Laughing at myself... oh oh.

My boss in Vail once looked at me, exasperated, after a meeting with a client and his construction team. He says to me "you really need to make a list of the things you've done so I don't nearly {something to the effect of... fall out of my chair} when you shock us with another one."

So, now that I've healed from the damage that did to my heart. Because... hello, fear?!?!
I thought I'd take a little while to finally address that request, as a means of celebrating the things I did well and hopefully (someday) laugh at the harder lessons in my life.

Here are things I've done and strange facts about me that might surprise you:

I cannot stand manilla folders.

I only use mechanical pencils.
On that note, if I hear a pencil being sharpened by hand I will have to will myself not to scream bloody murder.
Same with a cardboard box.
Or any paper tearing noise.

I cry at round dance songs. No idea why. 
I also cry for mariachis. 
and Hallmark commercials. 
I have nearly 100% capability of suspension of disbelief.  For about 11 minutes. Longer if the story is great. Because of this I am an "ideal viewer" in television terms. I cry when you want me to and I laugh when you want me to.  

I went to military school. My boyfriend was the Battalion Commander and I was the military ball queen. It was the closest I ever came to a normal life and I still love my classmates, even the ones I don't like. (two of the faves, after 20 years, evidently hold "lifetime crush status" for me.)

I thought I would be a backseater (radar intercept officer) in F-14s. Never got the chance though I was ready willing and able to go to Annapolis. My bad eyes won that battle.


I used to break into my dad's closet and get his unloaded 45 and wear it around the house protecting us from the spies. 
I did the same with his real samurai swords. 

As an adult, I've practiced 4 different Japanese martial arts and one beauty art: kendo, iaido, aikido, judo, and ikebana. All the martials used swords. I love wearing hakama and would every day if I could get away with it. 

My fantasy self is an all white samurai.
Oh, and I have white hair.

I got struck by lightning driving my Jeep from Longmont to Cheyenne. FREAKED ME OUT. never been the same. 
I wished and wished for a white streak in my hair as a gift from the experience but, no such luck. 
I've always wanted white hair. When I was 13 I started frosting my hair ever closer to platinum white, despite my mother's horror.

I was in a sorority. One of my pledge sisters stalked me. CREEPY
I'm still BFFs with the best friend that saved me from it all.

Almost all of my favorite women friends are over 60.

I have had three boyfriends tell me I "fight like a black girl". It makes me smile.
My mom was partly raised by a black woman. It was Alabama. My great grandparents were sharecroppers, children of probably second sons who came over as indentured servants. When the slaves were freed, there was nowhere to go. So everybody stayed.  
I am not ashamed to be from the South and it WAS about States Rights for my people. We were too stupid then to know it would demote poor white people.
I LOVE boiled peanuts. And Alabama cornbread. Which is actually Cherokee cornbread, but my grandmother doesn't regard DNA evidence.


I'm not colorblind. I celebrate differences. That's what 'm supposed to do. My gift. I own it. You don't have to like it. It's how I learn.
I'm a badass at learning. Though I won't retain much of anything. Don't ask me for facts! I only see connections between objects and events. I get "the way its woven together."
It's a gift if you know how to use me.
It's is a result of going thru a car windshield when I was 19 in a wreck with my mom.
I lost most of my short term memory.
As a side effect, I remember everything everyone has ever said to me as if I experienced it myself. I cannot tell the difference between what of it was yours and what was mine.
Thusly, if you don't have something worth remembering for me to latch onto, I will tune you out. 
It's involuntary. But it makes me kick ass at keeping secrets, and guarantees I'm always coming to you with fresh ideas.

I am not entirely sure I can live without a to-do list. Same as my mom.


I've sat at the feet of many masters.
I've studied every religion. 
I believe architecture, as with life, has lost its Sacred.

I'm blind in my right eye. I could easily lose sight in the other one too.
That makes me work harder.

I've read probably over 1000 books since graduating college.
I've rated nearly 2k movies on Netflix.

I am more obsessed with fashion and art than you might realize considering I wear 5 outfits at all.

I'm involuntarily becoming a vegetarian. Just like my bio mom did at my age. I didn't know anything about her til 2013.

I feel Called. But I don't know what that means exactly.

(this list will constantly evolve)