25 (or more =) Random Things...

I can’t believe I’ve *actually* gotten sucked into this stupid thing of posting random information about yourself to the world/Internet…but I have! Oh well! (Shows just how bored/distracted I was Sunday afternoon/evening…even if I didn’t post it right away! =) And just to be different, I’m posting this to my Blog and which will import to Facebook. :P (After it imports, I’ll go ahead and ‘tag’ some people =).

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. (Or as many as you can choose, anyway) You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.(To do this, go to "notes" under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)



Becky’s Disclaimer: If you’ve already been tagged, and published your 25 random things, feel free to ignore this request. (Or you could just ignore being tagged period =).

And because I’m me, and I was bored (and in a random mood), you’re getting MORE than 25 random things from me. So there! =P

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1. Enjoys baking and cooking (preferably for or *with* others)…yet I never took a Home Ec class on the subject. Just like to try out recipes on my own. =)
2. I am an incredibly light sleeper…the change in weather/airflow will actually wake me up. (Seriously!!!) Not to mention inconsistent noises. So white noise (like the hum of a fan) ….and occasionally earplugs…are definitely my friends.
3. Started reenacting American Civil War in Sept 1999…by being recruited to a Light Artillery unit and fighting as a “disguised female soldier”. While I didn’t make a very good ‘disguised female soldier’ (which is a GOOD thing), I did learn all about how to load & properly fire a front loading 3-inch bore rifled cannon (10 pounder) from my time spent with 1st Penn, Battery B (“Coopers Battery”). Thanks guys!
4. I was Treasurer, and then President, of the BIOLA Star Wars Club. And then when I needed to step down (too busy) from the position, I helped install my successor (we sorta bypassed the usual election process ;-). And for a while afterwards I kinda stayed around unofficially as an “Advisor”. (Those were some of the best times in the club. Yay for our Clone in the Scarlet Mask! =)
5. Growing up, my family and I would go out to the desert to shoot guns (rifles and such). I’ve shot my grandfather’s Winchester .22 rifle (bought in 1933…when Grandpa Art was 11 yrs old!), my father’s Ruger .22 rifle, a 12 gauge shotgun (family friend’s), a Russian SKS (family friend’s), an M-1 Grand (family friend’s), and most likely some other guns that I can’t recall at the moment. (And yes, I’m a decent shot).
6. I’m a certified instructor with the National Archery Association. (I prefer Recurve bows to the Compound bow, since A) that’s what I learned on and B) they’re closer to the old-fashioned Long Bow =). I got involved with archery ‘cause I needed to certify in 3 areas in my training to be a camp counselor…and this was one of the possible areas. =)
7. I was born on my Due Date.
8. I have trained in Leatherwork, mainly in the area of tooling leather, and have made (besides the usual wallets, belts, coasters, checkbook covers, and such) the face of a wall clock. I was at Journeyman status when I stopped my lessons/apprenticeship (mostly due to lack of funds – leather for projects can be expensive for a ‘starving student’ and got distracted by other hobbies, like Reenacting and Costuming). And the entire reason I got into tooling leather was ‘cause it was a ‘subcategory’ in my Crafts specialty for camp counselor training. =)
