Several months ago, I began to see lists of 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me popping up on blogs and on Facebook. Everyone I read was intriguing in its own way, but I hadn’t considered doing one myself.
Then I had a bout of insomnia last night and amused myself by composing a list of my own. When I got up this morning, I decided to give it a try.
While none of these things are secrets, there may be a few surprises in it. After you read it, you may want to try writing one of your own. I suspect you’ll be as surprised as I was about the things that came to mind.
- I’m cross-eyed and began wearing glasses when I was 5. For years I was the only kid in school who had glasses and was teased incessantly.
- I finished college in 3 years and began teaching high school English to 17-year-olds six weeks before my twenty-first birthday.
- Although I don’t know how it happened, I was an Anglophile by the age of 7 and began filling scrapbooks with pictures of the royal family and London landmarks. Years later, my mother said, “Yes, we thought it was a bit odd.”
- Two years after graduating from college, I auditioned for a summer theater production of Barefoot in the Park and was chosen to play the lead’s mother. I am now about the proper age for that role.
- Despite having shared a difficult childhood, my three sisters and brother have become interesting people that I love to spend time with.
- In high school, I created my first wild adventure (getting myself included in a press conference for pop star Rick Nelson) and discovered “what the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve.”
- On September 9 I plan to celebrate 27 years of sobriety.
- My father’s six unique sisters were powerful role models for me.
- I’ve always considered travel to be a necessity, not a luxury.
- My best friend Chris Utterback died of breast cancer in 1999 and I have never stopped missing her.
- When I was six I bit our elderly family dentist who demanded that my mother get me out of his office and never return.
- Sandy Dempsey and I share a birthday and it’s especially auspicious this year since it falls on 10/10/10.
- I love housesitting and could easily become a property caretaker.
- I’ve never met a gelato I didn’t like.
- I want to live in a world where everyone gets out of bed in the morning excited about how they’re going to spend the day.
- When people stop laughing together the relationship is coming to an end.
- I am the mother of a daughter who was born wise. On the day she left for college, she left me a card that said, “Thanks for being a great mother, a great teacher and a great student.”
- Although I grew up surrounded by people who were lifetime residents of my hometown, I always wanted to live in different places.
- I can still recite the opening to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales in Middle English.
- Two things that turned out to be even better than I’d expected were my time on a sabbatical and Sedona.
- I swore off home ownership years ago. I have owned three homes and every time I moved into one I began to feel as if I couldn’t breathe.
- House Hunters on Home & Garden television is my idea of a spectator sport.
- On a trip to England, I rented a room for two nights in a home that turned out to be a dormitory for Scientologists.
- I am brought to tears by stress and beautiful music.
- I believe that committing to a dream is a daily activity—not something we just do once.
What’s on your list of 25 things?
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ReginaLove, that is SO great to hear! As for soy, it may help with menopause symptoms -- it it controversial. The best way to use soy is in the form of whole fermented soy foods (miso, tempeh, tamari and natto). Non-fermented soy foods such as soy mi
Agreed. I never thought I was vain until I had a mastectomy at age 39. I was devastated and told the doc I wanted to wake up with implants. Now at age 60, I am lopsided and wondering if I was just avoiding the inevitable. You get what you get and you
Sounds very interesting.
Spike, you are awesome! Love your perspective, thanks for sharing.
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for the thought provoking post. Will think about it tonight and just might have a list up tomorrow. Seems like a great way to get to discover something about ourselves as we let others in on who we are or wish to be.
anir
Loved your list! Such variety, depth and breadth. Nicely done and a great example to get the rest of us thinking!
My dad’s name was Norbert….ditto on the naming issue.
heehee…my dad’s name was Cyril!!
Although I did work with a guy whose middle name was Otto…he dared me to name my first child Otto, and said if I did he would put said child through college…..I just could not do that!!
WOW, can I come up with 25?
1. I never fit in with my family and for years as a kid thought I must be adopted.
2. I look just like my mother.
3. I would never have picked my siblings as friends yet I would do anything for them.
4. I am not a smoker, drug user, drinker, or a slut,,,,,but I use profanity throughout my day more than anyone else I know.
5. I am a widow
6. My children are my best friends but I am not their best friend.
7. Many, many of my decisions are based on fear and guilt.
8. I dont trust people who have never had a pet.
9. I think most people are idiots. And they frustrate me.
10. I cant remember the last time I was actually offended.
11. I really dont care who is president
12. My biggest fear is to run out of money
13. I miss sex
14. I dont trust
15. I have no interest in traveling
16. I knit blankets and donate them
17. I prefer to be cold than hot
18. I always wanted more kids
19. Although I am spiritual, I think organized religion is rediculous
20. I hate my legs but think my breast are amazing
21. I have more tattoos than most people know
22. I only wear one contact
23. I think I am a fabulous friend yet I dont have that many close ones
24. I was caught shoplifting when I was 10 by my own dad
25. I am jealous of people with spouses
1. I was always the shortest kid in my class…..most days I’m still the shortest kid…..
2. After being on birth control for 9 years I could not get pregnant, then a miracle happened and I had 3 kids in 4 years…..
