Sunday, October 12, 2014

Fifty-two Things About Me....

A re-post from the distant past  (2005), slightly updated:


1. I was born and raised in Charleston, West Virginia.
2. I am adopted, and I have no siblings.
3. I met my birth mother in 1997.
4. I am a graduate of the University of Charleston (but when I attended, it was called Morris Harvey College).
5. I have lived in West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina.
6. I have been married to the same man for 50 years.
7. I have three children.
8. I have 6 bio grandchildren and 2 step-grandchildren (and yes, they are the prettiest, the handsomest, and the smartest grandchildren in the universe!)
9. I am privileged to have been a wedding and party florist.
10. I owned my business for 28 years (and I love being my own boss).
11. In a past life, I was a Cytotechnologist (I screened Pap smears).
12. I have traveled to Hawaii twice, Bermuda, Barbados, Mexico twice, Canada, Nassau, Costa Rica, Italy, France and Switzerland, and many of our other 50 United States.
13. I hope to travel to Egypt and tour the Pyramids. I once wanted to climb them, but now my aspirations lie a bit lower to the ground.
14. I am a life member of the Association for Research and Enlightenment in Va. Beach, VA. www.edgarcayce.org
15. I am a book lover and I usually read two books simultaneously, by keeping one in my car and reading at lunch time. (Half my books have grease spots from Bojangle's biscuits).
16. I am a neat-freak and I'm very organized. I can handle some dust, as long as it is neatly arranged!!
17. I once ran away from home and flew for the first time to NYC (I was scared to death, not of flying - but of my mother, when she discovered I was gone.)
18. I am addicted to some reality TV shows, such as American Idol, Survivor and Big Brother. Sometimes a person needs to watch something that doesn't require much brain power.
19. I am a Scorpio (sun, moon and ascendant, though there's some question about the ascendant) and I love being in most forms of water: pool, ocean, lake, hot tub, river, bathtub, shower, sprinkler system, and rain, if the temperature is warm.
20. I enjoy reading about Quantum Psychics and Astronomy, even though I understand only a very little bit of it. Steven Hawking is one of my heroes.
21. I used to love dancing and if my school had offered it as a major, I might have graduated summa cum laude. (not ballet - the jitterbug!)
22. I love Scrabble, though I seldom have anyone to play it with, except online. I also use to love Bridge, but have not played it since the 70's.
23. I love animals, and have owned many dogs and cats (and 2 handicapped birds). I had two black cats, sisters, named Storm and Eclipse (Clipsie). They believe themselves to be Egyptian Queens transmigrated into cat bodies, who must be granted every wish, as soon as they wish it! (Having said that, I'm thinking maybe my husband is a reincarnated Egyptian queen, since he wants what he wants, when....etc.)
24. I began college as an art major, and ended with a degree in English Lit.
25. I always wanted to become an architect.
26. I used to be 5'10"; I have lost one inch in height.
27. I am extremely proud of my children's accomplishments and who they have become in this lifetime.
28. I am very healthy (Thank God and good DNA), except for that little problem of a mitral valve prolapse.
29. I am addicted to biscuits and coffee.
30. I was born a Methodist, was Baptized a Catholic and attended a non-denominational church, which met in a movie theater, and whose Pastor was a former Prosecuting Attorney. Is that as weird as it looks to me in print?
31. I drive a 2005 Chrysler van with over 100K miles on it. (New or gently used donations graciously accepted).
32. I hate to carry umbrellas; I'd rather get wet.
33. I am often funnier in person than I am in writing (as some people tell me).
34. I remained friends with a woman I attended dance classes with in 3rd grade until she passed away a few years back. 
35. I was on television in 1963; answering telephones for a fund raiser telethon for WV's centennial.
36. I met Dave Garroway and the Four Freshmen, as well as Paul Anka and Duane Eddy. I also met Dizzy Gillespie and Jack Teagarden at the Metropole in NYC in 1961. I have Dizzy's autograph.
37. I am a lover of jazz music and all types of art. Touring museums is something I love to do.
38. I also love reading blogs and writing mine.
39. I hate to get into a friend's car and have to move a lot of junk out of the way so I can sit down. The way I see it, your car is a metaphor for your life. If it is messy, then your mind and life are messy too.
40. Our first house cost less than my current car.
41. I used to read the dictionary in my spare time.
42. I like to do crossword puzzles in ink (as does my birth mom).
43. As most English majors, I harbor a desire to write the "great American" novel, but I will content myself with a (sometimes) funny blog.
44. I love getting comments on the blog (as I am sure most of you do).
45. Bobby McFerrin sat on the back of my seat at a concert on the campus of NCSU, as he sang "Happy Birthday" to a young boy. "Don't Worry - Be Happy" notwithstanding, he is a musical genius.
46. I am part of a team that decorates the North Carolina Governor's Mansion at Christmas; plus for two years, I decorated Christmas trees in the Raleigh home of the now infamous Senator John Edwards. I have also done flowers at events for President Gerald Ford,Vice-President Al Gore, Cliff Robertson, Dr. Joyce Brothers and Mary Lou Retton.
47. I wish my favorite English professor was still alive and could read and critique my blog everyday. Dr. James McNally, may you rest in peace. 
48. If I had a motto, it would be "live and let live". I try not to be judgmental.
49. The arts and crafts I have done during my life (few of which I have time for lately): drawing, painting, decoupage, stained glass and weaving.
50. I play ( and I use the term loosely) piano and organ. I once played the flute for about 5 months, until the orchestra teacher realized I was faking the fingering. LOL
51. How could I forget? I once shook hands with John F. Kennedy, when he was running for Prez. He spoke at my college and stood at the door to meet students after his talk. He was shorter than I am.
52. The actress Susan Strasborg once rode in my van; she mistook it for a hotel shuttle and got in and sat down. My husband was picking me up after a seminar in Va. Beach and had pulled in front of the venue and opened the doors. Susan was attending the same seminar, and staying at a nearby hotel, so we took her there. Oddly enough, it was June - and she had on a mink coat! She kissed hubby on the cheek as she exited, and he was on cloud nine for weeks afterward. Too bad she didn't give him a tip! I heard from a friend many years later, who was picking Susan up and taking her to the airport, that Susan answered her door completely topless. My husband was sooooo sorry he was not the driver then!

