Friday Fun: What’s Surprising About You?

>Most people think I'm something of a knuckledragger (engineering teacher, welder, former security contractor, has more Pit Bulls than most people have socks)…

But I have a deep and abiding love for Flemish painting of the 15th and 16th centuries, and have produced a number of videos on that topic.

And I have seen all of Kenneth Brannagh's Shakespearean movies many, many times.

And I like chick flicks.

Thank you…hold the applause…and now I shall return to my cave to grunt and scratch for awhile.

>I've got no sense of smell, so I research how things smell for my writing more often than anything else. It's funny because I often get told it's the thing I describe best! I guess it's because I have to think about it the most

>I can speak Spanish pretty well, and when I visited Spain this past summer, I got a huge kick out of surprising all the locals when I was able to talk with them rather than wave my hands around and gargle awkwardly like my cousins.

Also, I'm 19. But that's obvious.

>I taught myself to sail on a Styrofoam boat I won in a contest I entered 292 times.

>I adore classical music.
I play pretty good bass guitar in a church band but think most contempary Christian music is complete drivel.
I do software architecture by day.
I wrote an online novel starting as a fictional blog diary, and am considering publishing it.
I don't do change well.

>Most, apart from my husband, don't know that I am an IRL racing fan. I know all the race car drivers and jump up and down like a crazed fan when I watch races.

>You and I have a lot in common, Rachelle.

Something about me?

As a tween, I was addicted to the Sweet Valley High series.

As an adult, I'm addicted to peanut butter.

When the movie Titanic was released, I splurged and went to see it in the theater three times…and cried every time. Not at the end, though. At the part where the violinist does a solo and they show a clip of the Irish woman in the bunk with her children, soothing their fears and all the while knowing they will die soon…yep, here come the tears again. *grabs tissue*

Okay, I was going to put more, but my mind went blank after that last one. Guess that'll have to be good enough.

>And I just posted one of those "seven things about you" bits the other day, too. It's not hard to find things people don't know about you when you've only been blogging for two months, but here're three, just for fun:

1. Tattoos. One so far, three pending.

2. I sometimes play Stokowski's orchestral transcription of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor at full volume in the car, then air conduct. People look at me funny when they pass me.

3. I have no fear of heights, as my day job involves climbing on roofs and (occasionally) 500' tall industrial chimneys.

There ya go. Me in a pistachio shell (that's all that would fit).

>Surprising Krista things:

I met a guy in an Internet chatroom when I was 17… married him when I was 18… had my first baby at 19. It is our running joke that I helped increase the teen pregnancy rate.

*sniff* That little girl is NINE today. Blah BLAH! How do they get so old?!?

Um… I am addicted to the bachelor/bachelorette. I know I shouldn't… but it's my splurge.

I have a love affair with anything chocolate with caramel.

Okay, I know there is more, but it's too early in the morning to think of anything!

>The biggest shock to those around me would probably be that I am a writer. Everyone knows that I love to tell stories, in fact my boss specifically invited me to lunch to be a "buffer" between two awkward co-workers because, as he said, "You can talk and keep everyone laughing."

But, I doubt any of them would realize I actually put the words on paper and, because I prefer to write mysteries, most of it isn't funny!

>I absolutely love Anne of Green Gables – the book and the first two movies. I cry every single time I read the book or watch the movie, oh, and I laugh out loud too.

In the first week I owned the movie Mamma Mia I watched it every single day, and did the sing-along twice. No, I can't sing, but my cat thinks I can, so what else matters?

I love, love, love to cook. I love to take a basic recipe and Scottify it into something amazing. Okay, every now and then one of my experiments is not so amazing. But I haven't put anyone in the hospital yet from my cooking experiments. Yet.

I love hotdogs on the grill, almost charred to perfection.

I . . .

Well, as much as I share on my blog, there's still a lot I keep to myself. The rest I'll spill on Oprah once she announces my book is the next Oprah Book Club selection. : )

S

>Like Yamille, I speak five languages…Java, Javascript, C++, C#, and VB .NET. As far as I know I don't speak them in my sleep.

Most folks at work are surprised to hear I write fiction…most folks who meet me are surprised to hear I write code.

>It's interesting to read all the little tidbits that people have to make them stand out in a crowd.

As for me, I'm a computer programmer by trade and I play World of Warcraft in my spare time. That's right, I'm a gamer girl. Who writes fan fiction for a lot of her WoW characters. I even went so far as to tear a few of them out of WoW and put them into my own world because I was so attached to them. After all, I can't publish fan fiction!

