100 Things About Me

I’ve finally narrowed down to 100 from the millions of things about me to choose from. This isn’t all there is to me. Some things I’ve elaborated on, while others I’ve left somewhat vague. Each and every one of these could be a blog post in itself. Maybe eventually they will be. In the meantime, if there’s any of these you want me to expound upon, list it by number in the comments.

1. I was born and raised in Eau Claire, WI. On the poor side of town. I grew up in the same house my dad grew up in and went to the same grade school he went to. I couldn’t wait to leave. I spent most of my childhood trying to convince my parents to move and when that failed, I got out of Dodge first chance I got.

2. My childhood home was a small house with a clawfoot bathtub, no shower. I’d never taken a shower until gym class in jr. high school. To this day, I still prefer baths. It was a story & a 1/2 so the upstairs bedrooms had slanted walls. My closet was tiny and you couldn’t stand up straight in it but it did have electricity so I sat in the closet and played records.

3. My dad was a 32nd degree Mason & around age 12 he made me join Job’s Daughters. One of my good friends was also made to join at the same time. We were the only girls from our school, the rest were from the rich side of town. She quit going shortly after joining. I had to keep going for a few years. I might’ve liked it if the other girls were friendlier to me. Later when I was in 10th grade, my geometry teacher (also the h.s. football coach) came over to our house and my dad “coached” him cuz he wanted to join. It was beyond weird.

4. My grandmother founded the tiny church I grew up going to. We were Presbyterians and the congregation was a few dozen people. I had to go to church every Sunday and Sunday school as well. I was the only kid my age so they grouped me in with the older kids. We had a couple of Italian ministers and then one from India. As I got into high school, I started putting up a protest and didn’t go to church. I’d still go on holidays but not weekly. I still have an aversion to organized religion. I believe you can talk to God anywhere and don’t need to be in a church.

5. My ancestry is: Swedish, Irish, German and Polish (1/4 each).

6. I abhor cruises.  Mom & I tried one once and had a horrible experience. I honestly don’t think I would ever go again, even for free.

7. I was secretary of my 3rd grade class because I had the best handwriting. I got a small trophy for having the nicest handwriting.

8. I didn’t go to any Proms and the only Homecoming dance I went to was in my senior year when a pen pal and I went to one in Sheboygan, WI. We went to see the band that was playing there. She was dating one of the guys in the band.

9. I went to college in Madison, WI. I didn’t graduate. I enjoyed the socializing/partying a little too much. I also worked at Gordo’s (dorm cafeteria) the entire time I went to school. Every weekend I went to Gordo parties one of my coworkers threw. I was popular.

10. I don’t drink coffee or tea. My favorite drink is Diet Dr. Pepper.

11. Up until my 40’s, I had the best memory of anyone I’d ever known. It was almost photographic. I could remember anyone’s name, their birthday, anything they’d ever told me, etc. I don’t recognize myself now that my memory is so bad.

12. I had braces. TWICE. I had a failed dental implant. I have inheirited gum disease from both parents. I didn’t have my first cavity until age 16. I had my last cavity at 19.

13. I am almost Amish when it comes to technology.

14. I was a cheerleader for 2 years.

15. I flunked my driver’s test when I took it for the first time (on my 16th birthday). I waited over a year before taking it again.

16. I love to dance. When I hear music I like, it’s like someone set my chair on fire. You’ve never seen anyone move that fast to get up and onto the dance floor. 🙂

17. I love horror movies and psychological thrillers.

18. I’ve never done karaoke but someday hope to have enough nerve. One small problem is I can’t sing.

19. I hate the color red. I love pink and green.

20. My parents owned rental property. I was forever being dragged along to one of the 2 places while they did maintenance. They put me to work and I was raking leaves, installing linoleum and painting whole rooms by myself in jr. high.

21. I legally changed my first name. My middle name is Bowana. I kept that. I always loved my maiden name but now I love my married name even more.

22. I was afraid of cops as a kid. Still am a bit. I watched too many 1970’s tv movies where someone was framed by the police for a crime they didn’t commit.  I was sure it would happen to me. Paranoid much?!

