7 Lovely Facts Blog Tour

 
I’ve been tagged by Tim Hemlin for the 7 Lovely Facts Blog tour. The next blogger on the tour is supposed to list seven interesting facts that cast a new light on the blogger him/herself. They’re also required to link to at least 15 blogs (if they can) that they enjoy reading and to link back to the author who tagged them. I’ve chosen to try and find seven very obscure things that people might not know about me (though some of it may have come out in recent interviews). So, here I go, to the best of my ability. J
 

#1 I can change the tire on my car. Well, ok, I used to be able to, before cancer. I’m sure I could now if I really had to, but if I can avoid it, I will! I can also change oil, spark plugs and wires, head- and taillights, and numerous other things when it comes to cars. I know how an engine works (even though I’ve never actually seen the insides of one), what a distributor is, and I know there’s no such thing as blinker fluid! (Get a good laugh out of that one!)

 

#2 I’ve been married to my husband three times. No, it’s not what you’re thinking, that we’ve been married and divorced three times. We’ve actually been married three times. The first, what we consider our main anniversary, September 10, 1994, we married in a beautiful little park just outside Swartz Creek, Michigan. Several years later, I won a spot through a radio station contest and we had our vows renewed with about 100 other couples on Valentine’s Day (along with a few getting married for the first time!). And then, we participated in a beautiful, nature-oriented handfasting on May Day, the first of May, where we actually DID jump a broomstick and got to wrap a May Pole!

 

#3 I spent the majority of my working life as a contracted security officer for various companies. I also worked a month at a jail (hated every minute of it) and on an armored truck as well. I’d have to say I spent about 13-14 years in a law-enforcement related job. I worked both armed and unarmed, at a post and on roving patrol, did personal protection and private investigations. In all my time as a security officer, only once did I have to draw my weapon on a suspect, and only once did I have to physically restrain someone. I’d learned very early on to be a real hard @ss so that I didn’t HAVE to get more physically involved.

 

#4 All of my pets are rescue animals (well, I bought Athena, but she may well have needed a rescue; she was a very skinny little horse when I got her. My mother-in-law thought she was a pony she was so tiny!). Please, spay or neuter your pets if at all possible! Or if you can’t (or just object to it), make sure you keep a close eye on them when they’re outside! My miniature Boxer, Pepper, is the only one in our household not spayed (I couldn’t really afford it when she was at a good age to do it, and I’d heard the possibility that spaying female dogs decreases their lifespan. Does it really? I honestly don’t know.), but Pepper is an inside dog who only goes outside when a human is there to watch her. We also put diapers on her when she’s in heat. Please, be responsible pet owners.

 
#5 In the 4^th grade, I had a teacher who gave each of us a spiral notebook, and she would come around and make a squiggle of some kind on the top of a page. She used a different one for everyone. Our assignment was to finish the squiggle into some type of drawing, and then write a short story about the drawing. This is the first time that I can remember having to write creatively. It must have been a good idea, because it has stuck in my head for so long!
 
#6 In 8^th grade, I believe it was, I had an English teacher who had an unusual way of teaching us prepositions. She stood at the front of the class and started chucking erasers at students! I mean, she wasn’t aiming at students, but at the time we thought she was. Wherever an eraser would land, she’d give us the preposition: UNDER the desk, OVER so-and-so’s head, and so on. Maybe this wouldn’t be tolerated in schools anymore, what with all that goes on in our world these days, but I’ll tell you a secret: I’ll never in my life forget what a preposition is!
 
#7 I have a secret love affair going on with the television show Supernatural. My oldest daughter introduced me to it during one of my many recent hospital stays, as we could get the TNT channel that shows the reruns in the early mornings. Since there wasn’t much else on TV during that time frame, we watched the show almost every day. When I got home, I ordered the entire set of DVDs for “the kids” for Christmas. Well, seasons 1-8. I didn’t know at the time that season 9 was still ongoing, so we had to wait almost another year for those to become available, because when I thought I’d ordered them, I had actually pre-ordered them. Now, I’m actually able to catch season 10 episodes as they’re released, with the help of my Supernatural smart phone app. My favorite character is the angel Castiel, though Crowley runs close behind (Crowley might be the “king of hell”, but you gotta admit, when he makes a deal, he follows through!). Yes, I often have a special affinity for a character not usually considered one of the leading roles.
 
Here are the links for some other blogs I’m following! The lovely Carol Graham and Never...Ever...Give Up, and I’ve also got an interview scheduled with her. The wonderful Cat Connor of New Zealand, who did an interview with me as well. The Masquerade Crew, who offers a tweet exchange program. Author Debbie White and Authors Revealed, where you can find author interviews. Of course, I must include Mark Coker and the Smashwords gang. There’s also Nina Soden, writing her first young adult series. I’m sorry I don’t have too many more to offer, but I’m relatively new to the blogging world and I don’t have very many connections yet.

And as far as my nomination...I'm going to tag...Cat Connor and see if she's up for this challenge! Cat, TAG, you're it!