>Most of my acquaintences are unaware that I lack the sense of smell. Never had one. Even though my family and close friends know about my malady, they still stick things under my nose and ask me to take a whiff. I just smile and say … "Smells like chicken."

>I watch The Sound of Music every time it's on TV (same with Legally Blonde)

My favorite 2 hours a week is singing in my women's choir

I'm a vegetarian, but can't give up eating hamburgers in diners or Chicken Tikka Masala in Indian restaurants

I write a blog devoted just to frogs (really)

>Secret agent—Nice!

My kind of post. Fun to learn more about you, Rachelle.

Here are a few of mine:

I’m proud to admit I can croak like a frog. My sister tried for hours to emulate the frog noise and almost foamed at the mouth in her desperate attempt to be so cool.

I get really excited about a competitive game of Charades.

I recently learned I’m a pacing soccer mom. I used to laugh at how my dad would pace at my sister’s games and now look at me!

And for another soccer related secret…I used to fake hyperventilating during soccer games in elementary school. Healthy, I know.

I can be alone and feel 100% comfortable laughing.

Few things embarrass me.

I’m not scared of bugs.

Jody, our Samoyed eats baby wipes. Rachelle, I’d like a Washington apple martini tonight. Yum.
~ Wendy

>Reminds me of the ice-breaker game we've done in Sunday schools, supper clubs, etc. You tell 2 truths and 1 lie about yourself. Everybody has to guess the lie. 'Course in a venue like this, there aren't enough presupositions for me to set anybody up. But try the game sometime. It's even better if you've been around the other folks for a couple of years.

>Secret agent. Awesome.

Things that might surprise people about me:

1) I'm obsessed with college football, and never miss an Alabama game.

2) I run three miles a day. (It's always a bummer when I mention this and folks respond with "really?")

3) I love Oprah.

4) Since childhood, I've hated carbonated beverages.

>Hmm… Something about me no one knows…. I used to detail cars and LOVED it. It's a pretty random job for someone like me.

Have a great weekend!

>Hey! I keep a list of books I've read too. I think mine goes back to 1997, but I also think I've forgotten to add some recently. Better get on that today . . .

My little surprise that even my friends don't know is that I like to listen to French music when I'm working around the house. Something about it just makes me happy, even though I have no idea what they're saying.

>It surprises – no, SHOCKS my friends that I follow the UFC. Cosely.

And that I like cigars.

And that I used to ditch class in high school most of the time.

Ha, that makes me sound like a rebel of some sort. I'm not! I'm super girly and a researcher, I love Medieval History and lip gloss, I have six kids….ok, that usually shocks strangers. I know they think I'm making it up.

>These are fun to read.

Andrew, that was a fun contrast.
GAG, Angie. ; )
Shelly, I like that French music idea. That's something I would do.

>I was in a mall resturaunt seated by a window. A pretty young lady walked past. She was very trim, except for her sexy bottom, that I found myself staring at until she disappeared. Ten minutes later, here she came…going the other way. Wiggle, wiggle, WIGGLE she went. I HAD to take action: I got up and went out, and CAUSED us to meet. I said, "HI, you're pretty!" In two months I married Roxanne.

Just prior to meeting Roxie that day, she had changed her life, and went forward at church to recieve Christ. Immediately, she prayed to God to send her a Christian to marry. We've been together 35 years now. She knows that every day I have one thing on my mind: loving God and obeying Him. She is a most wonderful wife, helping me faithfully to serve our wonderful God.

>Hmm…

Well, my husband was my first boyfriend–never had any relationship experience before him. So, I don't have the "dreaded ex" like many people do.

I'm terrified of the water. Can't swim; have no desire to learn (the mandatory swimming class in high school couldn't end fast enough!).

I dreamed of being an archeologist–and still do, in some ways.

I crochet occassionally, although I only know a couple of patterns/stitches.

I have a weakness for good anime and manga…as well as spending hours on YouTube watching and/or making animated music videos

>Great post!

I recently came forward with my own secret information in my latest blog post. Two things that might suprise people:

1. I roomed with a stripper during my last year of high school.

2. I train dogs professionally, competing at advanced levels in obedience and agility. I have also trained protection and narcotic dogs for the police and millitary.

>I'm a distant relative of Evel Knievel.

>My claim to fame is having stayed in the room Hemingway rented while writing The Sun Also Rises. It's in an old Spanish castle outside of Pamplona and happens to be the family property of dear friends.

>I cannot believe people in your community don't know you're an agent!

When my husband goes out of town for business I eat onion rings every day he's gone. He hates the smell of onions so I don't eat them when he's here because I love him. But when he's gone I load up. DO NOT TELL ANYONE WHAT I SAID. My blog followers don't know this either, they probably think I'm neat and picky and would never stuff down onion rings 3 days in a row.

