Welcome to Small Reflections


"Nothing is ever achieved without enthusiasm."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Duck photo source: Lisa's Chaos
I hope you enjoy your visit. If you're looking for something specific, check out the links to posts by category in my sidebar and down a ways. They'll assist with tracking down different types of posts found on each of my three blogs. You might also enjoy checking out the other sites: Sacred Ruminations, Blog Rolls, Bling & Blurbs, and Happily Retired Gal.

I hope you'll look around & leave comments
then visit me at my new blog ...

Giraffe Journal

and/or website ... Labyrinth Journal
both self-hosted at WordPress
where I publish as myself
rather than under a
pseudonym.

I've not had much time for posting or blog visits, but if you're interested I hope you'll find time to check out my new blog, Giraffe Journal or my Labyrinth Journal website ... both self hosted at WordPress.

Thanks for your visit and have a delightful day ;--)
Hugs and blessings,

Saturday, January 26, 2008

101 Posts ... 101 Things About Me

From the comment Anglophile Football Fanatic left yesterday on my "Milestone" 100th Post Haiku, I gathered something specific was expected. I checked her blog a few minutes ago and discovered a list of 100 things about her on HER 100th post. It's 6:36 in the evening as I start this list, so I don't expect to complete it tonight. I figure it will be a "work in progress" until I finish, and that will have to be good enough. I suspect it's already more than anyone care to know, but what the hay? It's a Meme and I'm obsessive!

