blood-gore

tip-finger

sign-placard

necklace-cherish

freaking-trouble

jelly-blackberry

rubber band-harsh language

coast-glide

wait-patient

pressure-conform

1. I have always found true crime stories to be scarier than Hollywood blood and gore.

2. As many times as I jump when I stick myself while cross stitching, I’d be a lousy diabetic.

3. Lately I’ve wished I could wear a “it’s not my fault you’re an idiot” sandwich board, but I’d probably get in trouble if I did.

4. One of my most cherished possessions is the cross my grandmother gave me when I joined the church. My grandfather gave it to her before they were married and it’s over 80 years old.

5. When I was in fifth grade, I knew a kid who used the word “freaking” and I thought that was so cool…until I tried it myself and got in trouble for using it in front of my parents.

6. My favorite breakfast is (well toasted) English muffins with butter and blackberry jelly and coffee.

7. I can’t remember what we were talking about, but when Bill said rubber bands and harsh language wouldn’t solve the problem, I nearly died laughing. Bill reminded me of what we were talking about – he said that all the fireworks at the Opening Ceremonies probably used up all of South Korea’s military ordinance budget and that he didn’t think rubber bands and harsh language were going to help! I haven’t laughed that hard in a while.

8. My advice to incoming football players would be this – don’t quit on your academics just because you have a scholarship offer. You can still do badly enough not to be accepted at UMass. Then where will you be after graduation?

9. I get really irritated with people who can’t just sit still and wait. Patience is a virtue.

10. I have thankfully never felt pressure to conform. I never could justify trying to deny who I am to please other people. What you see is what you get with me and if you don’t like it, you don’t have to have anything to do with me. Just don’t expect me to think like you out of some sense of need for friendship.