Meme.

Okay, so it's been two weeks since I was tagged but I only figured that out today because, against all odds, I was able to finish reading an entire post on Stacey's blog in one sitting. That didn't sound quite right. What I'm trying to say is that I LOVE to read anything that Stacey writes. She is a master of nuance and dry humor. Generally, as I'm taking it in and savoring each bit, pausing to laugh out loud two or three times at each comic crescendo, I am interrupted by Q or A or T or C or E. But today, I made it from beginning to end, in large measure because I was able to ignore the pleadings Q - he was in need of his 11 am snack. He ate at nine, and I decided he could WAIT. I needed comic relief more than he needed his cereal. Good thing, too - because now I have a job to do while he's eating that cereal and I might just have enough time to complete the assignment before he needs something else.

My mission, as I have chosen to accept it is, to divulge 7 interesting tidbits about myself. You may or may not know that:

1) I have kept journals since I was quite young. From my early teens and into my college years, I was hopelessly devoted to whatever young male I had a crush on at the time, and wrote about my feelings extensively. I almost got rid of the journals because reading them was so painful and embarrassing. My dad, a counselor, made a comment that assuaged my grief. "Why should you be embarrassed about being completely normal." So, now, I look at those journals as a gold mine of story lines for the books I will someday publish. Keeping the journals also honed a writing skill that today I'm very grateful for.

2) I have sent one book to a publisher, and it was REJECTED! I will try again, with that one and others because I think I have something to say. I can lighten someone's load with words. That is something worth working for.

3) Stacey was the one who introduced me to the blogging world. Thankfully, I haven't been exposed to the negative side of cyberspace. I have four blogs now, and each one has a job to do for me or for others. I love being able to reach out and bring a smile to someone on the other side of the world that I don't know. Sometimes, when I feel bluish, I check the sitemeters on my blogs to see who's been by. Weird? Cheers me up for some reason, and that's enough.

4) I had 5 sisters and had never lived with anything as smelly as a boy until my own "son" was born. My husband is impeccable when it comes to personal care and hygiene. I now have 3 sons and two daughters. I have a whole lot coming in terms of potential smelliness, and well - at least my daughters will have a clue what they are in for.

5) Where some have books, I have paper crafts. I am motivated by competitions. If I don't have something specific to work toward, I make excuses like "the dishes need to be done" - and I ignore my need for creativity. (Except for the blogs.) I enter contests to give me a fixed goal, a focus and a deadline. Currently, I am working on an entry that includes 10 small projects. I will take at least 100 photos, because I won't be getting anything back. It's still worth it on so many levels. It's like breathing pure oxygen.

6) I am not a stickler about many things. Let the kids eat Easter candy until they get a stomach ache. Messes will get cleaned up, eventually - I won't waste energy getting angry about it. I just refuse to expect myself to exercise control over every teeny tiny little aspect of my family's life. They will learn to put things where they belong the 500th time they can't find it there because they dropped it somewhere else. I try to meet basic needs. I try to emphasize the most important of basic values - including work. I don't, however, think the people in my life should feel second to the things in my life, although we do need to respect the value of things and be grateful for our blessings. Despite all this, I have often been called mean by my children. I know this to be one of the sweetest compliments a child can offer his or her parent. I revel in it.

7) Someday, I'd like to be an architect. I believe it's in me. I may be 65, I may only consult with homeowners wanting to remodel, but I think I'd love that. If I can pay my way through "retirement" by consulting with homeowners on their dreams, hallelujah! Dreams come true sometimes, this could be one of those "coming true" kind.


And now, I'd like to know more about Kersten, Ms. Earl and Angelina. It's okay if it takes a while for you to get this tag. It took me 2 weeks and I know we are all dealing with VERY SIMILAR challenges. Good Luck girls!