  1. I'm an avid reader of all kinds of books and my house resembles a library with large bookshelves in every room. The margins of most contain notes and questions written in pencil as I read them.
  2. I live a block and a half from the Pacific Ocean. I love to fall asleep and wake up to the sound of the surf.
  3. My front yard is small, but I have lots of flowers and two prolific citrus trees ... a Meyer lemon and a Bartender lime. I spent several months "reclaiming" it in 2005 and shared the process in 4 parts ... here, here, here, and here.
  4. I awaken early every day and watch the sun rise from the comfort of my living room as I write in my journal and spend time in meditation.
  5. I enjoy the large fireplace in that room all winter.
  6. Molly is my 3 year-old Labrador Retriever pup. She's a bundle of energy, cute as can be, keeps me active, and is great company most of the time. I've written a Haiku about her and posted photos throughout my blogs. You can click on Molly in the 'About Me (Two & Four) category lists in my sidebar, "labels" (under individual posts) or here & here to find them.
  7. Ms. Kitty is the feral cat who adopted me more than a decade ago. She was the subject of a Haiku also and her pictures can be found in the same manner as described in #6.
  8. I'm an avid tennis fan, especially of the 4 yearly Grand Slam Championship and the Olympics when it comes around.
  9. My older brother taught me to play when I was 12 so that he'd have someone to practice with when no one else was around. In addition, he taught me to water-ski about the same time so that he & his friends would always have an "observer" when they wanted to ski.
  10. I played the game competitively in college and for fun through most of my life, but don't play any longer.
  11. After 34 years in the classroom, I took advantage of a "golden handshake" in 2001 and have been "happily retired" ever since. ... enjoying my leisurely life immensely.
  12. I was the youngest of 3 children, raised in a conservative Dutch family.
  13. My brother was 9 and my sister 4 when I arrived on the scene, much to everyone's surprise! Let's hear it for unplanned babies!!!
  14. A precocious child, I did everything early and never quite realized I wasn't as old as my siblings or my classmates. I started kindergarten at the age of 4 and graduated High School just as I turned 16.
  15. I was an English major with a History minor in college and earned a teaching credential with a 5th year of study, so I was teaching at the age of 21.
  16. Because I thrive on challenge and don't like to do the same thing repeatedly, I changed grade levels frequently throughout my career.
  17. Approximately 20 years were spent in grades 2 through 6, another 4 years teaching adults who were working with children (teachers, administrators, classroom aides, and parent volunteers), and the rest teaching 6th and 8th grade History and Language arts in a Middle School setting. In addition I spent 5 years teaching Graduate students in the evenings who were seeking teaching credentials.
  18. I participated in the South Basin Writing Project's Invitational Program at CSULB.
  19. The 4 years I worked as a Staff Developer brought many challenges and wonderful opportunities to meet & collaborate with educational "gurus" like Larry Lowrey, David Perkins, Art Costa, and many others on the cutting edge of change in the 1980s and '90s.
  20. I conducted workshops on a wide range of topics including but not limited to: Teaching for Thinking, Teacher Expectation and Student Achievement, Writing as a Process, Teaching for Creativity, Using Collaborative Groups in the Classroom, Motivational Theory, Effective Teaching Strategies, Classroom Management, Personality Types, Brain Hemisphericity, Active Engagement Strategies, and a variety of ways to use Technology in the Classroom.
  21. I "trained" a number of student teachers to follow in my footsteps ... some more successfully than others.
  22. After retiring, I was invited to do a number of "teaching related" jobs ... conducting workshops, supervising student teachers, writing curriculum, mentoring teachers, etc. ... but I felt finished with that part of my life and still do.
  23. I gave away all the teaching materials I had accumulated so that others could use them with their students.
  24. I never thought I'd leave the profession so young, but feel blessed at the way my life has turned out even though much didn't go as planned.
  25. When I was 12 I met the guy I eventually married (11 years later when I was 23) at an Methodist Youth Fellowship Valentine's Day party. We were paired for a "scavenger hunt" with heart-shaped name tags and his half matched mine.
  26. We dated off and on through Junior High & High School, didn't see much of one another throughout College, but reconnected once we were both adults in the work force and started singing in a folk group with about 7 other friends.
  27. He was drafted and sent to Vietnam at the age of 25 where he spent 13 months near Ben Hoa.
  28. We married in Hawaii on his R & R ... spending just 5 days together before he returned to Vietnam for 5 months.
  29. He returned home on Christmas Day in 1968, and we spent the next 21 years together living a wonderful life until he decided he wanted his freedom and left unexpectedly.
  30. My father died of cancer when I was 30.
  31. Never really "fat" but always "chunky" or "pleasingly plump" ... I joined Gloria Marshall's and went from a size 16 to an 8 within a year ... staying that way for almost a decade ... loving the "look" but hating the high protein, low carbohydrate "diet" it took to keep me that size.
  32. At 40 I joined Weight Watchers, learned to eat healthily, and maintained a healthier weight at a size 12 for 15 years.
