Heather at Light and Macaroni tagged me to reveal 7 things. Here goes:
1. I love to dance! As a kid, I did ballet and modern dance up through high school. I took ballet lessons and danced and choreographed in the high school dance company. I did African and modern at Bennington College one summer. I hoped to dance in college, but science labs got in the way. Today I get my fix from Zumba.
2. I think I was too practical choosing sciences as a path in college instead of dance and writing and more creative pursuits. My jobs after college involved science writing and medical editing. I think I chose the safe and responsible road instead of following my passion.
3. I love children's books. I was the librarian for the 3 to 6-year-olds at the Montessori school my kids attended before we moved. I miss it. My favorite kids authors are Shirley Hughes, Demi and Jon Muth. I love Ferdinand and The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge. I am a really expressive reader. My kids are both great readers. I'm not sure if it's because I read to them so much, or passion for reading runs in the family.
4. I want to travel much more. Over the past decade, we've done some great family trips to national parks in Colorado and California. We went to England when some dear friends were living there for business. We rented beautiful houses on the beach with lots of friends in North Carolina. But I have trouble spending money on travel. I feel internal pressure to save for retirement, college for the kids, and rainy days. I feel like I sacrifice today's fun for the future. I might be "cheap". I sometimes wish I could be less frugal.
5. On the other hand. My husband and I are of like mind with regard to finances. My father-in-law once called us squirrels. I think this saved us in the past year. We lived in the same house for 16 years and dutifully paid down the mortgage, paid cash for cars and only did renovations we could afford. When we had to move for my husband's job last year, we were able to sell our old house and buy a lovely new one in a down market. Our financial habits have protected us.
6. Otherwise my husband and I have completely different temperments. I am passionate; he is evenkeeled. I speak my mind; he waits and says clever and insightful things. I am all about feelings; he deals with facts. Somehow this works well for us.
7. Like me, my birth family (Mother, Father, Sister) are all passionate, emotional people who argue and like to be right. I have virtually no relationship at this point with my Father, a strained one with my sister, and an emotional up and down but close one with my Mom. These relationships often cause me pain. Growning up in a strained environment likely influenced the type of person I married.
Yikes, please comment Heather. Your openness inspires me, but I feel like I've exposed a lot here.
5 comments:
andrea, i loved reading through your words here. i really feel sisterly with you. and this is my first glimpse into your marriage. i love it! you sound like such a good match. and the way you are emotional, he is about facts, it sounds so man woman, in general. i feel the same way in my relationship. we teach each other so much. and your number one is so cool. does your husband ever dance with you? mine doesn't so much, and when he does it's really funny! he likes to watch a lot, though. i am inspired by your frugality. david and i are such risk takers, we've just put everything into our businesses. i hope it pays off someday. i'm so glad you played! do you still feel naked, or is it a little better today? but you know, it's natural to get naked!
oh, and i'm excited for the link to the little red lighthouse! we've never read that, and we're going to the library today. perfect. i wish i could hear you and your kids read!!
i went to the library, and it was checked out. but i got another picture book by lyn, the artist, i can't remember her full name, that is beautiful. about a pegasus.
There is a park in Fort Lee NJ near where we used to live where you can see the actual little red light house under the George Washington Bridge. It's a historical park with recreations of the battlements and housing of the Colonial troops when they were fighting the British across the Hudson. If you'd like to read a terrific adult book about it, try 1776 by David McCullough (sp?).
andrea, i am feeling for you this morning, after reading your note. i did not see an email address though. some days it seems we are meant to feel some stuff so deeply. i can't understand it more than that. but it seems like if we do allow the feelings to come through, they come through much faster, and the next day or two often feels so refreshing........................................that probably doesn't help. nothing helps when i'm down and out except wading those deep waters and feeling like shit without resisting it. i like to break dishes!
hey, i got the book this week at the library! david read it to all of us and i love it so so so so so much. keep telling me recommendations!!
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