30 Random Things

Author note: This was one of those lame-Facebook memes where you're tagged by someone you don't really talk to all that much but you look at their meme anyway. Their meme has things like "I'm insecure." "I write songs." "I can't dance." "I'm emo." Maybe a few items that have depth to them but otherwise not. It has the tagging disclaimer attached to the top.
Thanks to icons such as Netta I now know how to pwn the shit out of what otherwise be an exceedingly lame meme. Netta uses snark. In this case I wanted to tell a story and give away things that may not be obvious, that are deeper, that let you really know me if you don't and find new things if you do.
I'm thinking I may expand on this further and turn it into a creative non-fiction piece.

1. I was homeschooled from the end of 4th grade and about halfway through 9th. I feel very grateful for this.

2. I was given my first two goats on my 7th birthday- Willy and Gerta.

3. My first favorite animal was whales and if asked of me I'm pretty sure I can still recall some wicked trivia facts about them.

4. I first fell in love with the Backstreet Boys on the long morning bus rides to school. Brian's voice on "As Long as You Love Me," was amazing.

5. I have a notebook with me almost all the time. Some people are dependent on their cell phones; for me it's my notebook.

6. I was diagnosed with high functioning Autism at a very young age. I attribute my success to my mom's diligence and being the youngest in my large family so that I had many people to learn from and interact with.

7. I used to play the violin.

8. In my homeschooling days my mom, brother Nic and I ran many business ventures, including a hot dog cart and Party Animals where I was forced to dress up as a clown and watch kids pet bunnies. At the age of 12 this is no way helps with any cool-level one is trying to attain.

9. The farthest I have been from home is the Chincoteague Islands in Virgina.

10. My favorite board game is Settlers of Catan.

11. Going through a teen phase and a love of horseback riding at the same time, you quickly learn that it is NEVER wise to put lipgloss on just before grooming a horse.

12. When I was younger my two most common Halloween costumes were a witch or a cowboy.

13. I have been involved with 4-H since I was 5. Once I am done with college I want to be involved again and give back to the program that has been such an important part of my life.

14. I have six siblings.

15. If you don't know, my hair was short in my freshman year of highschool and was varying shades of red and blonde. Then I grew it out until my sophomore year of college. 14 inches of hair gone and a whole lot of freedom regained.

16. I think my feet look like houses that a little kid tried to draw.

17. My favorite place to shop is the thrift store. You're always likely to find something unique in there that no one else is likely to be wearing. "Where'd you get that?" "The thrift store."

18. I have had an interest in weaving for some time and I would really love to go back in time and learn from the great weavers of China and Persia.

19. If you give me a knot you will be hard pressed to find I can't undo it.

20. When walking alone I love to sing epic wordless songs.

21. I love watching the way people move and hold themselves.

22. I have been told that I have an accent many times- I think this is due to the fact that my speaking voice is a sort amalgamation of everyone I have met and loved. Also, if I'm in a place like say...New Jersey, I quickly pick up the local speech patterns.

23. In the future I really just want to go live somewhere like the Truxton Land Trust...but in a warmer climate for the sake of my body.

24. Once upon a time at Wells I believe I met someone who was truly manifested out of my dreams. The handful of hours we spent talking under the Sycamore Tree until the sun was set and our bodies were freezing are among some of my most beautiful memories.The bench has never been the same for me since. Unfortunately he was very crazy and was forced to leave Wells. I still hope for him wherever he is.

25. I didn't start reading until the 4th grade. The book that caused my "catalyst" was the slave narrative of Frederick Douglass. It was finally something worth reading.

26. The first time I went to a high school dance I realized how much I love dancing. It was as if I were possessed. I was sweating buckets and loving every second of it. I thought slow-dancing was incredibly lame though. Who wants to stand there and wobble awkwardly?

27. I am very much a hardass about taking pills. I need lecturing just to take ibuprofen even when I am in a lot of pain.

28. If I could visit anywhere in the world I would go to Spain, Iran, or north China.

29. I really really really love to give massages.

30. I think part of the reason I come off as so crazy is because I used Jim Carrey as my facial expression model. Yeah, not the wisest decision...