Seven Things...

Ok, I am supposed to think of seven things that people may not know about me. Hmmmm...here we go!

1. One thing I didn't know about me is that I am claustrophobic. I was in my forties before I ever knew that. I was taking scuba diving lessons with the hubby. We had a 25th anniversary coming up and a trip to Belize planned. We both loved snorkeling, so we decided to join the big guys and learn scuba. We signed up for a weekend class in Wichita. First day, the classroom and pool lessons went fine. I did have a bit of trouble clearing one ear and prayed it wouldn't bother me the next day. Day two, in the pool, sitting on the bottom and my worry about my ear was over since it cleared right away. One minute later, BOOM! All of a sudden, I couldn't get enough air, and my heart was beating very hard. I went up immediately. The instructor checked my regulator, no problems there. Put my mask back on and BOOM, I got that panicky feeling again. I tried to overcome it, but finally gave up. I cried all the way home...I wanted it so badly! Belize was a great trip anyway. The husband made 3 dives and I went with him on one of them as a "non-diver."I was embarrassed to raise my hand when they asked the group who the non-diver was... Then,they assigned me a personal snorkeling guide named Pepe...we still joke about Pepe. He was very young and very handsome...ha!
2. I used to do obedience training with dogs when we first moved to rural Newton. We had a 10 run kennel that was full of dogs that my husband and I trained for extra income. He trained hunting dogs for other people back then. Since, at the time, I only taught afternoons in Newton, I helped out and did the obedience, conditioning, and retrieving lessons. I have also competed in Springer field trials. The hubby still does.
3. My favorite breed of dog is the Border Terrier. I was given one back in 1985 and have had at least one ever since. They are very, very hard to find, so when my current border, Chumley, started aging, I looked all over for another one with no luck. Chumley himself was imported from the UK, where they are more abundant. So, I decided on a Fox Terrier this time and am very happy with him. Maybe it's just the terrier group I love. Mickey has a similar temperament, maybe a little ornerier. But, I love that.
4. Music is a very important part of my life. There are songs that can bring up specific memories from ages ago. There aren't many bands that I haven't seen in concert. We've been to so many. It would be easier to tell who I haven't seen than who I have seen. My first real date with my husband was a Bob Dylan concert back in 1977, classic. My favorites have been Aerosmith and the Stones, also Van Halen. You name it....I've probably seen them. Still wanting to see Tom Petty. I've always managed to miss him when he comes to KC.
5. Along those lines, I am a karaoke nut. I have competed in several contests and I've actually qualified and won a finals contest. $100 and a new TV...woo-hoo! Actually, my whole family loves to sing and we've had lots of family nights out singing. My brother-in-law and I do a mean Sonny and Cher! ha!
6. I was an elementary media specialist for 6 years. I LOVED reading to the little ones and miss it dearly. But, the technology side of my position pulled me in that direction. I knew I was destined to be what I am today. When I was a kid, I always ran the movie projector when we watched our 8mm vacation movies. You know, where you had to make the little loops just right for the film to run right? I even spliced the film when it broke. I also made a movie in high school with my best friend. My dad put it on a vhs tape for me and I still have it. Complete with special effects!
7. My husband and I have no children. We both wanted kids, but it just wasn't in the cards for us. I struggled with it for a very long time. I come from a big family and wanted that for us too. The good news is that we have lots of brothers and sisters with kids. So, we borrow them any time we want, spoil them, then give them back. Now, they're having children of their own, so now I am in Grand-Aunt mode, if there is such a term!

Well, now you know more about me and who I am. I'm not done yet. There will be more things as time goes on...so this is just a start!