100 Things About Me III
Here’s number III in the series. Part I and Part II can be found here.
51. I jump on a big trampoline for exercise.
52. As a girl, I was co-captain of the CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) drill team, The Bellettes. When I got older I joined The Bells. Over the course of my drill team days, I carried a saber, a rifle, and a flag. We wore white boots and helmets with feathers on them. For years when trying on clothes, I would march in front of the mirror to see how the clothes looked on me.
53. I tried out for cheerleading but didn’t make the team.
54. Sometimes I feel like I’m more at home in water. Being in the ocean makes me giddy.
55. Sometimes I use a tarot deck. It’s like taking my psychic blood pressure.
56. I frequently think things are going to be harder than they really are, and my husband thinks they’re going to be easier than they really are.
57. My current bumper sticker says: When Jesus said love your enemy, I think he probably meant don’t kill them.
58. When it comes to sociability, I’m only a few degrees away from being as reclusive as Emily Dickinson. If I go out one day, I have to stay home for the next two days, in order to recover.
59. I once got paid for being a live mannequin in a boutique window in Boston.
60. One of my proudest accomplishments has been growing my own food. I smile a lot in the garden.
61. I don’t do algebra or the metric system.
62. While growing up, we had to go to church, but when we got older and my brother Jimmy could drive, we only pretended to go. We went out for breakfast and then to the beach so that my brothers could “girl watch.” The church we went to, St. Mary’s of the Bay, is now a residence with plastic lawn chairs out front.
63. People sometimes call me up just to hear my answering machine message.
64. My favorite answering machine message was one that my dad made. He, who avoids using a phone, simply said (in his best Irish gangster-like voice): “State Your Business.”
65. The first published writing I got paid for was for an article I wrote for Mothering Magazine in the early 1980s.
66. I recently won an honorarium award for my writing contributions to the Wemoon journal over the years.
67. My favorite dream is the one where my boys are little again. They talk in the dream, and their sweet voices make me melt. It’s better than a hot romance dream.
68. I can type looseleafnotes.com as fast as I can type my own name.
69. I once got interviewed on a radio talk show program, after my commentary “Voting Machine Voodoo,” which was about how easy it is to steal elections with electronic voting machines, got published.
70. I only buy cars that allow the seats to go down into a bed, in case I’m ever homeless and have to live in my car.
71. I’ve never gotten a scrabble, using all my letters in one turn. (Update 3/2010: I’ve gotten about 8 Scrabble Bingo’s since writing this).
72. I found my first 4 leaf clover at a library book sale in a book for 25 cents.
73. I got my second 4 leaf clover from my brother Danny’s wallet after he died.
74. A flag was erected and a yearly memorial picnic was started in my brother Jimmy’s name at The Blue Hills Observatory in Milton, Massachusetts. Jimmy, who died in 2001, was a weather enthusiast who gave tours at the observatory.
75. My older sister once told me I was adopted. She typed up a paper saying that I was. I didn’t believe her._____100 Things About Me Part 4 is HERE.
August 10th, 2005 11:33 am
“I only buy cars that allow the seats to go down into a bed, in case I’m ever homeless and have to live in my car. ”
You’re losing it Colleen get some sleep.
August 10th, 2005 12:06 pm
Further explanation may be needed here. First,the main reason I want to know that the seats in a car can go down is because I sometimes have an urgent need to rest when I’m out and there’s nowhere else to lay down. Then, I saw a TV show once on women who had surprisingly become homeless. You couldn’t tell by looking at them that they were living out of their cars. Most said they wished they had bigger cars. The show effected me deeply, in that sometimes we can’t predict dramatic changes in our lives. Also, If you read #5 on the enneagram of pesonality types, you’ll better understand my tendencies towards survival themes and reducing things down to the most basic needs.
Even so, “I only buy cars…” was on the list partly in fun. The homeless part was in fun…needing a car that the seats can go down so I can rest isn’t.
As for “you’re losing it…” for those of you who don’t know, this is the line that my brother Jimmy used to say to me that was included in my book “The Jim and Dan Stories.” It actually went “You’re losing it, Colleen. Get some rest!” Jimmy and I often had opposing and strong opinions…but we didn’t let it get in the way of our love for each other.
