Wednesday, August 30, 2006

A Random number of things about me

This is a new list that ranges from very silly to very serious. While I know I'm posting this on a public place, I wrote it mainly for myself, so read at your own risk :)

1. I once sent a poem to poetry.com and felt pretty special when they offered to publish it until I found out that they offer to publish EVERYONE’s poetry.
2. I grew up in a neighborhood with many more boys than girls. Once, one of my brother’s buddies from school moved in down the street and he had a little sister. I was so excited because I thought I’d finally have a little girl friend, but the day they arranged for her to come play, I was wearing overalls and had a short haircut (I was about 4) and she thought I was a boy and ran home crying. She never came back.
3. Believe it or not, I once had a learner’s permit to drive a car. I did all of this studying, made arrangements to take the written exam, and rode public transportation to and fro the exam site, because my parents didn’t want me to; I even got rehab to pay for the evaluation after the exam. Problem was that the people at rehab DIDN’T KNOW that there is no place here in Arkansas to evaluate driver’s who may need extensive modifications, ie joystick controls.
4. I finally read the Harry Potter series and I do like it better than I thought I would.
5. OKAAAAYYYY, I’m obsessed with Harry Potter and can’t wait for the next book!
6. I am what I would call freckle-faced, but I haven’t always had so many freckles. When I was a kid, I had just one on each side of my nose, and I would say they went across the street to visit each other.
7. I scored high enough on my ACT’S to get a full scholarship anywhere (23 when 30 was perfect), but because I was in special-ed, the school district didn’t administer it in time, and I didn’t get it.
8. I used to have a Shaun Cassidy jacket.
9. I fear most of my readers are too young to know who Shaun Cassidy is.
10. My biggest regret in life will be not having children. I used to have nightmares about it, but not so much anymore.
11. I can’t hold a grudge. That’s not ALWAYS a good thing.
12. I like to make rhymes.
13. I see nothing wrong with a good knock-knock joke every now and then.
14. I am a light sleeper.
15. I buy at least 5 hair magazines a year. Why? They are all the same, but I can’t stop myself.
16. I am currently on my 4th Macintosh computer. They rock.
17. I think a bell should go off every time a PC person buys a Mac.
18. I wish there was a place to learn Latin here in LR.
19. I can remember complete conversations from years ago.
20. I don’t really like to talk on the phone, and it gives me a headache.
21. My oldest brother’s name is Rodney Dean, and my Dad’s name is Marvin Dean, and since my name is Dana Rene, we all have the nickname Deano.
22. I feel as if I am about 10 years behind in social development.
23. I like mustard sandwiches.
24. I am a tad paranoid, which I really think means I’m insecure.
25. I secretly like Nintendo games like Super Mario Brothers. I could save the princess in 1 AND 3!
26. Several people in my life have told me that when they dream about me I can walk.
27. I can recite the entire Berenstein B Book from memory, though I haven’t read it since I was a child.
28. My favorite book as a small child was Marvin K. Mooney by Dr. Seuss
29. I could never get tired of watching Little House on the Prairie.
30. My beloved cat, Miss Kitty passed away this month.
31. My parents have always opened their homes up to people. I can think of at least 3 sets of relatives who stayed with us for longer than 2 weeks.
32. When I was about 11, my Dad’s niece Ruth and her 2 sons came to stay with us, and she and I had an instant connection. She, never having had a daughter before, spoiled me rotten. I worshiped her, with her dark, Indian skin and blue eyes. Eventually, she decided to go back to Missouri, and I was devastated. I can’t describe how hard, or how long I cried, and all I could say was that I would never see her again. My poor mom didn’t know how to console me, and was secretly scared that the reason I thought I wouldn’t see her was because I was facing major surgery and might not make it. I made it through the surgery, but not long after, we got a phone call, that Ruth had been shot, and killed by someone gunning for her husband. I didn’t cry as much then, because I already knew.
33. I think the above incident is one reason I have such a hard time letting go.
34. I worry that I won’t be able to get another job if LA ever closes, because potential employers will dismiss me because of my disability.
35. I SO want another job.
36. I am trying to teach myself Flash. It is difficult.
37. I think if you asked most people what the biggest miracle I would ever hope for is, they would say a cure for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Without a doubt that is true, but on a personal note, an even bigger miracle (besides just being alive) would be to find someone who could love me (in that special way) just as I am.
38. I haven’t seen my sister or her twin boys in over a year. It kinda makes me angry.
39. Sometimes I like to just do nothing.
40. I love Wendy for many reasons, but getting me involved in volunteerism is among the top.
41. I just watched Dirty Dancing AGAIN and must say that Dirty Dancing: Havannah Nights, isn’t worthy of the name.
42. I used to have to wear orthopedic shoes until I was about 10, then I had to wear tennis shoes all during middle school, so I’m SO happy to be able to wear anything that I’m becoming a shoe hound.
43. I know HOW to play chess, but I play intuitively, without thinking past the current move… that’s pretty much how I live too!
44. When I play a game with a child, I generally let them win. It’s not that important to me to win, and I know it is to them.
45. I got an autographed copy of one of the leaflets I designed for Christopher Lowell (design guru) and we all got a box of chocolates. I think that was very cool.
46. I don’t FEEL little.
47. I don’t understand people who can go through life being detached. “Connecting” with people is what it’s all about for me.
48. I like to color coordinate my watches with the rest of my outfit, so now I have about 10 watch bands. No good reason for this.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Holy Cow!


My friend Di came to visit me this weekend and brought Jakson, her 5 year-old son. We decided to take him to see Barnyard; the Original Party Animal. The boy cows have UDDERS people. Where were the researchers? Do you need researchers to know boy cows don’t have UDDERS?!

I can’t stop thinking about it. And unlike the time I couldn’t stop thinking about some margaritas, this isn’t a pleasant memory.

Hummph!