  33. My mom died of an aneurysm when I was 44, shortly before my "ex" left.
  34. The next few years brought an unbelievable "mix" of experiences I didn't see coming but that set the stage for my current life.
  35. After listening to a good friend (a single mom with 3 daughters) talk for months (on our morning walks at the beach before work 3 days weekly) about wanting to return to school for a degree, I invited the 4 of them to move into the large home I was struggling financially to hold on to in the divorce.
  36. The girls were 10, 11, and 13 when they moved in, and since that time I've often thought about how prayer gets answered ... for after my "ex" left (in my devastated sorrow at finding myself alone) I prayed often for answers. God does work in mysterious ways. She didn't save my marriage as I'd hoped, but the last 19 years have been rich indeed with unlooked for blessings.
  37. L and the girls stayed for several years before moving on. I managed to hold on to the house (that was filled with life, love, and laughter as I healed) and she got her education. We remain good friends still.
  38. I grew up in a family of asthmatics, but was incredibly healthy myself ... in fact I missed no school from Kindergarten through 12th grade and received an award for perfect attendance at graduation.
  39. My excellent health continued until the early '90s when I experienced an unusual string of illnesses. As soon as one would pass, another would appear.
  40. Eventually after about a year of treatment and endless blood tests, I was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr and missed the last 3 months of the semester ... spending those months and the 3 months of summer that followed in bed.
  41. Told by doctors I probably wouldn't be able to return to teaching, I did what I had always done ... set about to do the "impossible" through sheer determination. With a lot of support from friends, I learned to do things differently ... and was able to teach for many additional years.
  42. I have no kids of my own because my "ex" believed he'd already raised a family and I didn't choose to "parent" alone. He was 14 when his parents divorced and was responsible for looking after his two younger brothers while his Mom supported the family as a waitress working long hours once they moved to California from Minnesota.
  43. I rationalized this throughout life by telling myself I had anywhere from 30 to 90 kids each year ... the students with whom I worked ... and my life seemed rich and full.
  44. In retrospect, I have mixed feelings ... but I am relieved I wasn't a single parent of teenagers (having watched L struggle in the way she did to balance everything).
  45. I have 2 nieces & 2 nephews on my "ex's" side of the family but I don't see much of them because their parents each divorced when the kids were young and they don't live nearby.
  46. I have 4 nephews on my side of the family ... 2 born to my brother and his wife and 2 adopted by my sister and her husband.
  47. Each of my brother's sons is married and has children ... so I'm a Great Aunt to 5 kids ... 3 girls and 2 boys.
  48. My brother's kids are in their 40s and that's hard to fathom ... seriously!!! I don't know where the years have gone.
  49. I'm always surprised at family gatherings to realize that I am "the older generation" ... and my sister & I laugh about this because we both feel so young within. It makes me wonder how my Aunts and Uncles felt when they were my age.
  50. In my mid-40s while coping with the lost of my mom and marriage, I often felt 17 ... not quite legal. I have stories I could tell about those days ... but not here & now. LOL
  51. These days I feel somewhere between 45 and 50 even though I'll be 63 on my next birthday in February. I understand Einstein's Theory of Relativity so much better now.
  52. When I look at beginning teachers (and doctors) today they seem like adolescents and I wonder if I looked like that too?
  53. When I was born, my dad was ill and out of work but didn't want my mom to get a job so we didn't have much. We got by with help from family, friends, and the church ... but at the time I didn't realize how poor we were.
  54. As a little tyke, I loved having my daddy around to play with. Although there aren't many pictures of me when I was little, I do have a couple of photographs of him teaching me to turn a sommersault when I was about 2 or 3 and he was in his mid-40s. He encouraged my imaginative play and even made me a "horse" to ride around our yard. After reminding me to "hold on tight" he'd push me as high as I wanted to go in the huge swing he built in our back yard ... worrying my mom every time.
  55. Dad was the 2nd youngest in a family of 13 kids and mom the youngest in a family of 5 kids so my extended family was large. My cousins had kids my age and older. As I type this, I seem to remember writing of this elsewhere, but I'm not sure where. Perhaps I'll search for the link and add it later. (see #60 below)
  56. About the time I went to school, dad got a job as a "maintenance electrician" in a rubber plant that produced things like battery cases. It was dangerous, dirty work ... and he often arrived home covered in coal dust from his head to his toes. I remember him looking like Al Jolson in black face (wearing overalls rather than a suit), changing clothes and washing up at the huge sink on the inside "back porch" before Mom would let him inside. He often got called back to work in the middle of the night when one of the "Banbury" (I have no idea what those are or how it's spelled but I hated them) machines broke down.
