Okay, probably more information than anybody wants to know, but.....................

1. I am very stubborn at times but I know when to give in gracefully too so I guess that is really persistence.

2. I can draw very well with pencil and finish off the product with chalks or oils fairly well]

3. I once won 3rd place in an art contest at my high school - my family was shocked.

4. I am a survivor of many things: childhood abuse, cancer (twice), endometrial dysplasia which led to a total hyst at the age of 34 - it runs in the family , divorce, many family deaths way too close together, and 9/11

5. I am the first person in my family to get a stroke.

6. I am the first person in my family in three generations "off the boat" from Greece to have gotten an MBA

7. When I first started College - under-grad - I wanted to be a social worker - or a social psychologist - I loved the study of people

8. I used to go to a mall on the weekends to just watch people and then try o capture small points in time portraits - this sideline actually allowed me to pay for my car,gas, and at least one good dinner

9. My sophomore year in college my Dad pulled me out and told mr that unless I changed my major, he would no longer foot the bill. So I changed to a business major with an art history minor.

10. I became so unhappy that I took the offer from my bio-mom to move up to Dayton, OH and continue my studies there.

11. I was born in Kettering, Ohio

12. I grew up in a little town north of Dayton until I was 12.

13.Then I changed custody from my bio-mom to my bio-Dad as the chance to escape the "hellish" home life that no one knew about - scary stuff for a 12 year old who'd already been abused in many ways since birth.

14. I don't have a hard time trusting people - hard to believe I know - my therapist says it's because I need to redefine where my borders are and just how far I want to let everyone in.

15. This place is the first time that I have felt safe enough to talk about anything that is going on with me.

I print off the particularly good ones with their comments and share them with my counselor.

16. I have lived in 48 out of 50 states - living defined as having a phone number there.

17. I stayed in one place until I was 12, then I moved once a year for the next 4 years - St.Louis, then Dayton, Ohio to Somerset, NJ, to Sacramento, CA, then back to NJ before landing in Oklahoma City, OK.

18. I graduated high school in OK.

19. I did the art club, science club, and physics club

20. I graduated in the top 10% with honors

21. Felt almost as confused then as I do now - no one had really prepared me for real life, nor really looked out for all the choices I could have had. Parents didn't know how to work the student LOan process so I got to go to Comm College instead of where I was accepted and had a partial scholarship - Oklahoma University.

22. I am sometimes very surprised by how bitter I still am when I speak of any of my parental units.

23. On the other hand, looking at them through the eyes of my abuse, I am more surprised that I can still talk to them.

24. I love both my brothers very much - but yes, I do have a favorite - Heath - you can read all about him in his own category here.

25. I used to be really good with computers - at one time I was a US IT Resource Manager for a very large accounting firm.

26. Before that I did maintenance on ATM machines and slot machines

27.As a\kid, I was a\tomboy - played baseball and football with the boys cause back then it was unheard of to have girl's team - yea, I'm old pre-Title9

28. gradually tapered off playing sports though because bruises could too easily been seen through the uniforms

29. I lived in the burbs but i grew up on farms in the summer - bio-mom would always find a relative to drop us with for two or three months - best place was my bio-dad's mom'n'dad - awesome

30. one summer got up at 4am every day to feed chickens/collect eggs/feed and milk cows/feed pigs/sheep

31. I used to be able to shear a sheep in 1 1/2 minutes flat.

32. I never get to attached to my animals now - never, ever name your pig or cow :blush:

33. After I moved from OK to Dayton, I tried to get excited about going back to school - I really did try

34. I ended up sitting in the AF recruiter's office and signed up

35. I loved the discipline and the order....stayed for 6 active, and 2 IRR and left as soon as i could when Desert Fox was over.

36. ETS'd from Wright-Patterson AFB

37. Promptly moved to Indianapolis with new husbands

38. Three years later we produced a gorgeous baby girl :big_grin:

39. We currently have a pretty mutt "Harry" the dog, and "Chi-Chi" the cat

40. Harry, my dog, is only 10 months old.

41. This is the first time I've had a dog and been able to take care of it like I want, ever. He sleeps with me.

42. I have hazel eyes that\show blue when I'm very upset. My daughter is the opposite, she had blue/green eyes that turn brown when she's upset.

43. I am red/green color-blind. I see most dark reds/oranges and pinks but the lighter ones usually tinge to greenish versions of themselves. I see all greens just fine. This condition is rare in women but it runs in my family every other generation to\ the first girl born it seems

44. I met my first husband through one of those very first on-line dating services!

45. We married when I was 20 and he was 27.

46. We divorced when I was 33 and he was 40.

47. After I divorced him, I went back to school to finish my BSc in Comp MIS , and then went on to get my MBA

48. I was offered an internship with PricewaterhouseCoopers before I even graduated, took it and ended up staying there for fie years.

49. I was once a mom to one and a step-mom to four and I loved it - loved being involved in their school stuff. Now that they are no longer with me I miss them very much.

