25 Things About Me

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?