33 Things About Me

First off, let me admit that I am stealing this idea from another blog I've been following (Tall Mom on the Run) but it really got me thinking.

Today is 3/3....so hence 33.....here goes...

1) I wish I was still 33.  Not because I enjoyed my 30's or I am vain about my age (I am proudly 44 going on 45...woo whoot....I age up this year!).  No, I wish I was 33 because that means I'd have 5 years back with the love of my life....and potentially more because so many advances have been made in cancer treatment since he passed away.

2) While in college, my friends voted me the last to get married and the one not to have children.  Turns out I was the first to get married, the first to have kids, and have three total - ages 16, 13 & 7....a bit spread out.

3)  I once fell off a bridge.....actually, I walked right off it on a dare to cross the bridge with a towel over my head.  Stupid but I was 11 years old at the time.

4) I played field hockey in high school and briefly in college.  Yep, I wore a kilt and swung a stick.  Yet I have never had an interest in running in a skirt....go figure.

5)  I absolutely love the hustle & bustle of a big city.  I lived in downtown Philly after college and miss the pace and ease of city life.

6)  I love the quiet of a snow storm.

7)  And to go along with number 6, I actually like to shovel snow, especially in the middle of a storm.  I enjoy the peacefulness of the snow, being out there at night with just the street lights, no cars rushing by, no sounds of snow blowers.

8)  I love, love, love peanut butter.....and have a child with a peanut allergy.....so no peanut butter in my home.  But, if I'm anywhere near a peanut butter cup and he isn't with me, watch out!

9)  Nothing beats the smell of coffee brewing when I wake up....assuming I remembered to set the timer.

10)  Friendships are very important to me.  I will stand by my friends through thick and thin.....and in return, I have some very awesome friends that do the same for me.

11)  I like to dance.....in the privacy of my own home.  I am not a comfortable dancing in public person.  Not sure why, but just never have been.  Sometimes I do dance in my car....especially if my teenagers are being teenagers. 

12)  Baseball is my favorite sport....love sitting out at the ball field....whether it be watching my own kids play or at a major league stadium.  Oh, and most of you know this but the Phillies are my favorite team and Cal Ripken is my all time favorite player.

13)  Starting to get stumped so I requested some assistance from my 7 year old.
"What is something special about mom?"..."Well, you are MY mom."....so, number 13.....I am the mother of Rachel, a red-headed spitfire bundle of joy.

14)  Rachel adds "and you run."  Yes, I do run.  Sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes far and sometimes just to the end of the driveway.  I run for a variety of reasons....the social aspect, to be healthy, to not worry about what I eat, to set goals for myself, to fit into my clothes due to wanting to eat whatever I want, stress reliever, and most importantly - the endorphins.

15)  My favorite bike ride ever was the 20 miles I rode at the Philly LIVESTRONG Challenge last August with my younger son on the anniversary of his father's death.  Don't get me wrong - I've loved the longer rides in Austin, but being with Nolan made that shorter ride VERY special.

16)  I ran a half marathon in an hurricane.  The Chicago Half Marathon during Hurricane Ivan.....it poured the entire time, I got what was then a PR, and realized that running around the puddles was useless if you are already soaking wet.

17)  My favorite race....hands down....was the Muddy Buddy with my dear friend Kristin.  We had a blast.  There was no pressure for time.....just FUN!  And a mud bath at the end.  Who needs a spa?

18)  I am intimidated by bikers.....yes, I own a road bike.....I ride it on occasion....but the whole process of biking scares me.

19)  Major confession......drum roll please....



I wasn't a Lance Armstrong fan....until I met a good friend of mine that was a fundraiser for LIVESTRONG.  I decided to learn more about Lance so I read "It's Not About the Bike".....WOW!  I instantly became a major fan......of Lance and his foundation....and am a passionate fundraiser for LIVESTRONG myself as well as the 2011 Chicago Marathon LIVESTRONG Mentor.  This book opened so many opportunities for me and introduced me to so many amazing people that will be lifelong friends and support.

20)  My favorite books are "The Color of Water" by James McBride and "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson.  The first I read over 15 years ago....I remember not being able to put it down and sitting on our deck in New Jersey.  The second I read about the same time I read "It's Not About the Bike" and had a major impact on my desire to get involved in philanthropic activities.

21)  I have always been terrified of being a parent.  All that responsibility of molding a future generation.  What if I messed up my kids, gave bad advice, was a bad example, couldn't protect them, couldn't provide for them?  Thank goodness my husband reassured me that everyone feels the same way....right???

22)  I miss PMPs with Pep from Johnnies Hot Truck....and fish bowls. 

23)  Crossword puzzles are my guilty "geeky" pleasure.

24)  The 33rd song on my Ipod when shuffled was Amos Lee, Clear Blue Eyes from his new album Mission Bell (STRONGLY recommend this album....and artist).  Never would have found Amos if it weren't for a LIVESTRONG connection.

25)  One of my favorite movies is "Out of Africa" with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford.

26)  I won tickets to see The WHO when I was in high school and when I called to claim them, the radio station shared that I had already claimed them (thanks to my quick thinking sister who heard my name called on the radio and pulled off the highway to call the radio station on a pay phone).  Amazing part of this story is my dear friend Heather won 2 more tickets a few days later.  Oh, and yes, I am that old that a pay phone was the most convenient way to make a phone call while driving.

27)  I once graced the cover of a calendar....yes, I am a calendar girl.  OK, it was the local newspapers free calendar and I was celebrating a goal with a teammate, but, still, it was a calendar.

28)  I am fascinated with World War II history....not just necessarily the war but also life during that period of time.  If you have a similar interest, check out these books...Bob Greene's "Duty: A Father, His So, and the Man Who Won the War" and "Once Upon a Town", "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand, and "The Greatest Generation" by Tom Brokaw.

29) My favorite Christmas is defined not by the gifts received but a snowstorm that arrived the night before and resulted in an afternoon playing in the snow with our entire family....it was a blast.

30)  I have bungee jumped twice - each time with one of my boys, both whom are scared of heights but have a sense of adventure.  The first in TN with my 14 years old and the second in OR with my 12 year old.  Oh, and I made them both go first (nice mom, huh?)

31)  One of my most embarrassing moments involved a toga that wasn't quite draped properly.  Enough said.

32)  I wish I could juggle....not sure why but I've always wanted to know how to juggle.  Funny that all three of my kids can thanks to a circus program at our school.

33)  I am allergic to perch, soft shell crabs (found that one out the hard way and a trip to a remote hospital), caraway seeds - so no rye bread for me (also found out the hard way and required an ambulance ride to the hospital), raw celery, and MSG.

Hmmm......this little project makes me realize I am not that interesting.  It was difficult to come up with this list.  But, it has opened my eyes and created a challenge for me to keep my eyes open as I live the next 365 so I have some really interesting things to share about myself on March 3, 2012.

What about you?  What is an interesting fact about you that I don't already know?  Go ahead....leave me a comment!