100 things about me

I've seen several other bloggers try this, most recently my new buddy over at Prudent Purl. So I thought I'd give it a try. Believe it or not, I found it really interesting reading what other people have written about themselves. I don't know if anyone will find 100 things about me interesting, but that's okay, I think it's a useful exercise for me anyway. If you think it's silly, just skip it... hopefully I've posted something more profound elsewhere on this blog.

Anyway, here goes...

1. I was born in Washington DC and lived there until 1997.
2. I've lived in 3 states and another country (Canada) since then. Okay, so I'm a nomad.
3. Of all the places I've lived, I loved Tampa-St Pete the most.
4. I've traveled to Canada (lived there for 9 months), Jamaica, Nassau, Barbados, France and Spain.
5. I spent the summer in Spain between 7th & 8th grades.
6. I'm not Catholic, but I went to an all-girls' Catholic high school.
7. I'm a Christian.
8. I wish I'd been a pediatric nurse.
9. I love to knit and read.
10. I like lots of different types of music, including classical, jazz, gospel, and "easy listening".
11. Although it would surprise all of my friends, I LOVE country music.
12. I'm the only Republican in my entire family - ever.
13. I love puppies, but don't like dogs, unless they're really little.
14. I'd love to have a kitten.
15. I'm a "fall" person when it comes to clothing colors - I look best in "vegetable" colors.
16. I've always secretly wanted to highlight my hair. I finally did it when I turned 45.
17. I took classical piano lessons for 13 years.
18. I've always wanted a baby grand piano. I plan to have one before I'm 50.
19. I want to retire to a small waterfront town and live like an eccentric artist.
20. I've wanted to write a book for years. I've finally started it.
21. I own my own business.
22. I put the earpiece of my cell phone in my ear when I'm driving in the mornings so I can pray out loud and people won't think I'm crazy.
23. I love to watch movies - especially good dramas... the ones that make me laugh and cry at the same time.
24. I just saw "Under the Tuscan Sun" and now I'm ready to move to Tuscany. I bought the DVD on ebay as soon as I finished renting it from Blockbustser.
25. I read self-help books all the time. I still need help.
26. I'm usually reading at least 3 books at any given time.
27. I love a neat house, but I hate to clean.
28. I love to cook for dinner parties, but hate to cook just for myself or my family.
29. I'm much more introverted now than I was when I was younger.
30. Orange is my favorite color.
31. I once went horseback riding in a foot of snow in the mountains.
32. I had a fairy tale romance with a tall, dark and very andsome Jamaican man raised in London. His accent was to die for! I definitely got my groove back, at least for a little while.
33. I had a miscarriage. My daughter would have been 22 this year if she had lived.
34. I still miss her.
35. I knew I was getting "old" when I realized that I knew the words to most of the elevator music.
36. I want my next car to be a convertible.
37. I was my class valedictorian in high school.
38. My first boyfriend was a hoodlum, but he was very, very cute!
39. My ex-husband was a minister. I didn't like being the Preacher's Wife.
40. I love flowers.
41. I thought I'd like gardening, but I hated it.
42. I wish I could paint.
43. I can read any music, but I can't play by ear at all.
44. I wish I could sing, but I can't.
45. I sing in my car anyway - loud.
46. I love being near water, especially the beach.
47. Being in nature makes me feel closer to God.
48. I don't like living in Richmond, but it looks like I'll be here for the duration.
49. I'm very emotional. I even cry for commercials.
50. I can be moody, but I try not to be.
51. I'm very impatient around incompetent people.
52. I'm a sucker for love.
53. I've had major surgery twice in 2 years, and both times everything turned out fine.
54. I was diagnosed with lupus when I was 34 and didn't expect to live to see 40.
55. I'm almost 46 and I've been in remission for years.
56. A boyfriend broke up with me because his mother had lupus and he said he couldn't stand by and "watch me die".
57. I cry at weddings, even if I don't know the couple getting married.
58. I'm afraid of bugs, snakes and heights.
59. I'm terrible at saving money.
60. I sometimes shop at designer consignment shops.
61. I try to tithe. I wish I could give more to my church.
62. I'm not good at keeping secrets.
63. I have a terrible memory - I blame it on early menopause.
64. I want to travel more.
65. I'm afraid to fly, but I do when I have to.
66. I've had insomnia off and on for 10 years. It used to terrify me. Now I try to use the extra time to get more done.
67. I like to pray while I'm falling asleep.
68. I try to knit every day.
69. I usually read (fiction) at night before going to bed.
70. I love chinese and thai food.
71. I'd love to live on an island in the Caribbean.
72. I haven't saved for retirement and I'm getting scared.
73. I've been unemployed twice in my adult life and it's an awful feeling.
74. I was a whistle-blower at the last company I worked for. That's why I'm no longer there.
75. I voted for Bill Clinton twice, then voted for George Bush twice. Go figure!
76. I thought I'd be a much better mother than I've turned out to be.
77. I don't like talking on the phone. I used to be able to do it for hours.
78. I wish my husband and I talked more.
79. I love dressing up and going out to dinner.
80. I want to learn latin dancing. I think it's the most romantic thing.
81. No matter how hard I try, my home office always looks like a hurricane just passed through.
82. I hate liver and brussel sprouts.
83. I've made some wonderful new friends this year.
84. My teenaged daughter would be very surprised if she knew some of the things I've done. She thinks I'm so conservative.
85. I can't dance, but I like to anyway.
86. I love to blog
87. I've wanted to write a book for the last 10 years. I finally started.
88. I like to spoil myself.
89. I'd love to win the lottery, but that would be kind of difficult since I don't play.
90. The curse of the boyfriend sweater is true.
91. I have fibromyalgia.
92. I feel much better when I follow a healthy diet, but it's hard for me to do. My favorite foods aren't good for me.
93. Public speaking is one of my biggest fears, although people say that I do it well.
94. I'd love to go on a cruise - maybe on the Mediterranean.
95. I hate cold weather, but I wouldn't mind going on a knitting cruise to Alaska.
96. I wish I were taller (I'm 5' 1-1/2")
97. I want to lose 12 lbs. I feel best when I weigh between 108 and 110.
98. I think communication is the most important thing in making relationships work.
99. I played the piano at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC with the DC Youth Orchestra when I was in high school.
100. I'm happiest when I'm being/doing something creative.

Whew. That was tough! :)