Versatility and more... that's me :) And Megan from WatchMeGoRun spotted it from across the room and has tagged me with that killer award...
The rules of this meme (for those of you who are unfamiliar or have forgotten) is that I am to share 7 random things about myself and then tag 15 more bloggers with this thing so that they can share 7 random things about themselves. This makes for a lot of random sharing...the dilemma for me is always how far or how random to take it.
This time I'm not going entirely random. I've made selections that exemplify my versatility :)
Let's start...
Numero Uno... way back when the dinosaurs ruled the earth and I was rowing (it is a lie that humans and dinosaurs didn't exist at the same time... they did... I was there),
it was customary to row on either the starboard OR the port side (meaning your oar stuck out of the boat on your left or your right)
OR to scull (meaning you had a smaller oar in each hand).
I did it all. Major versatility points.
Number Two... another prehistoric versatility tidbit from The Land Before Time and also rowing-related: Not only did I row three ways, but I rowed as both a lightweight (under 130 lbs) and open. Additionally, I coxed (steered the boat and yelled at the rowers, generally in a very motivational and engaging manner). And I won or medaled at some US national championships between 1986 and 1992 in each category. You might think I'd have gotten a little respect. But no... read on.
#3... despite my seeming-prowess as a rower, if you were to ask anyone from my rowing days about me, me being awesome as a rower is not the first thing that would pop into his or her mind. They would be more inclined to remember me as being a total pain in the a** with a loud, foul mouth who was just too small to amount to anything and couldn't understand why I beat my head against the rowing brick wall for so long. And then they might tell the legend of the legendary grapefruits whose perfection was the stuff of legend...
Numéro Quatre... by the end of my sophomore year in college, I had 27 add/drop sheets on file. Versatility... or indecision?
Cinco!... When I sing any tune, it is entirely UNrecognizable. However, when I was 35, I was in a play and had to sing a solo. I didn't know this when I auditioned and still didn't know it until about 4 weeks into the rehearsal process...at which point I kind of freaked out. For every one of the 8 performances, every time I stood up and opened my mouth, I was completely and utterly terrified that it would be horrible. It never was. In fact, it was good! In fact, my whole family was totally amazed because they all know how lame a singer I am. But as soon as the play was over... lame singer once again :(
Sei... I love to drive. I can drive a car with a manual transmission... and right- or left-hand drive... and even on the wrong side of the road (or the right side, if you're in one of those countries who do that). I can drive a big truck...not like an 18-wheeler, though I would love to try that... as well as a 'regular' car. I would love to go to the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving...or something like it.
Lucky Number Seven... I've had awards like this bestowed upon me before, and you can see 7 more random things in each of those posts by clicking here, here, here and here :) And to prove that I am good at math I will tell you that's 28 more random things. I like sharing!
I'm giving the 15 tags to new Taking It On followers... I need to know more about you people! Are you weird? Are you normal? Are you boring? Are you psychotic? Do you know how to make toast? Do you swear like a trucker or are you judicious with your language? Why do you do what you do?
Thanks, girl :)
In case you didn't know, Megan and I were the two Leg 12 runners on the Nuun Hood to Coast Relay teams... we bonded :)
This time I'm not going entirely random. I've made selections that exemplify my versatility :)
Let's start...
Numero Uno... way back when the dinosaurs ruled the earth and I was rowing (it is a lie that humans and dinosaurs didn't exist at the same time... they did... I was there),
See? Proof.
OR to scull (meaning you had a smaller oar in each hand).
I did it all. Major versatility points.
Number Two... another prehistoric versatility tidbit from The Land Before Time and also rowing-related: Not only did I row three ways, but I rowed as both a lightweight (under 130 lbs) and open. Additionally, I coxed (steered the boat and yelled at the rowers, generally in a very motivational and engaging manner). And I won or medaled at some US national championships between 1986 and 1992 in each category. You might think I'd have gotten a little respect. But no... read on.
#3... despite my seeming-prowess as a rower, if you were to ask anyone from my rowing days about me, me being awesome as a rower is not the first thing that would pop into his or her mind. They would be more inclined to remember me as being a total pain in the a** with a loud, foul mouth who was just too small to amount to anything and couldn't understand why I beat my head against the rowing brick wall for so long. And then they might tell the legend of the legendary grapefruits whose perfection was the stuff of legend...
Just ask MissZippy :P
Numéro Quatre... by the end of my sophomore year in college, I had 27 add/drop sheets on file. Versatility... or indecision?
Cinco!... When I sing any tune, it is entirely UNrecognizable. However, when I was 35, I was in a play and had to sing a solo. I didn't know this when I auditioned and still didn't know it until about 4 weeks into the rehearsal process...at which point I kind of freaked out. For every one of the 8 performances, every time I stood up and opened my mouth, I was completely and utterly terrified that it would be horrible. It never was. In fact, it was good! In fact, my whole family was totally amazed because they all know how lame a singer I am. But as soon as the play was over... lame singer once again :(
Sei... I love to drive. I can drive a car with a manual transmission... and right- or left-hand drive... and even on the wrong side of the road (or the right side, if you're in one of those countries who do that). I can drive a big truck...not like an 18-wheeler, though I would love to try that... as well as a 'regular' car. I would love to go to the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving...or something like it.
Lucky Number Seven... I've had awards like this bestowed upon me before, and you can see 7 more random things in each of those posts by clicking here, here, here and here :) And to prove that I am good at math I will tell you that's 28 more random things. I like sharing!
I'm giving the 15 tags to new Taking It On followers... I need to know more about you people! Are you weird? Are you normal? Are you boring? Are you psychotic? Do you know how to make toast? Do you swear like a trucker or are you judicious with your language? Why do you do what you do?
- bobbi at Zero to 26.2
- Heather @ Just a Colorado Gal
- The SF Road Warrior
- Rain who is Going the Distance
- Lauren the Running Cook
- Ali Mc who is Running w/ Spatulas
- Susie of Footbeats
- Gidget Goes Running
- Kathy at Just Keep Running
- Mike of Just a little run...
- Erica from FreeFringes
- through 15. anyone who wants to play... I didn't not name anyone on purpose! I like knowing more about everyone :) ... and tell us in your comment that you are going to do it!
hahah I love this! And love ya, that picture of us still makes me feel a little weepy :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! up until today I never realized that getting tagged in these things meant I was supposed to do it too ;) HAHAHA - so hopefully neither Suz, nor Meg nor you are insulted that I haven't done it.
ReplyDeleteSo nice. I prefer "Ali Mc" - b/c It's just original and honors my maiden name. There's already enough Ali's in the blog world. ;)
You are so awesome I am envious that Meg O has met you in real life. I love your vids. You are amazing!
PS: sorry for my usual essay but I am waiting to post 7 reveals....you aren't ready for it ;)
Okay...changed you to Ali Mc :)
ReplyDeleteHooray! Thanks! I just did one a few weeks back, but I'll play again. I mean, who doesn't like to talk about themselves?! (I kid, I kid...)
ReplyDelete:)
Fun!
ReplyDeleteLol...I will start brainstorming random things. ;)
ReplyDeleteI thought #cinco was funny. I, too, sing so horribly - but once, many moons ago, in a drinking game where we had to sing whatever song was on the radio at the time our turn came up I WOWED my friends with my version of a Teddy Pendergrass song. I was AMAZING and they were AMAZED...and then we all got sober.
ReplyDeleteI will do it today :)
ReplyDeleteVery fun!!! Rowing is so interesting! When we lived closer to Boston we went to the Head of the Charles a few times....very cool!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the award! I'm honored you would even think of someone as lazy and non-athletic as I am. You truly are versatile!
ReplyDeletecan you believe I actually had to come back here and check on my comment! lol I wont lie I may or may not have had a drink last night and me + 1 drink = complete chaos! lol so hopefully I didn't offend :) xoxoxox
ReplyDeletewow! Thanks for the tag! I'll play along...though your versatility will be tough to match!
ReplyDeleteIndeed! Those things are apparently famous! The nice thing is that you are a stud athlete in spite of them.
ReplyDeleteSo is THAT where the XL comes from? ;-)
ReplyDeleteLove your rowing stories. Growing up, I always wanted to be a preppy rowing girl, but was not born into the right family for that. I forced my friend to go on 2 dates with a guy because he was on crew and went to Brown. That would have made him my dream date had I not lived 500 miles away at the time.
ReplyDeletethanks for tagging! I love "getting to know" bloggers this way, and it'll be fun to play along :)
ReplyDeleteAlright, I'm in and will play along. Hell who knows, I may even learn something about myself in the process! Thanks for allowing me to play in your reindeer game!
ReplyDeleteYou're adorable! I finally got around to responding here: http://bit.ly/t7xOT9
ReplyDeletethanks for the tag =)