9. Up until about 6 months ago (or longer?) I could always be found with a ‘for fun’ reading book in my hand or somewhere on my person. Now…well, I just haven’t had the time to allow myself the distraction of being sucked into the story/imaginary world created by the book. (If I read, I get totally consumed by the story and will not work/do things I *should* be working on and or will stay up late reading, instead of sleeping, in order to stay immersed in the storyline as long as possible. Yes, I get caught up in imaginary worlds =).
10. I can’t drink milk in the morning. I’ll end up with a sour stomach. (Afternoons & evenings, I’m fine though. Go figure!).
11. I’ve traveled to/through about 19 or 20 of the 50 contiguous states, been to Hawaii (Oahu) twice, Mexico (well, Tijuana) once, and to England twice. I would love to go visit more places (especially Ireland, Scotland, and various countries in Europe).
12. I am a natural born researcher – I really do like to research things! Give me a problem to solve or something to track down! I love it! It fits with my Persistent (i.e. stubborn) nature…I like to know things and follow the clues to figure out the reasons ‘whys’ and ‘whats’ of something…whether its for my job (why an account is screwed up) or for a costume/historical (living history) project.
13. I have an irrational fear of heights (or more specifically, falling from them). Still hard to believe I was talked into going on Supreme Scream at Knotts Berry Farm the other day! (And no, that did NOT get me ‘over’ my irrational fear…it is certainly still there =).
14. Usually I have a song (or two) stuck in my head at all times…hence I really like having music playing to ‘change the song’. =) (Plus, most of the time, I can focus better when I have music playing in the background – either loudly or softly, depending on the situation).
15. Other irrational fears: touching a fish (scales and such) and getting caught in underwater reeds.
16. I read all the (original) Nancy Drew books by 6th grade. (They started to sound pretty much alike there by the end =).
17. The grease from pizza (cheese) used to give me a headache if I ate more than say 2 slices. (Therefore, pizza was never a ‘favorite’ food for me…then or now).
18. Has had heat exhaustion (borderline heat stroke); been dehydrated (too many a time to count); had sprains, strains, dislocations, hyper-extended joints, cuts that warranted stitches, deep bruising, and burns (none TOO serious, though)…but has never broken a bone. (Knock on wood)
19. Didn’t wear glasses prior to 2006 (Slight nearsightedness).
20. Is part of an Evil Trio. (And yes, we had/have a Court & minions).
21. I attended and then worked at (for a number of years) a Summer Camp in which all the female staff went by “Bird” names instead of their normal ones (and the men got to use “Animal” names). My staff name was “Mocki” for Mockingbird. (Yes, I still answer to it =).
22. I took piano lessons from early grade school through Jr. High. (And if I had *room* for a piano today, I actually wouldn’t mind sitting down to practice now and then. I do enjoy playing.)
23. I took Ballet & Tap lessons as a child…and I still love to dance. (Especially East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, English Country Dancing/Regency Dancing, etc.)
24. I used to go dancing at the Derby (in Hollywood) from 1999-2001.
25. My main Star Wars RPG character (from college games) was Marcail [mar Kail] Gaelyn, a young senatorial who had a bodyguard named Sare Thorig (another player’s character). And yes, I wrote an actual backstory for her (which I still have on file. =)

