Because I love a challenge, and like playing along, here are some things you may or may not have known about me.
1. My first grown up job was teaching special ed at Peru Elementary School.
2. I am the only one of my siblings to move north.
3. It's one of the smartest things I've ever done.
4. Marrying Weather Boy is another.
5. I actually like spending time with my in-laws.
6. I never had braces.
7. I've had glasses since 7th grade.
8. I love wearing glasses.
9. I tried contacts in the early 90s, but they drove me nuts.
10. I have a blind spot in my left eye.
11. I used to make teachers "disappear" when they were yelling at the class.
12. I hate getting in trouble.
13. I never had a detention as a student.
14. The irony of whom I now teach is one of my little joys.
15. I did not have a female best friend all through high school.
16. I only correspond with one of my high school classmates, through Christmas Cards.
17. I only see one friend from high school regularly.
18. She was in my sister’s class, and her best friend.
19. I have no idea if anyone has planned a 20th high school reunion for this year.
20. If they have, I honestly don’t know if I’ll attend.
21. When I tell high school kids they won’t remember their win/loss record in sports 20 years later, I’m not kidding.
22. I was a gymnast in high school.
23. I still see myself as one, although I am certainly not any longer.
24. I ran cross country because my 6th grade teacher asked me to join the team so we’d have 5 runners.
25. And because the girls and the boys teams rode the bus together and all my guy friends ran.
26. I made cookies for the teams every week.
27. But I hated every step.
28. I got my first Mac in college.
29. I liked that I could get a program to sing “I love trash”.
30. I still have it somewhere.
31. The first computer “lab” at Peru School included Eddie Tech’s and my Mac Classics.
32. We brought them in every Monday and home again on Fridays.
33. All our students made HyperCard stacks.
34. It was cutting edge learning in 1994.
35. I am very sensitive to smells.
36. It will come in handy if the kids ever try to lie about what they’ve been doing.
37. But I don’t think they ever will, because they know we’ll follow up.
38. Anyone who thinks parenting is easy isn’t doing it right.
39. I think playoffs in coaches pitch youth baseball is insane.
40. But Boy loves playing, so we endure.
41. I much prefer individual sports-- running, gymnastics, dance.
42. I might have played soccer if we didn’t grow up in the late 80s in a football town.
43. My high school team was co-ed, and not really advertised.
44. I loved playing pick up soccer with all ages before we had the kids.
45. Weather Boy organized it, but it was easy: show up Sunday night at 5 and we’ll divide into teams.
46. We so need to do that again.
47. We go to a lot of concerts.
48. The kids come with us most of the time now.
49. I treat making mix CDs as an art.
50. It’s easier to make playlists and burn them.
51. I have to make some this summer.
52. I also need to make a new quilt for our bed.
53. The one we have now I made in 1994, and it’s falling apart.
54. I tried to be too economical with seam allowances.
55. I also need to make Mike and Katie’s wedding album with Katie.
56. I’m excited to do that.
57. I love it when my kids truly smile.
58. Actually, I love it when anyone truly smiles.
59. I have pierced ears but don’t wear earrings anymore.
60. Too much hassle.
61. I also don’t wear make up, unless I’m going on stage.
62. I thought about going to Broadway to try to ‘make it’.
63. I decided being a good wife and mom was way more important.
64. My mom wouldn’t let me join the competition gymnastics team when I was 6.
65. If she had, and I had stuck with it, I would have eventually competed against Mary Lou Retton.
66. I really don’t like being alone for long periods of time.
67. I end up shutting down emotionally.
68. I enjoy cooking and baking.
69. Especially when I can do it without a strict recipe.
70. Someday we need to do Iron Chef.
71. The kids have offered to be judges.
72. I’d go mostly vegetarian if I wasn’t married to a meat lover.
73. I’ve taught myself to like seafood.
74. And asparagus.
75. Brussel sprouts too.
76. I still don’t like clams though.
77. Too slimy.
78. I’m working really hard to pay off our debt.
79. I think I’m doing a pretty good job, especially since the price of gas has doubled.
80. I don’t like to be too hot or too cold.
81. It’s one of the many reasons I don’t ever want to move out of Maine.
82. My body works better when it’s hot, though.
83. My toes lose circulation when it’s cold.
84. I hope my body doesn’t force us to relocate someday.
85. I really don’t like to travel.
86. Flying makes me feel horrible.
87. I also panic about losing tickets.
88. Or missing connections.
89. If we ever go overseas, I think I’ll need a valium to make it.
90. The only time the kids have seen me out of control was on a plane.
91. That was totally not cool.
92. Driving isn’t so bad.
93. (I know, I have control issues.)
94. My sugar cookies are still requested by my former co-workers.
95. It’s my grandmother’s recipe.
96. I need to learn to make her fudge, too.
97. These family recipes are as important as pictures.
98. I wonder what the kids will cook someday and think of me?
99. All 4 of my grandparents died within 4 years of each other.
100. This was fun!
..and Boy's college will be paid for! Today we found out that when the Sea Dogs said "finalist" what they meant was "winner!" Yes, he is now a scholarship recipient at the age of 10. I couldn't be prouder of him-- for doing what I asked, for doing it well, and for being humble about it all once he'd won. Girly is to be commended, too-- she also wrote an essay, never once complaining that she didn't win, and is as proud of her brother as we are. We are lucky to parent them both.
For those who care, here is the $1000 essay:
