Tag - I'm it

Theresa, over at Red Oak Lane, 'tagged' me in a 'game' and I decided to play along.

The Rules:
1. Post these rules.
2. Post a photo of yourself and 11 random facts about you.
3. Answer the questions given to you in the tagger’s post.
4. Create 11 new questions and tag new people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog/twitter and let them know they have been tagged.

11 Random facts about me:

1. I have crazy taste in music - country, 80s dance mix, Michael Jackson, Eminem, Johnny Cash, movie soundtracks, folk. I like particular 'songs' more than I like a particular style.

2. I love to bake but don't love to cook.

3. I love daytrips - a lot.

4. I like cleaning my house.

5. I like tattoos.

6. I can talk to anyone, anywhere.

7. I lose stuff - a lot. Worst I have ever done - airline tickets left in a rest stop on the GSP and cashing an entire paycheck and throwing it in a trash can at Taco Bell. Got both airline tix and $$ back!

8. I hate watching sports on TV.

9. I wished for a baby boy with Down syndrome when I was 15.

10. I have attended the NY Renaissance Festival almost every year of my life that I can remember.

11. The fact that I am a married mom to four boys sometimes still freaks me out.

The Questions I was given:

1. Why did you start blogging?

I love reading other people's blogs and wanted to join in the fun. I have never been good about keeping a 'diary' or a journal, but blogging seems to be sticking. I like to tell stories about what goes on in my house and often someone would tell me, 'you should write this stuff down'. Now I do. I think my family is a little unique and interesting and I enjoy sharing that.

2. What is your best advice for a new blogger?

I am a new blogger! Do it for yourself. Write because you like it, are interested in developing a style of your own. Don't copy anyone else's blog.

3. Do you think something good can come from something bad?

It feels good to have enough life experience to know that it does. Unemployments that we thought were the end of the world turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to us. Challenges we have thought were unsurmountable became part of what made us who we are.

4. What is your biggest challenge?

Trying to discern what my challenges are versus my strenghts - they seem to end up intertwined!

5. If you had a day all to yourself, what would you do?

Hike, read, sit on a beach, not cook.

6. What is your favorite book?

Wow - I have to pick one? I think I'd have to pick The Mists of Avalon - Arthurian legend.

7. What are the 5 most important traits in a friend to you?

My friends are honest, smart, insightful, introspective and funny. Those must be important to me since they all seem to share those qualities.

8. Do you trust your first impression of someone?

I do, but I like to think I give people the benefit of the doubt.

9. Do you get energized from being around people or alone time?

People, people, people, parties, outings, family, friends - I might be an 'extreme' extrovert.

10. How does your life compare to the life you thought you would have when you were a kid?

I never thought about it. I just did the next thing. I never planned anything that I have now, but I also never missed anything, because it is just not how I think. I am not a long term planner - I think it has the capacity to breed disappointment. It's going to be what it's going to be.

11. Any future goals you would like to share?

I have interest in a nursing career and I'd like to spend some time on a sunny island someday and I'd like to own a motorcycle ;)

I am wondering if Sigal at The Mom and Dad Academy and

Kate at Homeschooling in the Garden State would like to play along. Please feel free to answer the same questions that I did.