A B O U T M E

1. I was born in Ohio and spent my first years jumping from barn lofts, picking apples, swinging on tyre swings, spitting watermelon seeds, sneaking slivers of pumpkin pie, and coveting my brothers' toys.
   
2. My parents whisked their five kids away to New Zealand when I was seven years old. I spent the next few years losing my accent quick-smart, travelling in a van dubbed the "Yank Tank" by my classmates, pulling over to walk to every waterfall and heritage site signposted in the country, moving from city to city, and teaching my little sisters how the world works in a very bossy fashion.
   
3. I remember the States. My parents continued to celebrate Thanksgiving once here. My eldest brother moved back there, and much of my extended family there remains. But I belong here...so I see myself as an NZican.
   
4. This is my journal. I like to think of it as my set of "large plates". I record fancy-ticklers ranging from childhood memories...to my day-to-day observations...often of unusual humans.
   
5. I like ellipses.
   
6. The biggest star of my writing is my husband - the dashing and entertaining best friend of my dreams - Haki. May it also be known..."dashing" is the adjective he chose to award me the first time he paid me a compliment. It was written in his trademark capitals on a scrap slipped into my pocket. I later informed him I felt "dashing" was a masculine word. He defends its universal application to this day.
   
7. Such debates enthrall me. I enjoy the English language. I majored in it even. I like talking about its quirks...and delight in reading good books.
   
8. I love film. I majored in that too. I take film-watching seriously. I like talking about film. A lot.
   
9. My dad paid me not to watch TV for a year when I was a teenager. Paying me not to kiss boys or steal sweets from the kitchen pantry would probably have been better ideas.
10. I'm a fainter. I can't control it. I like to think of myself as "tough." Apparently my brain...and then limbs...disagree. The fainting is mostly related to needles. Also, scalpels in my own flesh. Other peoples' flesh = okay. Mine = not so much.
11. Speaking of needles...My husband and I received IVF treatment. It failed.
    
12. Then we had a baby without it.  Twice.
13. We believe we owe the blessing of our beautiful miracle-babies, like all else, to a loving Father in heaven, Whom we worship as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
14. I now have two little girls, Esky and Ivy, whom I adore as a past-time.
    
15. Before I had my babies, I was a full-time teacher. I loved that job. I loved that 12-year-olds found me akin to a comedienne, were impressed by my typing speed, and believed having me in their team for any sport was an advantage.
    
16. One of the other things I loved about being a teacher was my stationery budget...it meant I could spend lotsa money on smell-good, stiff-new goodness...and it wasn't my money. It was catharsis to my stationery-loving soul.
    
17. You see, I'm pretty frugal. Op shops are my mistress, I save coupons in a mini-clearfile, and I don't like getting ripped off...and so write letters when I feel I've been gypped. I cannot stand the idea of only being a whinger however, and so make a point of writing a comparable amount of letters in praise of excellent service and products.
    
18. Sure, I'm a tad compulsive. Making lists is only the tip of my geek iceberg.
19. Said iceberg is made up of many, many things that make me "special". I've come to embrace my pecularities. 
20. One of these is that I simply looooove throwing things away. The feeling of throwing something out makes me happy. Say, if the hair conditioner runs out, I'm happy that there is one less bottle on the shower shelf for that moment. Recycling is grand for this reason. I also often throw out things Haki deems sentimental, but have to explain, "Throwing out this picture a kid in primary drew you is not the same as throwing out your friendship with that child. Also, she will draw you another...and another...and another. And if she doesn't, who needs her anyway?"
21. I once opened and owned an art gallery. GST returns aren't fun. I sold it.
22. I don't mind winter, not one bit.
    
23. I have beautiful feet.
24. I once beat Haki at a stone-throwing game based on accuracy. True story.
    
25. Mascots scare me.
    
26. I love the game Cluedo (Clue, in the U.S.). Haki does not. This causes me some distress.
27. If there are aliens, I think they look like us.