And to continue, just ‘cause I can…

26. I have my ancestors’ spinning wheel that came over from Sweden (which is currently sitting in my bedroom). One day I’d like to fix the couple ‘missing’/broken pieces and spin some wool or flax on it.
27. I find handsewing relaxing (most of the time). I like to put on a movie I’ve seen before (or one I don’t have to pay attention to 100%) and sew while it’s playing in the background.
28. I have been camping (tent camping) since I was 9 months old. Most of the time my family and I camped in Yosemite, and the local mountains (near Big Bear), but we’ve also camped in the Sequoias, Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Lassen Volcanic (National Park), Mt. Whitney, and the Grand Canyon. (And other national parks/places I can’t recall the names of right now). And I still go camping…just now I’m usually dressed up in another era! =)
29. I bite my nails (always have) unless I have them painted. (When they start to chip, however, I can’t stop worrying at the chipped paint).
30. I have 2 brothers and 1 sister (all younger) as well as a TON of cousins and aunts/uncles…all on my mother’s side. And some of my extended family has finally gotten Facebook accounts. Yay! =)
31. Got hooked on the 19th century by reading (over & over again growing up) the Little House books (all of them) and the various Lucy Maud Montgomery books (Anne of Green Gables series, Emily of New Moon series, Pat of Silver Bush series, and various stand alone stories. Blue Castle is still one of my all time favorite books today).
32. I like to quote random movies, and occasionally computer games (CMI/Curse of Monkey Island, especially!).
33. I’ve panned for gold in the American River (at Sutter’s Mill).
34. I grew up around PCs, and playing computer games (didn’t have a Nintendo growing up). I have found memories of playing Mixed up Mother Goose, The Dr Brain series (especially the ‘Island of Dr. Brain’), 3-D Ultra Pinball, Duke Nukeum, Commander Keen, Kings Quest (whole series - Sierra), Laura Bow (Sierra), Oregon Trail (I & II), Gold Rush! (Sierra), the 7th Guest, Monkey Island (series - #1s 1 & 3 especially, LucasArts), Outlaws (LucasArts), Get Medieval, X-Files, X-Fools (spoof/parody game), and Star Warped (spoof/parody game).
35. Can sing the theme songs to a bunch of 1950s/1960s tv shows.
36. Love to play card games, since my family grew up playing them (especially with my extended family). Favorites: Tag 6! (aka Nimitz 6!), Dutch Blitz, Hand & Foot, Pounce (a Double or even Triple Solitaire game), Phase 10, Countdown, Golf, War (Stratego style =), Kings Corner (haven’t played in ages!), Fluxx, and a few others.
37. Still go by “Serena” (Sailor Moon) with some of my friends (Hi Luna & Lita!! =).
38. Love to take photos…and I’m pleased when I occasionally end up with a really good/interesting shot or two.
39. Would rather be in the mountains than on the beach (unless its just walking & taking pictures. Definitely Not a sunbather).
40. Is an Anglophile. (Yes, I admit it =) But you gotta admit the Brits have a heck of a lot more history than we Americans do! =)
41. Is extremely ticklish. (Hmm…probably shouldn’t have mentioned that one. Oh well)
42. I’ve gone Whitewater Rafting on the American River (South Fork…and probably on the Middle Fork too) and on the Kern River. I even “Joined the Kern River Swim Team” when I was washed/tossed out of the raft on one trip down the Kern River rapids. (Ok, so *technically* I have also gone rafting on the Snake River too, but I don’t really count it since it was more of a scenic ride and not really ‘whitewater’…no *real* rapids to speak of =).
43. I’ve got a Thyroid problem (I never asked which one I have – I just take the meds they prescribe. But since I take Levoxyl, I probably have hypothyroidism.).
44. Have a BA in Social Science (with almost enough credits in History to have gotten a minor in it) and a Preliminary Teaching Credential (expired by now) for secondary education….and I *didn’t* end up going into teaching.
45. Hats are my favorite accessory. I wear them whenever possible. =)
46. I have flat feet (fallen arches). I got my pair of orthotics (custom shoe inserts) in 1997 which has made the world of difference (less back, knee, leg/foot pain overall)! Makes finding nice/cute/fun shoes to wear more interesting (read: a challenge), but hey, I prefer not being in pain all the time while standing/walking/dancing.
47. Has looked younger than my actual age for a LONG time…I was mistaken for a Jr. Higher when I was 21!!!! (And I was in a Civil War ballgown for a school demonstration to boot.)
48. I drink a LOT of Tea…I drink Iced Tea w/o sugar, but I will drink my Hot Tea either with or without Cream and or sugar…depending on my mood. =)
49. Has been literally over-my-head in bat guano. Ok, well, *technically*, I was standing on a pathway that was dug down through the densely packed layer-upon-layer of bat guano (and bat skeletons) in order to access the rest of the cave…so as you walked down the uneven path, the walls of guano rose higher and higher, until you couldn’t even touch the top by stretching if you wanted to! Slaughter Canyon cave rocks! (No electricity, no paved paths; just you, flashlights, and really cool rock formations!) http://www.nps.gov/cave/planyourvisit/slaughter_canyon_cave_tour.htm
50. I have a hard time writing a ‘brief’ (and simple) answer. I like to expound...especially when I’m in a random or just plain talkative mood =)