A Repost: 25 Things About Me

Posted Originally on February 6, 2009 -- Reposting only because I recently mentioned it.

1. It makes me anxious to “friend request” people on FB. I’m 37 years old and still afraid I won’t be invited to the party.


2. There was only one thing I ever wanted to do with my life and that was be a writer. I wrote stories before I could actually write. It is written on every page of my “school days” book from about grade 4 on. Instead I conformed and got a real job. At 34 years old I finally wrote a novel and it was the most amazing experience I’ve ever had. Ultimately it changed my life forever. But I still have a real job.

3. My marriage ended because I changed. Not because he did.

4. I am a huge romantic. I don’t fall in love easily but when I do I give myself wholly and completely. I’ve had my heart broken a half dozen times and I’m still willing to come back for more.

5. I didn’t start drinking coffee until I was 34 years old. It was because I was up until 1 AM writing a book and tea didn’t cut it for getting me through a workday the next day. I am now fully and forever addicted.

6. I never wanted to be a nurse growing up. I’m still not sure how that happened. I went through 4 years of nursing school and still wasn’t sure I wanted to be a nurse. I won the gold medal for highest GPA in my class. I worked in a hospital for no more than 3 months and knew I wouldn’t do that forever. I went back and did my masters to try and find contentment and ended up more disillusioned than ever. I still love health and wellness but my disillusionment with my profession is why I teach the least nursey subjects in the curriculum.

7. Women make me nervous. I guess I was backstabbed too many times in my adolescence. I am much more comfortable around men. Unfortunately the paradox is that I also believe that the essence of “When Harry Met Sally” is true.

8. In high school I never ran more than 100 or 200m at track meets. I was the kid who could show up to track practice two weeks before the meet and make finals in my sprint events. This attitude frustrated my coach. Today I still think like a sprinter (go out hard!). This is problematic when trying to race long events.

9. I am anal about words. I will edit this document for hours before I post it. I love: Type. Formatting. Commas. Periods. Spacing. Italics. I really do appreciate the details of APA. Conversely, I don’t care if my counters get wiped daily or if my floor gets swept.

10. I could never talk about #2. I didn’t think people would understand. Then I found a mentor who taught me how to talk about writing.

11. I am addicted to email. I check my email 100 times a day (or it is just always open). I usually always reply immediately. It will usually be longer than necessary and say more than I need to say. I will almost always have the last word.

12. I usually make the first move.

13. I look forward to when my children are teenagers. I may regret wishing that when the time arrives.

14. I am still proud of who my ex husband is even though I don’t want to be married to him.

15. Bending rules still gives me an adrenaline rush.

16. I have a recurring nightmare that I am trapped underwater and can’t get up to breath. Related: I frequently dream that I am swimming and my arms are so heavy I can’t move.

17. I enjoyed being in therapy.

18. As a kid I was annoyed by Sunday dinner conversations between my mother, my grandmother and my aunt about the latest Family Circus quick-fix diet. I vowed out loud that I would never get fat. They laughed and said, “we’ll see.” So far so good but I’m battling some pretty heavy duty genetics in that department. I want a tummy tuck. Can we start a fund?

19. My whole life I’ve wanted to find sport that I was better than average at. I think cycling could be it.

20. When I was in university, I thought every one of my classmates had the same work ethic as me. It wasn’t until I started teaching that I figured out the truth.

21. I eventually forgive anything. I have to be crossed dozens of times to finally walk away. I have no interest in revenge.

22. I remember the first and last names of every guy I have ever kissed and beyond. I regret none. Some of them I still think about.

23. I think being a parent is far harder than any day job.

24. Someday you might turn up in one of my novels. Maybe you already have.

25. I’m not very good at keeping secrets, including my own. But I won’t reveal anything that would hurt another person or cause harm.