10 Random Facts about Me

One of my favorite questions to ask my students is, “What wouldn’t I know by looking at you?” You can learn all kinds of interesting things about people especially when you don’t limit them to a certain topic. So here are 10 random facts about me that literally do not matter but make me, me.

I literally hate this picture more than I can say!

I get creeped out by the wind turbines out west.

Even as a child big things that could “hover” over me kind of wigged me out. As an adult most things like that don’t bother me now… tall buildings, trees, etc. BUT seeing those turbines all lined up like an army is just creepy.

I’ve danced on national television twice.

No, I don’t think I have a video or picture from the actual event but have some from the trips. I danced/twirled once in the Orange Bowl Parade in Miami and was a large dancing snowflake in the State Street Parade in Chicago. My 15 seconds of fame! Ha! (Extra Fun Fact: In Chicago I fell down an escalator the day before the event and could barely walk but refused to get stitches because I knew they wouldn't let me dance... ah, youth!)

I was born over a month early.

My mother always said that had she known how my personality would turn out she would have been prepared for my early arrival. She figures I just got tired of waiting so I took matters into my own hands which is a lesson the Lord has been trying to unteach me since then. I was also a very confusing and squirrely looking baby because I had jaundice so I was yellow with purple feet from having my blood drawn. Quite a look.

My favorite actor is Gene Kelly.

If you’ve been around here for long, you know I love musicals and Gene Kelly is my star of choice. He’s handsome, funny and charming. He can sing, dance, act, choreograph, direct and who knows what else. He also looks pretty great in a navy uniform.

The first movie I saw in theaters was Beauty and the Beast as was the first Broadway Tour I saw. Belle is also my favorite Disney princess.

I saw Beauty and the Beast in 1991 for a friend’s birthday. We all sat on the very front row and I fell in love with everything. As I got older, I loved that it wasn’t the traditional “love at first sight” Disney nonsense and the fact that he gave her a library, showing true thoughtfulness had me swooning. When I had the chance to see the Broadway show in New Orleans I knew I had to go and it was fantastic!

I’ll eat almost anything, unless it’s organs/offal/etc.

I will normally order the weirdest thing on the menu. I’m never going to pick a ham and cheese sandwich or chocolate ice cream, minus that one time on a date. (Check out Hey Y'all: The Podcast for that silliness.) If it isn’t something completely stomach turning I’ll probably eat it, even if I don’t like it. (See cilantro below.) Give me all the interesting flavors and unusual options.

Cilantro tastes like soap to me.

Here’s the thing, I didn’t realize that it wasn’t supposed to taste like that until a few years ago so I just kept eating it thinking it was strange. I’m not one to ask for my order to be changed at a restaurant so even though I thought it was an odd flavor, I chowed down. I’ll say, now my favorite restaurant, Compadres, knows my order well enough to leave it off so that's an improvement for me.

In theory, I can sew and proudly own my grandmother's sewing machine.

My grandmother was a seamstress and I was always mesmerized by her abilities to whip up any creation imaginable so when I had the opportunity to take Occupational Clothing in high school I jumped on it. While I will never have my grandmother’s talent, my minimal abilities have come in handy a number of times, including during covid which you can read about it in Meg's post here.

The summer of third grade I watched Grease and Grease 2 on repeat every. single. day!

I was a weird kid and have always been an old soul. My third grade summer was the first year I stayed alone during the day while my parents were at work and from the moment they left until they came home it was a one woman musical performance with costume changes and all. God bless the neighbors because they probably heard me singing at the top of my lungs. I wanted nothing more than to be a Pink Lady which finally came true on my 31st birthday when I saw Olivia Newton John in concert and she asked us to join the Pink Ladies and sing. I could have died!!!

You know I’ve reached my peak level of stress when I start saying, “It’s fine.” on repeat like a broken robot.

This has become a running joke. If I’m crying or cursing or ranting or acting insane we’re still good. If I fall into saying, “It’s fine. It’s fine. It’s fine.” in a high pitched voice a la Ross on “Friends” we’ve hit our breaking point.