34 comments:

Heather said...

Wow! What a well-rounded person you are! I wish I knew how to arrange flowers!

Here again from Michele's!

Shannon akaMonty said...

I'm here from Michele! :)
But I lurk you freqently...

LET'S HEAR IT FOR BIG BROTHER! I'm eagerly awaiting the new season...

Anonymous said...

Hi, Michele sent me...

you are a very all-round person, that's nice. I love books too...

Take care!

Anonymous said...

Good morning from Michele's M&G.

That's a great list. I am only a little younger than you, so I know who all of those people you mentioned are.

I loves me some biscuits, too. It broke my heart when the nearby Bojangles closed, but Hardees still does decent biscuits. My little boy thinks that we should eat them for breakfast every weekend, and it's hard to disagree.

Jean-Luc Picard said...

I can't think of 48 things about me. I'm beaming down to this point from Michele's transporter.

carmilevy said...

Words to live by...I love this list. Here via Michele (again). What a site you have...and what a life philosophy.

Jennie said...

Hi Kenju,
I appreciate the suggestion on my blog! I'll tell mom. My youngest son is a Scorpio, Scorpio Moon, Pisces rising. Does that make someone a non-stop talker? I heard once that Bonnie Raitt is a triple scorpio.
Jennie

Twist of Kate said...

Well that's a lot to take in this early in the morning! :) Lovely read though. Hi, Michele sent me!

Nic said...

Back again from Michele's visited yesterday and really enjoyed the grandma poem. You mind if I post it on my blog with a link to you?

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed getting to know you better via your post. We have more than a few things in common...scrabble, dancing (I still do) and Edgar Cayce (part of the reason I moved to Virgina). My car is a mess though!

Anonymous said...

I totally agree with #48. Often easier said then done though.

Hello, Michele sent me.

OldHorsetailSnake said...

Michele DIDN'T send me. YOU send me.

I love this stuff, Judy. You the greatest.

(P.S. Wasn't it Edgar Cayce who invented the line: "What was I thinking?" ???)

Shannin said...

My husband and I do the crosswords together. My favorite is the Sat. NYT puzzle. We've also gotten started on doing the Cryptoquip in the Star Tribune. As far as Scrabble, we play off and on -- we played twice last weekend and I beat my husband both times (only by 4 and 2 points). He's been begging me for a rematch, so I will probably have to play him sometime this weekend.

