GTKY!
Ricola
member
I think it would be nice to get to know the remaining ladies on this board a bit better. Should we do a GTKY?
Tell us 3 things about you!
Here are mine:
1. I was a smoker from age 15 until 27. I smoked about a pack a day, sometimes more. I quit cold turkey when I started dating DH, because he didn't want to kiss a smoker, and never looked back.
2. I won a reading competition in 4th grade and also beat my then BFF in the finale of a school wide ping pong competition. That was a great year for me and I was so proud of my accomplishments.
3. DH and I wrote a book together and it became a bestseller in Germany. It's a satirical book in which we poke fun at America and Americans.
He wrote another book first, making fun of Germans, and it became a bestseller in Germany as well.
Re: GTKY!
FUN! Before I start, how awesome that you guys wrote a book! VERY cool.
1. I surf. I started when I was about 19 (I'm 35 now) and although I haven't surfed since my pregnancy, I am still a surfer at heart. I have surfed in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Tortola, Hawaii and Barbados.
2. I have 3 adopted younger brothers. They are 4, 6 and 12.
3. Speaking of books, in middle school, we read Friends Till The End. I was furious at the ending and looked the author up in the phone book (the actual paper phone book). He lived in Manhattan. His wife answered, and I asked for him. For some reason, she put him on, and long story short, I told him my 2 cents and he wound up doing a visit to my class!! It was in the newspaper. I can't BELIEVE I had the balls to do that.
1. I secretly wish I could quit my corporate job and go back to working as a barista at Starbucks. I LOVED that college job.
2. My favorite hobbies are going to professional sporting events, hockey and baseball mostly, and visiting new cities in the US for quick long weekend trips. We haven't done this DS has been born but love discovering a town over a few days.
3. I studied abroad in Ireland in college and have Irish heritage. I used to be pretty obsessed with "being Irish" until I realized how ridiculous I looked being like 4 generations removed from when family came to the States. I think genealogy will be an interest for me in retirement though.
1. I am 100% South Korean - my mother and father moved to America in the 1950's to escape a war-torn country. I feel saddened by how much prejudice I still see here. I grew up in Kansas and moved to Minnesota with my then fiance for a job opportunity he had. We recently moved back to Kansas after having LO and getting married to be closer to family.
2. I am a foodie! I love all things having to do with food. If I could be chef that would be my dream job.
3. I ask silly questions ALOT! So, thank you to all my fellow bumpies for helping me through my first pregnancy and LO - I feel so close to quite a few of you, it is cherished to me!
Let's see...
1. I am a classical musician. I have a degree in music and I have played the violin for 24 years. I played with the local philharmonic until LO was born.
2. I am very athletic, but I wasn't when I was a teen/college kid. I started doing triathlon and got hooked. A few seasons ago I was in the top 5 of my age group consistently, and even won first place once. I also won first place in a high altitude long-distance race two years ago.
3. I am a total history buff, and know a lot about my home state. I can't get enough of it!
I just read a bunch of books about the war between North Korea and South Korea. What a heartbreaking situation. I am sorry you are met with prejudice. People can be very small-minded.
I played the organ at my church in 6th grade. I hated it, but my mom made me. And I was too scared of the nun to try to quit. I eventually did and now I regret it. I wish I could at least still play the piano.
I almost got married right out of high school. Boyfriend went to the navy after graduation and we got engaged after boot camp. We broke up and cut ties over a misunderstanding and a lack of communication on both our parts. We were very immature about the whole thing. It still bugs me sometimes, even though I love DH dearly and can't imagine life without him.
I really love what I do. I miss my son, but I love teaching and I spend as much time with him as I can during his awake hours. When I got up there this week and started doing my thing, I realized how much I missed it. I love those kids too. All 150 of them!
* I have 4 older siblings and one of them has multiple grandchildren. Thus, we have a very big family but due to a horrible SIL family get togethers are pretty small.
* I love to read and sew but hardly have the time since DD was born and I returned to work. I feel guilty for not being with her when I am home so I basically quit every hobby I had. And sometimes resent DH for not doing the same.
* I have had the same 2 best friends since middle school. They are practically sisters to me. One of them had a baby last year as well and both of our husbands have the same name. Now the third member of our trio feels felt out and like she is behind not having a DH or kids.
I. I am an ICU nurse and work in a transplant and neuro ICU. I am very passionate about my job but would probably give it up in a second to start my own event-planning business (if someone else financed it).
