I’ve been tagged by a meme game again.  This time, Amy L from Earnest Parenting is asking for a list of seven interesting things about me.

Oh, the pressure!  My natural impulse is to downplay my greatness.  Aw, shucks.  You want me to tell you something interesting about little old me?  Meanwhile, what I’m really thinking is how will I limit it to just seven things?  I could probably come up with seven interesting things about me from just today!

After much thought, or at least seven minutes of deep thinking, I’m going to list 7 Interesting Things About Me that help explain On Living By Learning:

1. Creativity is a gift and a curse.  It’s impossible for me to look at anything without thinking about ways to improve it.  This is not a quality that is universally appreciated.  For example, my husband doesn’t seem to mind that today I gave him 5-10 suggestions regarding his new office and his Cub Scout Den.  The other leaders in my Girl Scout Service Unit have learned to reign me in when my ideas are too ambitious or just plain wild.  On the other hand, few of my kids’ teachers have been able to put up with me. 

2. Travelling with me is not for the faint of heart.  My in-laws have described our travel excursions as “death marches.”  Apparently, some people like to relax when they are on vacation.  Not me.  The only time that I like to relax while travelling is when I’m miserably ill or about to collapse from exhaustion.  Otherwise, I like to soak in the destination to the full extent possible.  My husband still jokes about the time I dragged him up a Nepalese mountain trail, despite severe gastric distress, to view a temple that the Lonely Planets guide described as a site “that no lover of art and architecture should miss.”

3.  A book addiction isn’t pretty.  I firmly believe that books are an essential element of any home decor, but my collection is out of control.  My bookshelves are overflowing, and the floor stacks are tipping over.  The nearest book store is a twenty minute car drive away, but the Amazon button is always at eye level.  My annual book allowance far exceeds any other item on my budget, and I won’t reduce it any further.  I’m an unrepentant bookaholic.

4. Everything in my life is a work in progress.  I love to check things off my “to do” list, but infrequently experience this satisfaction.  Many of my projects are ongoing and never-ending.  There is always a new element to add, or a tangent to explore.  Fortunately, this fits in well with my philosophy of life in which I treasure the journey over the destination.

5.  Giving is not a choice.  I’m always shocked by suggestions that I curtail volunteer work to make more time for me.  It’s shocking because I can’t imagine not helping others.  I often wish that I was doing more.  Even when I eliminate a volunteer job, a replacement soon appears.  That’s the way I like it.  When I’m on my deathbed, I want to be able to look back on a life worth living.

6. Change is a constant element of my life.  Until now, I never lived anywhere very long.  I tell everyone that I grew up in St. Thomas, USVI because I lived in that home for seven years.  Before that, I moved every 1-2 years.  After that, I switched homes even more frequently.  Over ten years in Manhattan, I lost count of my “homes.”  Now that I’m happily ensconced in my current abode, whether I like it or not, change is more elusive.  And yet, change seems inevitable as we try new ventures (homeschooling, career moves, etc.)

7. I get by with a little help from my friends.   These days I’m more of a hermit than a social butterfly.  I read, research, and write my way through all kinds of issues.  But, I rarely make an important decision without at least one phone call (or email) to a close friend.   They’re the panel of experts who help me form the opinions expressed on this site.

Okay, but enough about me.  I’m tagging: Tasha on Follow The Muse; Tammy on Just Enough, and Nothing More; Karen on Leaping From The Box; Diane on Popcorn and Sushi; Rational Jenn; Kayla on Elferkid; and Not Freddy on Once a fool, always a fool.  You’re it!

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