My sister posted 25 things about herself on her blog Inquisitive Mom http://theinquisitivemom.blogspot.com/2009/10/tidbits-of-me-now-its-your-turn. She asked people to respond here's mine:
1. Mindy already knows lots about me, but I have to sit up for 1/2 an hour after I take my medicine so I'm doing this to distract myself.
2.I am Mindy's oldest sister. I think that our dad being diagnosed with cancer while I was away at my first year of college played havoc on birth order in our family. I've always felt a little out of place since that happened. The next oldest, Merilee, really took over the oldest role at that time. I don't blame her, what do you expect from a group of strong women. However, being away from home when he died has always made me a bit of an outsider.
3. I've often brainstormed a book in my head called, "MY SIDE OF THE STORY: How Four Sisters Dealt with Death and Healing." In this book each of the four girls in our family writes about there experience dealing with dad's cancer and death. I think it would make an interesting book. Four different perspectives of the same powerful event. We're all so opinionated and different.
4. I received my first two rejection letters for my two children's picture books. I'm not upset or surprised, just excited I dared to be rejected and put myself out there.
5. Whether or not I like a tv show all depends on the characters. I love good characters whose lives I can get involved in. I really am a believer in the USA networks motto: Characters Welcome.
6. I like people. I enjoy getting to know people. People talk to me easily. I make friends in the grocery store line.
7. The greatest compliment someone recently gave me was, "When you talk to people it's not about you. You'll talk to everyone. You're not a flirt. You talk to men and women the same. You have lots of guy friends, but it's friendly. You don't talk to people to draw attention to yourself."
8. I do have a lot of male friends. My husband is never jealous though. I'm too trustworthy he says. Sometimes it's a double edged sword. Is it bad to wish sometimes he would get jealous?
9. I wish I had more money, more time and better health so that I could play hockey more often.
10. I also wish I had more money so I could go out with my husband more often. I think we'd see more concerts together.
11. I think I'm a cool mom. I don't fool myself into thinking that my teenagers call me that. Though I think I'm not horrible to them. I think this because I try to participate in life with them.
12. I do love embarrassing my teenagers. Who knew it could be so much fun to be old.
13. I wish radio wasn't struggling so much. I recently discovered a real enjoyment in listening and interacting with radio. I think I'd love to have a talk show.
14. I wish Mike would find a band to play his songs with and get more joy out of his music.
15. I don't want to hurt my family and this next statement will, but my family, especially my husband, hasn't been happier since we let religion go at our house.
16. I still believe in God. I just struggle with organized religion. It is strange sometimes though because so much of my life was connected to religion in the past. Often when I'm thinking, I'll pause and say where did that idea come from, then I'll realize it's from my religious past.
17. I know these comments worry and hurt my mom and my sisters. I've been in their shoes before. That's what bothers me the most.
18. I'm not a very private person. Sometimes this drives my husband crazy. Sometimes it's what he loves about me. I don't really care, it's just me.
18. I love twitter, facebook and blogging. I love talking to people. These just give me more options. I connect way more with my family, due to these devices than I ever did before. I'm a bad sister and daughter otherwise. I never was good at long distance relationships. That's why I never would have waited for a missionary.
19. I love having a unique name. Thank you mom and dad. I hope my kids appreciate their unusual names also.
20. I secretly really, really, really want to go on the Amazing Race. Mostly with my husband, but he wouldn't do it, ever. I don't think I could even bribe him with sex. Anyone else interested?
21. I love being a teacher, most of the time. It was the right career for me.
22. When I was sixteen I used to tell people I wanted eight kids. When I was 34 I knew I was done having kids with just two.
23. When I was 35 I had my third child. There is only so much planning you can do in life.
24. Can I have my 16 year old body (that I thought was fat) back? However, I want my 37 year old mind and experience.
25. I love sports and being active, why don't I do it more often?
Hey! Thanks for sharing this. I had so many thoughts as I read this. Here are a few:
ReplyDelete- I think Dad's illness just wreaked havoc on birth order in general, not necessarily making Merilee fit the eldest role, except maybe for a short period of time. We've all lived apart for so long, I think the feeling of being displaced is something we all feel. I wish we could find a way to reconnect because sometimes I feel that there's no "inside" to our family. Sometimes I think everyone in the family is relatively comfortable with me b/c I must be dull so I'm easy to swallow or something. ;0)
I always tell people I'm so grateful for fb because it's helped me connect with my family that I rarely talked with otherwise. That's mainly why I stick with it.
I'd be interested in that book. I tried to collect memories/info on dad recently b/c I'm afraid it will all die with mom, but received few responses. I was sad, but will keep trying.
As for the organized religion, it's much too weighty of a topic to really go into here. I think we've struggled with religion in our own ways and came out the other side with different conclusions. I've always wanted to sit down with my bro-in-law Dan to talk about why he isn't active in the church, mainly because I've never really known him active and I don't feel such an emotional connection to it, if that makes sense. Sometimes I feel like some topics will divide more than they unite, though, so I worry about broaching this topic.
I hope you feel better soon!
I'm a little intimidated to jump in here...you and your sister are 'real' bloggers- my blog is just a family brag-fest.
ReplyDeleteBut I wanted to tell you that Lee would be the all-time best Amazing Race companion EVER. I say it every season. I think he could get in, too, with our next door neighbor who has never traveled at all, has the world's shortest temper, and is pretty dramatic. But maybe you and Lee could also get in: childhood friend marries friend's high school friend...and now they go on Race together. The Race has been spending a lot of time each season in Asia and usually Thailand. He would be the best companion because he is so calm in stressful situation. I have traveled to China with him 3 times for the adoptions and I am the demanding witch on the show and Lee is always so calm...last trip to China we missed a flight because I slept in...and my feeble Mandarin wasn't getting us anywhere at the ticket counter- he was so patient- PERFECT for the Race. Plus you both love strategy and game playing stuff.
So, yeah, when you and Mike are ready to swap for a million bucks- let us know!