3. My parents divorced when I was 7….I never told anyone through my elementary and high school years.
4. I was raised by my maternal grandparents.
5. I am a purse junkie.
6. Since having bunion surgery and getting my feet “straightened” out I am also a sandal junkie.
7. I am hooked on “Survivor” and “Amazing Race” as well as currently” America’s Got Talent” and reluctantly sat with my honey and tolerated the “Batchelorette”.
8. I have helped over 200 people cope with and get through their divorce.
9. I make beach glass jewelry.
10. I have a 21 year old cat who is blind.
11. I love to plant gardens but hate to weed them.
12. We have a satellite dish, but I think most programming sucks.
13. I don’t care that Chelsea Clinton got married…..I think as someone who unfortunately got the worst of both her parents in the looks department, she is fortunate…ok, ok, I know she is probably a whiz kid, fabulous person, etc…..but I don’t care.
14. And that goes for Lindsay Lohan and all these other pseudo celebrities….it is a slow news day indeed when that is the big story.
15. I love, love, love warm weather…..
16. Beaches are one of my favorite walking places to think and meditate about life (and find beach glass)
17. I live in a house built in the 1800’s which was part of the underground railroad.
18. Confession: I am not all that anxious to become a grandmother.
19. I like to sew, knit, paint (as in artwork)…….unfortunately I am totally not talented in those areas as I am too impatient to get to the result.
20. My daughter is getting married in 9 months….I need to lose about 5 lbs. a month to get to where I want to be for the wedding pics…..I am terrified of the position of mother of the bride, not to mention a 9 month diet.
21. On that wedding note, I hate showers with a passion. Large gathering picnics too. I can’t explain why, I just do and avoid at all costs.
22. I hate winter, but love being “snowed in”….
23. I drive the smallest SUV made (I think)…but it is a great shade of red…
24. Cooking is my favorite hobby. Watching people eat and enjoy my cooking is my second favorite hobby…..
25. I would like to get a tattoo, but probably won’t because I could never decide what to put permanently on my body (and where??).
Funny how I thought it would be hard to do, but now, I will need to omit some to keep it down to 25. I am sure it would be the same for everyone out there.
1. I am the 7th still living of a familly of 12 sibblings.
2. I had a younger brother who had just turned 6 when he fell and drowned in a hole that had been dug beside our house to put the septic tank in. I can still see clearly when they lifted him out of the water on a long board. My parents had gone fishing. I wonder who he would be today.
3. I was named after my parents first child. She was 3 and was spoiled by my father and always wanted to go everywhere with him. She snuck out of the house and my father ran over her as she ran in back of his car. I had asked my mother why she had given me my name and she had told me at the time that a nurse and a distant aunt had that name. I wonder if they ever treated me differently because of my name. I looked exactly like her as a 3 year old. Would we look the same today? My first name on my birth certificate is Lynn. But I have never been called by that name, just my dead sisters name. How different the outcome of my whole family’s life would have been had not this tragedy happened. Understandably, my father was never the same after that. I never knew the before man. Just the lost one trying to live on.
4. I grew up with just enough of everything any basic human being needs, food, shelter, clothing. My life also included a lot of love, laughter, sharing and caring for our neighbours as well as family members.
5. I have never felt as if life is passing me by. I live it and love it.
6. I often worry that I don’t worry enough. Is something wrong with me?
7. I am impulsive. I get an idea and just run with it. If I don’t it just fades.
8. I don’t fit into clicks.
9. I can’t tell if a man is handsome or not.
10. I don’t go out.
11. My mother never wanted me to get married. I found this out from one of my sisters when I told her my marriage was on the rocks. My mother would never have suggested I not get married.
12. I am often stubborn.
13. I often need to see to believe. I am a skeptic.
14. I love to travel.
15. I have a relative who is bi-polar. He takes his meds now and is fairly well controlled.
16. I have another relative who has gambling addictions and she knows it and is trying hard to get out of it. She just keeps falling along the way. She is a hard worker but gambling has ruined her life and she knows it will get worse.
17. I hate liars.
18. I do not forgive easily and most probably will hold a grudge if you cross me.
19. I hate to plan things. Plans just seem to almost always fail me.
20. I don’t have a budget. Wish I did.
21. Weather does not affect my moods. There’s nothing you can do about it anyways!
22. When I was 17 and newly appointed head of the household after my older sister got married, I had to forge my mother’s signature on our family allowance checks. I knew it wasn’t right, but she had left and my father could barely write so couldn’t do it. I was pretty good at it!
23. I often sleep on the couch, with my clothes on, after a night shift. Just too lazy to get into bed.
24. I hate to cook.
25. I want to live while I am alive and not be sustained by machines, in a closed room, or unable to recognise my own children. I hope euthanasia becomes legal one day soon. I will be one of the first ones to sign up for it and have let my children know. I hope they will be strong enough to abide by my wishes.
anir
Love, love, love your #25 and totally agree with #24!
