10 Random Things About Me

The newest, coolest kid on the block of challenges is 10 Random Things which was conceived by @twodorks and I was nominated by @bluefinstudios to participate!

1️⃣  I like mountains. I was born in a very flat area and saw my first mountains when I was 6–7 years old. We moved near mountains when I was 8, and I've had the mountains in my blood ever since. For 49 years of my life, I have been surrounded by mountains and love it! I enjoy seeing them, I enjoy driving through them, and hiked them when I was younger. 🗻

Most of my life has been spent in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North and South Carolina, which are part of the greater Applachian Mountain Range in the eastern US. I have also lived in the Cumberland Mountain region, which stretches through northeastern Tennessee and southwestern Virginia. I have also traveled through the Black Mountains of North Carolina, as well as the San Gabriel Mountains near Los Angeles, and the Diablo Mountains near San Francisco. I've seen the Rocky Mountains from the air, at 30,000 feet above, as well as the Ozark Mountains. But I am happiest when I am near the Blue Ridge or Cumberland mountains, which feels like "home" to me. 😊


2️⃣  I spent a solid nine years of my life taking care of my elderly parents and their affairs. During that time, my own life was on "hold" because everything had to revolve around them and their needs. I had to quit my job and move in with them to do it because intense, daily care was needed to manage the many health issues and other challenges they were facing. My mother passed first, a couple of years ago, and my father last year. One day, I will probably write a post about it and go into more detail. 😷


3️⃣  As is the case with many older people, I have cataracts forming which cause sensitivity to light and glare. That is why I prefer "Night Mode" on sites that offer it. So, I put on sunglasses when leaving the house and often don't take them off until I return home. Even bright lights inside stores and restaurants often bothers me. So, if we ever meet in-person, don't be surprised if I keep my shades on. 😎


4️⃣  I think in pictures. Most of my thoughts come to me as pictures and abstract images. Sometimes it takes me a little more time than some people to express myself because I have to convert the images in my head into words before I can convey them. I can learn things by rote (i.e., by memorizing them), but memories are retained easier if I can record them as images in my mind. ✴️


5️⃣  I like music, and almost all kinds of it! In my profile on music sites, I often write: "My personal music collection ranges from Beethoven to Bananarama, from Black Sabbath to Bob Marley, from BT to Blondie, from Blink-182 to BoCephus, literally. I like variety." My favorite genres are Deep House, Jazz, Blues, New Age, Ambient, Ragas/Sacred music of India, and downbeats/drum-n-bass (DnB). My musical collection, though, also has some classical, light rock, hard rock, metal, folk, reggae, ska, country, Americana/roots, Trance, Techno, Tech House, Punk, Pop, Gothic Rock, Trap, HipHop, and many other genres. 🎵

 6️⃣  I like colors. I've often said that pink is my favorite color, but I actually adore all colors! The soothing vibes of aqua, the cheerfulness of burnt orange, the deliciousness of mustard yellow, the sacredness of sage green, all work to make the world a delightful place. One of my favorite books as a very young child was "The Color Kittens," by Margaret Wise Brown, which told the story of a pair of kittens who painted the world with color. Blue and red made purple! Blue and yellow made green! Red and yellow made orange! It was fascinating, and I love endlessly playing with the "Color Picker" tool in my PaintShopPro™ image editing software! 🎨


7️⃣  I like almost all food, but seafood is one of my very favorites. Saltwater fish, freshwater fish, scallops, shrimp, langostino, lobster, clams, oysters, chowder (both New England and Manhattan) — it's all good to me, especially if there are hushpuppies to go with! 😋

There aren't many foods I won't eat, and I am probably one of the most agreeable dining companions you'll ever meet. I enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine as well as Tex-Mex, and like Italian, German, Cuban /Carribean, Greek, Indian, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, and American fare. I've yet to find a fruit, vegetable, or bread that I do not like. I don't eat offal except for the occasional chicken liver, but I haven't sampled a regular meat that I don't like — including buffalo, ostrich, and alligator tail. I like most cheeses, except for the more pungent, stinky ones such as Port Salut and Limburger. I enjoy experimenting with recipes, and have discovered some great twists, such as occasionally adding a bit of dill to potato salad, and oregano in omelettes is fabulous! 😁


8️⃣  As a child, I was always interested in science and the natural world, reading about astronomy, geology, chemistry, and any other topic that crossed my path. I pursued Drafting & Design Technology in college where I studied physics, metallurgy, kinematics, dynamics, applied trigonometry and calculus, and other pre-engineering courses. After earning my degree, I worked as a draftsperson for several years. Then I moved to the I.T. department, went back to school at the local University to study Computer Science, and worked in I.T. for 30+ years. My duties went from being a computer technician to technical writer, trainer, programmer/analyst, and system administrator. I have worked on microcomputers, minicomputers, and mainframes that filled a climate-controlled data center room. I worked in middle management at an advertising agency, too, and have done some web design in addition to assisting with creative campaigns there. ⚗️ 🔬 🌎

 9️⃣  I have always liked cute shoes — especially heels! — and have waaaaay too many of them. My husband used to ask me why I needed so many different pairs, but each is unique in some way and better for some situations/outfits than others. Of course, having worked in offices most of my life precipitated a need to expand my collection and feed my addiction. 😁

Oddly I love flip-flops, too, but I am very particular about the ones I buy. I don't like the cheap ones made from foam, but prefer them made from rubber or polyurethane for comfortable all-day wear, durability, and easier cleaning. I also buy the ones that have molded arch-support in them. When I am not in heels, I am usually in flip-flops.

A few years ago, I developed arthritis in one of my ankles. Sometimes it doesn't hurt at all, but sometimes it feels like a sprained ankle (but it isn't, it's just arthritis). Oddly, wearing heels helps on the days when there is pain, believe it or not. I think it's because the heels shift the stress away from the ankle and puts my weight more towards the balls of my feet. 👠


🔟  I have always been fascinated by watches, especially if they have features or designs that are out of the ordinary. As a child, I always liked looking at my father's pocket watch and the little second-hand that was in its own little dial down at the "6" position of the main watch face, and how it moved independently of the larger hands. In my younger years, I wore traditional, ladies' dress watches, but they're harder for me to read since my eyes are declining rapidly in my aging years. Now, I prefer larger watches, and have several men's watches that I love. They're fashionably large, much easier to read, and have useful tools like timers which are great for cooking in the kitchen, alarms to remind me of podcasts, and so forth. One of my Casio® watches shows the Moon's phase, and provides sunrise & sunset times — cool stuff! ⌚️

  😊 I am supposed to nominate three people to continue the challenge,
so here goes:
🌼 @beautifulbullies 🌼 @jaynie 🌼 @staceyjean 🌼  

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