2. I love the show Sons of Anarchy on FX. I am totally not into motorcycles (actually rode one once and hated every minute of it), not usually a big fan of violent tv shows or movies, but for some reason I can't get enough of that show. The season premier is in a couple of weeks and I am pumped.
3. I took flying lessons when I was a preteen/teenager. I loved to fly but chose getting a car over continuing the lessons. My DH got me an hour long flight instruction gift once while we were dating. I realized that I had become a chicken when I let it expire a year later. I apparently had no fears when I was much younger.
1 - My first job was for an amusement park - I got to do all sorts of crazy things like dress up as characters, hang out with celebrities (either on their way up or down), attend after hours parties when the park was closed, all sorts of fun memories. It was my first job when I was 15, and I worked in the same group, with the same people all the way up to the summer after junior year in college because I needed to get an internship in my field.
2 - I had lunch with Warren Buffet. I have a photo with him and my roommate kissed him on the cheek.
3 - I moved every year for 8 straight years, until H and I bought our house. We have been in our house for over two years, and I never want to move again.
That is so cool! He must have been really impressed by your determination to find him!
I really love to discover new cities, too. one of Dh and my dreams is it to retire for a year in about 5 years and take an RV trip through the US to see everything while we are still healthy and able to walk/hike.
Me, too! I just wish I had more time to try out new recipes. These days I just throw DS into DH's arms when he comes from work and cook something that doesn't take a whole lot of time. Or I make something in the crockpot. :-/
How cool is that! Do you miss playing with the philharmonic a lot? Do you plan on starting again at some point? I played the guitar for 7 years, but quit when my teacher died suddenly. :-(
Holy cow! That would have been a very different life than the one you have now, I bet. My longest relationship before DH was 8 months, so I can't know how it must feel. I bet I would bug me sometimes, too.
2 I always wanted to get scuba certified. MH got certified when he was 12. I wowhenever jealous when he would go diving but I would never sign up for a class or read the books because I was scared. After 6 years he signed me up for a scuba class and told me last minute. I was so mad at him. He ended up taking the classes with me so I wouldn't be by myself. I love diving now although I haven't been in two years.
3 I broke my foot the day after my senior prom. When I went to school that Monday everyone just assumed that I broke it from dancing or something cool. In actuality I broke it when taking off my shoe at home. Yah. Had to walk across the graduation stage with a big ol neon yellow cast.
IVF #1: 4-11-11= Transferred 1 beautiful blastocyst I named "Nugget"
5 Snowbabies! Beta#1 4/21= BFP! 226; Beta#2 4/25= 944
DS born 12/14/11
Baby #2 FET Nov/Dec 2013
12/13 Beta#1=BFP 349; 12/16 Beta#2=1,089. First ultrasound 12/26. DS#2 born 8/8/14
~~PAIF/SAIF Always Welcome~~
1. I met and fell in love with my husband when I was 12 years old. He was 11 at the time. We met on-line in some random chat room. The funny thing is if my daughter comes to me when she's 12 talking about some boy she met on-line, I might be a little more than freaked out.
2. I've never done anything worse than getting drunk. No cigarettes, pot, or any other kind of drugs. Ever. Not bashing anyone or thinking I'm better than anyone or anything. Previous posts just made me think of it.
3. I dream to be a professional organizer. I'd love to just clean people's houses and make their lives easier and tidier. Dunno if it'll ever happen though. There's a little girl in my life now that has stolen my heart and all of my time.
Fastest year of my life.
2. I want to be a kardashian. Lol i think they " look" like they have such fun live. I could have photo shoots and public appearances as my job in a second.
3. I love my mom more then i can say. She is amazing and my bff. I have several friends that i do things with but mostly my mom. She made a few mistakes not as a mom but she is AMAZING. We are going to go on a trip a year together as soon as DS can be without me or me without him rather. Travel is the thing that makes me happiest. Besides the dh and ds they are great also.
3.5 I love 4 wheeling and a few beers it the thing i miss most from our pre baby days. We are getting a new 4 seater rzr soon and it costs more then my car and i can't wait! !!
I don't think any of these are overly interesting, but...
I used to bellydance as a hobby complete with finger cymbals and sparkly costumes. I was 8 weeks pg the last time I was on stage. I miss it but I'd rather spend the time with T.
I won the presidential award for physical fitness in middle school.
I can trace my ancestry back to Jamestown on my dad's side.
My nanny was a professional organizer in a past career. She will randomly organize drawers, cabinets, my pantry, etc and I love it! I would love to have someone come in and do my entire house, I feel like I can never keep on top of it.