  57. He played catch most evenings in the backyard with my brother, sister and I after dinner ... wiped down the car until it shone on Sunday mornings before we left for church as a family ... and stood outside the side door after services shaking the hand of all who passed by, exchanging a kind word, thanking them for coming and wishing them well in the coming week.
  58. He was a numismatist (coin collector for those of you unfamiliar with the term) and an avid baseball fan. I enjoyed both activities with him throughout his life. We would spend hours looking through mounds of change for the coins to complete his rather extensive and well-organized collection while listening to baseball games on the radio .. often two at a time since he followed the Dodgers and the Angels.
  59. Dad was 10 years older than mom ... aged 42 when I was born. His father lived to be 105 and his siblings well into their late 90s. It was a shock to everyone when he died at 73 just a couple of years after he retired and my folks moved from Southern California to Tempe, AZ to be near my brother and his family. There's no doubt in my mind that his early demise was due to the work he did to support his family. Did I mention I loved my dad ... and grieved mightily when he died?
  60. I've written memories of my mom here in Monday Musings and of my extended family in Over the River and Through the Woods.
  61. My brother (an asthmatic) wanted to be a pilot. He talked my parents into allowing him to enlist in the Air Force at 17 and entered Basic Training in the Bay Area during the winter when the climate was cold and damp.
  62. He wound up in the hospital with pneumonia and bronchitis multiple times over a period of almost a year and received a medical discharge before his 18th birthday. My parents were instructed to come get him and told he wasn't expected to live.
  63. D was even more determined than me. Although he was ill much of his adult years and underwent multiple lung surgeries, he enjoyed a full life ... participating in bowling leagues and water-sking with friends in his 20s through 40s, supporting himself as a messenger and then a draftsman as he went to College nights, became an Electrical and Civil Engineer ... working on many significant development projects throughout his life in California and Arizona (including the Fashion Island/Newport Center complex in Orange County), was City Engineer in a variety of communities during his career, and of course married and raised a family ... all before he died 15 days before his 65th birthday.
  64. He is survived by his widow, two sons (both married with families), 5 grandchildren all born after his death, my sister and myself.
  65. My sister and I became good friends once we were adults and no longer shared a bedroom.
  66. We took two extended vacations together once we were both teachers ... spending 13 weeks during the summer of 1966 driving around the U.S.A. in her Plymouth Barracuda and 12 weeks touring 10 European countries together in 1967.
  67. Our plans to spend the summer of 1968 visiting either Asia or South American got "tabled" when we each married that summer instead ... her in June and me in July.
  68. B spent most of her career teaching Kindergarten and 1st grade, but opted to stay home from 1980-1990 to raise their two adopted boys.
  69. After her husband was laid off, she returned to teaching and he stayed home with the kids ... volunteering in their classrooms and eventually was hired part time by a local school district to do computer training. Finally that turned into a full-time position.
  70. Their oldest son was an academic "whiz kid" who graduated from Harvey-Mudd University with a BA in Computer Science and earned his Masters Degree at UC Berkeley. He lives and works in the Bay Area currently.
  71. Their younger son is a gifted performer in musical theater. He graduated from a local School of the Performing Arts, worked abroad for a year afterwards, earned roles in a number of community theater projects locally and in Sacramento, and opened on Broadway in the revival of Flower Drum Song before he was 21 after which he toured the nation with the cast of Thoroughly Modern Millie. When he's not performing he supplements his income as a Barista at Starbucks and/or as a waiter in variety of restaurants.
  72. After I retired, I volunteered in my sister's Kindergarten class twice a week and enjoyed it thoroughly. I did all of her one-on-one testing and taught writing as a process to small groups.
  73. When she and her husband retired a few years back, they bought a truck and 5th wheel RV, intending to spend 2-3 years "on the road" seeing the U.S.A. They're currently spending the winter in Floria with no plans to return any time soon. A highlight of their travels was the 31 days they spent with a "caravan RV tour" in Alaska the summer of 2006, but they've covered lots of territory in the past few years.
  74. I've done my share of traveling over the years and have taken two cruises ... one to Alaska and the other to the Caribbean.
  75. In the late summer of 2001 I attended the Maui Writer's Conference intending to pursue a 2nd career. I made "connections" with editors and publishers who were interested in my writing and returned home with appointments scheduled for September and October.
  76. The tragedy of 9-11 in 2001 interrupted those plans and for about two years afterwards I found myself unable to write without becoming depressed and anxious, so I didn't try to reschedule the canceled appointments. Instead I pursued a variety of other interests.
  77. Let's see ... with 23 items left I need to pause and think about what's worth sharing (or go back and delete some of the earlier information). I belonged to two book clubs for a few years and enjoyed the mental stimulation, but when the time devoted to discussion shifted to "social interaction" I opted out of both because it was irritating to invest time reading books I wouldn't necessarily choose myself with minimal interaction afterwards.
