Ten More Things About Me...

I'm going to share 10 more tidbits of information about myself today because I've really been enjoying learning more about the people I have met online and whom I follow on Twitter, blogs, and Facebook. For those of you who know me, feel free to add comments by clicking on the comment link below---for better or worse! :-) I can take a little ribbing!

1. I began taking dance class at the age of 3 and didn't like ballet at all, and for the first few years only took it because it was required by the studio in order to take the other styles.

2. When I was 13, I broke both wrists shortly after moving to a new school in a new state when I attempted to show off my gymnastics skills after having not done any gymnastics in many months. The upside: with two casts on my arms, a couple of sweet boys in my class generously helped me carry my books around! AND a photo of me and my casts holding a toy rifle as I rehearsed to be a soldier in The Nutcracker appeared in the paper with the caption: "Wounded Soldier"!

3. I moved out on my own at the age of 16 to become an apprentice with the Pennsylvania Ballet. A year later, I joined the company.

4. In anything I do I prefer minimal effort and high reward. (That's one reason I love to make cards!) I do realize the irony of this, having spent much of my life in a profession that requires so much effort!

5. I hate to cry. I'm not talking about being moved to tears--that happens all the time. But I will avoid sad, angry, hurt, frustrated or any other kinds of tears at all costs.

6. I was the Acting Artistic Director of a professional ballet company when I was 25. (An experience for which I'm grateful, but would not want to relive.)

7. At one point in my life, I thought I might want to pursue a career in advertising. This notion followed an episode of "20/20", or some such television show, which featured a segment about how people are influenced by color in advertising. I found it fascinating that the color of a coffee can could determine whether or not people would buy it.

8. As a child, I used to weave pot holders and paint the backs of sea shells and sold them door-to-door, along with toothbrushes (my father, a salesman, kept boxes of them for giveaways), and personalized greeting cards. Our neighbors were generous and tolerant people.

9. I hate conflict--especially arguments. I only argue when I know I'm right.

10. As a young adult I had few strong opinions and considered that to be a weakness. Having formed a few strong opinions since then and observing the strong opinions of others, I am now trying to be more like the young adult I once was: open to different viewpoints and ideas. The world could use a little less judgement, I think. (Is that a judgement?)

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