Anonymous said...

Wonderfully written. 6, 8, 11, 16, 22, 30, 32, 36, 39, 44, 47, 48 all made me smile in particular. Delightful list.

Michele sent me in before but you're bookmarked. Thanks for coming by my blog earlier. Like The Computer Swallowed Gramma too. :-)

Have a great rest of weekend.

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to see the rest of the list. Is it just me, or do we have an eerie amount in common?? We really should meet up at Bojangles for breakfast sometime, ya know?

Panthergirl said...

I loved reading this!!!! If you are interested in playing online Scrabble, let me know. There's a GREAT site and I usually have three games going at once. (you get an email when it's your turn...you have 2 days to take your turn, although no one ever does!)

Anyway, I'm here via Michele today but I'm adding you to my RSS aggregator so I'll know when you've updated right away.

Anonymous said...

Regarding the messy car thing and your last comment: I'm a bit like a distracted nutty proffessor. I don't like things getting so cluttered and it does effect my mind, but it also seems like it's the last thing on my list. I also have struggled with some sort of variety of Chronic Fatigue since I was in my mid 20s. So I have to prioritize and use my energy for what I most want/need to do (see spring fever in my category bar if you want to). I feel more personally identitfied with my house than my car. The car is just a means to an end...not much personal identity in it for me. Have you ever looked into the enneagram personality types? I could just say I'm a 5 and that would explain a lot!

Raehan said...

I'm NOT here via Michele today. I'm just making my way through my blogroll reads. I loved your list. It was fun to get to know you better.

Anonymous said...

Hi Judy, nice to meet you! This is such a great idea for a post...not sure I could think of 50 things though!

Anonymous said...

You have led a very interesting life. I like getting to know you better.

Anonymous said...

Put enneagram and Helen Palmer in a search engine and you can see if it interest you...not I ching.

amarkonmywall said...

This is a great first half! There's a story in almost every one.
I'm going to study it a while but at first glance- 2 and 3 very interesting, 19- me too! 45- I touched his hair at the North Sea Jazz Festival. He was standing next to me listening to a band, I had a roaring contact high (it's legal and they love it) and with those dreds, I just couldn't help myself. He is a musical genius. Back to studying this list...

Arethusa said...

Very nice list, I don't have nearly half as much interesting things. I especially like the timeline of your religious life, sounds liike a friend of mine's!

here for Michele's Meet 'N' Greet!

Anonymous said...

Re: #51...that same visis, his secret service detail parked in my grandparent's driveway. Five doors down from Morris Harvey...

Anonymous said...

Hi, I'm back but via Michele this time!

Kristal said...

Good morning! Here via Michele and a bit jealous of your list. I've been wanting to do one, but can't think of anything interesting to write.

brendalove@gmail.com said...

If you are funnier in person than your writing...then you should be a comic!

Tracy S said...

I love reading peoples facts ..I really need to do one sometime .I am not sure that I could find 100 interesting things about me though ...lol 41 years married ..WOW!!!!! that is awesome .. Thanks for stopping by my place :)

Daisy said...

I loved your list! Your list seems so much more interesting than what mine would be if I were to have one. With regards to #22. on your list. Why not teach the grandkids Scrabble and play with them?

Weary Hag said...

I'd love to challenge you to a game of Scrabble; winner buys a piping hot cup of tea. I also do crosswords in ink only. I also learned one very important thing about you ~ you will never sit in my car. :) Thanks for bursting my bubble... I thought clutter was the sign of genius; quite depressed now.
It's been wonderful to get to know this much about you Judy! Keep up the terrific posting.

Ginnie said...

You had a long list of lifetime happenings and I figured they couldn't get any more interesting until I got to #52 ... that topped the list !!

sage said...

What a list and if it wasn't the Christian sabbath, I might go out and clean out my car :)

Arkansas Patti said...

I was a lurker when you first posted this and enjoyed it then.
I got a bit sad but also smiled when I saw Old Horsetail Snake's comment. I miss him. He was the first blogger I got to know that passed. Odd how much it hurt.

Granny Annie said...

#48 contradicts #39 :) I just had to do that for a friend to ride with me yesterday. LOL

I can't believe I missed this post. Wow, you have an amazing story and life. Love it.