Randomness Times Six

I’ve been tagged by Melissa, like decades ago. . .(back on 8/20/08).

Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules to your blog.
3. Write 6 random things about yourself.
4. Tag 4 people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person you have tagged know by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is posted.




6 random things about me:
I’m going to try to think of different things; things I have never posted about before.
1) I am the hardest person to surprise. I think it is because I have that “detective-ness” in me. I had a “gut feeling” about both of my surprise bridal showers, and was right about each one. The only time my Mom got me was my 11th b-day which was at Chuck E Cheese in St. Louis (even though we live in IL). It was after Pretty as a Picture (read #2). My friend’s Mom took us, so that my Mom could pack up her van and drive over there with all of my friends. I walked in, thinking we were just going there for lunch, and everyone screamed “SURPRISE”, and it was the best feeling ever. Though it is hard to surprise me, I LOVE being surprised! (Some people do not like it one bit.) That was a great birthday!

2) When I was 10, I attended a program called Pretty as a Picture. It was at Dillards (if I’m remembering correctly) in one of the malls in STL. It was a program that taught children manners, poise and style. I remember that I LOVED going to this class. I can still remember a few things that we learned in this class. Like how to stand properly. You don’t stand with your feet side-by-side, you stand with one foot pointed straight forward and the other one pointed to the side a little. Or how to properly sit with your legs crossed, especially when you have a skirt on, etc. Our last class was at the director’s house. I can remember the table was set extremely nice, and it was more like we were “adults”, because we had to sit properly, eat with the right utensil, etc. Another one of our last classes was a fashion show that we put on. We were allowed to pick any outfit in Dillards that we wanted and then we did a fashion show out in the main mall area for all the people who were shopping that day.

I think all children should HAVE to attend this class. To this day, I’m not sure how my Mom heard of this class or why she put me through it, because I wasn’t a bad child, a really good one actually; but I’m glad that she did.

Here are some pictures. I’m in the middle. I have a really light yellow turtleneck on. (You can hardly tell in this picture with out pale I am.) Apparently turtlenecks were in that year.  ha

Time to “model”.

Then the picture from my b-day party. I’m the only one NOT in this picture.

3) I won a Cabbage Patch “look-a-like” contest when I was younger. The only way I can remember this is through pictures. This is because of how extremely talented my Mother is/was back then. I always won contests when it had to do with decorating and such. I also won a lot of contests in “Playground” for “Prettiest Things On Wheels” – where you decorate your bike in a theme and had a parade.
How cute are we?!
(I don’t know who the other girl in the picture is. I’m on the right, if you couldn’t tell.)

4)  One of my “before I die” dreams was swimming with dolphins, which, as of today, I have had the opportunity to do TWICE.  Once was in Panama City Beach, FL in 2002, and once was in Cozumel, Mexico in 2007.

2007 in Cozumel Mexico:  This is Madonna:

2002 in Panama City Beach, FL ~ This is Savannah

Ever since that first time in PCB, I wanted to name my daughter after the dolphin – Savannah.
Then, in 2004, my BFF had a baby girl and named her Savanna (without the “h”).  (She didn’t know that is the name I had chose for my baby girl.)  I think that is really neat.  Chances are, if/when I do have a baby girl, I will not name her Savannah anymore. . .only because I have decided on another name for my daughter, but I think it is neat that one of my “neices” is named that.

5) I’m distantly related to Mary Todd Lincoln/Abraham Lincoln. She is my great, great, great, great Aunt. (I’m not sure if I have missed any of the greats.) I find this really interesting, and think it is pretty neat. The only thing that would be cooler, is if I could use my “relative of a past President” status to get in to tour the White House one time while we’re in DC. But, I don’t think that will happen, so I will just keep dreamin’. When we go to Downtown DC/Lincoln Memorial while we’re visiting family in VA, I refer to President Lincoln as “Uncle Abe” and Ric laughs at me each time. 🙂 Too bad I never got to meet her. Do you see any resemblance? 😉

6) I have changed my “career goals” at least three times now. When I was younger, I really wanted to be a teacher. This is one of the main reasons I can’t wait until Ric gets a permanent teaching job. I love hearing the stories he comes home with. I also (secretly) can’t wait until he brings home papers/assignments and lets me read them/help grade them. It wasn’t until my Senior year, pretty close to the end when I realized that I wanted to go to college to be a Court Reporter, the decision being made with the help of my Mom. She took a few classes when we were younger, but never did get too far with it, because of already owning her own business and having three children to raise. I started Court Reporting school in St. Louis the Fall after I graduated High School. I LOVED it. I really could see myself doing that for the rest of my life. I learned it fast (it really is like learning a new language), and after getting half way through the program, I was in a car accident that crushed my hand. After surgery, months of waiting, physical therapy, etc., I tried getting back into Court Reporting, but you have to type at least 250 WPM, and I could only get up to about 150 WPM because of the pain from the injury. Not to mention it would not have worked with back issues, having to sit in a Courtroom all day long. 😦 I was devastated, I REALLY wanted to finish and make that my life-long career. It is just such an INTERESTING job!

It was only a few months later that I decided to go to SWIC to become a Paralegal. School was okay, I met a few friends, got a bunch of law firm jobs, etc. out of it. Now I’m a Paralegal at a law firm and I HATE IT. While in the process of being a Paralegal, I’m trying to get more clients so that I can do my photography full-time. I can not WAIT until the day I can quit my desk job!!! Being a Paralegal is just not for me! I have NO DOUBT in my mind that I will LOVE being a full-time photographer though!

So, there you go!
I’m not going to tag anyone, because I am pretty sure everyone has done this. . .I’m a little behind the times!!!  (It has taken me THAT long to think of some unique facts about myself that no one/not many people knew.)