Since I'm feeling a little tapped out in the blogging department today, having blogged about both my new book and my life as a writer so extensively that I am now fairly sure I'm one of the more boring people walking the earth, I thought I'd give an interactive blog a shot for today. Casababes, you up for it? We all talk so much (out of necessity, it's true) about the writing aspect of our lives that I sometimes feel the fun and fascinating women behind the curtain get a little obscured to people who don't shoot the breeze with us on a regular basis. So today, I thought it might be fun to each volunteer something our readers probably don't know about us, a fun and funky little known fact that is as much a part of who we are as the laptops we're so often attached to (my father recently suggested I just go ahead and get a lanyard for mine). I'll start, and then open the floor, otherwise known as the comments section, to the 'babes. And readers, please chime in! We've got a number of regulars around here who we'd love to get to know better: what are some little known facts about you?Since this is my day, I'll give not just one, but three little known facts about myself to get the ball rolling:
1. My oldest Pekingese doggie is named Fizgig, after the little guy in the picture up there. He's named after an obscure character in a Jim Henson movie called "The Dark Crystal" that, judging by the raised eyebrows I get when I tell people his name, a lot of people haven't seen. But regardless, there was a marked resemblance in Fizzy's youth. Honestly. Except for the extra row of teeth. And I probably don't need to mention that I am a total fantasy dork.
2. I sing. Often. And believe it or not, pretty damn well. I used to dream of Broadway, but there was a fundamental problem with that: I am an absolutely terrible actress. I did get "Most Musical" in my senior class yearbook superlatives, though. So that's something. Music, I have figured out, sustains me in a different way than writing does. I need both, but with writing, I have this drive to excel. Singing just makes me happy, plain and simple. Though I have every intention of inflicting my acting skills on an unsuspecting local theatre group at some point in the future.
3. I'm a total clutz. I'm always sporting at least two bruises of indeterminate origin, because I have a habit of bumping into things (rather hard) and then forgetting about it. For some reason, I can dance, but walking...eh, not so much.
So okay, there's three things you probably didn't know about me! There are plenty of other (and more embarrassing) ones, but these'll do:-) So okay, everyone out there, tell me something I don't know about you!
-Kendra
I can sing and play guitar, but I can't dance. I do remember seeing The Dark Crystal, but I don't remember Fizgig.
ReplyDeleteI'm fickle. I've had more crushes on more actors, singers, guys in the drugstore and in the cheese shop at the mall than you can shake a stick at. My earliest crush--that I can remember--was Darren McGavin in a show called Riverboat. But, I've been married to the same man for thirty years.
It's a mystery...
OMG Kendra, so funny, and we have more in common than we thought...
ReplyDelete1. In the 2.5 months my father lived with me recently, he noted my total obsession with my laptop on at least an hourly basis. :-)
2. My dog Consuela was named that because when I moved to Spain after we were first married I wanted a maid named Consuela like Suzanne Sugarbaker had on Designing Women--remember the song? Fee fi fo fanna danna Con-su-ela?
3. I LOVE to sing. We have a karaoke machine in the house and we're all a bunch of hams. We talk about forming a family garage band but we're at a stand off because they won't let me be the Stevie Nicks-like lead singer in flowing robes with a tambourine. I play a MEAN air tambourine. We're still in negotiations over the garage band.
4. I am a total and complete CLUTZ/disaster. Here's an example--last week we went to a water park in Orlando. I thought I was pretty dry so when we went to the rest room I used one of those paper liner thingies on the seat. Well, I was just wet enough that the freaking thing stuck to me like super glue--I mean SUPER GLUE. Took me twenty minutes to fight the sucker off and when I went out and told my friend the story, they picked the remaining pieces off of me as they laughed their asses off. Fabulous, huh? That could ONLY happen to me!
I find most sports teminally boring whether I'm watching or participating. I simply can't find it in me to CARE what happens to a ball. For most of my life, exercise and fun have been mutually exclusive.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I have at last found a sport I love: ballroom dance. (Today it's officially recognized as a sport as well as an art form.)
I only wish I had discovered it years ago.
These are great, you guys! I love this!
