Too much information?

[Photo of another old guild project; this one I've always liked and it hangs in our bedroom -- it didn't go over well at the guild, though.]

The lovely Linda has tagged me -- 8 facts/habits about me.

1. I honestly did NOT know until yesterday that the Queen Mum and Princess Margaret died within a few weeks of each other back in 2002. Had no idea, and I feel really bad about that. I didn't know they had died. The only thing I can think is that it was very close to Dean's 4th birthday so I must have been just totally preoccupied. I think it's tragic (1) that Margaret died at only 71 and that (2) she died before her mother. So tragic for the Queen Mum to have lost her daughter.

2. I really dislike talking on the telephone and will do whatever I can to avoid it. I suspect it is because I have a hard time without the face-to-face social cues and because my mom could (and did) talk for hours on the phone when I was growing up -- it drove me crazy.

3. I have never officially passed a driver's license test. When I was in high school in Chicago, it as a requirement for graduation that you take driver's education and pass your written driver's test. Did that. At the time, my parents were divorced and my mom did not have a car. My brother Tony took me for a practice drive ONCE in his standard VW bug, but it was my first try driving standard and he made me get out of the car after going less than one block. So in typical Chicago fashion, my mom had a friend who had a friend who was the chief at one of the license testing facilities. He (mom's friend) took me to see her (the chief) -- I had the paperwork in my hands to take the driving portion of the test (renown for its difficulty). We all had a very pleasant chat -- no mention was ever made of the test -- and as we got up to leave the chief took my paperwork, signed it, and that was that. I kept my license up by renewing (no test required because of my impeccably clean record [easy to maintain when you are not ever actually driving]) and when I moved to Massachusetts, I automatically got a license here because the two states reciprocate in acknowledging each other's licenses without retesting. I did not actually start doing any driving until I was in my 30s. Not to worry -- I'm a very good driver with, now, a decent number of miles under my belt -- but I've never really officially gotten my license the way everyone else does.

3. I like anchovies. I do not currently know anyone else who likes anchovy pizza, so I haven't had one in ages. No place seems to put anchovies on their Caesar's Salads anymore, which bums me out completely.

4. I can write upside down and backwards. That is to say, with my own self sitting completely upright and normally, I can face a piece of paper and write so that it all comes out upside down and backwards -- you'd need to take it and hold it up in front of a mirror to read it. I don't get to make much use of this talent.

5. When I have a bad dream, I can stop it, "rewind" the story, and re-work it until it comes out the way I want it to -- all while still asleep.

6. I once saw Woody Allen in a toy store in NYC (before 'the fall'), Harvey Keitel on a NYC street, Lee Iaococca, Mel Torme, Joe DiMaggio, and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen at airports (not together -- well, Mary-Kate and Ashley were together), Robert Parish at a mall (I asked for and got his autograph), and was on airplanes with Harold Ramis and Ben (or was it Jerry?) of ice cream fame (before they sold out). Oh, and I was also on an airplane from Chicago to Luxembourg with the royal family of Belgium (this was not fun -- their taking over all of first class meant that the flight was delayed, and they stayed up and partied all night).

7. I tend to dress for work in uniforms. That is, I basically just wear slight variations on the same theme every day. Khaki pants and a plain long or short sleeve top, unless it's summer and then it's khaki shorts and a short sleeve top. With socks that match the color (usually) of the top. I blame the 9 years of Catholic school uniform-wearing on this.

8. I don't balance my checkbook -- not the way you are supposed to, anyway. I have never bounced a check, though, and am very grateful for online banking's ability to let you check your balance at any time.

Now let's see, I tag Mary, Felicia, Fifi, Helen, Prairie Mouse, Beverly, Pink Lemonade, and Donna. I respect anyone's decision not to play along....