In an effort to revive this blog, I’m in a blog writing course. Assignment number one, 25 random things about me:
- My feet are usually dirty. (Perhaps this is not the best lede.) I love heels, and I need running shoes, but barefoot is my first preference…I love to feel the grass, the ground, the squeaky clean beach sand under my feet.
- The first car I ever drove was my brother’s Porsche 911. He lived out of state and believed me when I said I could drive…for a moment. My dad’s Honda had a stick shift, so that’s what I eventually really learned to drive on. When friends were having a bad day, I’d try to teach them to drive a stick – it always ended with laughter. My dad was a much better teacher than I was.
- Bacon may be the sole reason I’ll never be a vegetarian. Thick and crispy, please.
- I only like my coffee hot, and caffeinated.
- When I was in elementary school I wanted to be a hobo when I grew up. It just slightly edged out mermaid after multiple trips to Weeki-Wachee.
- It seems I’ve been treating my love life like the clutter in my spare room – I close the door and pretend it doesn’t exist.
- I lose things every day – my pen, earrings, stamps for the card I need to mail, chargers, the coupon I meant to use; but rarely people. People I weave closely into the tapestry of my life…they are scattered across the country, but near and dear to my heart. One friendship began when we were three years old. Through all our life changes, we’re still here.
- I had a wake for my dog after he died. There was beer, wine, and cornhole. Everyone got a button with his picture, and it read “Friend of Harry/What Would Harry Do?” Harry would’ve loved it.
- Some people need consistency. I need change. I need adventures, even if they’re just mini-ones. New sights, new sounds – they keep my senses awake, they keep my spirit alive. And I need to be better about creating them.
- One of my favorite places to be is an empty stadium or ballpark. Either on on a off day with no games, or on a gameday before the doors open. The bleachers hold memories, and the air holds possibility. And then when the workers arrive and the doors open, it’s like the building wakes up.
- I broke my arm in two places on the last day of a wellness retreat. And since we were in a remote town in Nicaragua, I flew home with it in a sling and finally saw a doctor about 36 hours after the breaks. Man, that hurt.
- I talk to things — inanimate objects (car keys, present yourself!), plants, bugs that find themselves lost in my home, squirrels and birds along the dog walk. It’s only slightly embarrassing when I don’t see someone first who hears me.
- I’ve been to two Olympic games. Both Summer – one in Sydney, Australia and one in Athens, Greece. They are my favorite sporting events to date, but so much more. The mix of nationalities lights me up. I dearly loved navigating my way to venues along with other lost people from around the world.
- I have two brothers, two nephews, three “bonus nephews,” two great nephews and one niece. I’m much better at boy presents.
- After my father died, I asked for a sign from him. After leaving church one Sunday, a dragonfly hovered at my eye level above my car as I opened the door to get in, and we just looked at each other. Then a few months later, after a particularly rough day, I was walking the dog and a dragonfly landed on my chest, right at my heart. Magical.
- While I can embrace other people’s messiness and shortcomings, I tend to overthink so many things in my life. I want whatever I offer to be perfect, or nothing at all. In an effort to break that habit, I’m still posting this list – 9 items short of the assigned 25. Thanks for reading.