Tag! I'm it.

I have been tagged by my great friend Mandi. I've only been tagged once before and I managed to make a super long, extremely wordy, post of it. So watch out here I go.

Five weird things about myself you don't know.

1. Hmmm, this is going to be hard. I'm not exactly a secretive person, which means I've probably revealed more about myself already than common sense would ever dictate. I think though that I will start with this one.

I love a good Dictionary.

And by this I really do mean a GOOD Dictionary. I can't stand those wimpy little dictionaries that don't even have a word like conundrum a word that means "a riddle, or something confusing". No these dictionaries have cat but not contraption. Is there really anyone out there that needs help spelling jam, or house? I am actually a pretty good speller, but that's not the point. Sometimes I just like to verify that I have a spelling correct. And as many of you know the spellcheck here on blogger is pretty dismal.

2. When I was a child, I hated soda pop, potato chips, popcorn and chocolate ice cream. For the most part I like all those foods (and drinks) now. Well that's not entirely true. I only like chocolate ice cream if it's a nice dark chocolate with lots of interesting things swirled into it. Like those small containers of Godiva ice cream?

Heaven.

Also I still don't like many Cola drinks, or any soda that is highly carbonated. I do however LOVE popcorn. Especially Movie popcorn. I don't like a lot of the microwave popcorns however. They are WAY too salty. I hate that. I usually look for Home Style. Just the right amount of salt and artificial butter flavor.

3. I love to read. I don't limit myself to a certain genre either. I can enjoy a well written kid's chapter book as well as Anne Rice's Vampire series. I think books written a couple hundred years ago, can be not only entertaining but also extremely interesting from a historical standpoint. You get to see into the social and moral thinking of that time. They really did think and act in a way that would be very foreign to us today. And don't think for a minute that their morality was superior to ours. Believe me we have definitely evolved in this area. To see what I mean pick up a copy of "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" or "Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe. NOT the children's abridged version either, get the real thing and read them. They are a fascinating look into the thinking and values of the 19th century. I love most of Stephen King's books. However I have never been able to make heads or tales out of his "Dark Tower- Gunslinger" series. I also recommend Chris Bohjalian. A few of his books can be slightly graphic but he tells a really good story. I won't get into any more of the books I read. It would take up way too much space.

And yes, I guess this isn't too weird that I read a wide variety of books, but hey, I'm reaching here.

4. I somewhat enjoy the smell of Skunk Spray. In not too concentrated doses of course.

5. I have mentioned this before so maybe this won't count, but I love speaking in front of an audience. I love giving talks to groups big and small. I didn't always of course. When I was in school I was so shy and introverted I never raised my hand, or spoke out if I could help it. I don't even remember when I discovered the joy of public speaking. It has been within the last twenty six years or so, I do know that much. I think it all started about twenty six years ago when I saw an incredible Psychologist, Dr Orr. He helped me to completely change how I saw myself. I had some real issues left over from my childhood. They are still there and sometimes they come out at the most inopportune times, but for the most part I am a much more confident and happy person than I was thirty years ago. My love of public speaking was one of the bonuses that I got from that. I have discovered that I have a real talent for it.

Well there you go. Five things about me that are perhaps a little bit weird, that you may not have known about me. You know what they say, confession is good for the soul. So on that note, I choose to tag, my little brother Mike, and my niece Alicia.

Have fun with it.