  78. I taught myself to research & "trade stocks" and did that "full time" for a few years. These days I do more investing and less trading ... probably because I spend so much time blogging.
  79. I'm a "recovering pack-rat" doing my best each day to "simplify my life" ... hoping to get rid of "stuph" I've accumulated over the years.
  80. I have an extensive collection of silver and white gold jewelry and prefer it to anything made of yellow gold.
  81. I go for "comfort" over style ... especially when it comes to shoes. My favorite brands currently are Keen, Think, Merrill, Mephisto, and UGG (boots and sandals). When I worked I wore mostly SAS and Naturalizer shoes.
  82. My wardrobe is primarily from Chicos and Soma, but since have more than enough of just about everything ... I don't shop for anything other than groceries these days.
  83. I'm a member of the Red Hat Society and enjoy dressing up in a variety of purple clothes and donning one of the many outrageous red hats in my collection when it's time to get together with other "hatters." We always have fun wherever we go.
  84. My experiences this past summer in Taos, New Mexico at the Writer's Spa Retreat paved the way for me to enter the Blogosphere. I've written of it here, here, and in the sidebar of my blogs..
  85. I feel blessed to have supportive family members and friends in my life who may not understand the writer in me, but recognize and value who she is (and might become) ... mirroring that part of me so I can see her potential also. I wouldn't be blogging currently without their encouragement.
  86. Kara got me started even as she's decided to take an extended break from blogging herself after two years in this virtual world, Karen visits often and keeps me going, and Jan (my writer's buddy) calls weekly on Sunday mornings from Minnesota. We use that time to "check in" ... discuss process ... and set new goals for the week ahead.
  87. I've written in journals daily for decades to gain personal clarity. I write with both hands and have shared a bit of this process, including examples from those journals here, here, here, and here (among other places).
  88. In addition to writing in journals, I create "visual" pieces of writing and have posted a sampling on each of my blogs. I've framed many of these and given them away as gifts over the years ... once thought I might sell them at craft fairs, but now think they might make an interesting book or two at some point.
  89. I became a student of A COURSE IN MIRACLES in the late 1980s and am grateful for the changes it brought to my perception and the deepening of my Spiritual life. I've written about this in greater detail here.
  90. The writings of Don Miguel Ruiz expanded my understanding in a simplified form and I heartily recommend the entire series starting with THE FOUR AGREEMENTS. I've written about this in greater detail previously here.
  91. Some additional writers whose work informs my life include (but are not limited to) Gary Zukav, Marianne Williamson, Julia Cameron, Natalie Goldberg, Ram Dass, Jack Kornfield, Thich Nhat Hanh, Stephen Covey, Anne Wilson Schaef, Joan Borysenko, Christianne Northrup, Sarah Ban Breathnach, Barbara Sher, among others.
  92. I do my best to live mindfully each day and write of gratitude often. A couple of examples that reveal a bit more about who I am include Living in Gratitude (especially when problems arise) and So Many Blessings -- Counting One by One.
  93. I participated in NaBloPoMo and Holidailies on both of my blogs, but decided to do Blog 365 here at Small Reflections leaving me free to post only when I choose to do so at Sacred Ruminations. This past week is the 1st time I've let a few days pass without posting there.
  94. Although I may appear to be somewhat addicted to Blogthings, I tend to use them when I run out of energy, inspiration, or time as a means to maintain my Blog 365 commitment.
  95. I enjoy writing and reading Haiku on Fridays and T-13s on Thursdays because it's a wonderful way to meet other bloggers.
  96. I appreciate all visitors who take the time to comment, and I try to respond to everyone in a timely manner here in addition to visiting their blogs as time and energy permit.
  97. After 100 posts at Sacred Ruminations (in lieu of THIS meme), I created list things I'm proud of and forgive myself for (as a blogger) here.
  98. I've been tagged for at least 3 more memes recently (and sincerely hope I don't get tagged again for a long time), but intend to wait a while before sharing anything more about myself because I sense there's more in this list already than anyone cares to read about me. However, if the previous 97 things (with various links) aren't adequate to satisfy your curiosity, I offer a few more links below.
  99. I've participated in several memes previously (including, but not limited to) 7 Random Things about Me ... 12 Christmasy Things About Me ... Playful P's and Varied V's with Verse.
  100. I've shared a series of Five Really Good Things here, here, and here.
  101. I did a few "Review" posts/memes (including, but not limited to) my Monday's Blog Review for 2007 ... Small is Beautiful Top 7 in '07 ... and two Hybrid Haiku Memes here and here.
Whew! It's 12:16 PM on Sunday, February 3rd, but I'm finished ... finally! It seems the last 15 (#84-99) proved to be the most challenging, possibly because I lost momentum when I caught this flu/cold bug last Wednesday. Thanks to everyone who offered encouragement along the way. I might have given up and dumped the post entirely, but it didn't seem right to dump your comments with it ... so I waited until inspiration hit again and pushed through to the end today.

