No, I’m not talking about the Oscars or The Golden Globes (which I always read as The Golden Girls, which is never a bad thing), I’m talking about blog awards.
I have been awarded the Versatile Blogger Award from two very dear friends I have had the good fortune to meet through blogging, Sherry Stanfa-Stanley, and Julia Munroe Martin, who bestowed this on me in May and in my pre-release haze I completely neglected to post my appreciation AND my 7 things you may not know about me!
So without further adoo–and with my warmest thanks to both of you ladies for thinking of me…
7 things you may not know (or want to know? Oh, too late!) about me:
1. I was a hockey goalie for our high school hockey team. It was all guys except for myself and another girl who was also a goalie–only she was actually really, really good.
2. I worked for several summers as a tour guide for the only remaining Shaker Village, at Sabbathday Lake, Maine.
3. I was on Romper Room. (Extra points if anyone actually remembers that show.)
4. I love, LOVE to drive.
5. Knives freak the heck out of me. I don’t know if I was a Thanksgiving turkey in a past life, but I always get the heebie-jeebies using knives in cooking. And I LOVE to cook! My husband, who as I’ve mentioned once or twice or a thousand times, is an amazing cook and values his collection of knives and can’t understand why I use a small serrated steak knife to cut a watermelon, for example.
6. Tanya Tucker and I have dated the same man. (Okay, so he was nine when I dated him, and by “dated” I mean he asked me out at recess, then called me that night to break up.)
7. I love stale Peeps.
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Okay, now fair’s fair…How about 1 little-known thing about all of you?
Wow, Erika! Loved learning all these unexpected things and getting a little peek at your secret life! I enjoy posts like this that reveal things about people that create immediate and personal connections. Very brave of you to take the challenge!
As for me, I always dig through all the weird facts of a life growing up in the rural south and think if I really started telling all my secrets, people would go running and screaming in the other direction! So, in hopes of playing it a little safe for the more squeamish, I’ll just give you a good laugh. I used to sing at weddings. (And now, let the karaoke jokes begin!)
Oh, girlie, we are going to have sooo much fun when we finally get to meet up. Fair warning to the karoake bars of whatever fair city we land in–I LOVE to sing and know the words to just about every song written between the years of 1955 to 1995 so bring it on!
Oh my… What fun to learn more about you! A goalie; I’d expect nothing less from a strong woman who doesn’t take “no” for an answer in her writing life. You worked at the last Shaker Village? Why hadn’t I met you when I was writing my first novel (lots of Shaker influence/mystery – key part of my story). Need to re-write it at some point and may need to pick your brain!
My brother-in-law is a stale Peeps kind-of-guy. I don’t get it, but you’re not alone
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Okay, now I’m fascinated by this story of yours. My memory might be a little rusty but you can always ask away, my dear. I really would love to know the gist of your story and how the Shaker piece came into it…
Love this! I also like to drive. When I was a teen I’d get in my little car and go go go.
Here’s a factoid: I used to work with Greg Maddux, the pitcher, at Sears when he was at UNLV. I was in the hardware department, he was down the aisle at the cash/wrap in women’s wear. He told my friend I was the prettiest girl in the store. (Not a high bar, believe me.) He said he liked my hair.
Greg Maddux !! … one of my heroes … i’ve been a Braves fans since they were in Boston .. 1953. how is that for a south mississippi boy?
THAT is a great factoid–you lucky lady.
And I’m loving how many of us like to drive. That glorious, promising, free feeling of hitting the road never NEVER ages–even if we do.
Thanks Erika! You’re so sweet to mention me… this is really incredible but I share TWO of your seven things about you! Yes, it’s true I love stale Peeps AND I love LOVE to drive. One little known fact about me? When I was four, I tried to steal my parents’ car and run away with my best friend Jimmy — we rolled down the driveway and into the street. See I told you I love to drive
Ha! Would you believe my childhood friend was named Jimmy too? (Okay, now we’re talking separated at birth stuff, Julia!!)
Peeps season is fast approaching too. Of course they’re so darn fresh you have to wait at least a month before eating
What a fun little vignette!!
