The 100 Things

I will try bold type and see if it’s easier to read.  This list will be updated as time goes on and permits.  Mainly, at the moment, this is a test.

It seems almost mandatory if you have a blog:

1. I am the oldest of 4 children.

2. Apparently, for a long time, my nickname to my siblings was “The Hornet”.

3. I went to 7 different schools in 2 states before “settling” into high school.

4. My parents made me go to summer camp; either a church camp for a week or Girl Scout camp for 2 weeks.

5. I hated camp, but…

6. At Girl Scout camp, I had a huge crush on one of the counselors.

7. Her name was “Sarge” (big surprise there, eh).

8. I went to a 5-year high school; I started in the 8th grade.

9. Eighth-graders were called “sub-freshmen”. How’s that for the ol’ ego?

10. I started working full time when I was 15. I haven’t stopped yet.

11. I worked my way through college at Six Flags Over Georgia.

12. I got my first car when I was 21.

13. It cost $100.00.

14. Before 9th grade, I had only had 3 real friends in my life, and one of those lived in another state after I was 4 years old.

15. While I was lonely alot, and often the “odd girl out” because of always being the new kid, now I am grateful, because I learned how to grow up without a peer group and I learned how to think for myself and not be afraid of what other people said.

16. I was the editor of my high school newspaper.

17. I majored in theater in college.

18. After obtaining my “elite, liberal arts education” I moved to New Orleans without a job or a place to live, and had both within a week of arriving.

19. I worked in a restaurant on Bourbon Street, and lived just outside the French Quarter.

20. I lived in New Orleans for a year.

21. I moved back to Atlanta because of a break up.

22. I learned that you never make that kind of decision under that kind of emotional stress.

23. When I was 23, I ran away and joined the circus.

24. Yes, THE circus.

25. I was a cook, and I lived on a train for a year.

26. I met my first husband while I was working for the circus.

27. I learned that you should never marry anyone you meet while you’re working for the circus.

28. He was my daughter’s father.

29. We married in 1982 and divorced in 1986.

30. He died about 4 years ago.

31. I met my 2nd husband online.

32. That was about 7 years after I got divorced.

33. He died almost 6 years ago.

34. We were still married, but separated.

35. I moved to Colorado because of that relationship, but also because I had always wanted to be in this part of the country.

36. I love living in Colorado.

37. I also love to travel.

38. Before I die, I hope to live for at least 1 year in another country.

39. Hopefully, that will be England, Ireland, or Scotland.

40. When I was in high school, I used to sing gospel music on Sundays on a very small, local radio station. Live.

41. I also played the guitar.

42. I took piano lessons when I was in grade school and played well, but never learned how to read music.

43. I would like to take piano lessons again.

44. I think I would be better than I was when I was younger.

45. I love to get the mail.

46. I love going to the library. Being in the presence of that many books is very soothing to me.

47. My father was a private pilot (single engine planes) from when he was 19 till he died in 1990.

48. I first flew in a commercial jet when I was 3 years old.

49. My father first took me flying with him when I was about 7.

50. I loved it.

51. I have watched one soap opera, One Life To Live, on and off for about 35 years. I have gone as long as a decade without watching it, then caught up with the story line in a week.

52. Although no one ever sat down and spelled it out to me, I always knew what “gay” was.

53. I never had any guilt over having a “different” sexuality.

54. I love to cook, and at one point considered becoming a chef.

55. Now, I realize I could not deal with the pressure.

56. Cooking to me is like painting with food.

57. I love movies. I would rather watch a movie than do just about anything.

58. I once dated a guy who told me that everything I said was a quotation from a movie.

59. I told him, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”

60. I hate going barefoot; I have very sensitive feet.

61. I love socks.

62. SmartWool socks are the best socks in the world.

63. I love doing yoga, even though there are a lot of poses I will never be able to do.

64. I love going to hot springs.

65. I never thought I would be able to, but I love going to hot springs and soaking without a suit. (A big advantage of being too old to really care how you look naked!)

66. I hate rudeness. I believe there is absolutely no reason to be rude, even when you are angry and frustrated by a situation.

67. I am very good at getting rude people to calm down.

68. But sometimes, they do get to me.

69. I say very rude things to bad drivers when I am alone in the car.

70. It feels good, but if I were to even try to say those things to a person’s face, I would feel awful.

71. I have been online since 1992.

72. I love computers.

73. I think the Internet, e-mail, blogs, and instant communication, etc. will one day evolve into the human race becoming telepathic.

74. Did I mention I love reading science fiction?

75. I have a deep and sustaining faith that has nothing to do with any “religion”.

76. I belive that people who die are always with us, like WITH us, so that we can actively have conversations with them, etc.

77. We just have to listen.

78. I love growing tomatoes, or pretty much any vegetable, but if I could only plant 1 thing, it would be tomatoes.

79. I am extremely nearsighted; I’ve worn glasses since I was 7 years old.

80. I can’t stand the thought of either contact lenses or Lasik. When I think of doing anything like that to my eyes, they start to water and twitch uncontrolably.

81. With the onset of presbyopia, my vision has actually improved.

82. I used to make most of my own clothes.

83. It’s now more expensive to make your clothes than to buy them, for the most part.

84. Although I could never live there, London, England is one of my favorite places on Earth.

85. I have far-distant ancestors buried on the island of Iona, Scotland.

86. One day, I will get there.

87. I have been to Stonehenge. Yes, it was amazing.

88. One of the things I am most proud of was that I was able to take my mother to visit England, Scotland, and Ireland for a month in 2000. It was a life-long dream of hers, and we had the most incredible trip ever. After that trip, her health really started to fail, and she was not able to travel again.

89. I love shoes, but only “sensible” shoes.

90. When I moved from Atlanta to Colorado, I drove my own moving truck.

91. As I crossed over the Mississippi River, I metaphorically tossed out all my high heels and pantyhose and vowed never to wear either again.

92. So far, so good.

93. I love maps, studying maps, figuring out directions, learning the layout of a place.

94. I have an innate sense of direction, and have never really felt lost.

95. I love telling jokes.

96. My family has this “quirk” of always trying to find ways of getting from one place to another without getting on a major highway. When I lived in Atlanta with the rest of my family, it was like a game for us.

97. I still do it out here.

98. I love to go to movies by myself.

99. I hate politics, and think that most politicians are in it for the power first, money and “perks” second, and doing anything helpful for “the people” is way down on their list.

100. I love to fall asleep while reading a book.

Whew! That was harder than it looked!