articulate - adjective
1. having parts connected by joints, as in "articulated"
2. made up of distinct words joined together in such a way as to convey meaning
3. able to express oneself clearly and distinctly
4. well formulated, clearly presented

Friday, January 30, 2009

25 Random Things About Me That You Really Don't Need to Know...


I keep getting tagged. By now, some of you should know my life story! This one hit me several times on facebook, so I'll repost it here. Beware: family secrets are about to be unveiled!

The rules: If you read this you have to post 25 Random Things About Yourself Most People Don't Know (or need to know). Then you're supposed to tag everyone you know, including me, so they can do the same thing, and so that I can read your goofy stuff, too. Have fun!



25 Random Things About Me That You Don't Really Need to Know...



1. Ever since I was a child, my favorite colors have been red, white, and blue. The reds and blues can come in shades (as long as they're not orangey or greenish) but the white must be pure white.

2. One of my least favorite animated Disney cartoons is "Snow White." How does she sing so high?? It hurts my throat just listening to her. And who would kiss a dead stranger entombed in glass??? Eww. Creepy.

3. I have very vivid dreams. Consequently sometimes my CHILDREN will tell ME to shut my eyes during a movie! They don't want me running through the house in the middle of the night, trying to escape the bad guys who have invaded my dreams. Again.

4. My mother handmade all of my clothes - including underwear and jackets, but not including socks and shoes - and all of my food (including bread) when I was growing up, besides working a full-time job. She was amazing.

5. My dad was one of my heroes. He loved people. I never doubted his love for me. He led the family in prayer every night before bed. He prayed for me. And his sense of humor was a blast! I miss him immensely.

6. Ever hear the saying that every strong character trait has a down side? My dad's weakness was that he enjoyed visiting with people so much that he'd lose track of time while talking with them. Because of this, we often ate WELL-done Sunday dinners, and he almost made me late for my wedding! We had to rearrange the entire schedule at the last minute!

(PS - I wonder how many people remember that?)

7. Our house was always open to visitors. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of the impromptu jam sessions we'd have in our living room when friends would bring over their musical instruments and we'd all play together. We also always kept out-of-town church visitors (like musical groups or special speakers) at our house overnight, and would stay up till the wee hours of the morning visiting and laughing together. Then Mom would fix a huge southern breakfast for them and we'd all gather for prayer before they left. They all left with smiles and hugs.

8. All of my grandparents came from the south - one from New Orleans, one from Huntsville, AL, and two from the area around Murfreesboro, TN. Both of my parents and my only sibling were born in Washington, DC. I was born in MD. Now I am the only one living north of the Mason-Dixon. *sigh*

9. My best friends during my childhood years were my cousins, partly because they lived with us for a while. I wouldn't trade those memories!

10. I tried to elope with my cousin Scott, but the grandparents heard of it and wouldn't let us. "Cousins can't marry," they told us. "It's illegal. Besides, you don't have permission to cross the street."

11. I despise the taste of Zest soap. Even the smell of it makes me choke. But I learned a very important lesson about not telling lies when I was a very young child!

12. I tasted Zest after my cousin Scott and I had spent our entire nap time decorating my parents' bedroom walls with magazine pictures and glue. When our efforts were not met with the undying gratitude we had anticipated, I told the parents and aunt that it was all his idea and I hadn't had anything to do with it. Right. They didn't believe me, either.

12. Although I did use the mouth-washing form of discipline on my children, I learned on my first try that you don't feel sorry for the poor child afterward and let him wash his mouth out with water. They'll wind up blowing bubbles as they cry, and the sympathy you just showed will evaporate when you can't contain your laughter at the sight. (Sorry, Pete!)

13. Another valuable lesson from childhood was that if you need to get out of the bubble bath to use the "facilities" (since the cousins in the tub with you do NOT appreciate it if you do not make it out in time), you should always dry off thoroughly before using said facility. If you do not dry off first, you will slip right through the toilet seat and end up with your little behind stuck in the toilet. Once you're stuck in this rather uncomfortable - not to say embarrassing - position, helplessly flailing arms and legs over the edge like a strange little octopus fighting to keep from going down the drain, rather than having pity on you and jumping out to rescue you in sympathy, whoever is left in the tub (SCOTT!) will call the entire family (aunt, cousins, siblings, parents) to come view your discomfort with great peals of laughter!

14. I love my cousins anyway. :)

15. I grew up without a TV; consequently I rarely find anything worth watching on it.

16. Some of my favorite summer memories are of family camping trips across the US, or of venturing into DC to listen to the free military band concerts at the steps of the Capitol.

17. I met my husband during a college freshman orientation ice breaker game. All of the girls had to take off their left shoe and throw it into a pile, and the guys had to pick a shoe. Whoever owned the shoe he picked had to be his date for the night, holding hands with him during all of the games. John picked my shoe. Although neither of us was interested in a relationship at that time, we immediately became great friends. (Playing soccer while holding hands with a cute guy is kinda fun!)

18. Although my mother has a room filled with bookcases which are filled with cookbooks, I rarely use a recipe when I cook.

19. Ephesians is my favorite book of the Bible. Or maybe Romans. Hebrews is good, too. And Luke...

20. Words - especially written - are very important to me.

21. I hated grammar in school but aced it anyway. Not sure how that happened.

22. I love to read, but hate most fluffy Christian romance novels. I want something I can sink my teeth into. Consequently, some of my favorite books are Ivanhoe, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Walking Drum by Louis L'Amour (as well as almost anything else he wrote), almost anything by Dee Henderson, and the suspense or mystery books by Davis Bunn. I'm saving Joel Rosenberg's books that I got for Christmas until spring break, when I hopefully will have time to read without putting a book down!

23. Good music is essential to my life. Piano, french horn, cello, and of course all percussion instruments (since I played them), are my favorites to listen to. I still play percussion. The steering wheel is probably my most-played instrument now. (The passengers I have most often have caught on and provide "ching"s for cymbal crashes on cue now!)

24. I am allergic to cats, but have had a dog in the house most of my life.

25. My in-laws have always had cats. Go figure.





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