Ten Random Things About Me

Stephanie at A Room of My Own tagged me to do a meme naming ten random things about myself. I feel so special 🙂 Of course, after reading various other blogger’s responses, I always then have a hard time coming up with my own original categories, but I’ll give it a good try . . .

Ten Random Things About Me

1. I grew up in the same small town my mother did (population about 5,000) up in Allegan, Michigan. I was born and raised until 12 years old in a house my parents rented from her parents inside the city limits one block from the local elementary school. My parents then acquired four acres across the road from these same grandparents in the same city just outside of town where I lived until I left home.

2. I was a major tomboy growing up, constantly following my two older brothers into their sports games with the neighborhood children. I followed the adage, “Anything boys can do, girls can do better”, and I would set myself up to prove it. I was a Daddy’s girl, so I think I adopted this perspective from him.

3. I have always been a “defender of the underdog” ever since I can remember. I just could not stand idly by if I saw someone picking on someone at school or around my neighborhood. By junior high school time, I decided it was time to change how I did this when the boys were now beginning to have actual fist fights with blood flying. I stepped into the middle of this type of thing a time or two, as I always did in elementary school, but recognized the potential risk involved.

4. I was extremely shy up until fourth grade at which time I completely changed when the “most popular boy” stated that he liked me. I know, kinda sad, and yet, I’m so thankful that I had that experience that helped me turn into that social butterfly with confidence. I don’t know why I was so painfully shy before, and I don’t know why this experience changed me so dramatically.

5. Another “gag me” confession about my school life. I was a cheerleader for four years with basketball and four years with football. The funny thing is that the only reason I first got started was my best friend at the time SO wanted to try out in seventh grade, it was the only girl sport offered in that grade, and she begged me to tryout with her. I made the squad; she didn’t. Figures. Of course, having tagged along with my brothers for so many years playing football and baseball especially, I knew about the games I was cheering for. Also, in my junior year, our squad competed and recieved fifth place in the state; the best for our little school. We did a three man high mount when they were still allowing such things. The next year, they banned mounts above 1.5 people high.

6. My absolutely favorite sport I played in high school for four years was fast pitch softball. I was the smallest player on the team, the worst batter for many years, and I was the starting catcher! For those not in the “know”, most catchers are the biggest players and a strong batter. What I lacked in strength, however, I made up for in speed (agility, not running speed). I had a traditional coach/player moment my senior year. I was literally the strike out queen. I dreaded hearing the groan from my team when they knew I was up next. Early in the season, the coach needed a relief batter (someone to bat for someone else), and usually you will pick the person who can bat best who isn’t playing at the time. She chose me. Everyone’s jaw dropped, but not further than mine. I gave the coach a questioning look, and she simply gave me a thumbs up. I guess she saw potential in me, but the lack of confidence. Well, I went up and hit a double, and from there, it was history. I was one of the top batters for the year.

7. My hubby and I were high school sweethearts. He was the only young man I actively pursued. Usually, the guys pursued me, and when the chase part was done, I’d drop them. I knew my hubby was different, and I was waiting until I was ready for a more serious relationship. We dated our entire senior year, I then went off to college, and about three months into that, he went and served a eighteen month mission for our church in Concepcion, Chile. I wrote to him weekly and within two months of his return, we were married (eloped, actually).

8. I have an associates degree in Executive Secretarial Science. Truthfully, it’s only because of my teachers that this even occurred. My parents were not big on parenting nor did they have any clue as to how to open the world to me. I discovered in my senior year that I was pretty talented in typing (got up to 100 words per minute) and transcription (got up to 140 words per minute). Our particular high school had their focus in this area as a place of “speciality”; other area city high schools had other areas (small town focused skills). My secretarial teachers encouraged me to apply to a business school, using class time to bring in nearby colleges to share what they offered. My teachers took a special interest in me because of my talent. I probably would not have gone to any college without someone sharing their belief in me. No one ever mentioned the possibility before this time, so I had never even taken the SAT/ACT because I didn’t know it existed. Going into this field for a season was perfect for my plans to be married and put my hubby through university.

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9. A life changing course I took in college was my Introduction to Psychology. Interesting how I had no idea how psychology would later come into my life. This professor opened this small town girl’s eyes in a huge way. He showed me how my perspective was but minute compared to bringing in other vantage points from other’s experiences. He showed me how we give power to others or things, and that we can choose to take that power back. He introduced me to Leo Buscaglia, who helped me want to choose to keep my child-like wonder and excitement in my life (again, how much did that set the scene for my homeschooling life later!). He showed me that I had a unique talent in being able to influence people, and to never choose to use that power for selfish purposes.

10. I am a huge “party in the mouth” person, to take the phrase Oprah used to refer to eating as a reward or guilty pleasure. Most of my married life, when evening comes and the children are in bed, I grab either potato chips and French Onion dip and a pop, microwave popcorn and a pop, or other such chippy type of food and plop in front of whatever my latest TV craze is . . . mine currently is realty TV shows . . . I know, sad . . . I also live for chocolate. There’s good and bad. My genetic make-up is such that it never shows on my body. But, remember, one can die skinny :-0 I have no exterior motivations, and it’s hard to create an internal one . . .

Okay, so I wasn’t very random with my list. Boy, is my sequential personality showing through as I went from childhood up to present . . . LOL! But, it was really fun to share what has shaped my life and who I am today.

I hope you learned a little bit more about me . . . and still want to come back . . . LOL!

Me, somewhere between 18 months and 2 years old