So awesome! Congrats on quitting!
I'm jealous of her! I'd love to do it and maybe when we're all done with having babies and those babies are in school, I'll look into persuing it.
Fastest year of my life.
1. In the time I've been teaching, I have taught every grade preK-12 except for 7th. I have no desire to teach 7th grade. It takes a very special person to teach middle school. After teaching 6th and 8th grades, I know I'm not a MS teacher.
2. My DH keeps crazy detailed records of our finances. Because of this, he can look up and tell me what we did on every one of our first 3 months of dating... (After 3 months, we quit "going out" for each date and just started hanging out more...our first date was a blind date, and it was during his busy tax season, so the hanging out part came a bit later...)
3. I "met" the king and queen of Spain a few summers ago. Okay, maybe not "met" them...they were attending an event and I just happened be there and in the front row as they walked by. Security there is not as tight as it is here... Anyway, the guy behind me kept yelling to the king asking how he was feeling (he had had some heart problems), the king turned to tell him he was feeling well, right after that I quickly asked for "a photo", he smiled and gave a thumbs up.
(It wasn't a photo I took, but a video...)
I've moved 23 times in my 29 years. Military brat + renter = a very close relationship with cardboard boxes and uhauls.
I met my husband when I was 16 (started dating one week after I turned 18). He's 9 years older than me (you can imagine my mom's reaction....she loves him now!)
DH and I lived in a tent and worked in a remoted wilderness lodge in Alaska for an entire summer two years ago (sort of last adventure before having a family)
I like this. Let's see
1. I am from a big family. I have 4 sisters and 4 brothers. My parents were foster parents to over 200 children while I was growing up. I have lots of Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. I also love it! we are all close and I have learned that family is all that really matters in life. My parents would have been married 45 years this year but my dad passed away suddenly two years ago. They were the best example of what a marriage should be and I looked for a man like my dad to marry.
2. I found what I was looking for when I met my DH! He is amazing and would do anything for me. He was a smoker from the age of 15 and when we started dating when he was 32, he quit cold turkey for me.
3. I am very much a home body. I always wanted to be a mom and a wife and had no real desire to go to college to do anything else. I did go to college (a few times!)
but never graduated. Being a mom and a wife is very much how I define myself.
wow, some of these are so interesting!!!
here are mine:
1) i hate tv and we don't even have a tv. most shows don't interest me...at all. HOWEVER, i looooooove the bachelor/bachelorette. it is my guilty pleasure and i read all the gossip sites, follow their twitters, and basically read everything out there related to the winners.
2) it's always been my dream to be a dual professor couple at the same university. my DH is a professor and i will be teaching my first class at his university this semester. i'm hoping they hire me after i get finish my phd.
3) i was featured in the new york times for winning a very competitive fellowship. i didn't think it was a big deal but that day my husband came home with 7 copies of the newspaper to save.
I really enjoyed reading through everyone's responses!
1. I grew up in the Marshall islands on a small island called Kwajalein ( I think this experience instilled a love of travel in me) the island was so small there were no cars, we all rode our bikes. My fondest childhood memories is being 6 or 7 and riding my bike to the beach and swimming with my friends.
2. I love history and reading. I would love to go back to school and pursue my phd in history. Scotland actually has a pretty good program at one of the local colleges...
3. Along with social anxiety, I'm terrified of flying..lit makes living overseas quite interesting at times! Already I'm getting anxious about our flight back to Scotland on Monday, but I can't wait to see my puppy again!
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sibling love
1) I've mentioned this on here before, but I was born on the Fiji Islands. The interesting part is that at the annual hibiscus festival which is a big deal, I won the grand prize for baby of the year. I was 3 months old. My mom has the original newspaper clipping.
2) I didn't want children until we went on a mission trip to India. I came home wanting to start a family. My daughter is named after the city we went to in India.
3) It bothers me that I don't have any hobbies. I love to shop and I love to sleep, unfortunately I don't think either of those are hobbies and I haven't been able to do a lot of shopping or sleeping since DD arrived.
So cool! I am also a geography nut, so now I am studying about your island home.
The entire time I was growing up, I planned to be a professional singer. Then when it came time to pick a career, I decided to be a lawyer. Then when I saw how many hours lawyers put in, I decided to be a paralegal, so I went to college & completed my education to do that... and instead became an executive assistant because they make just as much (or more) money and it's less stress. As far as singing goes, I now sing karaoke in bars (although not since DS has been born).
