Jan 02 2009
7 Things You Don’t Know About Me
Before I started blogging I had never heard of a meme. Best I can figure, it’s a sticky idea that folks personalize in someway then toss to one another around the internet. I first heard about 7 Random Things as a way of reminding students about privacy on the web through Brian Crosby; I wrote about it with my students on our class blog. Sue Wyatt, who has lead such a fascinating life, tagged me with this meme from her blog. I was also tagged by the remarkable and generous Ann Oro.
So…
- My dad was a pilot in the RCAF and we moved to France when I was little. We used to play in a concrete bunker, but not for long. The girls wanted to play house, and the boys peed in the corner.
- I repeated grade 1 and didn’t read until grade 3. I got through school by talking and listening. Probably more talking than listening. I started reading for pleasure as an adult, and I started with all the great children’s literature I had missed. Mistress Masham’s Repose was a turning point.
- I was an officer in the Reserve Navy. I still can’t believe I had command of a vessel (65′ WWII diving tender). We trained Sea Cadets and dragged pilots around to simulate a parachute ditching over open water.
- The worst thing that ever happened to me was that our second child died at birth. It was 14 years ago. It is also the thing that has taught me the most.
- In 2004-05 my son, daughter, husband and I sailed around the world on a 188′ tall ship called Concordia. Chris and I were on-board directors for Class Afloat. Forty-eight high school students, five teachers, and a professional crew. A challenging year (I was often sea-sick), but rewarding too. We met amazing people, saw amazing things, have amazing memories. Wish I was a blogger then.
- I have had rheumatoid arthritis for 11 years. Most of the time my joints are fine, but other times notsomuch. My knees often look like footballs.
- I am a quilter in exile. I have a fabulous Bernina sewing machine that I saved for two years to buy, and a fabric stash that calls to me. An unfinished quilt hanging on the design wall in my sewing room tries to attract my attention. Wait til I finish this master’s thing. Then we’ll be swimming in quilts.
Tagging: Neil Varner, Bernadette Rego, Cindy Martin, Sue Hellman, Errin Gregory
Please link back so I can read your 7 things…
I am re-tagging Claire Thompson because I want to know more about you, Claire!
Image: You don’t look quite right by Gunnlaugur Þ. Briem
I love to hear about late readers. So many people read late that love reading!
I have RA also and can identify with the football knees.
Hi Cathy,
One thing I really appreciate about being a late reader is that I stay optimistic about all the learners in my class.
I try to keep the RA in the background…doesn’t always work!
Thanks for the tag! I’d love to see that Bernina. I sew with an old hand-me down machine. The new technology in sewing machines is amazing!
Well, it looks lonely. I have done a few things on it, and it has a lot of fancy bits that I have not even tried. If you are at all a sewer, you may be interested in this fabulous blog http://threadlines.blogspot.com/. It was the first blog I ever read, I think. She is a great writer and I just love looking at the beautiful things she makes. Reminds me of my aunt.
Looking forward to reading your 7 Things!
Thanks for sharing a part of yourself with the meme. I was amazed by your seafaring adventures. My husband had dreams of taking a sailing vacation once upon a time. It scares the life out of me. I can’t imagine being on a ship like the Concordia. I’d love to hear more about that some day.
Hi Jan, Thanks for the re-tag. I’m working on it, really! You’ve shared some amazing things about yourself, so thank you for that too.
Hi Jan and thanks for the tag! I will be working on it and posting my 7 things. I’m amazed and humbled by how much I’ve discovered about other colleagues through these memes.
Thanks for the tag, Jan! I didn’t read until grade 3 either and now I’m a librarian who never quits reading! My mother is an amazing quilter and quilt artist. Good luck with that!
Thanks for the tag, Jan. You shared some great things, hard to follow up. Also, I’m not sure I have five I can tag out to after this… thinking, thinking, thinking.