ReplyDeleteCheryl, Fizgig was Kyra's pet...he was demanding little thing:-) I think it's so cool that you can play the guitar. And Darren McGavin is AWESOME, he played the dad in A Christmas Story! My first crush was George Hamilton in Zorro: The Gay Blade. Don't ask me why, I was about five years old at the time!
Marie, LMAO at our similarities! I'm starting to hope there's a karaoke machine somewhere in the hotel this July! No idea why they won't let you be Stevie. So do you twirl while playing the air tambourine? I would. And then I would probably fall over something. Your paper liner story is awesome. I sympathize. I am stealth-toilet-paper-on-the-shoe girl.
MM, ballroom dancing is fabulous! I want to learn SO bad, but I'm going to have to look elsewhere for a partner, judging by the cringing my husband does every time I bring it up. LOL on the sports involving a ball. I can't play them, and am generally not interested in watching them either. I think most of those ballroom dancers are in better shape than the ballplayers, anyway!
What a great idea for a post... I wish I'd thought of it first... LOL.
ReplyDelete1 - I am totally a karaoke freak... I sing lots of different stuff, a lot of Dionne Warwick (Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote some beautiful songs!) but lately I've been singing Duffy songs - she's a cool new Welsh singer... great songs.
2 - I recently cut my hair short, tho' I've had it long for most of my life and I love it! Who knew I had curly hair??
3 - I can get lost in a mall. Honestly. And not the Mall of America... something much smaller. Really rotten sense of direction! Is that because I don't drive, and don't know how? Have never driven a car in my life, never even sat in the driver's seat and started one up?
That was fun... next?
I love The Dark Crystal!!
ReplyDeleteAnd Cheryl, I remember Riverboat. Watched the DVDs not all that long ago.
Hmmm....
I dated a train robber who worked at Knotts Berry Farm.
When I took singing lessons I sang the love song from Madame Butterfly in Italian.
At age 29 my best friend and I took ballet lessons in hopes my klutzy nature would leave.
Linda
LOL, Donna, the karaoke club is expanding! I can't find my way out of a wet paper bag either, so I hear you:-)
ReplyDeleteLinda, a train robber? Seriously?? I want to hear the story!
Hey, fun,
ReplyDeleteMy dog is a Maltese, called Teaser, its a joke, because malteasers are chocolate candies here in Canada and England.
I'm a dancer. I danced and performed up until about ten years ago.
I love needlework. I do all kinds of different forms, embroidery, needlepoint, smocking and I also shuttle tat. I make presents of my tatting. My house is littered with needlework pictures and cushions and stuff.
Cool to see what other people do. All these songbirds. Neat.
Kendra,
ReplyDeleteThe night we met was something else. My friend and I rode the train all evening until the park closed. We were so sick afterwards! It was my senior year in high school and Knotts Berry Farm was free to get in and a great place to meet guys. My friend was also pushing me out of my shyness.
Linda
Great post Kendra! ok here goes
ReplyDelete1--this isn't a surprise to most of you, but my mom is my best friend! She's a cool lady, the smartest person I know, and I love that we have a great balance between mother/daughter and friends...but she turns the mom hat on very quickly, and I appreciate that!
2--my cat, Bootsy (who hates me), is named after Bootsy Collins, the disco funk singer. When my mom brought him home as a kitten, we were thinking of names and my dad went in the basement, grabbed a record and brought it up and we played it all night. My brother and I are still obsessed with Bootsy Collins, even after 11 years.
3--When I was a senior in college, I won TWO English department awards that represented opposite ends of the English Major: Creative Writing Student of the Year and Literary Studies Student of the Year. Yeah, I was "that" student.
4--I can play the piano. Very poorly, but I can play.
5--I have 2 tattoos!
Kendra,
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun post.
Love the stories.
All you singing ladies. Cheryl is looking for some female singers for "Fugitive" Can you see yourselves as Alien Orange Toads?
I was Melvin Mustang my High School Mascot. My costume was so hot. It was Green & White.
I really could shake my Tail.
Hi Michele! That's so amazing that you were a dancer. I've always envied people who can express themselves that way! Maltese are adorable. And you must have tons of patience, what with the needlework. I've tried, but all that happens are knots and swear words:-) How cool that you can do all that!