23. I don’t like injustice or incompetence.

24. I took 4 years of French class. I went to 2 weeks of french camp in Hackensack, MN.

25. I had penpals. I also signed and swapped slams.

26. I have 3 half-sisters and 1 half brother. They are 11 to 25 years older than me. The sister closest to my age is schizophrenic and at least one of my nephews is bipolar. My oldest half sister worked with my mom and introduced her to my dad.

27. I’ve known 4 people in my life who’ve committed suicide. 2 hung themselves, 2 shot themselves. They were 1 classmate, 2 coworkers and my nephew who was 3 yrs younger than me.

28. My parents were in their 40’s when I was born. I’m my mom’s only child. Dad retired when I was 9. He made tires at Uniroyal for 33 yrs. My mother has had severe hearing loss since very young. She still managed to work 35 yrs. as an operator for the phone company. She’s worn hearing aids for the last 18 yrs. or so.

29. I love drive-in movie theaters. The best part is the “Let’s all go to the movies” short they play at the beginning when the hot dog jumps into the bun!

30. I love all music except jazz and opera. I have such varied tastes ranging from Eminem, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ to Lady Gaga.

31. Soap Operas have a special place in my heart.

32. I heart mermaids and seahorses. I collect spaghetti poodles (only cute ones, some are butt ugly) and nodders.

33. I have a thing for purses, earrings, pajamas and perfume.

34. I dislike shopping for bras and shoes.

35. I had piano lessons at age 5. I couldn’t read music but could play whatever the teacher did. In 4th grade I picked the cello to play as an instrument. I played it until college. I also briefly tried to learn the bass when I was asked to join an all girls band in 10th grade.

36. I was a groupie for local bands: The Coast, Bad Boy, Yipes! and The Rage. My definition of groupie doesn’t include sleeping with the band.

37. I wished I was one of The Go-Go’s.

38. The way girls feel about Justin Beiber is how I felt about Huey Lewis. I wanted to have his baby. I was all googly eyed over him. Now I look at him and wonder what the hell I saw in him.

39. I’ve been varying kinds of fat all my life.

40. As a tween, my neighbor and I sat on the fence and pretended to be Trixie Beldon and Honey Wheeler.

41. I let my husband pick the house we’ve been living in for the past 15 years. (There’s actually a blog post on this.)

42. I had a butterfly & clam for a pet.

43. I had acne until age 19 when I took Accutane. I get so angry when I hear people are suing and claiming that Accutane made some teen commit suicide. I won’t believe it. Having acne makes you want to commit suicide! Accutane was one of the best things to ever happen to me. It’s wrong to take it off the market when it helps so many. My hubby (who I didn’t know at the time) also took it. When I see someone today with bad acne, all I can think of is there’s no reason anyone needs to have this in this day and age. Acne is like scurvey. They had a cure for this for 30 years already!!

44. I had a paper route at age 15. I used the money to buy hard contact lenses and a toboggan.

45. My car is 17 years old. It’s a Pontiac and I may never find another car I like as much as the ones they made. I’ll never buy a used car if I can help it.

46. I’ve taken planes, trains, buses, cars & RVs cross country.  I love to travel. Our RV is like our 2nd home. We spend about 82 nights a year in ours. I’ve never been in a limosine but hope to someday.

47. My dad ate things like: lutefisk, lefse, head cheese and drank buttermilk.

48. I’m kind of a daredevil.

49. I’ve gone on a couple of blind dates.

50. If I didn’t have to trim my chin hair, I’d never look in the mirror.

51. I hate wearing glasses but am terrified of having my eyeballs sliced (Lasik). My fear is being blind. Who’d cut my chin hairs?

52, I’ve hit a deer in a car and on a motorcycle.

53. I’ve been to a gay bar.

54. My idea of a good time is a toga party. I’ve been to both good and bad block parties.

55. I don’t believe in giftwrapping.

56. We don’t exchange gifts for Christmas.

57. Fireworks are the biggest waste of money I can think of. Don’t get me wrong, I like them but think once every 5 years would be fine.