… i love to start out with no destination in mind … spend the night where-ever i happen to be. ( especially in the SouthWest )
… i once ran a punt back ( in a football game ) 85 yards, only to have it called back ( penalty ) and placed on the seven-and-a-half yard line!
… i became responsible for a dairy farm before i was twelve years old.
… i can make really good biscuits.
… two of my grandchildren’s “other” grandmother lived through ( as a four year old ) the invasion and battles of Okinawa in early 1945.
… i write best to … Big Band/Swing
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Erika … thanks for throwing this out there!
( we have certainatly used up our quota, and more, of explaination points! )
Tom, those are fantastic. Of course, the biscuit one doesn’t surprise me. My mother (whose father was a Kentucky boy) makes perfect biscuits every time. It’s in the genes, isn’t it?
I’m imagining some incredible short story about you taking care of that dairy farm… Surely you’ve written those days down?
Oh dear lord, do you have a clip of you on Romper Room? I loved that show when I was little. How cool is this — you are a superstar in my book.
And yes, “dating” him counts, no matter how old you were.
I wish I could add something daring, but alas the mind goes blank ….
Teri, I wish I did. For a while there were some photos going around but I can’t for the life of me find them.
And thanks for making my nine-year old heart soar. I have wondered if he dumped Ms. Tucker the same way. Somehow I suspect she wiped the floor with him.
I thought you were cool because you published that fabulous book. But that’s nothing compared to your being on Romper Room. You’re a rock star!
Teri, before I go to Google, I’m looking to you, my fellow Romper! Do you remember the name of the lady who hosted it?
I don’t remember her, but I do remember the Magic Mirror. That was my favorite part.
Oh, the magic mirror! And what about Mr. Do-Bee!?
(I caved and I googled for her name and then was reminded that there were regional hostesses…lots of “Misses”)
How fun!
Well, of course I, being much older than you, remember Romper Room. And I’m always nervous using a knife … and a mandolin. The only Peeps I ever liked were Cocoa Bats, but I like stale marshmallows, and roasted ones … and frozen chocolate-covered marshmallow bunnies.
As much as I blab on my blog, I doubt there is a little-known fact about me.
Oh, Linda! Frozen chocolate-covered marshmallow bunnies??!! WHY am I only learning about this now? Where has my brain been for the past 41 Easters? As soon as Valentine’s is out of the way, I’m stocking up my freezer.
You were on Romper Room!!
Let’s see…I was on the local 11 o’clock news when I was 14. A camera crew had decided to film what was up at the emergency room, and I was there because I’d hit my head and had to get stitches. That’s right — I was 14, in 8th grade, and they showed a closeup of my head wound as the doctor sewed me up. It was really hard to return to school after that…
Yay, another Romper Room fan. Now if only I could remember the hostess’ name (Miss Kitty? Miss Katie? Hmm, might be time to google…)
Eeks—that head injury, Laura. Of course, I suspect you had some new male friends after that aired. The 14 yr old boys must have thought you were the coolest chick on the block!
I love these kinds of posts, Erika! It’s always nice to learn some random, fun things about the person behind the blog. I had to laugh when you mentioned the knives…you remind me a lot of my husband. For our wedding gift, we got these very expensive, very sharp knives, and the first thing I did was cut myself with one. You’d think I’d be traumatized by this, but it’s the other way around. Every time I use one he watches me and warns me to be careful
He’s more scared of them than I am.
What a great story, Natalia–I would absolutely think you’d be traumatized! Maybe you can give me some pointers on how to conquer my knife phobia!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Hmm, I am a State Champion Soccer Player. Seems like another lifetime now but I’ve got the trophy to prove it
Kelley, I love it. High five to you, lady! What position did you play? (I was a fullback…)
That you played hockey, let alone that you were a goalie, is the coolest thing ever. Believe it or not, when I was in college I was a hockey groupie.
MSB, you flatter me–but trust me when I say you would not have “groupied” for me–but I’m not going to lie to you: It was a BLAST getting all suited up with those guys–all that padding was really a trip. I wish I had a good action shot–just the group shot for the yearbook. But I’m in my gear! Hmm, I might have to dig that one up…
Thanks for sharing all these fascinating tidbits. I like the hockey goalie story the best.
