3/15: tagged

Wonderful sunnysidey has tagged me for posting seven random things about myself, so here goes. (These are the first seven things I thought of beyond things which immediately came to mind but which someone reading this blog might have already picked up.)

1. When I was little (starting at about age four) I had a recurring dream in which I panicked at my own wedding.

2. I change the postcards on my bulletin board at home and at work each month so the postcards will match the colors in my wall-calendar for that month. Over the years, only two people at work have ever noticed that. One of them was a student who has since graduated; she sometimes sends me postcards now, which is incredibly sweet.

3. I like to take pictures, but I get very (very) nervous when other people watch me with my camera. My favorite photographic subjects are flowers, trees, clouds, gravestones, interesting signs, and architectural details. Today I took some pictures of a truck-load of old tires; I love photographing random things like that, but my desire to do so often comes into tension with my desire not to be watched while photographing. Today it took some careful maneuvering to be unseen around all those tires.... I don't like to photograph people much at all, but I did photograph a colleague at work who hates having her picture taken yet needed a good "head shot" for PR purposes. The Advancement/Development Office still uses one of the pictures I took of her, and that makes me feel good every time I see it on an official publication.

4. I got my ears pierced when I was in grade-school. (Sometime between second and fourth grade?) My sister and I got it done at the same time, and I remember that we used our "birthday money" from our grandparents to do it. I also remember the matching jumpers (made by our mother) we were wearing at the time: my sister's was purple, and mine was green. We were so excited, but in recent years I occasionally wish I hadn't done it. Wearing earrings is almost the only "cosmetic" thing about me: I don't put on make-up, do anything fancy to my hair, or paint my nails.

5. It's been almost eleven years since I last visited the little town where I grew up: Loretto, Pennsylvania. I have great affection for it (and for Pennsylvania in general), and I am so glad I grew up there. Loretto is a sort of magical place, but I somehow think that going back as a visitor rather than a resident would make me too sad.

6. I like to go the speed limit; I think it's a kind of game to follow the rule. Truth be told, I also like knowing that everyone passing me is breaking the law.

7. I once read a "desperately seeking" personal ad that I'm 99% sure was looking for me. (I didn't answer it.)

I'm supposed to tag seven people myself now, but--yikes--I don't think I know seven other bloggers well enough to tag them, so if you're reading this and would like to post seven items about yourself on your own blog, consider yourself tagged and then post a link here in the comments so I can meet you!