58. I was a Camp Fire Girl & a Girl Scout.

59. I hate baby & bridal showers. (I wrote a blog post on the bridal shower portion of this.)

60. I detest taking down and putting away Christmas decorations.

61. Halloween irks me to no end.

62. I don’t like doing anything that is expected/ traditional. I want to do things without feeling obligated to.

63. I love to gamble. Slot machines are my poison. I love the penny ones. The only time I ever won a sizeable amount was $2500 on a quarter Wild Cherry up in Green Bay, WI. It was back when I played quarter machines. After that win, i went and bought a new car. (The one I currently own.)

64. I will never wait in line for hours or overnight to be the first to get a new gadget, see a movie premiere or get concert tickets to anything.

65. One of my favorite luxuries is time spent in a hot tub.

66. I love my dogs so much, it’s like they came from my body.

67. I had chicken pox at age 30.

68. As a kid I dressed up my cat in doll clothes and pushed him in a baby buggy. My arms were covered in cat scratches all the time.

69. I’m a foodie. I love to cook and eat. I love reading cookbooks & recipes online. I try new recipes at the drop of a hat. Sometimes 3 a day.

70. I adore magazines but never have time to read them.

71. I hate talking on a cellphone and use the speakerphone when I have to do it.

72. I get a small thrill being Mayor of my bank, post office, vet and several casinos on FourSquare.

73. I cut Chemistry class in 11th grade, repeatedly.

74. I hate having my picture taken.

75. I feel uncomfortable taking other people’s pictures.

76. I love looking at pictures and postcards. That’s why I’m wild about Instagram.

77. I wish I was funny. If I was funny, I’d be a stand up comedian.

78. I used to be terribly shy.

79. At age 25, I started standing up for myself and haven’t stopped since.

80. Some people deserve to be told off and I’m willing to do it.

81. I’m a former disgruntled postal worker. I worked nights for almost 8 years.

82. I feel ill at ease around my hubby’s family. Even after 25 years.

83. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for my mother.

84. I love who I am when I drink. I will mingle and go chat up someone sitting alone. I give away my possessions when drunk.

85. I can wait for a good thing. I love a deal. I can’t enjoy something I’ve paid too much for. I’d rather have 1 good thing, than 10 cheaper ones.

86. “Family Guy” is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. It makes me roar with laughter.

87. I hate remakes of movies and sequels.

88. I grew up hating antiques since I was raised in a house full of them. About 10 yrs. ago, my hubby & I used to go to antique auctions and buy things to resell online. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gained an appreciation for vintage things. Now we sell collectibles online.

89. As a child, I was called Chrissy, Critty and Kitty.

90. I love gardening and indoor plants. I love having fresh flowers in the house but think they’re too expensive for how long they last.

91. I love being tickled and used to beg to be tickled as a child. My hubby hates being tickled so won’t let me tickle him nor does he want to tickle me.

92. I’ve had botox but not in my face. And not out of vanity but out of a medical necessity for pain relief.

93. I get embarrassed by things others don’t seem to, yet things that embarrass others don’t embarrass me. I’ll wear just about anything printed on a t-shirt.

94. I’ve had my tonsils out but still have my appendix. For my entire childhood I thought that all the seeds you ate went into your appendix and caused it to burst. I wouldn’t eat any seeds, not even in bread.

95. I had to clean my plate as a child. Even if it meant sitting at the table long after the food was stone cold. The only foods I didn’t like were lima beans and liver.

96. I never got an allowance but was given 25 cents for washing dishes a few times.

97. One of my best friends lied to me for 2 years in jr. high school. I have never fully recovered from this and it makes me never give 100% of myself in friendship.

98. I wrote my life story at age 21 and exchanged it with a pen pal.

99. Around age 26 I went to a psychologist for a few sessions. I wanted to come to terms with the unfullfilling relationship I had with my dad. She was NO help and in fact after he died and I was in crisis, she fell asleep as I was pouring my heart out to her in a session. That gave me the strength I needed to walk away from therapy and I realized I needed to cope on my own. I couldn’t count on anyone, even someone being paid $90/hr. to “listen”.

100. I don’t like hurting anyone’s feelings. I also don’t like sharing my opinions with people for fear they will stomp all over them.