Me, spilling out all my thoughts, inner and outer, on just about anything! Lots of poetry, short stories from past experiences, anecdotes about teaching elementary school, music, relationships....garage sale type thing...Something For Everyone!

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Me In My Weirdness - x 6!

First of all, I want to thank you all for reading and/or commenting on my last post. Each one of you is yet another example of all the good things that have come to me in the past year and at this time of year, I am especially grateful for every gift I have received.

Annelisa at Words That Flow, (on my sidebar...sorry I haven't mastered the link thing!) tagged me for 6 weird things about me....and I'm the first on her list so I'm not sure if she already thinks I'm the weirdest or not but here it goes!

Me Be Weird...Let me Count The Ways!

1. I was a major thumbsucker as a kid and engaged in this activity constantly with a blankie named, "Ki-Ki Ni-Ni Williams until about 5 years old. (I am still pretty wimpy and sucky as a adult!) Ki-Ki was involved in many adventures from which I have created many animated stories. I have told these to kids in my Gr. 2 classes when we were doing Franklin's Blanket and I made them part of the follow-up activity, asking them to choose their favourite Ki-Ki story, tell why, and illustrate it. There was Ki-Ki Goes To Kingston, Ki-Ki Gets Lost, Ki-Ki Goes To The Drugstore, Ki-Ki Goes To The Shoe Store to mention a few, and then the final "Goodbye Ki-Ki"! Other teachers would never do this sort of thing but the kids and parents thought it was excellent. I guess that makes me a pretty off-centre teacher compared to many!

2. I have several Obsessive-Compulsive actions! I have to have the first cup of coffee from the coffee pot...(at my house, not the coffee shops!). I need the first bite of an apple, or a drink if I'm sharing. I'm fixated on getting Christmas lights and decorations up on time. I eat my toast upside down...(see old post called, "The Upside of Toast!") I used to have to sleep with the hall light on when I was a kid..now it's toned down to a night light! I ritualize my actions sometimes...like when I was a camp counselor, my friend and I smoked a ceremonial butt and hid them in the tree to see if they'd be there the next year...stuff like that.

3. Some things in my life are eerily connected...like I was a sugar and candy addict as a little one and then I became diabetic at 13. No one else in my whole family ever was. I developed an acute back problem when lifting boats at camp and ended up marrying a chiropractor! I feel very connected and sensitized to this world and the one beyond. My theory is that when I was in a diabetic coma at 13, I crossed over to the other world briefly (they actually told my parents they'd lost me and to come) but came back, having picked up a motherlode of an unusual amount feeling and sensitivity. Many things affect me more deeply than others I believe and I have a great degree of empathy.

4. I name inanimate objects and give them human qualities..like clothes. There's The Blue Rag, The Watermelon Dress, The Lilac Dress, The Mom's Mabley Slippers ....! I make my descriptions of my cats seem very much like people.

5. I usually find something humourous in almost everything...like when I supposedly had Liver Disease, I said, "Well that does it! No way I'm ordering Liver and Onions again!" (I hate liver and have never had it! Just cat food to me!)
In group dynamics, I take on the role of "social-emotional tone-setter". In summer camp staff meetings, teacher meetings, classes of any kind, choir etc. I always blurt out some funny line about something and everyone just breaks up. It usually provides comic relief and brings affection and unity to the group. I did this in my own class that I taught too so the kids would always feel warm and happy to be in school.

6. I have entered tons of contests. Once I won the animal caption contest in The Toronto Sun 29 times and got t-shirts for each one. I passed them on to the winners in my Gr. 3 class for the same creative thinking contest.
I used to send away for all kinds of crap on cereal boxes and the like....I got Tiger Socks from Frosted Flakes, Koolaid jugs, Crystal Light T-shirts, Cheerios mug and bowl set. As a kid, I just had to buy junk with free prizes inside.

I have tons more...I could write a post on each one of these! I'm not tagging anyone at this busy time of year. Just happy to share more of my funny ole self with all of you!

Mother of Invention, celebrating my weirdness!

18 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love the idea of naming things...like The Blue Rag. I come up with names for things that then I have to manifest things to fill in! Like I have the name of my small press but no press.

I'm very sensitive too. I guess sensory overload at the drop of a cat!

Here's a link to my weird things post I did awhile ago. http://www.looseleafnotes.com/notes/2006/08/weird_confessions.html

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

 
Blogger RennyBA said...

This is a lovely meme and a great way getting to know you even better. Reading about your obsessive actions I was counting mine but lost the track after 10 LoL!

Btw: Yes this is a busy time of year so just come over if you wanna relax in an Advent mood:-)

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

 
Blogger Barbara said...

