For me, I think I wrote at least four versions. The writer I sometimes can be, I edited it over and over as I read what others wrote. I think that my list could exceed 25, as could most other people's, but that would spoil its purpose, I think. The exercise has made me think of a variation or so, which I might try -- I think I will limit it to perhaps 10 things rather than 25.
I did add and delete items. I did shorten others. Finally, I decided that what I would go with was adequate. To get extra "miles" out of the effort, I decided to post it here as well as on my Facebook page.
Twenty-five Random Things
1. I occasionally suffer from “oldest-child syndrome.” I am the oldest of five children, two are sisters and two are brothers.
2. I've been married since July 1, 1995, to Dennis. Although I had had boyfriends/guy friends in high school, college, and beyond, Dennis was the first one I thought I could actually marry and be happy. So far, so good.
3. I have two grown stepchildren, one of whom is married and has a toddler-aged boy and expects another baby this June.
4. I like to create visuals using the computer.
5. I took up the trumpet for fun (after I finished college) because I didn’t want my piano lessons to go to waste, but I didn’t want to play the piano. (I am not as good at it as my sisters.) I have played the trumpet with a small group at church or with a group in local parades, including a private birthday parade organized by a family for their mom’s 70th birthday.
6. I am not as out-going as I seem; but I can make myself be so, either because I really need to or because I think I need to. Once we get better acquainted, then even my friends forget I can be somewhat quiet and reserved. (I tend to observe things/people first.)
7. I am an organizer, a detail person.
8. I like to write, and have tried doing some blogging. I also have some things I am thinking of sending in magazines (to make a little extra spending money.)
9. I have a B.A. (liberal arts) and an M.S. (education).
10. I have lived in four states (NY, CA, MD, SC). I attended schools in NY (2 districts), CA (2 districts), and MD (2 districts), and Washington, DC. The longest I was in one system was the four years I attended Capitol Christian Academy then in Washington, DC. I attended college in SC.
11. The longest I have lived in one place is where I live now (13+ years and counting). I have lived in this town, though, since 1983. Until that point in time, the longest time had lived in one place tended to range from weeks (waiting for new apartments to be ready) to 4-5 years.
12. Moving a lot meant that I learned to make friends quickly and often.
13. I have a sense of humor and love to pun or be able to give back a quick, witty response to comments made. I try to avoid doing it too often, lest people around me a lot tire of me...
14. I have been 38 states, although one was just because I changed planes there. I have been in all states east of the Mississippi River, except Rhode Island. I think it would be neat to make it to the remaining 12 in my lifetime.
15. I have spent time in 4 countries, besides the USA: Canada, Mexico, Hungary, and Romania; in 2 other countries I was there long enough to change planes (France, Germany), traveling to and from Budapest (Hungary). Now that I have broken the "ocean" barrier, I would like to travel more in Europe as well as South America.
16. I have been across the USA by car (4), on the train (1), and by plane (3). I would say that the ride I took in 1984 on the train was the most interesting, as I took the train from Syracuse, NY, to Los Angeles, CA, traveling by way of Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas. There were a number of beautiful sights along the way. (This route no longer is run.)
17. I taught for over 25 years in two small schools where teachers worked very hard and taught a lot of subjects and took on a lot of extras. (I was single about 19 of those years. The thought of those married, who always seemed to be the ones in charge, was that single people have all sorts of free time after school hours!!) Now I am a teaching assistant in a local public school and work in the special ed department, working with small groups of students in middle school and high school.
18. On my side of the family, I have 2 brothers-in-law and 2 sisters-in-law. My husband’s family gives me not only a mother-in-law (widowed) but also a LOT of in-laws, as he is one of sixteen children. SO, how many in-laws does that give me? Plus, I also have a stepson-in-law.
19. I am both right-handed as well as left-handed. Which I use depends on what it is I am doing. I say my right-handedness is generally used for writing, coloring and eating; my left-handedness is generally used in athletic pursuits.
20. I like trivia, especially as it relates to U.S. history (esp. the presidents) and geography. I like games like Trivial Pursuit – except the entertainment section. I like to sometimes try my wits against the contenders on Jeopardy and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. My mind seems to soak up trivia without my meaning for it to over-extend itself in that way. The average person uses only about 10% of his/her brain. I wonder what my percent is?
21. I am observant, most times, which leads to some odd things I notice (and remember) – relates somewhat to my mind catching on to all sorts of trivia. If I pick up something that is dropped on the floor, for instance, I tend to pick it up with my left hand if it is something that is apt to be thrown away; I pick it up with my right hand if it is something I eat/write/color with. (See #16.)
22. I usually sneeze in a series - in runs of 3-7, sometimes more. I have yet to hit 10. I have been told that my sneezes sound more like a kind of cough or like a cat sneezing.
23. I do not like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and so I have come up with tasty, healthy, simple meals (not pre-made) that I can prepare and have ready to eat in 75 minutes or less.
24. I made my first pie, crust and all, when I was 39+. (I have learned that I can’t count the Impossible Pie that is on the Bisquick box!) My husband – though not then – enjoys apple pie. I decided to give it a try, especially if it looked like we were going to be married and spend our lives together. There’s a story as to how long it took me (too long for here). My husband knows that when I make him a pie it is indeed a labor of love, as I do not care to do much baking.
25. I am the family historian, a semi-hobby I developed when I was looking for some material to perhaps use to write a story. Thanks to the work of distant relatives on other branches of the family tree, I have been able to go back many, many generations. I have done well with the Norwegian family lines, as well as the English ones. I have not fared as well with the Welsh lines, although I have been able to trace them back to when they still lived in Wales.
