I got tagged by Julie and Shelby, two fellow bloggers for a blog award. This means I have to — well, I don’t have to, but I kinda like these memes — post 10 fun facts about myself.

1. I’m a dumbass. After doing a short easy test run a few days before the Long Beach Marathon, I iced my hamstring. I wasn’t thinking and affixed the ice pack against my bare skin. I left it there for 20 minutes. The result? An embarrassing and itchy ice pack burn. Thankfully, it wasn’t a serious burn and went away in a few days.

2. I subscribe to 34 podcasts. Some of those are super short or song-of-the day types, but several are 45 minutes to more than a hour long. I always have a podcast to listen to at work or for a run.

3. Whenever I feel pretty bummed about running, I remind myself that I’ve only been doing this for a little over 2 years. If you would have told me in early 2009 that I’d be able to run a half marathon in <2 hours (okay, barely) or run a marathon, I’d have laughed at you.

4. I watched Toy Story 3 for the third (fourth?) time on Saturday. I cried again. I blame hormones and the fact that I’m a wuss.

5. Aside from persistent gray hairs and paying bills, the biggest difference I notice about getting older is that I now regularly get motion sickness on roller coasters and spinning rides at amusement parks. I always loved the rides that made me super dizzy, now they make me want to vomit or give me headaches. Also, I used to be able to read in a car without any problem. I occasionally get queasy when I read in a car or on the bus, especially if there are a lot of turns or jerking motions.

6. I probably look a little too long when I see a mixed (black+another race) baby or kid when out and about. I blame my biological clock and the fact that I look forward to being the mother to Mexican+Jamaican babies.

7. The food I most often crave is plain old frijoles de la olla, basically a freshly made pot of pinto beans. I love beans and am so happy when I can steal some from my mom’s house.

8. Since high school my mom has predicted that I wouldn’t marry a Mexican man. She was right.

9. I get that a lot of beauty practices are painful, uncomfortable, and time consuming. I avoid most of those, but will deal with things like eyebrow and upper lip waxing because I like the results. However, I won’t suffer for fashion. I tried on a sequined dress last week just for fun. I think I looked okay in the dress, but was very uncomfortable. I left the shop feeling itchy and with red marks on my skin.

10. I take my right to vote seriously and like going to the voting booth. I’m not the most informed person when it comes to politics. I mean, I can talk about the stupid things Herman Cain and Michele Bachmann said during last night’s debate. However, I do nerdy things like write letters to my representatives on issues I feel strongly about (see: the DREAM Act) and volunteer for political campaigns when possible.

I’m supposed to tag someone, but I’ll skip that part.

I had a pretty low key 31st birthday followed with a long weekend in Napa and San Francisco for a wedding.

Sean and I spent the day at Disneyland & California Adventures. We’ve had annual passes since the beginning of the year, but have only used them twice since they’re weekday only passes and we’ve been blocked out for most of the summer. Yeah, I bought the cheapest pass.

We arrived at Disneyland around 11 and made a beeline to Indiana Jones for fast passes and then got in line for Star Tours. I’ve never been a Star Wars fan. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen the trilogy all the way through. I’ve never seen the prequels. Still, Star Tours has always been one of my Disneyland favorites. Prior to the renovation, the lines were always short and it was a nice respite from hot summer days. With the renovation, we waited 20-30 minutes, but it was still worth it. I missed the familiarity of the old story line, but seeing the new scenes they generated was pretty cool.

We spent the next three hours going on rides new to Sean (it’s only his second trip) like Indiana Jones, Splash Mountain, Autopia and Big Thunder Mountain. Most of the summer crowds were gone, so lines were pretty short. After lunch at ESPN Zone, we went to California Adventures and went on a few rides including the Toy Story-themed Midway Mania.

We left Disneyland a little after 6. On the way out we stopped by the store at Downtown Disney and found some interesting hats.

We met up with my mom, Adrian and his girlfriend Alexis in Hacienda Heights. Dad, Danny and Lori were all working so they couldn’t make it. We went out to dinner at my favorite restaurant, Mariposa Inn in Covina. I’ve had many birthday dinners and brunches there. My mom requested we sit in Nacho’s section. We’ve been sitting in Nacho’s section for 20-something years. Even though my mom hadn’t been to the restaurant in a while, they caught up like old friends and talked about the changes at the restaurant since the longtime owner, Raudel, passed away a few years ago. Naturally, Mariposa felt different without him.

I came home to the last of my presents from Sean, a shiny new iPad. He spoils me.

It was a good birthday. Now I just need to get things ready for the birthday party.

Earlier this year, my good friend Rio asked me to write a guest post on his blog for his 31st birthday. Rio’s used his talent and creativity to surprise me on past birthdays (see: birthday activity sheet #1). It was only fitting that I repay the favor.

I lifted what I wrote for his blog and made some changes.

I’m jealous of Rio. Today, he gets to say he’s 31. I’m counting down the days until I can say that. Yeah, I know I’m not your average woman.