Thanks, Christine–I’m still looking to dig up the yearbook pic…
Romper Room! I hoped every time she’d say she saw Lyra in the magic mirror, and nothing.
Let’s see…I pledged a sorority in college waiting until hell night to depledge. They wanted to prove they could break me. I proved they weren’t up for the challenge.
Lyra, they had no idea of the bullet they dodged not taking on the Karate Kid, lady. Let’s just leave it at that.
Oh, and another Romper Roomer–after I googled it to remember the hostess’ name I realized there are probably more of us out there! (And sorry she never said Lyra. If I’d known you then, I’d have called it out on my episode, list be damned–as the story goes I spent the whole time not being a Do-Bee…)
I love these little Erika morsels!
FYI – Fear of knives and sharp objects: aichmophobia. No chopping or dicing for you!
A fun fact about me:
Did I ever tell you that I played tennis with Neil Patrick Harris in Central Park? Me and NPH go way back.
A fun fact about Reggie:
He drools in his sleep.
You know what I love about your phobia line, Jackie? That as I read it, I imagined Lucy from the Charlie Brown Christmas special reciting all his possible phobias and it made me smile.
Now wait–NPH and you played tennis?! Oh, let me tell you—that is beyond cool in my book. In our college mod, we worshipped at the altar of Doogie Howser, MD. Forget How I Met Your Mother and his distinguished Broadway work–Doogie was nothing short of genius. We even had a poster that was often stolen off the wall and had to be retrieved. The man had cult status, even then–and you played tennis with him!!
Oh, Reggie. Yet another thing he and I have in common.
Lucy is one nervy broad, isn’t she?
My little story about me and NPH. The funniest part about it was that the women I was playing tennis were from other countries and didn’t have any idea who Doogie Howser was, so I got tagged.
http://jacquelincangro.wordpress.com/2011/04/04/the-results-april-fools-day-friday-five/
i was going to say i’m sorry for showing up so late here, but this comment thread has been almost as enjoyable as your post!
(how is that romper room fact not in your author bio paragraph?!!!)
Amy, my dear–you are so right on that…and it turns out our dear Sherry (see below) is ALSO an RR alum!
Ah Romper Room, bend and stretch and reach for the stars, first comes Jupiter then comes Mars. It was a simpler time when good doobie had an entirely different meaning. Where were you on Romper Room, Erika?
As my Facebook post today attests, I have very cherished memories of my time at Chosen Land, because of the people, Believers and world’s people alike.
Given the direction you are headed, you may wind up being my greatest brush with greatness, although I am more about goodness than fame, so Sr. Mildred is still the most memorable person I have known, the closest thing to a saint on earth.
I would have guessed Judd Nelson as the one degree of separation between you and Tanya Tucker. Did you have another pre-New Gloucester life I don’t know about?
Dave–I was on RR at four or five. And no it wasn’t in fact Mr. Nelson (though I can understand why you might have thought so) but was in fact a GNG connection. I’m sworn to secrecy. Of course, a quick google might remedy that
At the sake of repeating a note about Romper Room, can I add that I, too, appeared on the show? And I actually got to lead the parade one day? In fact, I marched them all right off the studio set… (Ironically, I just mentioned this today over at Betsy’s, before I read this post.)
The goalie thing has me in awe. Did you ever take a puck to the face? Do you still have all your teeth?
Sherry! My Romper Room sistah! That settles it–I want a reunion and I want it now (said in Veruca Salt voice).
I’m heading off to Betsy’s to read more on this. And I suspect you were a Do-Bee (even if you did lead them off the set). I, however, as the story goes, was a Don’t-Bee. I was too impatient and moved on to the next activity (off camera) too soon. Little has changed.
I just love learning these cool things about authors (and I’m STILL loving your book–just having a reading delay due to travel requirements). I would have never believed the goalie thing if I hadn’t heard it from your lips—I mean fingers.
I saw that you alluded to your WIP over at the Ball. I’m dying to learn more about it!
Ooh, I love reading little interesting tidbits about people. Stale Peeps?? LOL! Oh, and, just FYI, I also nominated the Versatile Blogger Award to you. So that’s three times, lady! Now you’re officially charmed.
http://makingbabygrand.com/2011/06/06/the-versatile-blogger-award/