7 Random Facts

I had planned on posting today... a post revealing the breed of puppy that we are adopting. As I was reading Renee's blog, I realized that I had been unofficially "tagged". (Actually, I am feeling a bit lazy, and figure it will be easier to come up with obscure things about myself than to write about our history with dogs).

Without further ado...

1. When I was in the 7th grade, I decided that since I hated my name so much, I should go by my middle name...Ellissa (how creative was that spelling...Mellissa minus the "M"). I even had it embroidered on my cheer leading uniform (yes, I was a cheerleader...eek). Unfortunately, everyone knew me as "Destry", and even having my new name emblazoned across my shoulder wasn't enough to convince them to call me otherwise.

2. I have a scar that is approximately 4" long running across the top of my head. When I was 7 years old, I went on a field trip to the Sun Valley swimming pool with my daycare. Someone had the nerve to doubt that I could do a back dive off the side of the pool. I proved them wrong. This caused several people to become interested in the spectacle, which caused me to do another back dive. And another back dive.

On the 4th dive, just before I was to plunge into the water, I hit my head on the side of the pool. There was much blood, the pool had to be evacuated and I had to be rushed to the hospital for stitches.

Moral of the story. No body's perfect. No seriously, the moral would be...don't show off even though it's really cool that at age 7 you can do a back dive.

3. I was 18 when I watched a Green Peace documentary about the life of a chicken from the time they hatch until they end up at the grocery, I quit eating them. I didn't have a bite of chicken for almost 6 years. To this day, I have a hard time eating chicken. I rarely cook it or order it at restaurants. Scary stuff.

4. After I get a few chapters into a book, I usually read the last few pages to see how the story ends. It doesn't ruin the book for me...I like to see how the story unfolds.

5. Before I die, I am going to learn how to rappel and scuba dive, and take fencing and golf lessons. (Mark says I have to wait until Cammie goes to college to learn to rappel...our life insurance doesn't cover "dangerous hobbies").

6. Ducks make me nervous. When I was little, my Grandma or Papaw would take me to the park near their house to feed the ducks. Once, they clustered around me and pecked at me to get me to drop the bread I was holding. It's 25 years later and when I take the kids to feed the ducks, I still get anxious.

7. I LOVE old cemeteries. In every city that we visit, Mark indulges me by seeking out the oldest cemetery. I love to wander around looking for the oldest marker and reading the headstones.