I’m obsessed with the number 31. I take photos of it when I see it randomly on a bus or sign. I make a point of noting it as a hashtag on my Twitter feed when something is #31ftw (for the win, e.g., my favorite baseball player Andre Ethier hitting 31 home runs in 2009) or #31fail (e.g., Justice Sonia Sotomayor getting 31 nay votes in her Senate confirmation). My friends and family don’t get it, but they still send me photos when they spot a 31.

The truth? I don’t really get it either. My affinity began late in high school. That was when friends started teasing me about my many crushes and I earned the nickname “31 Flavors.” I didn’t mind it, after all, I was born on the 31st of August. Soon, the nickname became part of my first email address. I grew out of a lot of my other high school/early 20s mini obsessions. Not 31.

As for the photo series, that didn’t begin until I bought a digital camera in 2004. The next spring I went out to lunch with my ex-roommate at a diner. We ordered our food and the cashier gave us a number for our table. It was 31. I had to take a picture.

Soon, I was spotting it around school, LA, in my travels and so on. I took more photos. My friends and family spotted the number occasionally and sent me photos too.

I kept it up for several years, but never sat to think about what 31 means and why it’s awesome. Some reasons why:

• The best months — January, March, May, July, August, October and December — have 31 days.
• Some of the best days of the year are on the 31st (César Chávez Day, Halloween, NYE, my birthday).
• It’s a prime number, a self number and all kinds of other cool math stuff I don’t really understand.
• California, my beloved home state, was the 31st state admitted to the Union on September 9, 1850.
• The motherland, Mexico, is made up of 31 states.
• In Lotería, the 31 card depicts las jaras, or the arrows. (I think this is pretty cool considering Cynthia is one of the names of Artemis, goddess of the hunt, forest, hills and moon. I’m also pretty keen on the moon.)
• Baskin-Robbins has 31 flavors of ice cream. Yum.
• In the periodic table of elements, Gallium has the atomic number 31. It’s primarily used in semiconductors.
• Nick Hornby wrote a book called 31 Songs all about songs that have impacted his life and his music taste.
• Thirty-one rhymes with “flirty one” and “dirty one” making for a particularly sexy year.
• The Dodger record for a hitting streak is 31. Sadly, Andre Ethier didn’t tie that record.
• If you subtract 31 from 100 you get 69. I won’t espouse on that one because I’m an adult.
• The old 31 line of the MTA started in the neighborhood where I was born and continued west in to the heart of East LA.
• I live on the 3100 block of my street.
• Greg Maddux, one of the best pitchers in the 90s, wore #31. His jersey has been retired by both the Cubs and Braves. (Fun fact: he pitched for the Dodgers in 2006 and 2008.) Reggie Miller (Pacers), Mike Piazza (Dodgers) and Kurt Rambis (Lakers) also wore #31.
• Aimee Mann has a song called “31 Today”. I can relate to it in some ways.
• If you inverse 31, it makes 13, which might not be so popular in Northern California, but is more liked in LA and Southern California.
• If you add the digits of 31, you get 4. There’s lot of cool things about 4, like the 4 elements, 4 directions, Cuatro Caminos from Café Tacuba y más.

Those are all just random reasons, but I’m pretty sure 31 will be an awesome year for Rio. I can’t see why not.

Yes, I’m happy to say “I’m 31″ when someone asks my age.

As for the 31st birthday, it was low key. I spent the morning and afternoon at Disneyland and California Adventures with Sean. We rushed through several short lines and finally got to check out the new Star Tours. I loved the old version, but the upgrade is pretty neat. Throughout the day, I heard from several friends near and far (e.g., China). Their birthday greetings made me smile and feel loved. Afterward, we met up for dinner at my favorite restaurant with my mom, Adrian and his girlfriend. The rest of the familia was working. I’ll really celebrate with the extended familia and friends in a few weeks at my birthday party.

Things I like about this photo from my first birthday party (one of my all time favorites):
1. My sundress (my mom has great taste)
2. My little baby arms and complexion
3. I’m wearing a Tejana (probably Papá Chepe’s or my padrino José’s)
4. Um, I’m hugging a bottle of tequila. I wouldn’t let go of the bottle even when I went down for my nap.
5. How more Mexican can a baby be?

I’m pretty sure my 31st birthday won’t involve sundresses and bottles of tequila. At least not today. But a sundress and a cowgirl hat? That could be done.

I love that my friends and family take pictures when they find the elusive 31. My cousin, Vanny, took this photo at the San Diego Zoo.

Today’s karaoke scorecard: Me Voy (Julieta Venegas), Hopelessly Devoted to You (Olivia Newton John, Grease), Tú, Solo Tu (Selena version), Tragos Amargo (Ramón Ayala), I Will Follow You Into the Dark (Death Cab for Cutie), and First of the Gang to Die (Morrissey). [I picked songs to fit the sad song theme. Also, I'm already making a list of songs I need to sing next time I do karaoke.]