The irony about me singing in karaoke bars is that I don't smoke and, in fact, I have never tasted alcohol. So I'm the only sober one there. haha
I never thought I wanted kids until I married my DH.
My Blog
1. When I was 16 my parents sat me down and offered me pot so that I could try it with them rather than unsafe random pot.
2. I was 30lbs heavier in my late teens/early 20s.
3. My favourite novel is Anna Karenina.
I was also a pack a day smoker from 15 to 26. I thought I would always be a smoker. One day in April 2007, a feeling came over me to quit. Very strange. But I went with it. I knew the only way I could possibly do it would be quitting cold turkey, so the next day, I gave it a shot. I haven't touched a cigarette since. I found out in June 2007 that I was 6 weeks pregnant and we weren't even trying. Obviously, someone else was in charge!
I was homecoming queen and prom queen my senior year in high school. So crazy! I never considered myself popular in high school. I wasn't part of any cliques and wasn't really involved in extra curricular activities. All I know is, I was nice to everyone, no matter what. And people were always nice to me. I guess that is the part that really matters.
Today is my parents 33rd anniversary. I couldn't ask for better parents. They have always been so loving to one another and to me and my sister as well. They also make wonderful grandparents. I'm pretty sure my four year old dd loves them more than she does me and dh. I consider us all extremely lucky!
2. I never really loved school and wasn't good at it. I went to university because my mom wanted me, so I studied was I liked and was done with it.. I never really pursued in a career and I am now a SAHM and loving life.
3. I used to take figure skating lessons as a kid and loved it.. My biggest regret was quitting because I was too chicken to do a double axel, fall and break something.
3 is me too.
BFP #2 - MC Aug 2012 - D&C w/ complications
1. My husband is the only guy I've ever dated/been with. I met him when I was 17. I am also the only girl he's been with.
2. I went to school to be a teacher and taught for 7 years before LO. Maybe I would feel differently if I lived and taught somewhere else, but if I could do it again, I would have chosen a different major.
3. I've never seen it snow. I saw snow on a car once but never saw it fall from the sky.
We're considering an Orlando trip in early to mid December as a sort of first bday trip for DS. BUT it's so expensive. Any tips on hotel or theme park deals?We've got free flights so we're covered there.
1. I spent 3 months living in a castle in Hungary as a short term missionary. I mowed the lawn & weeded the castle gardens lol
2. I used to manage a petting zoo and during the off season, ALL the small animals came to live at my house. My basement was full of rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, mice, hamsters, gerbils, turtles, snakes, degus, etc. It was a lot of fun but very very time consuming. I'm kinda glad we are done with that lol.
3. I hate the color pink with every fiber of my being. I can't stand pink. If this baby is girl(which I have a feeling it is), I don't want a single piece of pink clothing in my house.
I have never seen it actually snow either! I saw snow on the ground, once, but that is it!
1. I am a certified scuba diver. I have been diving in MN, WI, FL, Hawaii and Mexico. However haven't been diving in3 years because of having kids.
2. DH is 11 years older than me & was married for 16 years. I have a 22 year old stepson.
3. I lived in Mexico for a quarter in college. It was awesome, but honestly I can barely speak the language now. We travel to Mexico once a year ( we got married there) a d I'm awful at speaking Spanish. Another one is that when I retire I want a house in Mexico!
I feel so boring compared to you ladies!
1. I've been riding my own motorcycle since I've been about 20. I took a motorcycle class with 5 other girls so we wouldn't feel so dumb being the only girls who didn't know how to ride. I rode one of my brother's bikes for a couple years, then bought my first and second bikes from my husband, who used to work at a bike dealer. We're trying to sell mine now since I haven't drove it in over a year. I feel bad because it's just one thing that I really prided myself in, which is vain I know, but it made me feel cool!
2. I did chores for a family that lived out of town a couple miles, and I had to milk a goat by hand.
3. My mom and sisters are my best friends. My dad is 1 of 14 and my mom is 1 of 7 so family is important. I always told myself I didn't want to be friendless like my mom, but it's kinda looking that way and I seriously don't care. I talk to my big sister almost every day, she's my bestie
1. If I could go back and choose another career I would be a dentist or a CRNA.
2.I still have random dreams about my ex-boyfriend (I dated him for 5 years) and it weirds me out. I totally lost interest in him and was the one who ended it. I guess he was a part of my life for so long that he still pops up in my head subconsciously...
3.I have had half of my colon removed due to a malignant tumor in my appendix when I was 21.