ReplyDeleteLinda, LOVE it that you made yourself ill (literally!) for the love of a man dressed like an outlaw. I probably would too!
Danielle, LOL at your evil cat! I only have one tattoo, but I really want one more. We'll see. What are yours of?
Donna, you'll have to share a pic of you in full Melvin garb sometime...and I'm not sure I can envision myself as an alien orange toad, but I can try:-)
What a FUN post, Kendra!
ReplyDeleteYES! I remember Fizgig in the Dark Chrystal! My son loved that movie. Wasn't Oogra the one-eyed creature in that movie? S/he was my son's favorite.
OOOO! Michele, can you teach me to tat? PRETTY PLEASE?!?!? I always wanted to learn and never knew anybody who knew how. Reading instruction books just gave me a big knotted mess.
1. I like needlework too, but I mostly knit and crochet. Knitting is one of only two things I can do right-handed (the other is cut with scissors). I crochet (and do most everything else) left-handed. My favorite things to make are scarves and baby afghans (all in one piece).
2. My dog Shelby the Yorkie Unholy Terrier is named for Carel Shelby the creator of the Cobra racing car.
3. Yes, I am a BIG FAN of auto racing! I've been to dirt and asphalt tracks all over the country and have attended both the Indy 500 and the Daytona 500. If you want to actually see the race, watch the Indy on TV, but NOTHING beats the Daytona IN PERSON!
AC
whom you will probably pay NOT to sing ;-)
Two Danielle?! I'm getting Horace on my other ankle.
ReplyDeleteLinda
This is a great post idea! Like Donna I wish I had thought of it!! Maybe we should make it a quarterly topic - "Secrets" like on Conan O'Brien. :)
ReplyDeleteI would love to comment on everyone's comment but I would be here all day. Great stuff ladies!
1. I am terrified of bugs and spiders. I am positive that my death will be the result of a massive heart attack when a spider lands on my head. Yet, oddly, I LOVE reptiles! Favorite part of the zoo is the reptile house.
2. My cat is named Belgarath. He is a snotty Himalayan who knows he is gorgeous and named after the awesomest wizard of all after Gandalf: Belgarath the Sorcerer from David Edding's fantasy series. We call him Brat-garath - affectionately, of course. :)
3. Until recently I haven't possessed a single creative bone - ever. Logic and rationality are my forte. I did best in science and math, getting straight A's all the way through to calculus. I even won the Math Award in high school!
4. But - I barely passed PE! Not exactly clutzy, but just a despiser of the whole competition thing. I don't mind watching select sports on TV, but I have no desire to participate!
Thanks Kendra! This was fun.
What a fun post. Clutz seems to be a recurring theme. Is it a qualification for writing?
ReplyDeleteI'm not listing three things. I'm not sure you know anything about me except that I keep listening in on your blog, and you're so very kind to let me.
But my son plays guitar.
I love learning all this stuff about you all!
ReplyDeleteCindy, yes, she was the funky witch with the eye that popped out. SHE was your son's favorite? LOL...well, she did have a heart of gold. My sister and I used to do the simpery skeksi's voice at one another, that weird "MMMmmm" thing:-) I never knew you were a racing fan! A guy I graduated high school with is the crew chief for...Kenseth, is it? Something like that. Out of Charlotte.
Sharon, I haven't even read those books, but that is seriously one of the coolest cat names ever! Himalayans are beautiful. My Bruno is a purebred Siberian and he saunters around like he knows his pedigree too. What is it with cats? I swear they know when they were expensive. I'm still amazed that you never knew you were creative!
Sheila, we all love that you hang out here:-) And you're right, we do seem to be a bunch of clutzes...with the notable exception of our dancer, Michele! But you can definitely tell there's a big creative streak here, what with the music and dancing and knitting and christening pets with funky names.
I fired a tank and blew up a wrecked vehicle.
ReplyDeleteI've been stung numerous times by scorpions, never by choice.
I've swum with sharks and lived to tell about it. :) I always thought my life was boring. :) My dad had all the real adventures.