Saturday, September 21, 2013

Book of Me, Written By You Prompt 3 - Describe your Physical Self


The Book of Me, Written by You.  A writing exercise that I am taking part in because I always feel like I am chasing dead people and not documenting the "alive" people.  I hope to teach you a little about me as I learn about you.
 
Reading through the posts in the group on Facebook for The Book of Me, Written by You I can see many feel the same that I do. This is a hard post to write. So, I have opted to write mine first then go and read the others.
 

I am an average person physically. I have been told throughout my life that I am cute. Sigh. Doesn't every woman want to be the great beauty of her time? Wink. Actually I have good genes. I look younger than my years, at times have shocked people when they do find out my age and the jaw dropping looks from people when they realize that 36 year old man standing next to me is my son gives me a big ole grin for the day. I will take it! Shallow? No, not me, I would prefer to be known for things other than looks.
 

I have often teased that I come from the land of giants. The Duncan's of my family tree are tall. My mother was 5'9", my grandfather 6'7" and his sisters around the 6' foot mark. I ring in at 5'4" and while that is not short, I am the shortest woman in my family (even my daughter is an inch taller) other than my 6 year old granddaughter.
 

I am dark brown of hair, fair skinned (I burn and peel and that is probably why I have helped stopped the aging clock, I avoid the sun) and I have hazel eyes. They tend to be more green in summer, more brown in winter and I am told by one that they can sparkle and produce a smile
 

My dress size is my most frustrating part of my physical person. Weight has been a life time battle.. I am an emotional and a stress eater. I lost a lot of weight when I was sick over the last two- two and a half years. My last year of good health has packed on those pounds again. My doctor feels it is better to tackle healthy weight than to have deprived my recovering body by starving it to maintain that size 12. Well, I have slid into 16's US of late and I am feeling ashamed, defeated and like a failure. I also have to cut myself some slack, I was very ill and being able to write this post is a major life battle won. And, I have realized that things are going good for me I tend to gain weight. That is a long time and very old protective trigger. So, I am trying to accept myself as is and along the way eat for my health.. We will see how this goes.
 

I have a few scars. The scars I am very proud of, or was when I was 10 years old, are a little "v" shape over my right eye almost to my temple and an up and down scar in front of my temple. Those are rights of passage scars. There was a hill that all the boys rode their stingray bikes down and I didn't have a stingray bike and was told that since I was a girl I wouldn't be able to take that hill. So down that hill I went to show them the what for and woke up in an ambulance being rushed to the hospital. I remember my mom holding my hand during my stitches "surgery" (they had to make sure there was no concrete in my head, haha) and then I proudly showed off my stitches at show and tell the day after I had them out.
 

The remaining scars are life scars. Two caesarian sections and then the laparoscopic spots of my gall bladder surgery last year - - there are 5 very small white scars on my abdomen.
 

When I was 40, newly divorced and unsure why now, I got a tattoo. At the time I was very much into the SCA (Society of Creative Anachronism) and carried a dagger in my bodice so I suppose thought it would be fun to have a dagger tattoo there. So, I laid there for hours getting a dagger needled down my breast bone. Anyone know how much that spot hurts? The tattoo artist mentioned I had a high tolerance for pain and she kept asking if I needed a break to which I said no.. You just get to the point that you want it done. I don't hate it now but if I were to do that moment over again, I probably wouldn't get it. I am not sure regret comes into play but I just happen to like to feel more ladylike without it. Would I get another one? No.
 

Miscellaneous things about me - My dentist says I have nice teeth. Luckily I was blessed with straight teeth. I love toe polish and you will usually see me sporting a maroony red polish, occasionally purple or navy blue. Rawr! I am busty, could have done without that in high school… just saying. When in shape, my curves are in all the right places. Feet, I have big feet and have always hated that. I want delicate little feet. But.. I wear a size 9 1/2 shoe.
 

Me, in a nutshell.
 

The image in this post was a self portrait exercise done in Art Class in 1974 which would put me at 14/15 and 9th or 10th grade.

Friday, September 13, 2013

The Book of Me, Written by You Prompt 2 - Your Birth


The Book of Me, Written by You.  A writing exercise that I am taking part in because I always feel like I am chasing dead people and not documenting the "alive" people.  I hope to teach you a little about me as I learn about you.

Age - 3 months
I was born on Sunday, August 30, 1959 at Akron General Hospital in Akron, Summit County, Ohio. Those I know that were nearby were my Grandmother, I was her first born grandchild, and my "Aunt Pat" (my mom's best friend through life), and my Father. Aunt Pat LOVES babies and the expression on her face when my daughter was born and those wiggling fingers of hers as she approached to take my daughter into her arms… well I know how she looked when she did that to me, haha.. She always proudly reported she was the third person to hold me. I love that woman more than she will ever know.

I went home to live with my parents and grandmother on Portage Drive, Akron. I had dark hair and blue eyes and grew into brown hair and hazel eyes and I do have a card with my newborn picture with my length and weight on it but can not find it currently. I do remember I was 7 pounds and a few ounces and I think, if memory serves me, that I was 19"-20". I was an easy, average, birth.
  

