Mom, Marni Memed Me!

Today's Meme: 7 Things About Me You'd Not Likely Guess (with apologies to Marni for taking so damn long to get around to doing this)

1. I hate getting my hair wet.

By extension, this means I'm not overly fond of the shower. I realize it's a necessity, particularly if I want to stay employed and/or have at least occasional sex, but I really quite dislike it. I went through a stage when I was about 9 or 10 when I didn't bathe at all unless forced. I was pretty happy when I found out my nephew Luke has been going through the same thing for the past couple of years, though I guess it's less weird if you're a boy.

2. I voted for a Republican once.

At the time, I was young and foolish and believed in campaign promises. The candidate was Dan Lungren and he was running for Attorney General. I admit I was somewhat swayed at the time by the fact that he was Catholic. Anyhow, big mistake, won't happen again, yada yada yada.

3. I'm a college drop-out.

I started college when I was 16, so I sometimes chalk this one up to youth. However, to be completely honest, I wasn't a great student without the structure and imposed discipline of high school and parents. It surprises a lot of people that I don't have a degree and probably more so that I have zero desire to go back to school for that piece of paper.

4. I'd really like to foster or adopt children.

For somebody who is sort of grossed out at the whole concept of being pregnant, as well as barely capable of taking care of cats, it's sort of shocking that I would want kids at all. And to be honest, it's not that I want kids in that whole Ozzie and Harriet nuclear family kind of way. It's more that I want to save somebody. I see these kids without families and despite my somewhat fucked-up childhood, I feel lucky to have had a family, people who loved me, a home to call my own. I want to give somebody that, minus the fucked-up part. I want to give a kid a family. In my opinion, nobody should ever have to feel unwanted or unloved...especially a child.

5. I was anorexic in high school.

Well, I certainly don't have THAT problem anymore. But yeah, I had an eating disorder. Not surprisingly, it started because of an off-hand comment my mother made about me looking chubby. I had braces and short hair and my face looked very round as a result. I certainly wasn't fat, or even plump. My dad used to joke that I had to put rocks in my pockets when the wind blew hard. But that comment from my mom...it just echoed around in my head and heart and made me lose my appetite. I started measuring everything I ate, which wasn't much. I was a freshman wearing size 12 girls jeans because even size 0 was big on me. My weight during this time was about 85-88 pounds on a slightly less than five-foot frame. I don't think I looked skeletal by any means, but I was certainly much, much thinner than I needed to be. It was sheer luck that I was recruited for the track team, which led to a renewed and voracious desire for food that has continued to this day. Thanks, Coach Akers.

6. I'm a night owl.

This probably stems from the fact that my mom never goes to bed before midnight and I used to sleep in her bed as a kid, since my dad worked third shift. We'd stay up late almost every night. Sometimes we'd just keep each other company in front of the television, falling asleep only after watching the news and Johnny Carson. Sometimes she'd be busy cleaning the kitchen or reading the paper or doing bills, and I'd take this as my cue to hang out and chat and nibble on snacks. I took it as a point of pride that she never said it was time for me to go to bed. However, she never went easy on me in the morning. When she woke up at six, I could count on her to unceremoniously boot me out and tell me to get ready for school. I used to get dressed half-asleep and then lay back down in my bed. That way, when she would knock on my door to check if I was awake, I could honestly say, "I'm already dressed!" Anyhow, I'm still a night owl and I still hate mornings. I do love sleep, though.

7. I (used to?) have a terrible temper.

Maybe this one is more obvious than I believe, I don't know. Most people these days tend to categorize me as bubbly or sparkly, and for the most part I am a pretty cheerful person. For those who haven't known me for more than a few years, I've come a long way. I've had a lot of trouble in the past controlling my temper. I've worked so hard to get where I am today, to an emotional space where I don't feel the need to destroy relationships or hurt other people or damage physical property when I am angry. I think more carefully about the things I say, and even more carefully about the types of people with whom I spend time. (Certain people bring out the worst in me.) I rarely yell, and though I'm prone to cursing and shouting when I drive, that's about the extent of my fury these days. Sometimes I get upset when discussing a work issue or politics (one of the things that can easily make my blood boil), but after I vent a bit and overheat a little, I'm usually back to normal pretty quick. It's sort of amazing just sitting here and thinking how different I am than I used to be. The wonders of therapy!

Anyhoodle, those are my seven things you probably wouldn't have guessed about me. What are yours? (I'm tagging you, Chromie and Leila.)