Monday, June 04, 2007

8 Things to Know about Me



I was tagged for this by Gail Maki Wilson.
  • I love knowledge competitions, and I've participated in the National Spelling Bee (5th grade), the state Geography Bee (7th grade), many Future Business Leaders of America events (culminating in 5th place in national competition in Business English, a.k.a. copyediting, 11th grade), quiz bowl (from 9th grade to my senior year of college, culminating in the undergraduate national championship my junior year), "Jeopardy!", and "The 24th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" (like Lisa Yee). And lots and lots of Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit.
  • I wore a back brace for scoliosis for six years.
  • I don't believe in astrology in terms of the stars controlling my day-to-day life, but characterwise, I am a Virgo with a capital V. (Except, my Virgo nature notes, that "with a capital V" is redundant because "Virgo" already has a capital V, and couldn't I find some other way to express the emphasis?) You need something structured, copyedited, or ironed out (because sadly I really like ironing) -- I'm your woman.
  • I love musical theatre. Every summer while I was growing up, my family would go to Starlight, Kansas City's outdoor musical theatre, and I have a huge number of lyrics and tunes committed to memory. Plus James (das boyfriendlich) and I connected over a mutual passion for Stephen Sondheim.
  • I collect stars and New York City subway-related items. The subway is one of my very favorite things about New York -- environmentally friendly, relatively dependable, brightly colored, communal and yet usually peaceful, especially on a weekday morning, when we're all absorbed in our papers and iPods on the way to work. Plus my daily commute is a guaranteed hour of reading time per day!
  • My favorite artist is Henri Matisse, partly because I love all the color and light and vibrancy of his work, partly because he's such a perfect example of what I'm looking for in every manuscript I read: a brilliantly original, feeling-drenched and yet totally controlled, utterly unique and unduplicateable view of a true and recognizable world.
  • I have a tattoo. But you don't need to know any more than that. :-)
  • And ETA because I can't count: I can't count.

22 comments:

  1. Interesting. We have four things in common. Probably more.

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  2. Is the eighth that you can't count bullet points? (-:

    (Or are we counting the collecting of stars and bullet points as two different things?)

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  3. Several things in common, including the back brace for scoliosis although mine was "only" for four years. Plus teeth braces and glasses, pimples, split ends, and the scrawniest girl's body west of the Mississippi. Did Dante forget junior high as the 10th circle of hell?

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  4. Yeah! Thanks for playing! Great photo too. Ironing? You really like to iron? I avoid it at all costs. I've never been on a subway ride. Must be cool to be able to read on your way to work. Some people do that here too, unfortunately it's while they're driving.

    gail

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  5. You had me until the tattoo--yuck! I'm surprised and disappointed...sorry.

    --Anon. in Neverland

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  6. Matisse's work makes me happy. :-D

    (My cousin is a Virgo. I know if she likes my writing, I'm doing okay--she's VERY picky.)

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  7. Forgot to sign... "Happy" comment from Kelsey--"Cocoskeeper" over in LJ Land. :-)

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  8. Love that picture!

    A tatoo?! What could it be? Hmmmm. Jane Austin inspired?

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  9. Auggh, Jeremiah, you're right! It will be edited to fix.

    And Anonymous in Neverland: So were my parents. But I did it for myself, not for you, them, or anyone else, and I like it very much.

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  10. For what it's worth, I think your tattoo is lovely & suits you *perfectly*

    But I still think you're crazy for enjoying ironing...

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  11. Cheryl! Hello!

    You and my hub should start an ironing club. I'll do the logo. "Folks who love starch" or something like that.

    So, fruit Matisse, landscape Matisse or cut paper Matisse? (You know I'm voting for cut paper Matisse)

    Do you have a favorite musical? I'd have to say Phantom because I'm a sap.

    Marilyn

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  12. Have you ever gone on that Atlantic Avenue "lost" subway tunnel tour? Very cool.

    I would love one of those seamstress irons....

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  13. My dream is to be on Jeopardy. I play at home and tally my score.

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  14. Me too, stella. Every once in a while, one comes on where I get creamed, and I am *positive* that would be the episode I'd draw if I ever got on.

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  15. They taped three episodes the day I was on, and I was in the third. The two episodes before me had categories like "Books to Films" (one answer: "Sense and Sensibility") and "Classic Literature" (one answer: "Mr. Darcy.") I get up there for my first round, and there was a category where I didn't even recognize the name: "Sid and Marty Krofft TV Shows."

    But I did get a Daily Double. Plus tickets to "The Lion King."

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  16. I guess a child of the 80's wouldn't recognize Sid and Marty Krofft TV Shows. But they are super fabulous and funkadelic. Land of the Lost! Sigmond and the Sea Monsters! H.R. Pufnstuf!

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  17. Chagall and Klee are two of my favorite artists. And I always wanted to go to a spelling bee.

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  18. Hmm - if you're not going to tell us where/what on the tattoo, you're forcing us to use our imagination. You're inviting speculation ... and I for one will not play that game. Can I have tudor rose on the ... for $100 Alex?

    - Fabian

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  19. Sorry, Marilyn, I missed your comment! Interiors Matisse. And "Sunday in the Park with George."

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  20. I'm not on the NATIONAL spelling bee level, BUT I'll bet you never got your first beer from a nun while in the sixth grade for winning the regional spelling bee! Thank God for 'Custard, Mustard, and Brew'!

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  21. "a brilliantly original, feeling-drenched and yet totally controlled, utterly unique and unduplicateable view of a true and recognizable world."

    I just put this quote on my wall. I'll work toward having someone say this of my work. :)

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  22. I had no idea you grew up in the Kansas City area. Small world. I grew up in Topeka, but my parents never let us drive to Kansas City. After a decade out of state, I'm now living in Overland Park, or "OP in the KC" as my sister likes to call it.

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