25 Things

Facebook has this tag thing where you write 25 things about yourself, send it to others and have them write 25 things about themselves and so on and so on....  I have always felt that my life is not nearly that interesting (and neither am I) enough to have 25 things to write about myself.  Let's see how I do.

1. I am an only child. 

2.  I was born in El Paso, Texas, but we lived in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico (yes, where people now get murdered constantly).  At that time, it was an ideal place to grow up.

3.  My first language is Spanish.  I am fluent and can speak both English and Spanish without a trace of an accent.

4.  My parents divorced when I was 7.

5.  I have seen my biological father once since I was 16.  The last time I saw him was at his Mother's funeral and he gave me a huge hug in front of all the people at the church as if it was the most normal thing to do.  I did not say a word to him and have not seen him since (7 years ago).

6.  There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about my father and how much he missed out on.  It has shaped my very being.

7.  My Mother and I moved to Dallas when I was 10.  She had no College education, spoke spotty English, became an administrative assistant in the Human Resources department of a bank and worked her way throughout the years to Sr. Vice President of Human Resources of a huge healthcare company.  She is one of the most driven people I have ever met.  

8.  She also made me go right into a regular class, instead of an ESL (English as a Second Language) class.  I peed in my pants that first day of school, because I asked if I could use the bathroom, and the teacher told me that the "restroom" was down the hall.  I thought she meant that there was only a room where you "rest".  Yeah.  Good times. Made me TOTALLY popular.

9.  My Mother remarried when I was 13.  I adore my Jewish, crabby stepfather.  He took me in at the irritating age of 13 and provided me with amazing opportunities and gave me so much material to make fun of in high school.

10.  I was basically educated in Catholic schools all my life.  I love Catholic education, but I am not a good Catholic at all.

11.  Most of my best friends are from high school and college.  I am so blessed to still have all these amazing women in my life.

12.  I streaked down Northwest Highway in Dallas with Katey Gilligan.  One of many things that we did that should have gotten us in jail or expelled.

13.  I have many many friends.  I have to.  No siblings makes you get "out there" and form a sisterhood with girlfriends.  

14.  I had to go to my Junior prom with my cousin, Bob, because no one invited me.  He even had to fly in from El Paso, Texas, to come to it.  Don't say it.  I know what you are thinking. (L-O-S-E-R)

15.  My first semester at Mary Baldwin College, I made a 1.6 GPA.  My second semester, I made a 1.7.  My Mom threatened to pull me out and send me to secretarial school.  My dad convinced her otherwise.  I went on to make the Dean's List and Honor Roll the rest of my college career.  I completed my studies one semester early and waited to graduate with my friends.

16.  We backpacked through Europe after we graduated college and I stayed behind to bartend at the Pink Palace in Corfu, Greece.  I will never regret that experience.  My parents were furious.  I only came home because I was offered a job at an ad agency (Tracey-Locke/DDB Needham) working on the Pepsi-Cola account.  Needless to say, I made the right decision.

 17.  I smoked cigarettes since I was 15.  I quit when my youngest was three.  I still think I have lung cancer all the time.

18.  I did not learn to do laundry until my Freshman year in College.  My roommate, Amy, had to teach me how.

19.  I still HATE  doing laundry.  With a purple passion.

20.  I gag when I clean toilets or when I get my head anywhere near a toilet.  I would make the best Bulemic.  Ever.

21.  My husband was my mother's boss.  She introduced us, but never intended us to actually ever date, fall in love, let alone, GET MARRIED!  Ooops!  Sorry, Mom.  Best decision I ever made.

22.  I miss my friends in Dallas and in Charlotte so much, that sometimes it just hurts my heart.

23.  My grandmother died 4 years ago.  I think of her every single day.  I often ask myself what she would think about something I am contemplating doing, and it affects many of my life decisions, big and small.

24.  I love my husband beyond reason.  Even though he drives me absolutely bat shit sometimes.  He is the best man (other than my stepfather) that I have ever met.  He is a way better person than me and has infinite patience with me.

25.  I am deathly afraid of death.  Like, really really really scared of it.  Mostly, I worry that when my Mother dies that I will feel so alone.  I just look at my children and hope that they love each other and support each other as they get older.