Tag - Seven Random Things

I've been tagged by jenn g, thank you. This tag is supposed to be random/weird stuff that no one knows about me. I did one of these tags a few weeks ago, and I think I reveal quirks all the time in my regular posts. But here it goes with some more fascinating details from my increasingly fascinating life. Just remember though, that the juiciest details have to be saved for my memoirs - the memoir that I know will someday be a bestseller - because it will be that amazing! ;-)

Que the violins please...

1. I was teased about my big ears starting in Kindergarten, when my sister Janene called me Dumbo while my mother was cutting my hair (sometimes I was also called Minnie Mouse). That moment was the beginning of a serious complex that lasted about 20 years. Even though I loved to swim and my ears never stopped me, I always dreaded my hair being wet and not having anything to cover them. My grandmother wanted to pay to have my ears 'pinned back', but I was too afraid. She had big ears too, and was never seen without her hair covering them. Because of my complex, I NEVER EVER wore my hair in a ponytail (unless it was when I was very young and didn't have a say in it yet), not even for sports, until I was about 18. A few years ago, my mother got out my grandmother's photo collection, and I discovered my favorite of all family photos below - George E. Rider, my great grandfather and fellow big ear soul-mate, holla! I saw in this photo that things could have been much worse for me!

2. I have to sleep with the open part of the pillow case away from my face - at the back of my head. I usually sleep on my side and I turn my pillow over with me so I will have the open end behind me.

3. I fill a large tumbler with ice and water to have on my night stand every night, but I usually only take two or three sips. It still looks like about the same amount of water everyday when I wake up. But on the rare occasion that I drink more than that, or that Matt's drinks some and it gets near half empty, I know I won't sleep well unless it's full, so I will go all the way down stairs in the middle of the night to fill it back up.

4. I've broken lots of bones:

Kindergarten - three fingers playing wheel barrel races. I was the wheel barrel.

2nd grade - two more fingers playing smear the queer (it's not called that anymore, is it?).

About 12 years old - cracked two ribs playing goalie. I was kneed in the back, but I saved the goal, so it was kind of worth it.

About 13 years old - broke two toes on my right foot trying to kick a boy named Russell. He was sitting on a desk and moved his leg out of the way. They still bother me when I swim in very cold water.

9th grade - chipped my ankle bone at practice trying to stop a fast moving softball soccer style.

10th grade - broke my nose warming up for a softball game. I was watching a soccer game going on on another field and didn't know the ball was being thrown to me. I can testify to everyone, that you never want to have your newly broken nose shot up with novacaine (in the nostril), and then set back into place with a stainless steel broken nose setting tool while still conscious.

11th grade - chipped bone in my right wrist sliding into 3rd base. Those fiber glass casts are really hard to get off early at home and secretly in the bathroom with only your left hand to work the tools with. But it can be done.

27 years old - broke my right radius bone at the elbow playing indoor soccer.

28 years old - shattered my right radius bone at the wrist playing indoor soccer. An emergency surgery by an excellent orthopedic surgeon saved the mobility of my wrist. The pieces were held together by four pins and an external fixator for six weeks. I was all marked up on one hip with a Sharpie for a bone graft, but it wasn't necessary in the end. I scored a bunch of goals against some old ladies that night though, so it was kind of worth it.

5. I get stressed out when I can't find the remote control for my car stereo. Yes, I said car stereo. Matt got me a wonderful new stereo for Christmas that my i-pod hooks up to, and it came with a remote control. It was the best Christmas present ever. Now I don't have to stretch my arm all the way the the console. It's a long 12 or so inches to have to reach, and my arm can become tired skipping through all the songs that come on that I keep meaning to delete from my i-pod. Now I just rest my right arm on my arm rest with remote in hand, and adjust my music with only the touch of a finger. I turn it up, turn it down, skip forward, skip back or hit repeat, all from the comfort of my arm rest. If the remote falls between the seats or is otherwise missing, it's cause for pulling over to conduct a frantic search.

6. I'm not really into purses and handbags. Sometimes I think it's my duty, as a woman, to be into purses. But try as I may, I just can't make myself want to go to one of those knock-off parties. I just found out what a Coach purse was about a month ago.

7. I love salsa - the music.

I will tag some people in my next post because I don't feel like making all the links right now, and because this is my blog and I can :) I still have to post my Sarah Palin pictures too, and another tag. I need to learn how to type faster!