" was a full two inches smaller circumference-wise than my good leg.
55. Even though I've had a trainer for over a year, I still struggle with my "bad leg". It's just not as strong as the other one. The muscle on my "good leg" pops out now and I kind of don't like that. I feel like I look like a gladiator.
56. I love chocolate, ice cream, and brownies. And I try never to buy it because when I do I can't stop eating it!
57. I don't enjoy dating . . . at all. Pretty much, I consider myself one ginormous retard when it comes to the whole thing.
58. But since getting a trainer and undergoing what I like to refer to as "my personal cleansing process," I have tried to put myself out there more. The ironic thing is guys I'm just barely forming opinions about as to whether or not they're dateable, everybody else already seems to have formed their opinion and called dibbs. Is that the sign I'm a late bloomer?
59. The older I get, however, the more particular I get about the men I'll consider for marriage. I wouldn't consider myself as unrealistically picky, but just I have developed a very acute idea of what is negotiable and what is non-negotiable. For example, a college degree is a non-negotiable. Church activity and temple attendance, a non-negotiable. Plans, goals, ambitions, and aspirations (this is usually the kicker), a non-negotiable. It seems that a lot of the guys don't seem to get it.
60. Sometimes, the lack of prospects in the dating world makes me want to cry. Usually, it just makes me want to laugh because it's just so ridiculous.
61. I went bowling this weekend and bowled a 55. A personal high for me! Someday, I want to break 100 . . . just once!
62. My favorite thing about going home for Christmas is the fact that we sit around, eat a lot of food, and watch a lot of movies. I'm a low-maintenance gal.
63. Christmas in our family is HUGE . . . which I love. There are decorations everywhere and people always stopping by my parents' house to check out the newest addition to my parents' already massive Christmas collection.
64. I look around at the terrors running around Church, the store, or their homes and I wonder how my parents were ever able to raise 5 kids to be so grounded and well behaved (well, comparatively speaking :) ), when it seems that so many parents nowadays have no idea how to do that.
65. I've had really good examples of good marriages, from my grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and friends. I consider myself lucky because I know so many people who have never had this luxury of seeing a stable marriage.
66. My favorite word is pedantic--it means to be ostentatious or showy in one's learning, which is kind of ironic because I always feel smart when I use that word correctly.
67. The news depresses me, yet I still try to watch and read it.
68. I resent the news a lot because I always feel like I'm being manipulated when I watch it. No, I don't want to know if there is mold on my walls or if my identity is at risk of being stolen. I guess these are relevant issues but I get so tired of being told by the media that I should be scared of everything.
69. After traveling to Boston I realized that I like a much simpler way of life, and living somewhere where parking is available.
70. I think this is why I like Salt Lake so much . . . it offers a small-town feel, yet there are a lot of people, events, and places to see.
71. After seeing The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants I've always wanted to see Greece.
72. I think a Mediterranean cruise would be my ideal vacation.
73. Or visiting England so I could chase my literary heroes.
74. I love all things British: British boys, British accents, British TV and movies, and British books.
75. I really want the TV station BBC America, because it shows all of the British TV and movies that I always hear about but never get to see.
76. I also would like to go to Buenos Aires, Argentina. That place just sounds cool.
77. I don't really like sports, but I do find it fun if a large group is watching it.
78. Except I do love BYU football.
79. If I could change any physical feature of mine, I would wish for long, slender fingers and nails that actually grow and don't break or peel, especially after getting wet.
80. I kind of feel like nobody will find this interesting because I'm such an open book about my life I think everybody knows all of this stuff already.
81. If I could have any car in the world regardless of cost it would be an Infiniti G35. That is just one sexy car and it purrs like a kitten.
82. I hate jobs that have anything to do with customer service, mostly because of my 3 years spent at Enterprise.
83. While at Enterprise, I got really good at washing cars and have a surefire method for getting the smell of cigarrette smoke out of cars. But if I told you what I did, you'd probably be disgusted. It's nice to see my college degree at work while at Enterprise, don't you think?
84. I get along with girls better than I do guys. I think girls who tout themselves at being better friends with guys than girls are secretly desperate for male attention and a boyfriend so they hang out with guys all in the hope of snagging one. I don't trust those kinds of girls because frankly, you've gotta have your girlfriends!
85. I ran out of interesting things to say at #22.
86. I love the show Gilmore Girls and watched it religiously every week. I personally felt responsible that if I missed an episode it would get cancelled. Its cancellation was so disappointing and I think Amy Sherman-Palladino is responsible for its demise. Because of this, I'm no longer a fan of hers and will probably not watch anything else she creates.
87. I identify with Rory's character, but like Lorelai's fashion sense better.
88. I prefer vegetables to fruit.
89. This wouldn't be complete without sending a shout out to my new favorite show Psych. Every time I watch this show I laugh my head off. It's witty a la Gilmore Girls.
90. I don't like being called ma'am. Do I look like a ma'am?
91. Give me historical dates, events, and people and I won't remember a thing. Ask me to memorize the latest People magazine and I can do that with flying colors. I don't consider this a gift but a sickness.
92. I love sarcasm. Sadly, not everyone gets it.
93. I love Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, and Gregory Peck. George Clooney and Brad Pitt don't hold a candle to these fellas.
94. And of course, Audrey Hepburn. There is no one greater than her.
95. My prime operating hours are from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. at night. I'm useless anytime before or after that. I can't even make coherent sentences.
96. I love water. I don't really drink anything else.
97. Life wouldn't be complete without meat, specifically red meat.
98. I love The Office. I heart Jim Halpert with a fiery, megawatt passion!
99. People always compliment me when I wear green because I have red hair, but I've never understood why redheads and green go together. I do like green, however.
100. One of my guilty pleasures are Matlock reruns.

Okay! I'm sure everyone was ridiculously impressed just now. Anyway . . . I tag Charlotte and Holly, if they're willing.