>Christina – WE WON'T TELL ANYONE HERE ON THIS INTERNET THINGY!

I am no surprise to those who know me best because they know I'm a walking paradox:

I like action flicks AND Jane Austen flicks.

I play bass guitar and bake cinnamon rolls.

I like Classical and Classic Rock (they are more closely related than you might think)

I ride a rumbling v-twin but I fear carrying a doggy-bag out of a restaurant.

I’m artsy AND anal.

I’m an ex-stoner/hippie who’s a lot more right wing than you might think.

I’m a cool, hardheaded, logic-minded NON-girlie girl but also a closet romantic

I forget a lot of important things but I never forget phone numbers or driving directions.

I can’t figure out football, but I can navigate cross coutnry without a GPS.

I love the smell of freesia. And I always thought the lyrics to "Blinded by the Light" that say "revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night" were saying something else entirely.

Rachelle, I’m going to write a song about you, Secret Agent girl.

>What a fun post!

Lessee…I think snakes and bugs and things like that are COOL. I used to be the bug killer in my girls' dorm in college. Everyone else RAN!

>I loved this topic.

I guess my thing is that I competed in international championship trapshooting (NOT skeet) and own (and have flown with) my custom 12-gauge shotgun made by the finest gunmakers in the world, the (Italian) Perazzis. It has both singles and doubles interchangeable barrels.

My coach is( and was) a world class champion who trained even snipers. My husband was third in the world one day in the championship singles handicap.

>I'm absolutely obsessed with natural health and have been studying how the body works for years. I love mild exercise (yoga, etc), sunshine, and cod liver oil. This is not really a surprise, but my other obsession is Enlightenment history and literature. Another really strange one (not in my opinion) is my love for accordion music in all its forms, especially Mexican and Texan accordionistas.

Wow, that felt really good to tell the world. The hero in my book is an accordion player, and the heroine is the owner of a health food shop, not surprisingly!

>I also appreciate your secret agentness, Rachelle.

I once worked as a hardware salesman.
and a bank teller.
and at a construction site.
and at McDonalds…for one month.

I love classical music.
and hip hop.

I had a mohawk once
for one day.
Then I shaved my head cueball smooth.

I've been to every continent save two: South America (I have been to Mexico though) and Antarctica.

I like Reddiwhip straight from the can.

I've read Moby-Dick in its entirety. Took me three years.

>Great post! So much fun — I loved reading everyone's responses.

Here we go:

1) I'm a lefty. As a child in catholic school (only kindergarten and first grade) the nuns tried with all their might to turn me into a righty, but I was having none of it.

So, people notice with interest when I write with my left, but do a serious doubletake (like when signing papers for our house) to see that my husband is a lefty, too.

Considering that leftys make up less than 3% of the population, I did a doubletake, also, when I first met my husband.

He's only the second lefty I've known in my life. The first was my best friend at age seven — pure coincidence, also.

2) (While we're on the subject of hands): My husband likes to tease me about my supposed "writer's hands", calloused from the physical labor I do for the horses on our ranch. Being a writer, I'm supposed to have soft hands, right?

3) I sing to the dogs. I sing them to sleep at night, making up new words to old tunes, but also, each dog has their own song with their own name in it.

4)I'm at the end of Query Road! I start agent revisions on my YA novel, Brave New Girl, next week.

What excites me most about it? I plan for a portion of the book proceeds to go toward saving the Pryor Mountain Mustang herd in Montana.

You can read about these wild horses, here:

http://emilymurdoch.wordpress.com/2009/10/15/blm-round-up-of-iconic-pryor-mountain-mustangs/

5) Which brings us to, I'm extremely passionate about saving America's wild horse herds — as passionate as I am about writing.

>I've always wanted to be a professional figure skater. Often as I listen to music, I'll imagine myself as this amazing skater moving to the rhythm of the music, making incredible jumps with perfect landings, simply gliding across the ice.

I don't have the body for it, never have, never will. And I've never set foot on the ice. I'm afraid I'll make a fool of myself, and then all those daydreams will be gone forever.

>I have a rose tattoo. I love to eat noquis, asado, and dulce de leche. And sometimes I snore.

Fun post!

>The amazing thing to me about this article is how many diverse things you manage to stay involved in, Rachelle. I was already impressed at your daily blog, which must take time from your agenting hours. You DO still sleep, don't you?

