20 things to know about annathepiper

[annathepiper]

neutronjockey actually tagged me on this several days ago--I bet you thought I didn't see it, didn't you, NJ? Anyway, because I have time at work right now, here are my answers to the 20 Random Facts About You Meme.

I will not tag anyone, though, because sharing the Duck Story is reason enough for this post.


1. I held first chair in the flute section of my middle school's band for two and a half years, until I was ousted by the girl in the second chair. I cried my eyes out. My teacher's awkward attempt to console me by noting that the other girl was also our only oboe player did NOT help.

2. I attended five different high schools, due to turbulent family upheavals in my teen years.

3. I have written stories ever since I was in elementary school. Half of me wishes more of my school-era writings survived to this day. The rest of me is grateful they did not.

4. I still have my first flute, though it is unplayable. I have not been able to bring myself to throw it out.

5. While taking German in high school, I learned how to write in German script. Throughout 1985, I wrote my diary in that script as a security measure to keep my brother from reading it.

6. I crave a chance to visit Newfoundland. And Ireland. And Scotland (again).

7. Most persons who make me swoon, either musically or physically, can be traced back to Elvis Presley.

8. My father was once told that he looked like George Carlin. He rather had George Carlin's sense of humor, too.

9. When I was five years old, a tornado struck my town. I do not remember much of this, but I have one remaining memory of my family having to crowd into my bedroom closet because it was the center portion of the house. Many years later, my father and oldest brother told me that the sky turned green and that our dog tried to climb into our dryer to hide. Our dog was a German shepherd. Our dryer was a top-loader.

For many years after, well into adulthood, I kept having dreams about tornados.

10. My father once told me that I won him a bet by proving I could read at age four, by reading out of a newspaper article. I do not remember this, either.

11. Dad also once told me that some of my first words were "play more Elvis, daddy!" I do not remember this, either, but some of my fondest memories are of listening to Elvis records with my father, with the two of us wearing headphones plugged into a double headphone jack on his stereo, or of Elvis: Aloha Via Satellite pounding out of his quadrophonic speakers.

12. Yet another thing Dad once told me was that I used to make duck noises before I learned how to talk. I did not believe this until Dad passed away and solarbird, spazzkat, and I went back to Kentucky for the funeral. My family gathered at my brother Marc's house, and in walked my Uncle Larry, who I had not seen in over fifteen years. The first words out of his mouth were to tell me how much I looked like my mother. The second words out of his mouth were, "Did you know you used to make duck noises?" And he proceeded to regale me with the tale of how my toddler self would wander around the house making duck noises, much to the amusement of my father and his brothers. They would tell me, "Here comes the duck! Now here comes the duck hunters!" And they would make gun noises, and I would squeal, and run off giggling across the room.

My mother would get red in the face and primly insist, "My daughter does not make duck noises!"

And I would quack. Or so claimed my Uncle Larry.

At the funeral, my other uncle, Marion, who I had not seen for about as long, told me the exact same thing the moment he laid eyes on me. Through the course of the service, every time I started looking shaky, he'd lean over to me and with a deadpan expression on his face, he'd say, "Quack."

13. I am ever so slightly scared of crossing bridges over large bodies of water, probably because I suck as a swimmer.

14. I am nearsighted, but my family didn't figure this out until I showed up for first grade and had trouble reading the blackboard.

15. I am not a lesbian, but I play one in my marriage! (I am, for the record, bi. Just in case anyone hadn't figured that out with my swooning over Russell Crowe and Great Big Sea, yet having a female partner.)

16. I am a devoted SF/fantasy fan of many years running. Most of my family is bemused by this, but not wildshadowstar. (HI BECKY!)

17. I was the first out of all my siblings to get a college degree.

18. I have lived in various iterations of the group household called the Murkworks ever since moving out to Seattle in 1991. solarbird and I have continued this on through the years because we like it.

19. I like to wear hats. Specifically, hats from here. I have several, though at this point I'm down to two that are my favorites, and I keep having to wrestle Dara for which one I'm wearing, because she likes them too. People periodically stop me and tell me, "Cool hat!" I tell them thank you, because lo, the Hatterdashery hats are in fact Cool.

20. I do not wear makeup, and as a rule, I usually do not shave either my legs or my underarms. Not because I am a feminist or out of any desire to make a statement, but rather, mostly just because spending time on these things annoys me.

Comments

[cafiorello.livejournal.com]

I don't like it much, but our dog is actually phobic about it! You ain't seen nothin' until you've seen a psychologist trying to do cognitive-behavioral therapy with a dog...on a bridge...over a river. ;)
Cathy

[annathepiper]

Whoa, I can imagine. Poor doggy!

[fleurdelista.livejournal.com]

Now that's a sight!