Two Memes for the Price of One

During the last several days two friends have tagged me requesting that I post certain things. Damien over at Riley Central wanted me to come out from behind my cartoon drawing and provide a real picture of myself.

Actually a link to a recent picture of myself is somewhere on this blog. I’ll leave it to you to determine where it is….if you so choose. :)

I believe I am also supposed to link to those who are also participating and I promise to do that in my next post. I didn’t want this become too lengthy. I will also tag others for the second meme and post the rules for 8 random facts in my next post as well.

To satisfy Damien’s request I have posted some earlier pictures of myself that also fit the second meme I was tagged for……

Ed over at Millard Fillmore's Bathtub recently tagged me for 8 random things about myself. So here goes……

1. I’m lefthanded, but I don’t turn my wrist like many left-handed people do to write. I hold the pen or pencil just like a right-handed person does. I turn the paper almost sideways……sounds funny, but it works for me. Actually I have many different ways I form my letters depending on my mood. Sometimes my writing is straight up and down, sometimes it is slanted, other times I print, and then I also write in cursive. I wonder what a handwriting expert would tell me about myself.

2. I had the same pet from age 8 through age 19…..a wonderful little sheltie we called Lady. She made every step with me when I was home and when I wasn’t she would follow Mom or Dad. She was a wonderful pet and even today I think of her often. I’ve mentioned before that my dad managed a lumber yard and our house was on the grounds. This is a picture of Lady and I riding on my golfcart. Some kids had go-carts…I had a golf cart.

3.When I was under my mother’s control she limited me to one Coke per day. Once I left home for college it was Katie-bar-the-door. I drink far too many. A couple of years ago I began to wean myself from them by switching to Diet Coke. This week I’m reverting back to my mother’s policy of one or none per day. Unsweetened tea is now my drinking savior….yes, I know…..now I need to cut out caffeine.

4. If I am really, really interested in something I will do a fantastic job. If I don’t want to do something it will barely get done if ever…….

5. I think of myself way too much and don’t always put others first. Dear Hubby suffers from my selfishness most of all.

6. I’m incredibly shy…..yeah, I know….here I am putting my words out in the blogosphere for all to see, but I really am. Even if I know everyone in a room I find it very difficult to walk up to a group and immediately join in the conversation. I usually find a wall to hold up or a chair to sit in by myself and allow others to join me. I think my actions result in folks often thinking I’m rude or don’t want the company. Of course, sometimes in a school building it’s good to be the aloof one…..I am always the last to hear the latest gossip.

7. During the 2002 school year I was awarded the Walmart Teacher of the Year for our area. It really meant a lot to me since it came from community votes….students and parents. I received the award (a bona fide Walmart vest and $500) at our end-of-the-year awards ceremony for students. Everyone managed to keep it a secret. I was shocked to say the least especially since I hardly ever go inside a Walmart.

8. I took piano lessons from age 8 through the age of 18. Every year I participated in the National Playing Auditions. My teacher, a wonderful lady by the name of Mrs. McIntyre, was a member of the National Playing Guild. For the auditions I had to learn by heart several classical pieces and perform them for a panel of judges that would provide us with a set of scores. It began to get a little nerve racking…..Mrs. McIntyre said they were actually judging her and not me, but I was the one that got the certificate. They were lovely things with my name written all formal like in great sweeps and curly-qs. Mom proudly framed every one in and around our piano. The last year I participated I played 10 different pieces for the judges. The piano in the picture….this is probably 9th grade…was old even when I played it. It was my mother’s and had seen better days. When my grandmother bought it it was actually a player piano. The hardware and rollers were taken out and it became a self-player. It’s still around in my father’s basement waiting patiently for someone to play it back to life. I’d love to recapture my piano playing abilities….Dear Hubby gave me a fantastic keyboard last year….I’m hoping over the summer to peck around on the keys some.

So there you have it….a few pictures and a few random facts. Now….are you going to try to search around for the recent picture?