50. I love watching football

51. I agree with Steve - I only watch baseball on tv if my team is playing/winning

52. I LOVE COLLEGE BASKETBALL - ESPECIALLY UK WILDCATS

53. I used to be a workaholic - not anymore - having issues dealing with stress

54. I think I am finally coming to the end of a bad five year cycle of karma for me

55. Beginning with my total hyst (no more babies!!! ) in 2000

56. leaving and divorcing my ex in 2001

57. experiencing 9/11 way too up close and personal

58. severing my relationship- at her prompting- with my bio-mom when she didn't approve of my ex-fiance - not being able to get past her spiteful words to try to make amends

59. Feb.14, 2002 - lost my favorite Grandmother (see 29 and 30)

60. July 2, 2002 lost my favorite human on the earth - my grandpa - again see 29 and 30

61 Oct 2002 - learned that I had cervical cancer, was treated and ent into remission

62 Feb 2003 - fiance of two year dumps and runs - stealing my bronco, taking all the cash out of the mutual accounts while leaving me with all the bills in my name - his credit was so bad, always had to do that

Took "my" kids and left one Friday afternoon - come t find out he had been planning this for months and had met someone else online - Oy

63 March 2003 brother Heath leaves for first tour in Iraq and leaves me as his contact person since we are both now peeved at our bio-mom

64 2004 -Heath comes back in November and will be around for six months before leaving again.

54. I settle into a manless life after a quick detour to stay at bio-dad's and step-mom's

55. I lose my comfy job that paid me way too much - right at the time that employers are no longer willing to match the large salaries of old.

55a.Heath leaves for second tour

56. I am set up on a date with my current husband two days before Christmas 2004

57. I start bankruptcy proceedings because I can't find a job, nor can I find enough free-lance work to pay the bills

58. Romance hits me over the head, plans move quickly during Feb 2004

59. I finally get to have the wedding of my dreams to the man of my dreams:D ...we eloped the first time

60. Daniel and I were married on October 29, 2005

61. Barely six months later I stroke out - he takes charge and things go fairly well.

62. I am a Girl Scout Troop Leader and have been for the past four years.

63. I am thinking about maybe getting teaching credentials and going back to work with kids,

64. It's been really hard to deal with everything all at once after the stroke because my guard is gone and so much has happened that I haven't dealt with yet

65. I feel guilty at dragging everyone along on my journey to self-stillness - I know this is supposed to focus on stroke, but stroke is becoming such a small part of my life now or feels that way sometimes.

66.Sometimes I feel like my stroke has really freed me to be who I have always wanted to be.

67.I would like to live somewhere around Orlando - not so touristy

68. I would also like to live in Georgia - Savannah is beautiful

69. Any time I get \the chance, I sleep on whatever beach I'm close to

70. I love the ocean - my fave Aunt loves lighthouses so much - her whole house and decor are filled with them.

71. I love to sit outside on the porch through a thunderstorm - I feel cleaner and calmer afterward

72.I prefer to work with men - they usually don't care about gossip stuff and leave you alone after they know you can do your job.

73. I am a loyal friend but not very consistent with communication at times

74. Most of them love me anyway.

75, My favorite color is yellow.

76. I am fairly handy around the house - can even use a drill correctly - not so much one handedly now though.

77. I can't paint worth two cents!

78. I really hate talking on the phone. Holdover from my corporate days when I was always on the phone.

79. My wedding ring used to be my father-in-law's wedding ring....

80. I love scented candles.

81. I am a practicing wiccan (no I'm not a witch - it's a spiritual path that does much healing with natural herb and such) Hope that doesn't scare anyone - if you have questions though, please ask - no, I don't cast spells.....Happy Halloween!

82. I love to garden and grow my own herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, dill)

83. I still love comic books.

84. My first dog was a German shepherd named Misty - she and I were six weeks old when we met.

85. I had to wear braces for three years!!!!

86. I am a great fan of Jimmie Johnson - NASCAR #48 Lowe's

87. I used to be able to play the piano and the violin.

88. I have a great fascination with royalty - yes, I was one of those who got up at that god-awful hour to see Prince Charles and Lady Di get married :head_hurts:

89. I have always dreamt of being a writer.

90. I used to sell Tupperware

91. My first job was in a movie theatre behind the concession stand - I still love the smell of that popcorn.

92. I used to be a very devout Greek Orthodox Christian, even had my wedding in a church last year to please my family but I have a somewhat dim view of churches nowadays.....

93. I am a great organizer - people are constantly amazed at how much stuff I can get into a given space without damage - friends call me when they are redecorating

94. I love cereal - cold and hot

95. breakfast is my favorite meal any time of day.

96. I love to cross-stitch but am having trouble getting back into it now.

97. If we went on a walk in a forest, I could still tell you which tree was which and which way is north - I can also tell you which mushrooms are edible.

98. I usually go deer-hunting every year - except this one, and we eat what I get - I can field dress them too.

99. I can make a great field stew out of a rabbit, or a squirrel, or fish. I love to fish too!

100. I really, really wish that more people knew about stroke and I wish I knew how to get that knowledge to them.