I've Been Tagged! Five Things About Me...

I have been tagged by Catieann at http://catieanscorner.blogspot.com/. I have to tell you five things about myself that you didn't previously know. In all honesty, if you want a HUGE laugh, visit Catieann's blog because her list is absolutely hysterical.

I am still giggling from reading it. I don't know which way to go with this, serious, funny, weird.... I am just going to go with whatever pops into my head.1. I was born in California. When I was just a baby, I was in our swimming pool floating in a baby float seat thing a ma bob. My Mom turned her head for a split second, my brother and his friends were playing in the pool, and I was no where to be found. Probably because I was on the bottom of the swimming pool. (Please don't pass judgement on my Mom, just my brother, hehehe). I can still see, to this day, the pool drain sucking stuff in.Now, why am I telling you this? Because all of my life I have been TERRIFIED of pool drains, especially the big black rectangular ones in large pools. I can't swim over them or look at them in the deep. I know this is so silly. It is bad though because all my life, I have nightmares about drains, and I am in the pool, alone, with the big drain, that wants to suck me up and I am so freaked out in my dream, and then I wake up. I am a fantastic swimmer, but please, no huge drains.




Just found this old picture of me jumping off of a diving board. Notice that I am jumping to the side, close to my dad, because I didn't want to be near the drain. So, so sad!

2. When I was in fourth grade, I was running to catch my school bus after school. I dropped my purse, bent down to pick it up while still running and BAM! Ran my head right into the sign in front of the school. There was so much blood. I had to have seven stitches, and the part in my hair has always been funny because of my scar. Do you know many years back, I went by my old school while in town, and there was the same sign with a triangular rusted spot right where I crashed my head into it.

3. When I was in my late teens, early twenty's, I was a professional model. I had been offered a chance to go to Japan to do magazine covers, and then I would return and sign with an agent in New York. My agent, who would eat chocolate donuts in front of us and wasn't exactly a healthy size, told me to loose about 10 more pounds. Trouble is, I really got obsessed with my weight. At one point, my 5'10 body was only 114 pounds. And, I was still trying to loose weight. In fact, I didn't really even eat. That's right, I was Anorexic. I loved the feeling in my stomach of being hungry.Because I had no nutrition in my body, I developed a bad case of pneumonia. My lungs collapsed and I spent a month in the hospital. During that time, a large amount of water built up around my heart. I almost had heart failure. The thick water had to be drained from my heart, and then we had to go in again, cut me open, spread my ribs, and cut a hole in the sac around my heart. I really thought I was going to die.

God blessed me, and I lived. And if you saw my behind now, you would know that I LOVE food. I wouldn't change any of it, made me who I am. But the best part is that I have been able to share my story with others suffering from this horrible problem, have lectured at hospitals and schools, and have been able to make a difference to others.I have been wanting to do a blog post about this, so there you go. A very long story in a few short paragraphs.

IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE SUFFERING FROM AN EATING DISORDER, NEED ADVICE, OR HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME!

4. Before I became a teacher, I was a communications major in college. I wanted to be a news anchor on a big channel, like Fox News. While in school, I was able to work as a disc jockey at the college radio station. I loved it, and they asked me to stay on after a semester. It was alternative music, which I loved at the time. Guess I still do. I played bands like Jane's Addiction, Iggy Pop and Deee-Lite. Groove is in the heart baby! I think of it often when my girls are watching Yo Gabba Gabba on Nickelodeon. The host reminds me of someone who would be in the band Dee Lite!

During my Junior year, I worked at an after school care program. That's when I knew that in my heart, I was a teacher. I had the opportunity in college to go to Wales and teach at a school. It was an incredible experience. I just love the UK and could SO live there!

5. Here's a good one, and if you get offended, so sorry. I love Japan! My husband had a business trip there once and the girls and I tagged along. Amazing experience.

Our first stop was in a little town named Kofu. The hotel we were staying at had a hot sping. People would come to breakfast in their hotel kimono and then go to the springs. I was way too nervous to do that. I so respect the Japanese customs, thought to myself, "what if I do something incorrectly and offend someone". Like with chopsticks. You NEVER dig your chopsticks into your rice. It is very disrespectful.

So again, why am I telling you this. On our last night there, I went for it. I stuck out like a sore thumb, being as tall as I am. However, I have a tattoo of an elephant on my right cheek. Now, at the hotel, it said that if you had a tattoo you were not aloud to go into the swimming pool. Tattoos are looked down on much more in Japan then in the states. Mine is personal, has meaning (I collect elephants and adore them. Would love to go to Africa or Asia to see some in the wild. I would cry my eyes out. Just love them!) Usually, no one sees my tattoo.

No one even looked at me, that I saw. There was just this unspeakable respect in the spring, changing rooms, showers (actually a big room with mirrors, little stools all around each with a shower head on a hose). It was an incredible experience. Being in hot water from a volcano feels so much nicer then the water heated through my pipes. I can't wait to jump into a hot spring again if I am lucky enough to return to Japan.

So, there you go. I have a tattoo, not one, but two. The other one my husband and I designed, mine on my lower back, his on his upper back. It is an infinity with all of our children's (I have 2 step children) initials within it. I am still not sure what I think about it. Kind of scares me when I see it. But again, very personal and no one ever sees it.

So now, I must tag five others...... but am actually tagging six. Some old friends and some new friends, because I really want to know more about them. Now girls, I respect your busy lives, so naturally I only want you to partake if you want to. And if I didn't tag you and you would like to join in, please let me know you have posted and I can get to know you better too!

1. Pricilla at http://sweetremembrance1.blogspot.com/
2. Carolyn at http://magpie-pixie.blogspot.com/
3. Val at http://wanderlustnpixiedust.typepad.com/
4. Abbie at http://www.damseldesigns.blogspot.com/
5. Kathy at http://vintagesnapsandscraps.blogspot.com/
6. Mary Ann at http://firstborn.wordpress.com/