25 Things About Me Meme

1. I just discovered that this is my 101st post. It's also probably going to be my longest.

2. I didn't know what a meme was until recently. I'm still not entirely sure exactly what it means. But it's going around and everyone is doing it. I didn't want to be left out.

3. I'm living in the fashion capital of the world and I know NOTHING about fashion. This cat knows more than me.

4. Typing is really difficult with a three-year-old in your lap singing along to Chicken Little.

5. I traveled in Europe when I was 14 with my parents. We spent a week in Club Med in Switzerland (for a conference), then went on a tour bus through France with a bunch of adults, and two little kids. Guess who I got to "babysit" the whole time. My older brother didn't come with us.

6. I traveled in Europe again when I was 16/17. I spent my 17th birthday with a group of English-speaking teenagers/20-somethings on an island in Greece. They gave me a t-shirt and an ice-cream cone. Probably my best birthday, ever. (So far, anyway... my 40th could be great too!)

7. I have never dyed or permed my hair. Tried to once, but it didn't take. When it's long, it's wavy or curly, depending on length and location.

8. It's starting to turn grey now, but I don't mind. I earned every grey hair I own. My mom started turning grey in her 30s too. If I age as gracefully as she has (and as my grandmother did), I'll be very happy.

9. My grandmother was named Pearl. If I'd had a daughter, Pearl would have been her middle name. Her first name would have been Lessa. Lessa Pearl. I love that and am sad I'll never get to use it. Oh well.

10. If you follow the reference above, you will learn about my all-time favorite fictional world. I have read every single book, and I believe every short story as well. I wanted to name my oldest boy Jaxom, but settled for something that sounded a lot like it. I still resent having been introduced to the books out of order. (But I'm over it).

11. These 25 things are a lot longer and more detailed than I'd planned. That may be a theme for me - putting more detail into things than absolutely necessary - but with (I hope) interesting outcomes.

12. My brother's girlfriend was my friend first. When they broke up (20+ years ago), I lost track of her. Now they're back together, and I get to have her as a friend again. Hooray! She's the one who inspired me to write this meme. Hi J!

13. I started reading blogs about three years ago. My mother (we call her techno-granny) gave me my first link. It was to this mom-of-three-boys, whom she met at a Colorado Authors League meeting. In addition to her, the blogs I read (almost) every day are, in no particular order, WouldaCouldaShoulda, Notes from the Trenches, Mom to the Screaming Masses, Chookooloonks, and The Bold Soul. These women inspire me, not only to write, but to take time to appreciate my kids, my life, and the beauty around me.

14. Until recently, I hadn't read a newspaper regularly in over fifteen years. I never watch news programs, and rarely go to news websites. In all that time, I don't feel as if I've missed out on anything really important. I figure someone will tell me if there is anything that will affect me directly. So far, I've been right.

15. I just started taking the International Herald Tribune. I felt, for the first time, in a long time, that I'd like to know what's going on in the world. Something about being an American in a foreign country, I do not wish to appear stupid and/or uninformed.

16. However, I find most of the news distasteful and irrelevant. A Political Science professor in college told me I could learn everything I needed to know about the world by reading the editorials. I still follow that advice.

17. I read the comics religiously. The two I never miss are Non Sequitur and Luann.

18. I also read a bunch of magazines and newsletters. I often don't know what's happening on a day-to-day basis, but I understand trends. Here's a list of the ones I have right now: The Sun Magazine, Inc., Fast Company, Working Mother, Mothering, More. There's probably a couple that I'm missing.

19. I'm getting tired of making links. I'm still not all that great at technology stuff. I really want a personal assistant who will do everything I tell him/her to do, and make it all look pretty.

20. I love business. I love seeing how individual people make decisions to do something in their corner of the world, make something better, fulfill a need, solve a problem, and then go out and do it. I believe businesses impact our world far more than any politics or politician.

21. I'm a great speller. I can figure out how to spell almost anything. If I typed as good as I spelled, I'd never use a spell checker. Unfortunately, I'm a lousy typist.

22. I never, ever, ever, in my entire life, imagined I would have four children. It never crossed my mind. I always thought I'd have two - a boy and a girl, just like in my family. Now, of course, I wouldn't have it any other way.

23. Something else I never imagined I would do, is teach any kind of physical exercise. I was a bookworm as a kid, never played a sport, got overweight in college and never really took it off. The fact I'm a certified Jazzercise instructor boggles my mind. I never was coordinated or graceful. I'm still not that graceful, but I do my best.

24. I have had an amazing number of incredible teachers, mentors, friends and advisors in my life. I feel incredibly blessed to have their (your) support and love over the years. I am one of the luckiest people I know in this respect.

25! When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a pilot when I grew up. I was steadfast in this desire from the time I was about seven, to the time I was a teenager. Then someone told me there were lots of other ways to get paid to travel. I'm still working on the getting paid part, but I've travelled well.

Done! Your turn. If you haven't made your list yet, consider yourself tagged. I want to see your 25 Things. Send me a link!