7 Random Facts about Me
(i know, i know...I've done it before...but I promise these facts are fascinating!! lol)

First off, though, I just have to say that you guys are the SWEETEST people on earth. Lisa E., you made me day when you told me that you used one of my poems in your Sunday School class. And Michelle commented on her blog that she finds my writing "peaceful." What a compliment to receive! You guys are great and make me feel so joyful whenever I pop on here!

And speaking of Michelle...and seven random facts...(which we were!)...Michelle has tagged me on her blog to do the "7 Random (or weird) Facts about Yourself" meme. Michelle is a new blog friend, so I encourage you to go visit her and comment on HER BLOG. Show her the love!


I am never one to back down from challenge (well, unless it has to do with climbing somewhere very high, or involves mayonnaise!), so I rattled my brain a bit and tried to find seven NEW facts that perhaps you all don't know about me yet.

(And in case you want to read the past interesting facts about me, you can click HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE to read past posts. Boy...this is really sounding self-indulgent. Sorry!!!)

So, here you go (in no particular order of intrigue or anything)...

One... I'm that adult who is always up for a challenge, especially if it involves proving to younger kids and teenagers that I am still "with it." So, for some odd reason that I don't quite understand myself, I will attempt things that my almost-40-year-old body really shouldn't. So, yes, I'm the grown-up who does the limbo contest, twirls the hula hoop, shows Delaney's cheerleading friends that she can still do a herky jump, and rides the mechanical bull. I guess it has something to do with the fact that I can't really get embarrassed.

Two... I despise math and science, but love literature, history, and writing. Hence, the 2 D's and three C's I got in Algebra 2 in high school. (Ugh...I still have nightmares!)

Three... I LOVE Hostess' Ding Dongs (yummm...why did I even have to type those words? now I seriously want two or three of them!!) and, yes, I have actually fried me some Twinkies in my house!

Four... I am one of those "forgive and forget" kind of people. I do NOT hold grudges; I do not like the idea of retaliation; and I rarely stay mad at a person for very long. I believe that any anger and unforgiving attitudes that I harbor in my heart will only make me miserable, and who am I to do anything that will keep me from being joyful? This means that I have forgiven friends who've done me wrong; that I am on friendly terms with my ex-husband; and that other people's ugly attitudes rarely bring me down. My motto: if they want to be miserable, they are certainly free to be so. But I won't let anger and past hurts control me.

Five... I am also one of the meanest moms in the whole wide world. The girls don't have televisions in their rooms, Delaney doesn't have a cell phone (she can have one at 13, the same age that McKenna did), they can't date until they're 16, and I have the right to turn music or television off at a moment's notice. For some reason, I think parents should still be parents.

Six... But...I am a really fun parent. I promise!!!

Seven ... The place where Gary and I met, as well as the two places that we went on our first date, are all long-gone. One burned down, and two others went out of business. I've often thought that this might be a bad sign and I often wish I could walk back into the restaurants and club where we first met, danced, and kissed. But, we'll be married 13 years in May...so I guess the jinx is off!

Okay, that was fun! It really is kinda cool to "rediscover" yourself a little bit and write the facts down.

I'm supposed to tag 7 people, and I'm trying think of seven who've never done this one. So, I'm going to try...Pam, Edleen, Misty B, Auburn Kat, Kimberly, Detta, and Gary (because he always needs something to write about!! lol)

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And because I'm sticking with my poem-a-day challenge (I've now written 15 of them!!), here is yesterday's challenge and today's.

Yesterday, the challenge was to: fill in the blanks "how ______ behaves" and write a poem on it. I had just watched an episode of "Monk," one of my very fave shows, and was inspired to write this.

"How Mr. Monk Behaves"

don't charge Mr. Monk 99 dollars for anything;
you better make it one hundred even.
don't tell Mr. Monk about the "three second rule";
he'll cringe at the thought of food on the floor.
don't be offended if Mr. Monk won't shake your hand,
or if he uses a disinfectant wipe on his own if he does.

don't be offended,
it's just Mr. Monk's odd behavior.

(yet, although he'd be a pain to live with,
i wish i could be his wipe-dispensing assistant.
because I sorta have a crush...
an obsession, if you will...
on Mr. Monk)

And then today's challenge was to: write an insult poem. I found it kinda hard to think of someone to insult, then thought back to McKenna's experience yesterday. She ran to the grocery store and had some guy leer at her. It really freaked her out and I was inspired to write a poem based on that.

"that Kind of Guy"

hey you, there.
yeah, I'm talking to
you.
who thinks it's cool to cat-call,
and whisper,
make crude statements,
and nudge that other guy.

i'm almost forty, so i can shrug aside
such immaturity,
such boorishness,
such filth
from your sort.

but i want you to know that's my daughter
you think you're complimenting,
but you're really insulting.

yeah, she came home and told me how she felt
when you asked her old she was and
if she had a boyfriend.

she said she mumbled, avoided your stare,
and sped off in her car as fast as she could.

how old are you anyway?
she's just 16. you're what? 25?
dis. gus. ting.

so...go hide under a rock
or,
better yet,
never come out in that souped-up car again.

(and, by the way,
i won't be mentioning this to my husband,
her pop.
who might take it more personally,
and add injury to insult.)

Thanks, again, for indulging my attempts at poetry. But this challenge has been so rewarding... and I'm already thinking of how to combine it with my love of scrapbooking and create a poetry/art journal.

Now, I'm off to watch "American Idol" and then some basketball. Have a great night!!