If you've reached your 100th post at your blog and haven't created your list yet ... consider yourself tagged (or not)! LOL

30 comments:

Momisodes said...

Wow! I had no idea you were a teacher for so long! I wish I lived closer and I could have you tutor me and my daughter ;)
And yes, hoooray for unplanned babies! My life would never be the same without mine ;)

Mary P Jones (MPJ) said...

What fun. I was amazed at the fact that you were done with high school by 16 and teaching at 21. Wow. That seems so young.

Joy Des Jardins said...

You're one pretty amazing person...just these few entries help in piecing together the total picture of you. I'll be watching for the next batch Virginia.

storyteller said...

Sandy – Yup! Sometimes it seems like my spent my whole life in schools … until I retired in 2001 that is :)

MPJ – It WAS young. I started in 6th grade in a self-contained classroom in the Los Angeles City School District. At the age of 12, my students were just 9 years younger than me. I can’t imagine what it might have been like to teach High School back then. When parents asked ME for advice about what to do with their children, I went home and asked MY parents for ideas. It all seemed surreal … especially when they gave me a student teacher the 2nd year I was in the classroom. It’s all pretty strange to reflect on now.

Joy – Hmmm … methinks you might have left this comment as I was posting the next “batch” … taking a quick break from the Djokovic-Tsonga Championship Tennis Match just now. It’s a set apiece so far … an excellent match with both players going for their shots. Very exciting and fun to watch!

Last night I had almost 20 and now I’ve got 41 so I’m almost half way finished in just two sittings. I’m surprised at how quickly it’s going. I did go back and insert additional information about my teaching career so you might need to scan the list to catch the new stuph.
Hugs and blessings,

Karen said...

Thank you for sharing so many details about your life--it's amazing how we think that we have the whole picture, but crucial points are always missing.

As I was reading the list, it actually made a little sad because I was getting to know you better through the internet, rather than over a cup of coffee (my favorite way of connecting). But I need to be grateful for what I DO have--we met in Taos, but it seems like we've really started to bond in this way. It amazes me to think of all the people I wouldn't know or connect with were it not for blogs.

Momisodes said...

I can't wait to read the rest....you've led such an incredible life already. I cannot imagine losing both parents so early in life....and then a spouse. You really are a warrior.....great job getting most of the list knocked out!

Melissa said...

Your 40s sound like they were a *&^%##! Congratulations on getting through them.

I loved this:"She didn't save my marriage as I'd hoped," :)

Eve said...

Wow! I've been meaning to do a 100 things list for months, but I keep forgetting about it. I think I need to get started. I love your list. You reveal so much of yourself. I'm beginning to think of you as a friend.

Momisodes said...

Sounds like you dad was an amazing father. That is wonderful you and your sister became close.

I would love to learn how to trade stocks! My mother is glued to CNBC all day, and I would love to be able to at least understand 10% of what they're saying half of the time :)

I'm really enjoying your list of things here. I look forward to the remaining items :)

Kayce aka lucy said...

whew...that is quite an undertaking...i will need to take my time, but i will finish reading soon :-)

Karen said...

Great additions--are you still working on the 80s and 90s, or are you skipping them? ;)

storyteller said...

I’ve invested considerable time over the past 4 days creating this list and am not sure anyone other than me will read it all, in fact I suspect it’s daunting to anyone who clicks on it now and will be even more so when I complete it.

Karen and Sandy,
Checking in periodically and reading my list bit by bit as you’ve done might be simpler than trying to take it in all at once. I appreciate the encouraging comments each of you has left along the way.

