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I write so much about our marriage, sharing a very candid and personal look at all the highs and lows, tears and laughs. But what I don’t often do is talk very personally about me. So I got to thinking, how much do my readers really know about me? Probably not as much as I assume when I share my rants and raves and thoughts and opinions. So for those of you who are curious, I wanted to take a minute to share some truths about me, The Wife behind the blog. I present 14 things you probably don’t know about me.
1. I have a large hemangioma (benign tumor) on most of my right hand and some of my right arm. I was born with it so I call it my birthmark. When I was little it looked like raw hamburger meat piled onto my hand but now that I’m all grown up it looks mostly like a very bad burn. Most children are born with hemangiomas on their face so I’ve always looked at it as a blessing that I was spared that horror – even when guys didn’t want to date me in high school because they thought it was “ugly” or when little kids and emotionally stunted adults stare and rudely ask me “how I got such an awful burn.”
2. When I was nine I lost my mother to breast cancer on Valentine’s Day. It was my favorite holiday before then and since I didn’t even know she was sick I took it quite hard. It took me years to heal from the loss and cope with the change in my life and then the year I started college my grandmother (my mom’s mom) passed away from breast cancer and my aunt (my mom’s sister) found out she has the breast cancer gene and told me I should get tested too. I’ve tried many times to muster up the courage to do it but haven’t yet succeeded. To be honest, the potential implications of a positive result scare me to death!
3. I’m right handed but probably borderline ambidextrous. I eat, reach for, and hold things with my left, but write with my right hand.
4. I graduated from Spelman College, a historically black womens college (HBCU) in Atlanta, well-known as the campus where they filmed A Different World in the 80s and what the show’s “Hillman College” was loosely based on. I entered school as a psychology pre-law major because I wanted to be an FBI profiler but fell in love with writing for the school paper and culture and wound up graduating with a degree in Sociology and Anthropology and minoring in English.
5. I have a master’s degree in journalism from University of California at Berkeley (I graduated with a 4.0 if you can believe it) and when I lived there my friends swear I had so much fun getting immersed in the laid-back culture of the area that I almost turned into a “hippie”. (I am however “back to my old self” since returning to New Jersey post graduation.)
6. When I’m being secretive I speak pig Latin (a southern mainstay I picked up from spending my early childhood years with my mom and grandma in Beckley, West Virginia ) with my family and I’m trying to teach my husband – who swears it’s impossible to pick up. He’s absolutely hilarious when he tries to practice.
7. I adore dogs. The Dog is actually my seventh fur ball. I’ve had to love and mourn two great dane mixes (Starskey and Hutch) and four miniature schnauzers (Tiffany, Murphy Brown, Macgyver, and Tux) prior to falling madly in love with our dear Karma. I want two more right now but The Man is not having it. I however will not give up!
8. I have incredible reflexes – no joke. If it were anything else I’d see a doctor about it, but I figure it can’t hurt to be able to react like a speeding bullet to impending danger or catch a glass before it even finishes deciding it will fall.
9. I’m a total daddy’s girl. I have an incredible relationship with my father and my little brother (who’s a professional poker player who lives the bachelor life in Las Vegas), I call them and my husband “the only men I’ll ever need in this world”, and I would cause serious pain to anyone who ever hurt them.
10. Anyone who knows me would describe me as habitually bubbly and confident. They’d also say that I’m always positive and happy. Ironically, although that is all true I suffer from horrible night terrors when I sleep and panic attacks that come out of nowhere; both of which I’m constantly battling to get under control.
11. I don’t go to church anywhere near as much as I know I should, but no matter what I always pray for my friends and family every night before bed.
12. I can flip my tongue over. According to Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, only one in every 10,000 people can do that, so it makes me just that much more awesome.
13. I love to gamble and might just be one of the luckiest people you know. I’ve hit seven slot machine jackpots since turning 21 and having the ability to freely roam the casino floors. I’ve won a total of $9,000 on slots and probably half that on the poker tables. I have a picture of the payout and me standing next to it giving a thumbs up for every machine I’ve won on. Just don’t ask me how much I’ve given the casinos back. Grrr!
14. If I could live the last 10 years over I would study art and photography in college, maybe skip grad school (and all the debt that came with it) all together, and start my own wedding and lifestyle photography business and travel the world photographing love. I’d probably write a few books about it too.
Okay that’s enough from me for now. Nice catching up with you! Have a great weekend.
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This is a great post — what a wonderful opportunity to get to know more about you!
Oooh, thanks for sharing, TB! We have a lot in common.
#3: I'm right-handed but I started practicing writing with my left hand in middle school. Over the years, the handwriting is has gotten better and they're almost identical.
#6: When I'm being secretive or trying to process something, I speak Spanish. And often to myself. LOL
#9-12: Yuuuup, cosign!
#14: LOVE me some photography and writing!
We do have a lot in common. Who knew!?!? Do you think that's why the Twitterverse pulled us to one another? You are officially the only best buddy i have that I've never actually met OR talked to on the phone. That's special! (smiles!)