Surprising things about me? Well, twice I've jumped out of perfectly good airplanes (in flight) just for the fun of it. With a parachute, of course. I've also visited Russia and Ukraine over 30 times, with additional trips to Argentina, Ireland, Germany, Holland, Turkey (I'm there right now) and other locales. Oh, and I'm a member of the 44th Bomb Group Veterans Association.

>Here's two most people don't know about me:

1. I used to be a paid model. I'm a few weeks away from turning forty-five and I look every bit my age: gravity, neglect, hips spreading over the chair as I write endlessly. I will never tell someone to their face that I was a model in Santa Barbara for ten years; I simply don't want to see their expressions of disbelief as they look closer.

2. I wear hearing aids. They are in-the-ear and hidden. I don't advertise it but don't exactly hide it either. I've needed them all my life and finally got a pair in my twenties. Besides the obvious, one of the effects was gained confidence and self-esteem. The bad effects was I stopped reading books for awhile to go to the movies and watch TV–something I never did before because I couldn't hear.
I'm back to reading. I hate TV.

>I'm not sure anything on your list was too surprising except the book journal. Wow!! I've never heard of someone doing that. It sounds pretty cool.

I'm not sure there's anything surprising about me. I think I already told everyone in the blogosphere that I eat some form of chocolate everyday, and that I read pretty much everyday. I'm addicted to those two things.
Not sure there's anything else surprising… well, sometimes my hubby likes to give people a shocker by telling them that rap/hip hop is my favorite kind of music. It's only surprising if you know me in person though.

Interesting stuff! I loved reading all of these answers. Many of the commenters have done and know some amazing, unique things.

>Hi, finding this site is a blessing.

Since I do not think I am that interesting, I mean I am interesting but I have to stop and think
What might be interesting about me?

Let’s see, I am ambidextrous, I can write with my left or right hand, I actually perfected this in grade four so I could use my left hand in case I broke my right wrist or arm. And, therefore, I would not miss time away from school. I write with either hand. What was I thinking? ‘Smiling'

I was born in Copenhagen. I visited Canada and the States as a kid. I wanted to return and I did.
I do count in Danish and I think in Danish. I have lost my Danish accent though!

After approaching several banks, I obtained a business loan. The chocolate shop was born. I catered to the corporate; I did extremely well with the marketing and the promotions. The business was a success.
The niche’ was, Imported Belgian chocolates. Other chocolate shops did use Belgian chocolate and Canadian ingredients. I offered something unique… IMPORTED Belgian chocolates.

I am honest when I say that I did not gain weight. Not one single ounce and I devoured the chocolates. I did eat more than a dozen chocolates every day for three years. I only ate the Dark Chocolates.

When my husband was transferred to another province, I sold the business. I miss it, It was a very interesting and wonderful experience. However, there were stressful times as well.

I love oil painting and sketching.

and, I prefer to write my name in all lower case letters.

It is interesting to ask "what is there about you that is interesting?"

It caused me to stop in my tracks and think. "hey randi, what is there about you that is interesting?" laugh!1!

I do know what IS of interest to me…this site! And, I will be spending a great deal of time browsing through every topic and link…it is fantastic.

I have very, very recently started my own blog, it is still a baby blog, smiling!

It is more like a journal of sorts. Writing and rambling is what it is. A little of this and a little of that, whatever comes to mind I write about. And, mostly it is about me.

My passion is writing and I am currently writing a fiction-fantasy novel.

Thank you for allowing me to share.
Huggz,
randi

>I'm a Brit.

>What's suprising about me? So many things! First of all, I married a monk and am writing a book about it! Next, my living room has become a place where amazing things happen…where people of all different backgrounds, beliefs, traditions and nationalities come together. I feel truly blessed! Rather than try to control this wheel of life, I'm letting it take me where I need to go and it's an amazing process. Peace to you and all you do, Kathy

>At 11 I won the American national spelling bee for Christian schools.

At 14 I stood in line for three hours to meet Michael Crawford, the original Phantom of the Opera.

At age 16 I worked as a chiropractic therapist. I had no qualifications.

At 19 I moved to Scotland and have been there ever since. And at 23 I married the lawyer who helped me get my work permit.

I once wrote a murder mystery script based on the 6th-century court of the Byzantine emperor Justinian. Because there aren't any on the market, surprisingly.

I have been to Istanbul a few times and can speak some Turkish.

>Lori I think that sounds like a great story opener! Talk about curious.

Despite my affinity for romance, I really don't like my husband to bring me flowers under any circumstance, and I hate jewelry. My wedding ring is all I wear.

Other than that, my brother was shocked to learn that I like to listen to Survivor and Van Halen while I run. Gets the blood pumping!

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