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Well, well, well, welcome back to Wednesday! How's it going so far? Today, we are talking about ourselves. I'm not sure I'm interesting enough to have 10 unusual things about me to share, but I will give it a whirl.
- I used to be the baby of the family, but I am now the middle child. I am the youngest of the three sisters born to my parents. After my mother passed away, my father remarried and had two sons with his new wife, which puts me squarely in the middle of five children.
- I didn't intend to write for children. Though I have published four children's books, hopefully with a fifth one on the way, I never intended to write for children. In explaining my first book to my pastor, he asked if it was a children's book, which is what got me thinking it could be. After that, I continued to write for kids.
- Though I am petrified of water and drowning, we vacation at the beach every year. This probably doesn't make sense to most people. I love the serenity of being at the beach. We go during the evenings when it's not as busy. However, I rarely go in the water above my ankles, and I don't let water pour over my face in the shower. Water and I are not friends. Was scared of it before I almost drowned as a kid. The passing of the years has not improved that fear.
- I'm not claustrophobic, but I don't like elevators. If there are stairs, and the office is on the second through fourth floors, I avoid the elevator. I used to work in an old industrial building with an antiquated elevator. One day, the doors didn't open right away. Got anxious. Never used it again.
- I can recreate garden and decor plans using a picture, but don't have enough imagination to create them on my own. Give me a picture, and I can recreate it. Ask me to put together something original, and you will end up with plants that aren't where they should be, house decor that is either too big or too small for the space, or something totally awful.
- Pretty sure I have high-functioning anxiety, but refuse to get a diagnosis. I think this comes from how I grew up and the times in which I grew up. We didn't talk about anxiety-producing events. We never discussed trauma. I feel like we were just coming out of the children should be seen and not heard philosophy of parenting. Teachers had just stopped rapping your knuckles with a ruler if you misbehaved when I was in second grade. Never mind having a dysfunctional family. Lots of childhood trauma to cause enough anxiety to last a lifetime.
- I'm an open book, probably too open. I've taken to saying, "Just the facts, Ma'am," to remind myself that I don't need to share everything. Working in an industry where confidentiality is important certainly has helped to quell this flaw, but personal things sometimes come out in mixed company that likely shouldn't.
- In the past, I have wanted to be a dancer, a missionary, and a nun. Those last two probably come from growing up in the Catholic church and being familiar with visiting missionaries and nuns. Over time, I realized I was too scared to travel that far from home to be a missionary, and I ended up wanting kids, so being a nun was out. I regret quitting ballet once my mother was sick, but I felt a responsibility to reduce expenses during that time... even though I was only 12.
- I have a lot of nervous habits (tracks with #6). I'm a lifelong nailbiter. During times of high stress, I crack my shoulder blades or breathe funny. When I am thinking of what to say, I sometimes cross my eyes. See, I overshare. :)
- I make a funny face when I take photos. This one deserves a picture, which I don't have handy. When I am snapping photos, I always make this face. I'll pretend it's me being creative. LOL! The Lil' Diva also claims when I am thinking I breathe funny and stick my tongue out. Does that make me a dog?
Can't wait to read what unusual things you have shared.
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6 comments:
Cheryl, I very much relate to the fear of water. I almost drowned when I was 8 and it's been a thing ever since. I'm OK in water upto my hips but I can't go farther. I love to look at the sea, though, and imagine all the people it's met.
Can also relate to the fear of water. Nearly drown as a child. Ironically though the beach is my favorite to go to reflect on life so it also brings me peace.
I struggle with anxiety, too, and I also had a scary experience with water as a child that could have ended in drowning.
I’m okay to swim in a pool as long as it’s not empty or too full of people, but at the beach I happily stick to wading just like you do.
And I prefer the stairs, too!
That is so scary, George. I do better with still water, but I will never even attempt the ocean. Thanks for visiting.
How frightening, Jen. I feel the same way about the beach, which is why we go. Thanks for visiting today.
Lydia, I had no idea so many of us had scary experiences with water. I'm with you on the too many people in a pool thing. Way too much splashing and hard to see what's going on. Thanks for stopping by today.
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