I guess I’ll go get some rest now.
August 10th, 2005 2:05 pm
This is a great list and I’ve really enjoyed looking around your site! I’m here via Michele’s but I’ll be back again!
August 10th, 2005 2:23 pm
Wonderful list! Every time I read someone else’s I feel a bit compelled to write my own but I haven’t yet. Thanks for stopping by. I’ll be back!
August 10th, 2005 4:20 pm
your car buyig days are over now anyways since you now have your truck/camper turtle-mobile which you’ll soon be experienced at driving.
August 10th, 2005 5:55 pm
yeah, that’s the whole reason we got the camper…in case I’m ever homeless, I can live in it!
August 10th, 2005 5:56 pm
I wish I could find a 4-leaf clover…where are they hidden?? xoxo
August 10th, 2005 11:35 pm
I love your list. I think it is a great idea to be able to live in your car – just in case. Bravo to you.
And now I’m very curious about what your answering machine says.
Mine says, “I’m sorry that we missed you. But your call IS important to us, so please leave a message after the tone.” That is because for some reason a lot of people where I live here don’t leave a message, they just call every half hour on the hour until I am “home”. I know this cause sometimes I AM in fact home, and am not answering the phone on purpose cause I’m trying to get some work done.
I’m hesitant to change my message now cause one friend always plays around with the important theme “I’m glad my call is important… how important is my call on a scale of one to ten? … is this THE MOST IMPORTANT call of your day?”
August 11th, 2005 12:06 am
Hi Col, good list. I identified with most of it. # 52 – The drill team. Boy what fun we had! # 53 – I tried out for the squad too and cried for weeks because I didn’t make it. My best friend did! #54 – I feel I’m more at home in water too. # 55 – haven’t used a tarot deck since Dan died. #58 – I love being a recluse but I still wish we could have spent more time together when you were here. I don’t feel the need to regenerate when family visits. # 61 – algebra or the metric system…no! # 62 – never skipped church though. # 64 – “State Your Business” has always been my favorite but I could never say it like dad. # 71 – me either…but I love to play Scrabble. 72 & 73 – I’ve spent my life looking for 4 leaf clovers. # 74 – I miss you Jim. # 75 – I’m sorry for that one Colleen and I’m glad you didn’t believe me!
August 11th, 2005 1:40 am
Great list (and photo). Your Tarot is my Runes.
Yep on the car (I’m a #5, too). Congrats on the We’Moon award! And was the “live mannequin” a First Night thing?
August 11th, 2005 7:38 am
Our little sister was adopted and we brothers had all kinds of papers to prove it. But don’t feel bad. I once worked in an office building where I was separated by several floors from the rest of my team members. I was called “the abandoned child.”
August 11th, 2005 12:46 pm
Thanks to AKA Kathy, I added a detail to my dad’s answering machine command. And for Lisa, I’ve written 2 posts about my answering machine messages… http://looseleafnotes.com/archives/2005/05/three_wishes.html#comments and http://looseleafnotes.com/archives/2005/05/i_wish_cotton_w.html#comments
Elissa, the boutique in Boston where I played live mannequin isn’t there anymore. It was on Tremont Street in 1969!
August 11th, 2005 2:10 pm
That car thing makes perfect sense to me! Hence – my minivan, with no seats in it. I use it to haul wedding flowers, but I could just as easily put a mattress in it and have a great place to sleep!
I have missed you while my computer is in the hospital!
August 11th, 2005 9:32 pm
great post!
August 12th, 2005 5:15 pm
I social recluse that wanted to be a cheerleader? and was a major player on drill team? Very interesting…
December 14th, 2007 10:29 pm
70. I only buy cars that allow the seats to go down into a bed, in case I’m ever homeless and have to live in my car.
Just yesterday I was wondering whether the seats in the car I got from my son fold down or not. I haven’t tried it yet, but you’d better believe I’ll do it tomorrow … lol. Yes, I’m expecting to be living in the car just any day now.
December 14th, 2007 10:43 pm
I’ve gotten two Scrabble Bingos since I wrote this I might add!