Top Ten Random Things About Me

This post includes the top ten random things about me.

So I was thinking today, how can you guys get to know me a little better? What are some of my favorite things? This is not going to be a very long post, but it is one that I enjoyed putting together. When thinking about things that make us happy, we always get a smile on our faces while reminiscing about stuff that brings us joy.

I will share with you some stuff that I love, although it is really hard to pinpoint only a couple of things for each category. I will try my best though.

Without further ado, let’s look at my top ten random things about me.

Favorite Books

Need I say more? I love books, pretty much in any genre, any format. I’m not big on audiobooks yet, but now and then I will listen to one if I’m working or walking.
There are just too many to include, but obviously, the Millenium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson is pretty high on my list. 

It is followed shortly by The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup, who is also responsible for one of my favorite TV series. Another favorite of mine is Victim Without a Face, by Stefan Ahnhem. Coincidence that they are all in the same genre? I think not. 

This brings me to my next category,

Favorite Genre

Well, pretty obvious here, if you haven’t guessed by now. Nordic Noir, or Scandinavian crime thrillers, in particular, are my favorite books to read about. I like any other type of thriller, but there’s something about the way the Nordic writers that just resonates with me.

The settings are always dark and atmospheric, the villains always clever, and rarely do I guess the endings. Which I love because they keep me on my toes until the very end. If you enjoy thrillers but have never experienced a Scandinavian writer yet, give them a try, you will not be disappointed. 

Favorite Movies

Besides the Swedish version of the Millenium Trilogy, or The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, I absolutely LOVED, Black Swan.

Director Darren Aronofsky is the absolute genius behind this picture, and the movie did not win numerous awards for no reason. Everything from the casting, to the costumes, to the music and the ballet it is based on is as close to perfection as they come. Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis played their roles brilliantly, and if you enjoy classical ballet, then this is a great movie for you. 

Favorite TV Series

Again, I lean towards the Northern European thrillers, in particular the Danish series The Killing. The Americans had a Netflix version of it a few years back, but I prefer the original. The creator and producer of the series is none other than Soren Sveistrup, whose debut novel The Chestnut Man (2018) happens to be one of my top ten favorite books.

The series follows the killing of a young girl that detective Sarah Lund cannot stop until she solves, even though she puts her own personal life on hold. A very gripping, cleverly plotted drama I highly recommend for the lovers of dark action-packed thrillers.

Favorite Hobbies

When I was a little girl I wanted to be either a ballerina or a gymnast. Unfortunately, I lacked the grace, finesse, and commitment it takes to pursue either of those passions. So I settled for watching the Olympics and Nadia Comaneci growing up, then later fell in love with Swan Lake, the most popular ballet ever made.
The most realistic and feasible hobbies that I have pursued ever since I can remember are crossword puzzles and picture puzzles. I always liked solving things, and word plays have always intrigued me, and continue to do so today.

Scrabble is also a game I enjoy playing, but I need at least one other person in order to play it.

Favorite Flowers

There are so many beautiful flowers, it is really hard to pick just one. Some women say they don’t like flowers, and I don’t want to insult anyone here, but I just don’t believe them.

I can understand that buying flowers can be expensive and sometimes they do not last long enough to justify the price. But flowers smell and look so pretty, I don’t understand how anyone doesn’t like them.

If you don’t know much about decorating, buying some fresh flowers instantly spruces up any living space. Unless there are allergies involved, fresh flowers are a quick and cheap upgrade.
My own personal favorites are tulips, peonies, ranunculus, hydrangea, and lilacs, among many others. Honestly, I like pretty much all of them, they are all beautiful in their own way.

Favorite Foods

Here’s another hard one. I love anything that involves lobster, be it lobster tail, mushrooms filled with lobster and crab, lobster roll, and so on.  Since we don’t find it yearlong, its scarcity is probably why I love it so much.
Other cuisines that I love are Mexican and Italian. I could eat pizza, pasta, and tacos on any given day, the only thing that’s stopping me is the calorie count.

And I always enjoy French fries, in any shape or form.

Let’s face it, I cannot consume only my favorite foods, but if I was living in a fantasy world, I totally would.

Favorite Snacks

As someone who loves to snack, I vacillate between salty and sweet pretty much as the mood strikes. Sometimes I try to be reasonable and try to snack on fruits and nuts, but most of the time I prefer chips, salty snacks, or something sweet like peanut butter M&M’s.

This category changes the most with time. Sometimes I can enjoy a snack for a very long period of time, and not have it again for months or even years at a time. My taste buds change as well as I get older. I do my best to try to eliminate snacks as much as possible even if I’m not always very successful.

Favorite Dessert

This is also a hard category to narrow down because it varies so much. I enjoy a good rich chocolate cake now and then, but I also love a light blueberry cake that is a healthier choice. My mom makes a coffee Nescafe cake with walnuts to die for that I must have every time I go back home. Growing up, my friend’s grandmother used to make this Romanian lemon cake that made me fall in love with fruity, lighter desserts.

And then there’s hazelnut ice cream! Not so popular in North America, but every time I go back home to Europe I must consume literally pounds of it. It is simply delicious!

Favorite Drinks

This last, but not least category should probably include a few subcategories:

• Hot drinks: coffee, caramel macchiato, or tea.
• Cold Drinks: Fruity iced teas, a variety of flavors.
• Alcoholic drinks: Hugo drink, which I discovered during a layover in Munich and Old Fashioned. I also enjoy a glass of red wine now and then to accompany my meal, but I don’t drink alcohol much. 

I much prefer to keep my head cool and not have to worry about not being able to drive, as I am very strict about not drinking and driving. And I very rarely drink pop, or soda, depending on what it’s called in your area, but it’s usually Coke or Fanta when I do.

But enjoying a nice cup of coffee in the morning while reading my book is life!

Concluding Words

That sums up my top ten favorite categories, but I do like many other things. Maybe in a future post, I will tackle something different that I also like. I hope you enjoyed getting to know me a little better. 

Till next time! 

Stay safe, Anca.