100 Random Things That You May (or May Not) Want to Know About Me

I saw this on someone else’s blog and thought it was cute as well as interesting, so I took her idea and made my own.

1. I was born on 10/10, and
2. my initials before I got married were J.J., the 10th letter of the alphabet.
3. I was born 3 years, 3 months and 3 days after my parents got married.
4. I was an only child for 6½ years, when my brother was born.
5. My mom never liked animals much, so we had a few when I was growing up, but never enough for me. Now I have 3, plus an aquarium,
6. which I have had for several years but plan to get rid of as soon as the fish die. I am tired of taking care of it.
7. I went to high school with Wynonna Judd
8. and Ashley Judd,
9. who was my lab partner in biology, but only because we were next to each other alphabetically.
10. I drive a Honda Accord, which I think is a good car.
11. Before that I drove a Dodge Neon, which I thought was a piece of junk.
12. In college I drove a ’76 Plymouth Fury, which got 12 mpg.
13. From age 3 through 12th grade I went to 5 different schools for 3 years each.
14. Then I went to Belmont College (now University).
15. It took me 4½ years
16. to get my elementary education degree,
17. which I have never used.
18. I have always wanted to take ballet. I took for a little while as a child, but still want to take again, but now I would look like an elephant in a leotard, and be about as graceful as one.
19. I have always wanted to play the piano. I took lessons for a little while in college, but still want to take more.
20. I have always wanted to play the flute, and now I do.
21. I play the piccolo now too.
22. I grew up in a Methodist church
23. but now go to a PCA (Presbyterian) one.
24. I received Christ in a Good News Club when I was 10.
25. I have read through the whole Bible several times.
26. I was a girl scout.
27. I was a notary public for about 15 years while I was working for attorneys. My commission expired last month.
28. I am a Nashville native.
29. My family moved away right after I started college, first to Indiana, then Florida, then North Carolina.
30. They eventually all came back, after my brother got married and my parents got divorced.
31. When my brother and his wife moved back, they lived in my apartment complex, so we were next-door neighbors for several years.
32. I am collecting state quarters. I have all but Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii, and I’m not sure if they’ve even been issued yet.
33. I don’t like to take any kind of medicine, but will occasionally take aspirin, or Theraflu if I am congested and can’t sleep.
34. I eat very little pork or shellfish because I think the Old Testament law forbids them for a reason: both are nasty creatures.
35. My band was in the Orange Bowl parade my senior year in high school.
36. I love olives, green or black.
37. I hate mushrooms, broccoli and green peas.
38. I am a sugar addict.
39. About the only food that I binge on besides sugar is chips and salsa.
40. My favorite food (other than sugar) is probably pizza or lasagna.
41. I like to cook.
42. I went out with a guy a few times in college who later got murdered by his wife.
43. I love the "Little House on the Prairie" books (still) and have been to Laura Ingalls Wilder’s house in Mansfield, Missouri.
44. Other favorite authors are Janette Oke, John Grisham and Beverly Lewis.
45. When I was 8, I lived in the same neighborhood as Marcia Trimble, when she was murdered.
46. I didn’t know her, but I did know Jeffrey Womack, their main suspect (who was recently cleared after 30+ years), who babysat for my brother and me at Peggy Morgan’s house.
47. I learned to roller blade when I was 30.
48. I took Spanish in high school and college but don’t remember too much.
49. My great grandparents on my dad’s side lived and are buried in Henning, Tennessee, the same small town that Alex Haley, the author of "Roots" is from.
50. I have seen Niagara Falls from the U.S.
51. and Canadian side, but
52. other than Canada I have never been out of the country, but
53. my friend Laurie won a trip for 2 to Hawaii around my 30th birthday and took me with her for my birthday gift.
54. I am very conservative politically. I think George Bush is doing a great job, and I am dreading (or fearing, depending on the outcome of the election) January.
55. I like to listen to Rush Limbaugh.
56. I attended Bible Study Fellowship for 8½ years, including 2 years as a leader.
57. I live within walking distance from the Hermitage, Andrew Jackson’s home.
58. Except for our house, Don and I are debt-free.
59. Wal-Mart is my favorite place to shop.
60. I don’t like stores that make you use a card to be able to get their specials so they can track what you buy.
61. Amy Grant once sat next to me in church.
62. T.G. Shepherd is my second cousin (or something like that) on my mom’s side, but I have never met him.
63. One of the first things Don and I realized we had in common was that we both like fife and drum corps.
64. I like old cemeteries.
65. Both of my grandmothers lived past age 90.
66. Both of my grandfathers died before I was born.
67. Once in college my picture was on the front page of The Tennessean, along with a "snow bunny" I had built.
68. I used to decorate cakes but quit when I joined Weight Watchers because I always ate too much icing.
69. I had chicken pox when I was 12. I broke out on Christmas day.
70. I don’t like Christmas. I think it’s way too stressful and has completely lost its meaning.
71. I don’t like winter either. Summer is my favorite season, but I like spring and fall too.
72. My favorite flowers are daffodils, because they mean spring is beginning. I always hope to see some before the end of February, which I usually do.
73. My favorite colors are probably pink and purple, but I really like all bright colors.
74. My favorite kind of music is old hymns.
75. I also like contemporary Christian, light rock (especially oldies) and classical.
76. Even though I’m from Nashville, I don’t care for country music.
77. I don’t enjoy traveling; it stresses me out, but
78. if I ever get over that and have enough money, I would like to go to the Grand Canyon, Washington D.C., Italy, Scotland and the Holy Land.
79. One of my favorite places to go when I do travel is to the Smoky Mountains.
80. My friend Pam (who has since died) and I used to camp there every summer, and
81. Don and I went there on our honeymoon.
82. My favorite movies are Mr. Holland’s Opus, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Back to the Future and The Sound of Music.
83. I have never played the lottery, but
84. if I won it, I would probably give most of it away or use some of it to adopt a child from a foreign country.
85. I almost never watch TV. When I do watch, my current favorite show is Bones.
86. I like to do word puzzles and play word games.
87. I like to make beaded jewelry.
88. Don’s family is from Iowa. The first time I went there was at Christmas when we were dating. It was so cold, I thought I was going to die.
89. Last summer during one of the worst heat waves in history our air conditioning went out. It was so hot I thought I was going to die.
90. I don’t enjoy watching sports on TV, but I do like to go to baseball and football games.
91. I don’t like talking on the phone but love e-mail.
92. When I was little my mom kept my hair cut short. She thought it was cute, but I hated it.
93. As soon as I was old enough, I grew it out and have kept it long ever since.
94. I know how to sew but only do it when I have to.
95. When I was 4, I stuck a paperclip up my nose. My parents had to take me to the hospital to get it out.
96. That’s the only time I’ve ever been in the hospital.
97. I am fairly soft-spoken now, but I used to be much more so.
98. I need at least 8 hours of sleep a night or I am very grouchy and basically useless.
99. Don and I got engaged at the Ellington Agricultural Center.
100. I’m exhausted after typing all this!

(and you probably are too after reading it all!)