My feet - My Mom's thumbprints


Random Things:

Top Song of the week -
August 23 – September 19 1959 Browns - The Three Bells4 weeks
Pasted from <http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/number-one-songs-by-year/?y=1959>

Popular Films
  • Ben-Hur
  • Some Like It Hot
  • Anatomy of a Murder
  • North by Northwest
  • Sleeping Beauty
Popular Singers
  • Doris Day
  • Frank Sinatra
  • Connie Francis
  • Jim Reeves
  • Cliff Richard
  • Ella Fitzgerald
Popular TV Programmes
  • Bonanza premieres on NBC, the first weekly television series broadcast completely in color
  • Juke Box Jury premieres on BBC Television
  • Dixon of Dock Green (UK)
  • The Huckleberry Hound Show

Pasted from <http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1959.html>


 

Astronomy
Aug. 30, 1959RiseSet
Actual Time6:49 AM EDT8:02 PM EDT
Civil Twilight6:21 AM EDT8:31 PM EDT
Nautical Twilight5:47 AM EDT9:04 PM EDT
Astronomical Twilight5:11 AM EDT9:40 PM EDT
Moon3:18 AM EDT (8/30)5:45 PM EDT (8/30)
Length Of Visible Light14h 09m   
Length of Day13h 12m  
Waning Crescent, 13% of the Moon is Illuminated        
Aug 30
Waning Crescent
Sep 2
New
Sep 9
First Quarter
Sep 16
Full
Sep 24
Last Quarter
Pasted from <http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KAKR/1959/8/30/DailyHistory.html?req_city=Akron&req_state=OH&req_statename=Ohio>

 

Friday, September 6, 2013

The Book of Me, Written by You Prompt 1 - Who Are You?


The Book of Me, Written by You.
Prompt 1

 

I stumbled across the new blog series and thought I would do my best to be a part of it. I can't promise I will make every prompt but I love the idea of this project and future researchers of my family might know a bit about me. I am so busy documenting dead people I always forget the people that are alive. My bad!!

Who Am I?
  1. A survivor! Last year I survived a grave illness and above that I walked away with no permanent disabilities. I am thankful every day.
  2. A mother. A son, a daughter - the two most precious things in my world.
  3. A partner. I am not an easy partner to have, I have baggage.. In this relationship I am learning to be more kind, to listen and mostly to cut people some slack. I am hard on myself and everyone else in my life.
  4. A sister. We have always loved each other, now we are finding our relationships, repairing, cementing and moving forward knowing we have each other.
  5. A friend. I am blessed with good people in my life.
  6. A member of the DAR. An achievement that is not mine but the men in my family that gave of themselves to make us a Country. I am very proud of these men to fight for what they felt was right.
  7. A volunteer. I volunteer in minor capacities and will be joining my Fire Department in the Women's Auxiliary. (very excited about this)
  8. A knitter. I knit, I am not great at it and never will be but what I do do, I enjoy.
  9. A spinner (handspun yarn). Spinning, it's where I find peace and my zen. When that wheel spins and that luxurious fiber slips from my hands onto the bobbin, I am so there. Ahhhhhh.
  10. A family historian. I love it, I will never be a super genealogist but I am very happy with my accomplishments thus far.
  11. An independent woman. Fiercely, I hate feeling trapped and helpless so I should probably describe myself as "intensely independent".
  12. A complicated woman. Something I am told regularly.. I expect this is that intense thing… heh.
  13. A stubborn woman - which I was reminded of again just today. Yes, I am stubborn. Someone has to look out for me.
  14. A woman who sometimes struggles but always fights to the top. My life has been a series of things to overcome. I never stop fighting.
  15. A woman who has dropped her roots again after a transient 12 years. I lost my house 12 years ago in divorce and never thought I wanted to be a homeowner again. After my illness I found my life very unsatisfying and bought a house.. It's like my life clock started again and I am living. I feel like I was taken out of a box and the dust blown off.
  16. A woman who is finally understanding what "inner" peace can be like. I think it has everything to do with number 15.
  17. A new home owner. The start of number 15 and 16. I am so in love with my house, my home and the life I am building for myself there.
  18. A gardener again. I missed it.. Peace. Harmony.
  19. A history enthusiast. I love history and love learning though lately I am realizing that I know more about the Tudor period of England than anything and unsure how that happened, haha. I am Scots!
  20. A daughter. I was the best daughter I could be and being the daughter of an alcoholic did not make it easy. I wish from the center of my soul I could change or had changed the course of my relationship with my mother before she died.
  21. A devoted granddaughter. My grandmother was my rock, my savior. She died when I was in my 20's and I have still not recovered.
  22. An Aunt. I am proud to say that my nephew started college this year!
  23. A grandmother. I have two beautiful grandchildren and wish them the world and every happiness.
  24. A soap maker. After 15 or so years I started making soap again. It's so fun.
  25. A canner - food! With the garden, house and nesting came my old hobby of canning once more.
  26. A woman who never stops wanting to learn. I always find things of interest to spark my curiosity, I love to learn.
  27. A worker bee. I am at the bottom rung career wise, there for I do a lot of the work! I am content, my life is outside of my employment, it pays the bills.
  28. I am an introvert. I am okay with this. I am a solitary type personality and can keep myself occupied day in and day out. I don't do well in crowd type situations. Big parties stress me out and make me anxious and I am very quiet which surprises people that truly know me. In my comfort zone I know how to have a good time, lol.
  29. I am a Virgo. 'Nuf said. It means I am anal, detailed and difficult to get along with. :)
  30. I am the child of a deceased alcoholic and daily re-sort, re-group, cut myself some slack and let the anger fade into healing. It has been 2 years this past week. I miss her terribly, moreso than the last two years.