Meme's

I got tagged by Brian a few days ago to post 7 random things about myself. I started working on the post and then realized that I had already started something similar a long time ago! I had decided to do a spin on this whole # of things about me meme that was going around forever ago. I think a lot of my friends and family come here for the pictures more than reading about my track splits so I challenged myself to include an appropriate picture with each # on the list. This proved to be quite an endeavor as it involved a lot of scanning of old non-digital photos but was definitely a fun way of looking back at all that has made me who I am today. So here we go (in no particular order) and as a bonus you get way more than 7 with photos where I could dig them up!

1)I learned to swim when I was a baby. Seriously I took classes with my mom. I have been a water lover ever since.


2)Chip and Dale (the Disney Characters) were my favorite.


3)Apparently I have ridden a camel.


4)I have one sibling, my younger sister.


5)I have 16 first cousins. Most of them are older than me and I have more 2nd cousins than I can easily count that are closer to my age.

(Note this is just my mothers side)

6)I never met my mothers mother, and only have one real grandma.


7)Family is extremely important to me but I currently do not want children of my own.


8)My family are all avid golfers. I have a mean drive but only get out once or twice a year.


9)I was in Ballet for one "season." The day of the recital they changed all the directions of the dance to suit the new stage. I was so confused I have no idea what I did come stage time (memory block) but I am sure it wasn't pretty.


10)I tried out for a community theaters production of Annie when I was about 8 and foiled the dance audition majorly. Guess I didn't learn much in ballet classes.

I know this is from King and I but I don't have any from the audition I bombed ;)

11)I was in two different community theater productions of The King and I and both times played the little princess who gives that speech asking Anna to stay. "Dear Mrs. Anna please do not leave us..." I think I got the part because my mom was a regular lead lady in the community theaters. Everyone say "we love nepotism."


12)I have been running since 6th grade.
(Photo was in 7th)

13)I ran almost every race in middle school with untied laces and almost always ended up throwing my glasses at someone. (before I was introduced to contacts)


14) I swear that all that were with me when shopping for this dress were in awe. I am in awe too, of how I ever could have picked out a velvet and sequined dress for my first prom dress. In my defense 2 other girls wore the same thing (one in green and one in navy blue)


15)I played at Carnegie hall my sophomore year of high school.


16)In high school I thought I was fat: weighing in at about 105-115 pounds.


17)My date to senior prom did not dance a single dance with me.


18)I like to eat, A lot! I have been known to have friendly eating contests with buds since high school... I usually win.


19)I graduated 10th out of 357 in my High School Class, academics were extremely important to me.



20)Our high school band program had a Halloween concert every year where we would decorate the whole auditorium and the parents would pull together and create all kinds of special effects for an amazing concert. My favorite was Mr. Soja as a bumblebee flying across the stage while we played Flight of the Bumblebee. So cool. All of the bands were onstage and in costume. Pretty damn amazing.

I'm Bo Peep, A bunch of friends were my sheep, to the far right is a jazz band player, all those sheep wore shades :)

21)I was a pole vaulter my senior year of high school...I never cleared the pole.


22)I was in a local sorority all 4 years of college.


23)I have been to Belize. It is extremely lovely there and they have the best beer, Belikin.

(I'm the frozen shadow on the left, that water was icy cold!)

24)I met my husband at a fraternity party.


25)While dating, David and I lived and worked together for a whole summer. If you can survive that you can survive anything.


26)David proposed to me in the gazebo in Chagrin Falls.


27)My wedding day was probably the fattest day of my life.


28)We honeymooned in Cancun.


29)The Chicago Triathlon is one of my all time favorite races. My first Chi Tri still goes down as one of the best days of my life.


30)I am a tree hugger. I constantly worry about the state of our environment.


31)I love the outdoors. I could hike all day.


32)I want to be a park ranger but am happy in environmental consulting and will probably end up volunteering for the park system when I retire.


33)When I started my job I was in an office with no window. I commissioned my friend to paint me a city. It hangs in my new office as my second window.


34)I was a LOT happier the night before my first marathon than directly afterwards, I immediately after the race was not happy, with anything! Still have no clue where that feeling came from. I literally did not care that I had just qualified for Boston on my first marathon attempt. I was not happy and thought that anyone who did this kind of event was an idiot. Then a few weeks later I signed up for Boston and haven't felt that way since!


35)I love to read and wish I had more time to just be absorbed in books


36)I did not sleep at all the night before my first sprint triathlon


37)I still get butterflies before races of all distances


38)My grandparents have been married for more than 50 years and still remain best friends. I hope the same will happen for my parents and for David and I.


39)I want to learn how to "hip-hop" dance. I love dancing.


40)In high school I played saxophone in the pit for Crazy For You and was an onstage wench in The Man of La Mancha. In college I played in the pit for a high school production of Grease.


41)I am terrified of needles. I usually come close to fainting whenever someone even brings them up. I have one tattoo, a white tiger. I had it done in Montreal. I'm still afraid of needles.


42)I shoot pool left handed. (does this make me ambidextrous?)


43)I am an ultrarunner


44)I am a half ironman


45) I've hiked through Bryce Canyonlands


46)I met Bill Rogers


47) I have never had the best fashion taste


48&49)I was on my middle school swim team (and had bad perms several times in middle school)



50)I drink Bud Light. (It is usually my beer of choice, sorry Casey!)


51)I'm a U of M fan even though I went to Heidelberg, my sister went to Michigan State, and I live in Ohio.


52)I've played paintball once and got shot in the neck at close range. I probably won't ever play again.


53)I was captain of the cross country and track teams my senior year of high school.


54)I've always loved bubbles


55)In college I smuggled my pet Egyptian Spiny Mice into the dorm. They were cute, often doing blackflips to try and escape.


56)I have hugged tigers and posed with cougars


(I tried hard to get to 100 but lost enthusiasm after 56, I had a few more that I couldn't find pictures for so this is what you get!)

If you have the patience or time consider yourself tagged!