The boyfriend shares a birthday with Tiffany. I share one with Debbie Gibson. We were meant to be…

Cindy is is equal parts Marcha de Zacatecas and Camino de Guanajuato.

What do you call June Gloom during August? [The best responses were Fogust and "a runners dream" (from Lori). I'm tired of the overcast mornings. I like my August hot.]

Am I the only one who thinks cupcake shops use WAY too much icing? I take off like 95% of it. [I remove most of the icing from cakes too. I enjoy cake most when it's just out of the oven. I like the "pansa" or the rounded top. My aunt's would cut off this part to make the cake nice and level. The pansa was always a little bit crunchy.]

I want someone to make me pancakes or chilaquiles. [After a night of partying. I got my pancakes when I met up with a friend for brunch.]

I hate when I discover the true meaning of a song long after I’ve gleefully sung along many times. You can still be embarrassed way after-the-fact.

I should probably post something new at the blog considering LA Observed called me “venerable”… yikes.

Dear freshmen, it is not okay to call me at 8:15 am.

When I do laundry, I wonder how I got so much pink (dark shade) clothes. I’m not a fan. Then I recall that it was all marked down.

I like when guys notice little details and accessories, e.g. how my fingernails and toenails match my purse/earrings/bracelet/pendant. [I've decided aqua/turquoise and brown are my colors for the summer.]

I’m on Chicana time 90% of the time. I’m on time for flights and family events (mom tells me the wrong time). Movies too.

I made a really bad decision today. God saved me. I have to be good now.

My brother wants to use my frequent flyer miles to make a pilgrimage to different hot dog spots (e.g., Hot Dougs in Chicago).

When Bell Biv Devoe sang “never trust a big butt and a smile” did that rule apply to Chicanas too?

If these look familiar to some, that’s because they’ve all been recent updates on Facebook and Twitter.

1. I dislike menudo.

2. I pick onions out of most of my food, if at all possible.

3. When I was a kid, I wouldn’t eat chorizo because I found it too spicy.

1. When I was 6 years old, I got beaned in the head with an eight ball after getting caught in the crossfire of an impromptu billiards ball fight between my brother and his friend.

2. When I was 4 years old, I was having a grand old time jumping on my mom’s bed with Danny until he bumped into me. I fell and hit my head against the corner of the dresser. I had to get a few stitches for the cut on my head.

3. I broke my wrist while roller skating when I was 12 years old.

Birthday Activity Page by Rio Yañez

I think Rio could have found cooler people for that trivia section. I share a birthday with with tía Luisa, Sara Ramirez, Hideo Nomo, Eldridge Cleaver and Queen Rania of Jordan.

Also, on this day in 1985, Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker, was captured by residents in Boyle Heights as he tried to steal a car. Yeah, it’s creepy, but it’s East LA and Chicano centric.

I hate the pressure of birthdays.

Everyone asks, “what are you doing?” as if you’re supposed to have an elaborate, day, evening, weekend, week or even month planned. (Side note: August has been pretty awesome so far.)

I always give in to the pressure, even if it’s tough to plan a big party over Labor Day weekend. I can’t just let the day pass like it’s any other Sunday. It’s the 31st! I have to celebrate it if only for that reason.

I decided on Wednesday to hold a BBQ/tardeada at my parent’s house. Maybe I’ll pass out last year’s birthday activity sheet made by Rio. Sadly, I won’t have a bouncy castle. Sorry kids.

Invitation by DB. He’s a [patient] Photoshop pro.

Way back when I started college ten years ago (!), I did what everyone else did: look myself up in the online directory. I wanted to see what information was listed so I could change it if needed, you know since I had so many potential stalkers.

I searched my first and last name and found something shocking and completely unexpected. I was not the only Cynthia Mosqueda on campus. Gasp!

I was upset for the rest of the day. I wanted to kick someone, preferably my tocaya (namesake). Of course, I had no reason to kick her. In fact, she didn’t have my name, I had her name. She was a senior and I was a freshman (I’ve never met her, but my section leader in band knew her). I thought about complaining to my parents about their name choice. Perhaps they should have named Veronica like they originally planned. They dropped the name when some friends chose the name for their daughter born just a few months before me. At least then, I wouldn’t have found my tocaya for another 8 years or so until I met my cousin Julio’s fiancé and they got married. Up until college, I’d never met a Mosqueda that was not related to me. I thought my last name was rather rare and I liked it that way.

I quit my pouting after a day or two. A few months later, la tocaya was gone from the directory as she graduated and moved on. All was right in the world and I was the only Cynthia M in the directory… for a while.

Last fall I started to get a bit freaked out by some comments made online. I wanted to make sure the harassment didn’t move beyond creepy comments, so I double checked my entry on the campus directory.

She was back. And worse, la tocaya was in my department. Since I’m hardly ever at the ed school and she’s in a different program, I’ve never met her. After a conversation with Oso about finding another white David Sasaki on Facebook, I decided to look up my tocaya.

Not only does she have my name, she’s also cuter than me. Damn. At least I’ll be Dr. Cynthia Mosqueda before her.