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You forgot you're obsessed with Dunkin' Donuts, don't know how to sew (please give me your coat when you get back so I can fix that button for you!), love board games, hate high heels, have an extra-large heart to go with your extra-large chest, spend all your time mothering your family and friends, and have an infectious laugh and the ability to make the train ride fly by;)
Wow, Summer! You nailed those…hahaha! (Everyone see Summer's additions for 15-20!) You're such a good friend. And yes, I will bring you my coat. Are we still on for a board game battle? And I'm currently trying to break my Dunkin Donuts iced tea addiction. LOL!
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This is a fun post. Its nice to know more about who runs a blog. Pretty photo!
4. My friends who are writers/editors worked at the studio when Different World was filmed. I think it was the Sunset Gower Studios in L.A. I still love that show.
5. I am from Oakland and I self-identify as bohemian. I love the Berkeley culture.
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Hey you're right. Correction: The opening sequence shots of the campus were Spelman…not the actual set. I loved the Bay SO much! The only reason we left was because as east coasters we were terrified of the "tremors". LOL!
OMG! Charli, you have family in WV. I'm from Charleston!!!
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I love this post!!! Glad to know u that much better. Thought u might have a photographer inside of you. You have a great eye!!!
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i tried to post this earlier but I don't think it showed up. Sorry if it appears twice.
OMG! You have relatives in WV. I was born and raised in Charleston!!!!
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I loved this post. It's always nice to do something like this and learn more about who is behind the blog. I am a dog lover and love to his Las Vegas and gamble too. Lucky, na, but I love the penny slots!
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You love Vegas too!?! YAY! We need to try to meet up there one day. I honestly can't figure out the penny slots. It's like i press "max bet" and I lose 5 dollars at once. You're going to have to add a casino tips section to LogAllot! LOL!
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Thank you so much for sharing all this with us! Its nice getting to know you even more. And what I love about your blog is every time I read it I think "damn I wish I had thought of that first"! You have excellent ideas!
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Ha!! Thanks so much Shannon! Feel free to get inspired by anything I write and do the same on your blog. I often do that over here on Man Wife and Dog. We're all a network of wives blogging about our thoughts and experiences and there's bound to be lots of overlap. Go for it! If you post your list please let me know so I can be SURE not to miss it! ; – )
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I can flip my tongue over too! People think its so weird. I had no Idea it was uncommon. I can also curl my tongue up like a hot dog bun. WAY more common, but my mom is the only one in our entire family that can't! So we all married people with the right genes to keep that one going!
Congrats on the Masters from Berkley! That is impressive, and my part of the woods!
♥ the MRS.
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Thanks for sharing I am sorry about your mom. I lost mines around Christmas of 2007 and it does not get easy. You went to Spellman huh I was your neighbor at Clark Atlanta everyone came here went to school and moved away. When I go to vegas I will be calling you up because I need to win big. Lol
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Sorry about your mom. It is so tough, but thankfully we do overcome the pain and somehow find a way to continue living and heal. That's gotta count for a lot.
Hey!! AUC LOVE!!!!! Wow when were you there? One of my best, best friends went to CAU. We were down there during 200-2004. Any overlap? I'm down for a Vegas travel buddy ANY TIME! Just let me know.
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Thanks for sharing! This was fun to read and get to know you better! My friends and I always used to use pig latin in school when we were trying to hide something (or thought we were cool, haha)!
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atthey isna ohsa oolkay!!
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Nice List… Yeah you are Bubbly… You're like an overflowing bottle of champagne…
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Wouldn't that be crazy if we were. You are right, we should compare who we know. I'm not aware that I have family in Beckley, but who knows? Its such a small world!!!
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I'm e-mailing you offline to compare for sure!! Wow, small, small world!
Well hello Spelman sister (c/o 2007)! That's why I gravitated towards you, LOL! I can relate to #s 7 and 14. I've always owned a dog. I want to get two small dogs and name them 'Ellington' and 'Coltrane." I hate I didn't take advantage of some photography classes during undergrad. I secretly admired the art majors because they seemed to be so carefree, while I stayed in the science and math department "structured."
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I'm telling you there is a gravitational pull between all spelmanites!!!! Hey sister!! I'm class of '04!! Thanks for stopping by the blog so often. I love yours too!!
Thanks for sharing, on the breast exam subject, too many losses, please test asap. The scary part is not the test, or the results, it's scarier to be afraid. Your mind will make up results that don't exist and you should NOT live in that anguish. Fear is a darkroom, where negatives develop. Now on that cherry note, GO GET TESTED!!! You will be A-O-K and even better than that.
Again thanks for sharing
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I have a degree in Sociology & anthropology, too!! I don't meet many people with that same major!
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Wow! you quite an interesting woman! I am so sorry to hear about your mom. I can't imagine not knowing she was sick and having that happen
I love bubbly people they make me happy
Wow! you quite an interesting woman! I am so sorry to hear about your mom. I can't imagine not knowing she was sick and having that happen
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Wow! These are very interesting facts! Thanks for sharing. I look forward to reading more on your blog. Check out mines at 81chapters.com
-kelly
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