Five Things You May Not Know About Me

Even though I am a WAY OPEN person, and sometimes I open things up too much and let things spill that really should be kept inside, I'm sure there are some things that you may not know about me. I also tend to write about things that are happening right now, and don't look back at the past because sometimes that sucks and it's better to keep looking forward. But sometimes, it great to look back. To remember good times and bad and to reflect on who we are today, because of those times we've lived (gosh that was gooshy). I've been tagged to do this meme which contains 5 things you don't know about me.

1. Since Dennis tagged me, and most of you don't know Dennis this is easily my #1. I met him in my "Raving" days, I laugh when I think of that because I'm such the straight laced, control freaky type that DO NOT go to raves (anymore). I was totally too old to be going to raves, but my new man, Eric, who is now my fiance, was shocked (along with many other co-workers), that I had never been to a rave let alone a club. Eric had found a really great bunch of super creative, open minded people with great big hearts to hang out with and Dennis was among this group. I am envious of Dennis' life as he takes awesome pictures which I drool over, he is a founder of his own company, he gets to work from home and therefore since he is his boss, he gets to take time off in the middle of the week to go do stuff like this (well he didn't DO that, but he went to watch and take wonderful pictures). He's also very involved in the San Francisco culture, travels a ton and participates in life to it's fullest. I'm honored to be tagged by Dennis, because he's still one of the cool kids that I like to look up to.
2. I've been engaged 3 times, and this time it's STICKING. The first time I was in high school, and few people should get seriously engaged in high school. I suppose we thought we were serious, but no dates were ever set, just a lot of dreaming... and then I grew up, woke up and moved on. Sadly this means I missed out on a lot of high school life. The second time was fast and painful. The day was all planned out, and deposits were made, and then a house was purchased. We moved in together and then I realized that this is not someone I could live with. I was not ready to live a life of compromise. Perhaps now I am more ready, but come on! We could never go to out to eat without a scene because he hated cooked vegetables, and heaven forbid any food items touch each other. Oh and he didn't like any sort of sauce...so there goes Chinese food, soups, stews... you get why I had to leave? He also was very particular about the way household chores were done. I'm a control freak already, and I learned that two control freaks shouldn't live together. We were broken up in less then a year (yes, that means we got engaged after only a few months of dating). He got the house and the dog, and I got an apartment and the cats. And I learned a ton about myself and life lessons that were hard learned, but have made me the much more loving and compassionate person that I am today. And you know what? compromise isn't all that bad.
   
3. I LOVE to cook and bake. Ok, most of you have probably figured that out about me already. But I don't just love it, I need to do it. This is how I express my love (so you can see why the second engagement didn't work out so well). I got this gift (or sometimes curse) from my father, and let me tell you how thrilled he was when Eric and I came over the other evening, with empty bellies. He served us up a breakfast for dinner, and his fried eggs and ham are the best!
4. I don't know if I've mentioned this one before, because sometimes I don't like to go there because sometimes people take it like I'm saying I'm better then they are, but after my experience, I fully know that this experience does not in any way trump life experience, handed down stories and lessons, and just plain ol' hard work and experimentation. I went to culinary school after the dot.com boom. I was laid off from my software job and did some sole searching which landed me with student loan debt until 2017. I figured that I didn't have a mortgage or kids, and didn't ever want to think "If only I had gone to culinary school...", so I went. I loved it. I sucked everything out of it I could. I worked for my chefs in their personal catering businesses, I did some catering of my own, and worked for 2 large catering companies in the area. I also continued to work at a resort hotel restaurant for 2 years, even though that software company that had laid me off, asked me to come back a few months after I had started school. At some point, I decided to buy a house and suddenly $11.50/hour at 3-4 jobs wasn't cutting it and I went back to high tech full time. I love having weekends, nights and holidays off that much! My shoe size also went up a whole size from standing all day and night, and my upper back issues went away, but the lower back troubles took it's place. Now the feet are still bigger, but my lower back is better and the upper back pain is back in full force.
   
5. I once went on a train trip across the US from CA to DC. I was 7 years old (I think), and my mom took my brother and I to a National Choristers Guild Conference in our nation's capital. My mom was a minister of music (they didn't ordain women back in the day), so I grew up in chior. My mom got really lucky, as there was another family travelling from CA to IL, that had 2 boys who were both mine and my brother's age. We tore up that train, annoyed many passengers and had a blast! The conference in DC wasn't half bad either. After choir practice, there were organized day trips for the kids and the teens (separate of course, as what teenager wants to hang out with his 7 year old sister when he was big and cool at 11). My mom gave us each $20 each day for food and souvenirs. I didn't eat much each day, as I managed to purchase a stuffed animal at each location...except at the US Mint, where I bought a 24K gold necklace for $18. A possible sign I was starting to grow up already.

Wooo Weee! that was longer then I expected.
So the next part of this meme, is that I'm to tag 5 people, but please feel free to run with it if you so feel the urge. And with that I am tagging: -Starshine, Ginger, LaLuna, PyKorry, and J.