Rachel at The Big Dunk has tagged me for this meme! Yay! Oh, she did it way last week; sorry, Rachel, it's been a little nuts here...
The rules are: People who are tagged start by thinking about 7 random facts/habits about themselves. Each player then must write about those seven things on their blog, as well as include these rules. Players then need to choose 7 people to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to leave each person a comment telling them they’ve been tagged.
1. I am a perpetual-student-wannabe. I was in school for 28 straight years, starting with Nursery school and emerging with a Master's degree (and why wasn't I a medical doctor by that time, I'd like to know!?) My professional life (all work following BA degree and to this day) has been on college campuses, and I therefore tend to think in terms of the university calendar. As an administrator, rather than a professor, I do indeed work all year around.
The beginning of the semester fills me with..."Ohhh...I want to take a class! New syllabus, new books (new second mortgage for those!), new notebooks..."
I must say that by the end of the semester, the haggard faces I encounter make me glad I didn't go there. But I may, one day. In fact, I'm sure I will one day.
2. I love to grocery-shop. Not altogether surprising, given my food and feeding issues. My husband, however, thinks this is incredibly strange. And I do NOT love to clothes shop, or shoes shop, or jewelry shop, or any of that stuff.
3. I also love to do laundry. Not so much to put it away, but there is something that greatly appeals to me about cleaning our clothes and folding them nicely. Oh, and ironing? That's a meditative activity I have yet to embrace. Pah.
4. I am the 5th of 6 children in a blended family; the oldest of 2 born to my two parents. When my little sister was in nursery school, my oldest brother was in law school. I became an aunt for the first time at age 8. Not all that uncommon now; more so then, and where I lived. I have never met my middle brother and sister's dad; but Beverly, my oldest brother and sister's mom, was a very special and important person in my life.
5. I have been baptized twice. Once, which I now think of as the real one, was when I was a few months old. In the Episcopal Church, where I am at least a 3rd generation "Cradle" member. (My dad's family came from England 3 generations back, so no telling how many Anglican generations come before me...)
And once in the Baptist church when I was in jr. high. My mom, who was dutifully attending regular services at the local Episcopal church but also going all over town in search of more in-depth worship and teaching, had us going to charismatic churches, Chinese charismatic churches, Assemblies of God churches, and a Women's Bible study at the Mega Baptist church. She decided she wanted to choose an immersion baptism, so they did it for both of us during a revival. No "will you come back?" or "what do you believe?" They seemed happy to dunk anyone. Is there a tally somewhere? I'm not being snarky, I really don't know.
6. I am not afraid of God. I know, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and all that stuff. I actually translate that as "respect" and I sure do have that for God. But God is my friend. I have a favorite image of God running to meet me when I get to Heaven, and then sitting down on the floor to play jacks with me. My Earthly Dad never did that (he is more like a stern Old Testament guy), but my Earthly mom sure has.
This is interesting, because I am not sure where I got this. Unlike a lot of my Methodist and other denomination colleagues, it is VERY VERY uncommon in our churches (at least in this diocese!) to talk about the female God or the mother God or the female Holy Spirit. Don't you know that our new Presiding Bishop, ++Katharine Jefforts Schori, caused an enormous kerfuffle when she referred to "Mother Jesus" in her investiture sermon?
I feel so sad when people tell me that they don't feel worthy to join a particular group I belong to at church because they think they cannot be good enough for God. I take my vows for this group very seriously, but I don't think God wants us to feel rotten about ourselves all the time. That would just be a MEAN God.
7. I do not like to be tickled. Or sneaked up on and jabbed in the ribs. Do not try it. You will be sorry! I took self-defense in college and I learned some moves to ward off such persons; these are now involuntary, and I will hurt you. Ask my DH.
I think this comes from older brother and sister who used to tickle me into hysteria.
OK, enough of that...
Here are the next 7 to be tagged:
Michele, Lorna, Songbird, Quotidian Grace, Mindy, Elastigirl. If y'all have already been tagged, let me know so I can tag someone else!
Cheers!