Karen - I suspect that “over coffee” many of these details might never come up and/or be shared … though I do love to connect with friends in that way and I’d certainly enjoy having you live closer. Regarding the remaining 15 or so things I’ve yet to add, I suspect they’ll be a fairly “random” list because I have no “plan” per se. LOL

Sandy - I don’t know how “incredible” any of my life was (or is) though perhaps from the outside looking in it might be. As for tutoring your little one, methinks you’re doing a wonderful job on your own and, of course, I'm "finished" with that part of my life. I watch CNBC and the Bloomberg channel more than any other (except during “tennis” tournaments). I’ve come to terms with the deaths of my Dad, Mom, and brother … and I miss spending time with my sister now that she’s “on the road” … but we talk every few days on the phone and that has to be good enough.

Melissa – My 40s were the best and worst of times in many respects, but I wouldn’t trade them for they made me who I am today and I’m quite happy with life “as is” even as I’m eager for whatever comes next. I did develop a habit of thinking of God as “she” during those times and it’s part of my language that just slips out these days. I believe God answers prayer always but sometimes says “No” because much of what we ask is not in our best interest.

Eve – Until the Anglophile Footbal Fanatic mentioned it, I had no idea this “meme” existed, but now that I’ve started my list I’ve noticed others have links in their sidebar to 100 Things … so once my list is finished I suspect I’ll add such a link in the sidebar of both my blogs. I suppose you could begin your list today if you wished.

Lucy – You’re quite right. I had no idea when I started just what an undertaking it would be and, of course, in my obsessive way I’ve made it all the more challenging … but it’s part of who I am and I forgive myself. LOL

So … I’m hoping to finish the list today, but I’m giving myself time to respond to comments first even though I’ll be getting a perm this afternoon and may run out of time. I’m doing the best I can and that has to be good enough. The list will be there when time permits and inspiration hits. Thanks again for your support and encouragement.
Hugs and blessings,

The Dream said...

What an amazing list. Some made me smile, a few choked me up. Emotions! You are an amazing lady and I am grateful to have met you - big time!

storyteller said...

Dream – Thanks so much! Rest assured, the feeling’s mutual. Now that I look at the list (even with 15 things to go) it’s so daunting that I can’t believe anyone is likely to read it … so your comments are all the more appreciated (especially as I battle this nasty bug … I hate being sick!)
Hugs and blessings,

Susie H said...

Wonderful to read all this things, even if not 101 yet. I like the idea - perhaps I'll get a start on my own list.

Well done, you - so many great things you've done. The list reflects a truly rich set of experiences...

Liz Dwyer said...

One of the things that comes across in this list is how varied your experiences are, how there are ups and downs, but you never seem bitter about the challenges. You seem content now, happy and balanced.

So glad you're sharing these.

storyteller said...

What a pleasant (and unexpected) surprise to find your two comments this morning as I check email. I’m hoping to finish my list this weekend but am putting no pressure on myself to do so because I know better. Getting healthy again is my 1st priority!

Susie – Blog 365 has opened up the virtual world a bit more hasn’t it? I’m glad your post title caught my eye in the Mega Feed, that I stopped by The Knit Farm, introduced myself in your little “non-meme” and that you decided to click on my links to see who I am ... for I’ve enjoyed finding your comments on each of my blogs and (when I’m well) I look forward to returning to your blog.

Liz – I’m happy you took the time to read my lengthy, detailed list and leave your observations that “resonate” as I read them. I suspect most folks my age have similarly “varied” experiences with ups & downs. I attribute my currently contented, balanced attitudes to the power of “choice” and am reminded that Will Rogers said something like, “Most people are about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” I believe that the only “constant” in life is change, and developing some comfort with that fact may be what allows us to “row our boats more gently down the stream” as in childhood we all knew how to do.

Thanks again for taking the time to read and respond. I love the serendipitous interconnectedness of this virtual world!
Hugs and blessings,

Mike Golch said...

Sorry to read that you lost your Mom when you were 44.I lost my Dad when I was 32.I lost my Mom when I was 51.So I know some of your pain.I also have an EX.

Karen said...

Woo-hoo! Congratulations, Storyteller--you've finished! And every entry was interesting!

storyteller said...

