What don't you know about me

Soooo...Megi tagged me and I am supposed to list six things about myself that maybe not everyone knows about me. I'm sorry this has taken me forever to do... :) Ok on to six things:

1. Everyone knows that I am an avid, obsessive reader. (When I read, sometimes the rest of the world comes to a halt until I finish a book.) But what most people probably don't know is that I peek at the end sometimes. I don't want to spoil the story or anything; I just have to make sure certain people may still be around, etc. For example, in Harry Potter #7 I checked to see if he was still alive at the end. I know, I shouldn't, but I can't help it. It's just that I get really into the story (did I mention obsessive already) and really like certain characters. I want to make sure everything is going to be okay. It all boils down to impatience. I'm working on it. Another thing people probably don't know is that I am particular about whether I will read a book or not. I get kind of "stubborn" about the new "it" books and won't read them for a long time. I think it boils down to pride--I want to read a book because I want to, not because everyone else is doing it. And I justify books like Harry Potter because I was reading them BEFORE they became huge. I don't know why I wait, because I eventually end up reading them a few years later. I know, whatever. lol

2. Maybe people know this about me, and maybe they don't. I would love to be a motivational speaker at youth conferences, EFY, firesides, women's conference, etc. I love to teach lessons and speak in church . . . actually speak in any public setting. Everytime I go to a Women's Fireside, Timeout for Women, etc., I just smile as I watch the speakers. It just looks like sooo much fun. I don't get nervous, and always could talk for twice as long as the time they have allotted me. (I'm sure that is not a surprise.) And I would love to be a motivational speaker at anything, not just church events, although that would be my favorite. So, if anyone is looking for a great "guest speaker" at an upcoming event, I would love to.

3. I love teen movies. All those pre-teen/teen, fun, goofy romances . . . LOVE THEM!! High School Musical, Ella Enchanted, Ice Princess, Never Been Kissed, 10 Things I Hate About You, Drive Me Crazy, Mean Girls, Princess Diaries . . . the list is endless . . . it doesn't matter who's in it . . . I love them all. I usually end up watching them on video by myself because my family is not really into them. And if they are on TV, I have to watch them. I do have 2 friends who know this about me and are sweet about inviting me to go to the movies with them when they take their daughters. Picture this, Laura, her 2 daughters, 5+ friends, and ME at the movies. And Natalie brought one of her daughers over the other night to watch Amanda Byne's new movie out on video. Such good friends. Thanks Natalie and Laura--you're the best!! And I made my whole family go to Enchanted with me in the theaters, and Jerel and my boys liked it!

4. Another thing people probably don't know is that I love to travel and have been to over 12 countries in addition to all over the U.S. I would love to visit more, but Jerel does not have a great desire to travel abroad. Many of the countries I visited was 20 years ago when half of Europe was still under Communist control. I visited both East Germany and West Germany. Now it's just one country. I went to Czechslovakia and now it's 2 countries--Czech Republic and Slovakia. I stood by the Berlin Wall. Now it's all gone and changed. It's weird to think that I've experienced something and seen things that don't exist anymore--and I'm not that old. I would love to take my family to see some of the great places in Washington D.C. and show them the background and history of our country. And I'm dying to go on a church history tour. Plus, Australia would be great!! Jerel mentioned that he wanted to go back to his mission for our 20th anniversary. That's a promise, right Jerel!?

5. Do people know that I am really a math nerd? Maybe this isn't a surprise, and I have "nerd" written all over me. (Chase says that pictures of me wearing my glasses from "ancient history" are totally nerdy!!) I love math. I did really well in math in high school and college. And it makes me mad when the kids go to Jerel for math questions. Hello, just because he's an accountant doesn't mean he's better at math. I bet I could kick his trash in math. The other day a couple of women were trying to add up a column of numbers. They commented that they needed their husbands to do it. When I offered up that I could do it, and in my head, I don't think they believed me. I have been known to get out the calculator on my phone and try to figure out the math problems during Jordan's academic decathalon competitions. I'm proud to say I can beat a bunch of junior high kids and have the answer sometimes when they don't. This of course means I like math games, like Sudoku. But my friend Stephanie is better at math than I am. Once, and I hate to admit it, Jordan and I couldn't figure out a Sudoku puzzle and I had to send Jordan over to her house to figure it out. Thanks Stephanie! But really . . who doesn't like Sudoku?

6. I'm sure no one knows this about me. I hate to chew gum. The funny thing is that I want to like it. I try to like it . . . but I just don't. It bores me. I even carry it around in my purse a lot, because I want to like it. And I have convinced myself that I will some day. My kids LOVE gum. Every now and then I'm pretty sure I will like it and ask for a piece. Then after like 10 minutes, I spit it out. Then I feel all guilty that I wasted one of their precious pieces of gum from their stash.

I'm not sure what to think about myself after looking at my six things. Apparently I'm a nerd who can't grow up and wants to travel the world talking to people about it . . . with gum and a New York Times Best Seller from 2004 in my purse of course.

Well, that's 6 things! Feel free to expound on any one of the things that you know about where I didn't include enough details. :) And now I will tag anyone who reads this and wants to do it. The rules are that I'm supposed to tag 6 people, but do I know six people that read my blog AND have a blog of their own? Wait, I do know 5 people--Angela, Jenn, Leslie, Chena, and Laura. No pressure to write, although, Angela, yours would be HILARIOUS I'm sure. Just list 6 things about yourself that maybe aren't so well known and then tag 6 other people...lots of fun!