It's not that I mind sharing 10 things about myself. I'm kind of an open book so I have to rack my brains to come up with something interesting that I can share that not many people know. But my dear friend Sue gave me accolades when she gave me this award:
Fadra from all.things.fadra, because she aggravates me, puts me in my place and is always up for a debate. Everyone needs a friend like that.
Ummm, thank you??? I guess knowing that's how I make a good friend feel makes it easy to start this list.
1. I'm a pretty insecure person. I was a late bloomer in life. Didn't go to my senior prom. Didn't have a boyfriend until college. Never made long lasting friends until years after college (not counting one close friend). So I still feel insecure around people. Especially if they are strong personalities (ahem, Sue). Even at my age, I still wonder if people really like me or think I'm pretty or if they are just saying those things so they won't hurt my feelings. Luckily, my husband understands most of my insecurities and helps me stay sane.
2. I absolutely love pop culture. I couldn't tell you one thing I learned in Organic Chemistry but I can tell you the long line of romances that Brad Pitt has had. I can tell you which celebrities have had plastic surgery. I can tell you what Kirk Cameron is doing now. I watch The Soup. I read People, The Enquirer, Us Weekly - whichever has the most sensational headlines. You could call it a guilty pleasure but I honestly don't feel guilty one bit.
3. I wanted to be Meryl Streep in Out of Africa. This was one of the first serious movies I saw without my parents. I still remember that it was 2 hours and 45 minutes long (back when movies were strictly 2 hours). The only seat left was in the front row and the springs on the seat were broken so I had to prop my seat bottom on top of my foot. But I loved every minute of that movie. As Baroness Karen Blixen, she made Kenya seem like the most romantic place on Earth. And don't even get me started on the soundtrack.
4. I love Rosie Radio on Sirius XM. Not much of a confession but I'm as conservative and Republican as they come. You may or may not know that Rosie O'Donnell doesn't exactly share the same views. I started listening to her radio show by accident and I absolutely love her. She is funny, honest, and normal. She is someone I could shop at Target with and have over for dinner. She is so unassuming. But more importantly, she has a terrific heart. She's been on a great journey and really has a great perspective on her life as a celebrity and on life in general.
5. I'm sensitive and I'd like to stay that way. That's a line from one of Jewel's early songs but it always resonated with me. I'm sensitive in a good way. I can have thick skin when I need to but I have empathy beyond belief. I can cry over other people's pain. It's a blessing and a curse sometimes to take on the weight of the world but I'll take feeling any day over not feeling.
6. I have never been to a funeral. All of my grandparents have passed away. Growing up, we lost neighborhood children. I lost my best friend from high school. My neighbor's wife passed away. But for some reason, I have never attended any of their funerals. When I was younger, my parents kept me away. As I got older, there were circumstances that kept me from attending - either time and distance or my relationships. Now I dread the thought of one. Everyone - stay healthy.
7. I have a huge heart. I think some people just don't see that. And I can't understand why most people aren't the same way. Part of that is the whole empathy thing. But really, it's not that difficult to simply BE NICE. Say please and thank you. Hold the door open for the person behind you. It's not just manners. It's kindness. And the world would be a much better place if more people cared about others more than they cared about themselves.
8. I love the changing of the leaves in the fall. Yes, it's pretty. Yes, it's colorful. But I love it. I plan special trips to the mountains to see it. Some days, the colors bring tears to my eyes. Other days, I think they are so beautiful that I want to capture that moment in time. And then you blink and they are gone. And some people never even noticed them at all.
9. I'm a night owl. I hate to get up in the morning even though I love the sense of accomplishment it gives me. I don't really get my groove until mid-morning and then I crash again right after lunch. I usually get tired around 9pm but if I push past that, I've reached my prime. I usually do my best work at night when it's dark outside and the distractions are few. That seems to be when the creative juices flow. I just wish I could sleep late. Not an option with a 3 year old.
10. I believe in fate. When I say fate, I don't mean that our lives are out of our hands and whatever will be will be. But I do believe that EVERYTHING happens for a reason. It's not my Pollyanna outlook on life. It's that I believe we are here to learn. And everyone has something different to learn. I go to psychics and meditate and pray. And I am learning too. In fact, just yesterday, as I was completely my list of 10 things, I accidentally deleted the whole thing. An hour of work down the drain. But I knew it was for a reason. And today my list of 10 is completely different. It must be fate.
I'm not a big blogging follower because I mainly write for me. But I'd love to bestow this award on some new blogs I'm following. Maybe they will be inclined to share. It's a fun exercise.
This Mama Works It! is about moms finding themselves as women again. It is about moms being secure in themselves and who they have become, who they are going to be, and the decisions that got them there.
Housewife Bliss is a daily release from the clutches of reality. Coryanne posts her 'bitchy post-it notes', offer tips on homemaking, and more frequently than originally anticipated, offer insights into the insanity and quirky nature of her secret thoughts on life, love and everything that makes her who she is.
Mommy Can't Sing started her blog to record all of the smart and funny things her 3-year-old son and (when she can talk) 1-year-old daughter say.
Pretty Swell follows Suzanne who seem to finally be getting the hang of motherhood.
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