Mike – Thanks … I’m sorry that you lost your parents early too. Actually it was harder to lose my dad at 30 than my mom at 44, but I would have loved to have them around longer … even now. Of course they’d be pretty old … Dad would be 104 (a year younger than his dad when he passed & older than any of his siblings) and Mom 94 (considerably older than either of her parents or any of her siblings lived to be), so I guess everything happened as it was supposed to. In some respects, I’ve felt their presence with me always even after they died.

Karen – I appreciate you celebrating with me … and I’m happy to know what’s here interests someone. LOL Maybe we’ll get to chat over coffee one of these days and you can tell me about YOUR life!

Thanks for bearing with me all the way to the end!
Hugs and blessings,

Momisodes said...

You've finally completed the list! What a wonderful feat to accomplish. I loved reading each one. I loved reading the 4 Agreements too! I think I've read a few times :)

Joy Des Jardins said...

That was amazing Virginia! You are something else. I finished that whole list....now I'm pooped...and I didn't even write it. Nice job.

storyteller said...

Sandy – Thanks for keeping tabs on me throughout. I can’t tell you how tempted I was periodically to dump the whole thing and post something about why I wasn’t doing a list of 101 Things About Me … sheesh. “I got by with a little help from my friends” ... LOL

Joy – I can imagine how pooped you were because I suspect I’d be so daunted by such a list on someone else’s blog that I might pass it by entirely … unless I knew them or had nothing else to do and was bored out of my mind anyway.

I hope you’ve both picked up miss*R’s blogging friend award (and the flowers too) … and you certainly deserve ANOTHER “You Make My Day Award” in case you have more folks to whom you’d like to pass it along.
Hugs and blessings,

Tina Coruth said...

Storyteller,

Wow! You are amazing! I enjoyed learning about you. :-)

hugs,
Tina

storyteller said...

Tina – I’m always amazed that anyone would care to read such a list. I created it over a period of about 10 days a bit at a time after AnglophileFootballFanatic mentioned the meme in a comment on my 100th post Haiku. Silly me! If I’d known about it ahead of time, I might have planned ahead and been ready when the time arrived. You can see, however, why posting more about myself seems pointless. LOL
Hugs and blessings,

Joyce said...

I loved reading your abridged autobiography. :) You have many, many, MANY stories to tell, so . . . keep writing! I'm waiting to read what you have to say. :)

storyteller said...

Joyce – Wow! Thanks so much for the feedback and encouraging words. I appreciate the vote of confidence and I’m doing what I can to keep myself ‘on track’ with writing. It definitely helps to know others find what I have to share of interest. I hope you stopped by today’s Haiku and picked up one (or all) of the thank-you ‘friendship’ awards I left there. If not, please do.
Hugs and blessings,

Rick Hamrick said...

You know, ST, I have been here a few times, but I never managed to find this post.

Goodness, gracious! (my grandmother taught me that one) What a rich, full life you have led up until now, and I honor you for the continued wealth of experience you are continuing to add to here!

I have to admit, there are days I would welcome the 'golden handshake' you speak of--I'm in my mid-fifties and some days like what I do less than other days--and yet, I'm still showing up every day and doing the best I know how to do.

I hope you find the pansy post you were looking for at my blog! It's there now.

Best,

Rick

Hootin Anni said...

#s 36 and 37 are a wonderful part of your life I didn't realize. In fact I learned a log about you by reading this list. I'm glad you sent me the link again for me to peruse.

The second one is heavenly...."2. I live a block and a half from the Pacific Ocean. I love to fall asleep and wake up to the sound of the surf.".....I say...."Awwwwwwwwwwww" what a wonderful life to live.

Then, the section about "going for comfort instead of style"...you and me both.

And the 'writer in you' is superb! Keep up the good work...it's working for you, and that is what counts in life....to be happy with yourself, no matter.

Mary said...

Goodness! I can't believe you wrote 101 things! I don't think that I even know 101 things about myself! One thing stood out to me....you like tennis! Wasn't the Australian Open great? I'm a huge Federer fan, so I was disappointed, but I like Nadal a lot, too. Roger really needs a win to get his confidence back after his poor year last year. It must be hard to start feeling like a "has been" at such a young age, but in a sport like tennis it's hard to stay on top!

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