THIS TIME LAST year, the “25 Things” meme was ricocheting around the net, and we Sister Project sisters decided to have a go at our own lists. I decided to take a second look at mine, to see if it’s true that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Read on to learn at least 25 things, possibly a few more, about me.
1. I tend to feel overwhelmed by my life a lot of the time.
Yep, still true.
2. I know that it’s ridiculous for me to be overwhelmed by my life, which is fun, and cushy, and healthy and full of love. But I am.
Trying to go easy on myself about this. What’s the point of making myself feel worse about feeling badly? I can’t see one.
3. I love old dishes, silverware and crystal. This used to get me into trouble on eBay.
True, but I seem to have broken the addiction.
4. I recently started spinning (bike, not wool) and I’m a little obsessed with it. We’ll see if it lasts.
Oooh, the shame. At least I’ve replaced spinning with dancing.
5. When I was 7 years old, I wore bifocals.
6. I once had sex in a tree. (Sorry, Mom.)
7. I took Mandarin Chinese for a while in high school, and I loved drawing the characters.
8. When I was a little girl, I had penpals around the world: England, Japan, France, Vermont…
9. My first pet was a black and white rabbit named Scrambley. When she died, a mean kid in my eighth grade class made a crack about “the rabbit dying” (you know, the old school pregnancy test) and I neither understood it nor found it funny.
10. One of my gross habits that I don’t want anyone to know about is that I love to pick at my toenails.
11. I met my husband at an Ethiopian restaurant. He was with his girlfriend.
12. I have several first cousins I have never met.
13. I have lived in four countries and thirteen cities.
14. When I was 3, I loved a statue in the Cincinnati Museum of Art called “Eve Disconsolate.” I always thought that would be a good name for a band.
15. My favorite slow-dance song in high school was Wild Horses by the Rolling Stones.
16. My favorite Rolling Stones cover is Beast of Burden by Bette Midler.
All still hold true. Can’t erase your own history.
17. I often have insomnia. I’m writing this at 2:20 a.m.
I have more or less beaten the insomnia bug. I thank my anti-depressants.
18. I am infinitely better at starting things than at finishing them.
Alas. Yes.
19. Some of my favorite works of fiction are all of Robertson Davies’ books, but I cannot remember the plot of any of them.
I tried to start rereading them this year, and haven’t had much luck. Some books, perhaps, appeal due to time and place. But I’m going to give Davies one more try; my memories of the first time through are that good.
20. The best experience I’ve ever had in a museum was a Rothko retrospective at the Whitney about 10 years ago.
21. My favorite flowers are bachelors buttons and pansies.
22. I always think I might see a plane fall out of the sky, or drive off the edge of a bridge. Maybe that’s why I don’t travel much.
23. One of my earliest memories is walking in the woods with my mother. I must have been 3.
24. One of my biggest regrets is that my father never got to know my kids, and vice versa.
25. I have always loved poetry, and write a lot of it in my head.
And again, all of these hold true. Maybe it’s like what I wrote a few weeks ago about growing older: The tune may change, but the song remains the same. And you? Have you done your list of 25 things? Point us to it, or leave it in the comments…
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Hmm. And here I am struggling with a list of only *7* things about me that no one would know.
25? You’re inspiring me, Paige, to try harder and look deeper.
BTW – sometime try writing down some of that poetry when it knocks around in your head. Poetry is my secret sin – it tightens and focuses my writing.
Oops, now I can’t use the poetry thing on my no-one-knows-this-about-me list. ;)
How thought provoking and emotionally naked this question makes me feel… 25 things that no one would know about me?
Okay… I’m gonna play it safe for now…
1. I have always wanted to live in Scotland or Ireland… because it seems wild and ancient to me ( things I love).
2. I can eat a whole box of donuts if I feel depressed (haven’t done this in about four years) .
3. If I could I would read books all day.
4. I love solitude.
5. I hate parties.
6. Dance by myself ( at home… when no one is here).
7. I hate gossip.
8. Am avoiding writing my book.
9. I am a hopeless romantic.
10. I would rather eat a good hamburger… than eat fine dining.
11. When I was very young… I wanted to run away by jumping on a train…. and go anywhere!
Okay… that’s it for now… this is like therapy!
Victoria S.
I have a Robertson Davies story…
He came to our university back in ’87 (or ’88?), and I went to his lecture, which was held in the biggest stadium-style hall on campus. I got there early enough to sit towards the back, but a poor unfortunate soul turned-up a minute or so into the talk, and Robertson Davies, in his deep, mellifluous tones forced the fellow into the first row.
Well, the man had a killer voice — rich and deep and soothing with the quasi-English pronunciation patrician-types used to adopt in Canada. Midway through, Mr. Davies got angry because he had put the fellow in the front row asleep, and made a petty show of waking him up.
A couple of years later, after going out with Pierre for a month or so, I learned that the person who had so irritated Mr. Davies had been him.
When I recounted the story to my English professor, she roared with laughter, and said “Good for Pierre! Robertson Davies is a terribly pompous, arrogant, gasbag!”
I don’t remember much about the plots anymore either –just something about a snowball, and then Murther and Walking Spirits.