I’ve been tagged to do the “eight things” meme — tagged twice in fact. Thank you Jenclair and Sylvia! I’m supposed to list eight random things about me — which strikes me as hard since most interesting things about me I’ve already posted about in other similar memes, but I’ll give it a try.
1. I never eat cereal with milk. I always have it dry — I can’t stand sogginess in food.
2. I have a diamond-shaped birthmark on my thigh, about six inches directly above my knee. It’s not quite a perfect diamond shape, but it’s very close.
3. I played on the volleyball team in High School, briefly. It was a disaster.
4. I am committed to never playing a sport that requires coordination ever again. Yeah, cycling requires a certain amount of coordination, but not the kind you need to catch, kick, throw, hit, etc. So, no baseball, football, soccer, tennis, golf, volleyball, softball, or basketball for me. I might consider miniature golf, but only as a joke.
5. I loathe and despise shopping. I’ll wear the same clothes over and over again until they are almost worn out before I’ll go buy more (and that’s only if I can’t get Hobgoblin to buy something for me, which he often very graciously does).
6. I’m very bad at remembering the names of trees and flowers and other kinds of plants, but I greatly admire people who can remember them. There is some essential function missing in my brain that would allow me to learn — I have a bad visual memory I guess.
7. Speaking of memory, I’m very good at remembering my students’ names — I pride myself on this — up until the end of the semester. Once the semester ends, the names disappear from my brain. If class ends in December, by January, I’ll remember their faces but the names are gone.
8. I performed in musicals in junior high and high school — including The Wiz, 42nd Street, and Grease. I was always just in the chorus though, never in a real part. I was too shy, I can’t act, and I can’t sing well enough to try for a big part.
Okay, here I break the rules, because I can’t think of 8 people who haven’t done this already to tag. But if there’s someone who hasn’t done this yet, please do!
Of Books and Bicycles 
I’m with you on the shopping thing. Most of my clothes were bought by other people, either my husband or friends and family who gave me clothing as a gift. I have a shirt in my closet that I still wear that I got in high school twenty years ago.
LikeLike
I grew up eating dry cereal (with a glass of milk on the side), but when I got to college realized that the rest of the world–at least the world as seen in suburban Oregon–did it different. At that point, I decided that I liked it with milk much, much better. (Also, who can eat Grapenuts dry?) My sister still persists in the family tradition, and I give her lots of grief about it. What else is family for?
LikeLike
That was quick!
LikeLike
I always had trouble with the “catch” and “hit” kind of coordination, too. And I so wanted to be good baseball, volleyball, or tennis!
Hate shopping and can never find anything that I like that fits which only makes the experience more excruciating.
Thanks for playing!
LikeLike
I always enjoy reading these things–it’s interesting finding out little things about people you know. I also am not a shopper except for books of course. Strangely I played vollyeball and soccer, too. I was pretty terrible, and spent most of the time on the bench watching. After freshman year I didn’t bother anymore! 🙂
LikeLike
Clothes shopping – right behind ya! Can’t stand it myself. I replace something when it needs replacing, otherwise I’ll just go right on wearing the same things year in year out (the T-shirt I’m wearing today is 16 years old, which is pretty typical). The only garments that I actually have fun shopping for are saris – size doesn’t matter, it is all about the colour and fabric (almost like you’re buying an artwork).
LikeLike
I’m still a complete sucker for this kind of information! And I thought I was the only person in the world to eat their breakfast cereal dry! I couldn’t agree with you more on the issue of sogginess.
LikeLike
I never would have pictured you as the sort to perform in musicals! And eight people, really? Well, you can count me as one. I’ll be doing this soon, if I can think of 8 things.
LikeLike
I think I could enjoy clothes shopping if only it wasn’t so frustrating; I ‘m not tall or tanned and so have a hard time finding things that suit me. To make things worse, in winter the shops insist on stocking woolly jumpers even though it’s the subtropics! I should really learn to sew . . .
LikeLike
Hello, WordPress. Testing. Testing. Going to try to comment again.
“I played on the volleyball team in High School, briefly. It was a disaster” – heehee. Would you care to elaborate on this, Dorothy? Seems like it’s an interesting story. 🙂
Oh the clothes part – my mother is a thrifty woman, as she grew up in a big family without much spare cash. Growing up, a lot of our clothes were hand-me-downs from friends, relatives and neighbours, so we rarely bought new clothes. This is probably why I find shopping for clothes (and shoes) such a hassle.
You’re like my dad with the cereal. I drown them in milk, daddy chews them dry. I never get that.
LikeLike
I have been enjoying reading everyone’s random facts. Thanks…
LikeLike
Stefanie, I don’t think I have anything that old, but that’s because I wear what I have so much I wear it out and turn it into rags! Fendergal, you know, if I tried cereal with milk, I might actually like it, but I can’t bring myself to try it … and I stay away from grapenuts, most definitely. Sylvia — it’s a fun meme, and saw no reason to wait! Jenclair, I’m glad I’m not alone in being uncoordinated! Danielle, I gave up on the High School sports pretty early too, which is why I’m often amazed at my current athleticism. It doesn’t seem like me. Equiano, that’s my method too — replacement, and I’m lucky if my stock of clothing isn’t steadily dwindling … Litlove, I’m so glad you understand about the cereal! 🙂 Emily, I know — it does seem out of character, the musicals, but I did enjoy them. I have a very small side of me that likes performance. CoversGirl, yes, if only clothes shopping could be fast and efficient. Part of what I hate is trying things on and failing to find something over and over again. Orpheus — you know what? It’s NOT an interesting story — that would be a good thing, if it were interesting, but instead it’s just a story of me getting too caught up in my thoughts and not paying attention. I wasn’t capable of losing myself in the game and so I reacted to things too late. LK — yes, this meme if fun, isn’t it?
LikeLike
Does the volleyball story involve getting smacked in the face by the ball? While wearing glasses?
If it does, I feel your pain. Especially about the pain.
This meme is fun!
LikeLike
I love your #5 issue.
I also HATE…… can I say it strong enough?… HATE shopping for clothes! I would sooner wear one pair of jeans until it is ILLEGAL to walk around in them, than buy a new pair.
Which is tantamount to saying you will NOT see me on the cover of GQ anytime soon!
LikeLike
#1. Cereals really get soggy when you use warm skimmed milk and wait a while before eating. With full-fat milk direct from the fridge and a little haste, my cereals are always crunchy (I can’t even dare to imagine what dry weetabix tastes like — sawdust?)
#6. There is probably nothing wrong with your brain. As far as I can tell, I remember the names of trees and plants I see and use regularly, and forget all the rest. I am sure you can tell apart a tomato and a potato. If you want to know peonies from dahlias from camellias, you’d have to grow some. I imagine it would be hard for you if half your students never showed up in class: even with their pictures and detailed info, you’d have a hard time remembering their names.
I have not been tagged for the 8 random things. You can count me in.
LikeLike
Dark Orpheus, there was a lot of pain involved, but it was mostly psychic — although I do have a scar on my chin from drills we did practicing diving onto the floor to get to the ball. It seems rather ridiculous now 🙂 Cipriano — oh, I SO sympathize! Mandarine — surely you’re right, that I need to spend more time with plants to get to know their names, and that I could if I grew some myself. I’m looking forward to your list!
LikeLike
Pingback: mandarine » Blog Archive » Eight (not so) random things