Tuesday, April 15, 2008



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)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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!!

19 comments:

Cheryl said...

I can totally relate to the poem. The one about your daughter. I have a daughter and when I see men (idiots) looking at her, I bow up like a snake ready to strike! I can't even describe what her Dad would do. We have to be protective of our little ones. Great Post!

Jenster said...

1 - I totally get that one. I nearly landed myself in bed for a week about 5 years ago when I did a cartwheel. I have no idea what I was thinking!

2 - Hello, sister!!!

3 - Ding Dongs are yummy, but Suzie Qs are the bomb!!

4 - Me too! I've started a post about this same thing. In those sermons or lessons about forgiveness I wrack my brain, trying to think of someone I need to forgive and I always come up blank.

5 - I'm one of those moms, too!! My son is so excited because he's going to be 16 at the end of the month. He has a girlfriend, but they haven't dated. (I'm thinking of changing the age to 18!)

6 - I abstoluely know that's true about you!!

7 - Interesting!

I love the poems. The Monk one cracks me up (we have the first four seasons of Monk on DVD). And I especially loved the second one. I felt your indignation!!

hippo chick said...

I just love, love, love the poem. I have always said that if we don't advocate for our children, who will?

I loved the entire post. You are an amazing woman. Your mom must be very proud of you.

I'll do the seven random facts on my post today.

Love and Hugs.

Kimberly said...

Thanks for the tag..I will post mine as soon as I get a chance today. Hope you have a great day.

Anonymous said...

First of all, I was so excited to see my name in your blog. I think that is a first -- I don't think I've ever been mentioned in a blog! You can tell it doesn't take a lot to please me! :-)

I loved your whole blog today - the 7 plus your poems.

Linda said...

OH Girl, I am definitely with you on One and I'm 51....and still do it, hey pays to stay active, I'm also a really mean mom and no tvs in the room, believe me, she spends enough time in there that she doesn't need another reason..

The poem....OK so I'm at the mall with BOTH of my beauties, 21 and 17, and some dude, dis gus ting dude, starts catcalling at my girls....this guy is driving a Mercedes and looks to be about 40. GIVE IT UP DUDE. And for me, I don't tell their Daddy, I'll take care of him myself. eccckkkkkkk. What is up with that...but the poem is perfect...just perfect.

Cheryl Wray said...

Cheryl--It's just ridiculous, isn't it? And i had to tell McKenna that that's just how it goes sometimes, she has to deal with it (which is really sad).

Jen--Ha ha on the cartwhel. We really don't think ahead, do we? But i'm glad to know others try it too! Mmmm, Susie Qs are awfully good too! lol

Hippo--Thanks! and you're TOO Sweet! Can't wait to see your seven.

Kimberly--Yay! Can't wait to read yours too.

Lisa--LOL That's too funny.I'm glad I made your day! (Now you just need to start a blog!)

Linda--Icckkkyyy!! Who do these guys think they are!!!

Mississippi Songbird said...

Cool poem and those are facinating facts.. You are a cool mom!
Have a great week..

Monogram Queen said...

Cheryl I am always up to read random facts about you! I just like the way you write (I bet it's just like you talk). I am so with you on #5 especially!

Lynilu said...

Cheryl, that is fasinating! Times seven! giggle! Really, though, it was interesting!

On #1, I used to be there, not to prove anything, but because I was just THAT! Then one day I realized "Dayumm, that stuff hurts!" and since I was a gramma by that time, I figured it was OK to slow down! But don't ask too many people around me about slowing down. I don't do the limbo anymore or herky jumps, but I still do "stuff" if I choose. Keep it up! If you're enjoying life, who cares?!?!

And I'm glad you're a mean mom. the world needs more of them like you. "Mean moms" make for a better world of tomorrow. Yay, you!

I like the poetry. I'm glad you're thinking about adding it to your scrapping. Good way for your girls to have it with them forever. Very important!

Michelle said...

Hi Cheryl, you are awesome! It was my first foray into meme-ing, but it sure has been fun to read about everyone.

Although my 8 yr old does have a cell phone (she has to wait by the bus by herself every morning), I am a mean mom too. Ashes is taller than me, but she definitely knows who the boss in the house is. I do not believe that kids have a right to privacy. I go through book bags, purses, read their notes and check everything they do on line. I also snoop in their rooms. I also read all the text messages.

Thanks for being such a good sport!

Mz.Elle said...

I'm working on number four(getting way better too,if I do say so myself;p) and agree with you completely on number five:)
I bet you're the funnest mum around because you're so willing to get up there and play!

Sheila said...

Your poems are great. I write poems and they just end up languishing in my composition book...lol.

Bare said...

Love it! You know, I hated math as well in school (although I loved science, I wasn't the best at chemistry *LOL*) and LOVED english, history, and writing!

I need to be more like you in the forgiving and forgetting department. As I get older, forgiveness is coming quicker, but it's not any easier *hugs*

Kelly said...

what? we're mean because we don't over indulge our children?

Josie said...

yum..hostess snacks..did you ever try freezing ding dongs
seriously they are so much better out of the freezer

Anonymous said...

Woo hoo for mean moms. I get tired of parents who overindulge (just like Kelly said), so good for you.

The poems are so good

Gretchen said...

What a great post, Cheryl! And, to address your last post, I love the CU Buffaloes, but they're not so good. Maybe this year...;)

I knew there was a reason I was attracted to your blog, all these aspects of your personality truly shine through. It's easy to see that you're totally fun to be with, live in each moment, and yet hold your family and yourself responsible for your behavior. Brava, sister!

xxxooogretchen

P.S. Great poems. You really made me think with the second one.

Katrin said...

I am with you on the non-grudge attitude. Sometimes it takes a while for me to overcome the pain, but I always forgive.

And you sound like an awesome parent!