40 Little-known Facts about Me

I (and Mr. G) went on a long-awaited, much-anticipated road trip with my dear friend Melissa today.  (The road trip deserves its own post!)  I spent almost 4 hours driving to/from Melissa's house: just me and Mr. G in a very quiet vehicle.  See, when I drive by myself these days - which happens very rarely -  I take that opportunity to just sit and soak in silence.

I used that 4 hours of quiet time oh-so-productively:  This post popped into my head, almost fully formed.

In honor of me turning the big 4-0 yesterday, here are - in no particular order - 40 little-known facts about me.  Some I'm proud of...some, not so much...


1.  I'm named after my two grandmothers:
    Joyce (maternal grandmother) - Jo
    Lillian (paternal grandmother) - --li
    "Joli" - the most creative/rebellious thing my raised-in-the-60s parents ever did. Seriously.

2. My dad's job moved us frequently and I lived in 6 different states growing up.

3. I have one sibling...my younger brother Jeff.

4. Growing up I always thought it would be so neat to be part of a big 'ol family.

5.  I didn't deserve any more siblings.  I was a terribly mean sister.

6.  I'm not exaggerating.  I've apologized to my brother in recent years, because I feel so bad about how mean I was to him as we were growing up.

7.  Do you forgive me, Jeff?

8.  I have always loved numbers...math was always my favorite subject.

9. I have previously taken guitar lessons, piano lessons and I played clarinet for 3.5 years in the school band.

10. I can't play guitar, piano or clarinet.

11. Yes, this is my real hair color.  I have never dyed my hair.

12.  I've come to terms with my hair color now...but growing up I hated it.

13.  Now that I've finally come to terms with my red hair, it has started changing:  I've begun spotting gray hairs.

14.  I plucked out the first few gray hairs I spotted.  But I soon realized I better stop that and embrace the gray...or I'll end up as bald-headed as Jas!

15.  I saw Milli Vanilli in concert.

16.  I went to middle school and the first 3 years of high school down in South Florida.

17.  My dad's job moved my family to Colorado the summer before my senior year in high school.

18.  I was very upset with my parents because of #17!

19.  I scored a 4 on my AP Calculus exam.

20.  A few weeks before starting college I totally changed my mind about where I wanted to go, and instead of going to Colorado College I ended up attending University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

21.  I met Jas at University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

22.  I was engaged to another man when Jas and I first met.

23.  I did not break off my engagement because of Jason...but we did start dating within just a few weeks.

24.  I always had at least one job during college...and for a time, I had two jobs.

25.  I function better/smarter/more efficiently when my plate is full.

26.  When my plate crosses the line from "full" to "too full" I freak out.  It is not pretty.

27.  I lost all the hearing in my left ear when I was 20-years old.

28.  I graduated magna cum laude from University of Colorado with a degree in Finance, and I was chosen by the Finance Department professors as the "Outstanding Undergraduate in Finance" in my graduating class.

29.  I have to stop and think really hard when setting the table if I want to place the utensils correctly.

30.  I have zero common sense.  Not. even. kidding.

31.  I am incapable of NOT making the bed in the morning...even if I'm staying in a hotel.

32.  At different times growing up - and even after first getting married - I said I didn't intend to have any children.

33.  2 1/2 years after graduating from college, Jas and I went back to school together and each earned our MBAs.  My MBA degree is in Services Management.

34.  In my B.C. life ("before children") I was an analyst in the managed money division of a stock brokerage firm.

35.  I earned my Series 7, 63 and 65 licenses.

36.  I have so thoroughly blocked out my B.C. life that I can't even remember what "Series 7, 63, and 65 licenses" mean...or how they differ from one another.

37.  Number 31 might make you think that I am a neat-freak.  You'd be wrong.  Just come see my house.  (but call first...)

38.  Steel Magnolias is my very favorite movie of all time.  I can quote a disturbing amount of lines from this movie.

39.  Prior to age 26, I would have told you I was a Christian because I believed there was a God, and I thought as long as I did more good than bad - or behaved better than the average Joe - I would surely earn a spot in heaven.  When I was 26 I finally got it:  I am a wretched sinner.  But thankfully it's not about me and what I have or haven't done.  It's about Him and what He did for me.  I asked Him to be my personal savior.  He's been writing my story ever since.  He has written my story much differently than I ever thought it would go...

40.   ...and I wouldn't change one. single. thing!