Monday, December 19, 2011

Five Things

A recent Mama Kat writing prompt asked four sets of "name five things about you" questions. I was captivated by this prompt, which turned out to be a heck of a lot more difficult than I anticipated. So many bloggers hit the ball out of the park with it (and so many of the "things you believe" answers can become deeply personal so quickly) that it is a little daunting to try.

For example, who can top the very first thing Teacher Girl listed among "things we don't know about you"?:

I was once attacked by a rooster while on vacation in Nicaragua with my grandmother when I was three. My great-grandmother killed said rooster, and we ate him in a soup for dinner. (Read Teacher Girl's entire "five things" post here.)


Photo Credit: Paytai

Five Things We Don't Know About You

I am faceblind (meaning my ability to recognize faces is impaired). The official term for it is prosopagnosia and I am going to write about it someday beyond this post. For now, don't be offended if we have talked a thousand times and I still give you a blank look. It's not that you aren't important. Not at all.

I played the piccolo in the marching band in high school. That worked out great until half of the piccolo (which was owned by the school) went missing ... just vanished. Odd.

My fingers are double jointed.

I used to work for a company in New York that monitored the television news (and talk shows). I got paid to type what Howard Stern said.

I am registered with the National Marrow Donor Program.
Photo Credit: Arztsamui
Five Things You're Knowledgeable About

I am knowledgeable about grammar. One of my favorite punctuation marks is the semi-colon; it is important that the words before it and the words after it could each compose their own standalone sentences.

Although I haven't volunteered at Telephone Counseling and Referral Services in a long time, it would be a breeze to get back on a telephone and talk to someone in crisis. I understand short-term counseling; am a proficient reflective listener, and I think that agency (and others like it) serve a critical need.

I am pretty knowledgeable about cooking (not the "let's throw some stuff together and see what we get" kind of cooking but the "measure exactly one cup of flour and level it off" kind of precise cooking).

I know a lot about contact center metrics. Occupancy,  Average Handle Time, Adherence, Erlang C. But I don't work in a contact center content currently.

Having been privy to the infancy of Florida's State Child Health Insurance program, I know a lot about the pieces and parts of a non profit program, and the transition to being a federally funded entity.


Photo Credit: Chaiwat

 
Five Things You Know Nothing About

Basketball offense formations. I can't "see" a particular offense in action. I played basketball as a senior in high school. This should tell you all you need to know about the Union County High School Girls basketball team in 1981-1982.

Sports handicapping. Over under? The line? The spread? Winning straight up? I don't get it. My spouse makes up in knowledge what I lack in ignorance.

Cleaning House. You can tell by looking at my house.

Running Pace. I can't tell "my" paces apart, except that they're all slow. So when people start talking about an "easy" nine minute pace compared to their 7:30 pace, I just don't follow.

Constructing a web site. Redirecting my blog to my domain name. I will learn though.  


Photo Credit: Arvind Balaraman

Five Things You Believe

I believe that worshipping regularly is important because it may be the one time of the week when you really step outside of yourself (in the presence of others) and try to connect with something higher.

I believe in the several years I have been volunteering/acting with the FSU Film School and watching a lot of their projects, I have seen glimpses of genius, and that I will see some of these names on the big screen in decades to come.

I believe that when I as a parent choose to help my child out, that instead of griping about it (going back home for the forgotten book, etc.) if I have chosen to do what is asked, I should do it with love. I don't always succeed at this goal.

I believe that many naysayers about yoga either had a first experience that wasn't a good fit or haven't tried it at all. I hope they'll give it a chance.

I believe that it does not matter who you have chosen to love (gender/race/whatever) but that being physically intimate with someone isn't that intimate if it's just for fun and doesn't engage your heart.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi there,
I'm your newest GFC follower from Hump Day Blog Hop. Would love a follow back!

http://elizakprints.blogspot.com/

Kristi {at} Live and Love...Out Loud said...

Paula, this is so wonderful. I feel like I've learned so much about you. :)