I’ll come cook for both of you….you just have to promise to enjoy it!!
put garlic on anything and I will!
I can do this…Italian cooking is my specialty….
Sunblossom, I like you! A lot!
Anything I don’t need to cook, I enjoy. I’ll even buy all the necessities including a few bottles of wine. Any kind you want, as long as it is less than $20 a bottle. I’m generous, but poor
.
Garlic! Go ahead and add it on! The wine will cover up the garlic breath.
then you can smoke some green tea!
Ha! Ha! Ha!
You crack me up!
Well, I think there is mint in Mojito’s so that will probably work….
Wow Anir…that is some list!!
I LOVE reading all of your responses! Thank you!
Here’s mine……
1. My favorite guilty pleasure is chips & dip – Hershey’s miniature candy bars and a tub of chocolate cool whip – yum yum!
2. I believe that life is way too short to have a bad day. I’ll give bad a couple of hours if I have to – but not a whole day!
3. I choose not to have any regrets about my life so far – I look at the choices I made that didn’t turn out so good as experience gained.
4. I’ve discovered, as the years have gone by, that if something is written down, it’s one less thing I have to keep inside my head…. Hello. My name is Bonnie and I am a list-a-holic…..
5. My youngest sister is hysterically funny… really quick with a come-back…. Me, I’ll call you next Tuesday when the perfect retort finally comes to me…
6. I am a potty-mouthed cusser…. and I am not ashamed of it.
7. My bedroom is painted a deep shade of purple – and I have an outrageously purple sofa sitting right in the middle of it where I endeavor to spend a ridiculous amount of time…
8. I think prejudice of any kind is bullsh*t.
9. Sometimes, I amaze myself with the seemingly infinite amount of patience I possess…
10. I love rituals. One of my favorites is that each month when the moon is full, I stand in my back yard, close my eyes, bare my breasts, and soak up her lovely energy.
11. I believe that your people are so much more important than anything else in your life.
12. I’m striving to be a better grandmother… sometimes I really suck at it.
13. Spiders don’t scare me in the least.
14. Taking classes – on just about any subject – is something I’d love to do for the rest of my days.
15. Crafty pursuits make my heart sing. I really love making things out of drift wood – I made all the center pieces for my daughter Melinee’s wedding reception out of drift wood, jute and beads, terra cotta pots and tea candles.
16. I’ll be spending a week at a lake cabin starting tomorrow. Skinny dipping is on my list of things to do while I’m there. I’ll also be collecting some drift wood.
17. The bright side is my very favorite one – that’s the one I’ll look on every time.
18. I have the ability to completely ignore unpleasantries…
19. Salem cigarettes are my friend.
20. I’ve been hypnotized 3 times to attempt to end my friendship with Salem cigarettes.
21. While driving, I preach sermons at bad drivers. The worst ones are the people who don’t use their turn signals and completely screw up my morning drive strategy.
22. I’m almost always late for work. See # 21.
23. My closest friends describe me as vivacious, sexy, boisterous, creative, nurturing and magnetic – they really do, I have it in writing…
24. I drink coffee pretty much all day.
25. My boyfriend is 13 years younger than me… and I’m loving every minute of it! (my daughter added this one – it’s true!)
I loved reading your lists, my 25 things are:
1. I should not have married so young
2. I have only had sex with the man I married
3. i miss sex now that he is older and sick, but I still love him dearly
4. i am the baby of the first family, five years later my mom had four more.
5. I married at 17 and have been married for 43 years.
6. I only had one son and wish I had more children.
7. I would rather be cold than hot.
8. I am a good friend, but I don’t have many real friends.
9. When raising our son, I did many things out of guilt for not being a stay at home mom.
10. I never felt I was like the rest of my family, and thought I must be adpoted.
11. I am very spiratual, but I don’t follow organized religion.
12. I don’t drink, smoke, do drugs, cuss or have sex with random people.
13. I am impulsive and spend money I don’t have, I need to stop this.
14. I was let go through a reduction in work force from a job I loved.
15. I was never able to find a new job, I had lots of smarts, just no book education.
16. I’ve never been across the ocean and wish I could afford to take a trip.
17. I was a purse and shoe junkie, now I’m a scrapbook junkie.
18. I want to live while I am alive and not be sustained by machines, or unable to recognise my own children or grandchildren. I hope my son and/or husband will be strong enough to let me go.
19. I love to travel even though I don’t have the money anymore.
20. I have the ability to completely tune out people aroud me and live in my own little world.
21. As I got older I realized I look just like my mother.
22. I have three beautiful grandchildren. who I love dearly.
23. I never met a chocolate I didn’t like.
24. I was an early riser when I worked now I stay up late and sleep half the day.
25. I didn’t graduate from high school, but in 1992 I graduated from two year college, I was very proud of myself.