You're not weird, just unique! But being unique is what makes someone special. It's interesting that there are a lot of happy coincidences in all of our lives. I always wonder if there is a master plan somewhere...

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed this! I sucked my thumb until I was 8! My father promised me a watch if I would stop and I did.

You are very clever and funny.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

 
Blogger Annelisa said...

Not write as much as me?! :-D This was great! I love your quirks!

...and I love your Ki-Ki Ni-Ni Williams!!! Funny, and endearing, and so cool you made good use of its existense in later years... I think we could all do with a blankie now and then.
I must find this 'Upside of Toast' post (sounds interesting, and even if it wasn't, I'm sure you could make it so! :-D ) (so, were the butts still there the following year???)

Your no. 3... funny, every now and then, everything just falls into place, or links-up as I think of it, like a jigsaw... it is as it's meant to be, and you suddenly see all the connections. I'm guessing it's your sensitivity that made you such a good teacher, and all the kids that have been taught by you will remember you for that!

:-) I find it hard to name inanimate objects...but it sounds fun!

Now, finding humour in everything's a special quality - one that's really appreciated by everyone, and also - what would you have done without it?! You've so needed it more than many. And I reckon a lot of people who don't have it wish they did.

Do you still do contests?

Btw - you were my firt tag, because I had a feeling that you would throw yourself into it with your usual zest, and you did! Great post!!!

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Colleen:

I hope you get some of the things you've already named! I'll check that lonk son and comment on how we compare in this way!

Renny:

You have OCD's?!! Wonder what they are? I'll just hop the next plane to get my Julenek and my chocolate calendar!

Barbara:

I do think there is a master plan and it's like a huge tapestry with all the threads tied together on the underside of how we are all tied in together. I saw that in the book,"When Bad Things Happen To Good People" about 20 years ago and it made beautiful sense. Ever seen it?

Old Lady:

Thanks! I think I can be very funny sometimes and Ican always have a riot laughing at myself!

My parents paid me a dollar every week I didn't use Ki-Ki...but I knew where he was hidden in my mom's drawer and I went to visit him....once I spilled my mom's Chanel #5 on the way there! I got $11 and one day I went to visit him and he was gone and I never looked back! I loved candy and money to buy it!

Annelisa:

Thanks for all your wonderful comments! Yes, once I got thinking, I could come up with a lot of unique weirdness!

Ki-Ki was the greatest! The butts were no longer there so we had to re-invent the ritual indoors!

Teaching was the perfect vehicle for me and all my sharing of the whole person, not just teacher. In this small town, I see kids I used to teach and they all remember so much. It is amazing how much impact you can have on kids. Is neat since I have no kids of my own.

I don't do contests so much now...so many are online and then you get bugged for everything!

Thanks, Annelisa. That was great for me to do!

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

 
Blogger Mona Buonanotte said...

The last few years I've realized that most food tastes better upside down...the flavor is on the top of the pizza, and your taste buds are down, so...!

Thursday, December 07, 2006

 
Blogger Lynnea said...

MOI, I love to name inanimate things too. Like my favorite mug is Bud, cause he's my best friend in the morning.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

 
Blogger bulletholes said...

You used to be able to send off for some great stuff on Cereal Boxes... I got a Bowling Alley and and Ant Farm...i still like to play the games and study the boxes as I eat Breakfast...it cracks my Daughter up!!!

Thursday, December 07, 2006

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Mona:

Exactly! Finally someone who agrees with me!

Maggie:

It's just fun isn't it?

Steve:

You sound just like a big fun kid, Steve! You used to get mugs in the Quaker oatmeal and now they're in antique shops! I've got some!

Thursday, December 07, 2006

 
Blogger Annelisa said...

Hi again MOI - I really like the tapestry idea, of us all being linked... bet there's even more knots on the back with the advent of the computer and internet!

Thursday, December 07, 2006

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Annelisa: yes, it has certainly brought more of us blogger folk together!

Thursday, December 07, 2006

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi MOI.......I thought pretty much everything you wrote sounded normal to me......doesn't everyone suck their thumb til they are five or six?????? like me???? only I used to tickle my ear with my hair instead of carry my blankie around - never lost it - LOL......

ok, cowboy Steve 'kind of' tagged me, and I'm thinking maybe I should do a 6 things that make me more "normal".....everything about me is weird! I was hoping to get some ideas from you.......!

happy holidays!
rdg

Friday, December 08, 2006

 
Blogger brooksba said...

It might let me comment! I was having trouble commenting on this post a couple of days ago.

The unique things about us are what are really fun to read. I love the obsessive compulsive items - I get like that quite a bit. Having the tendency to find humor in everything is a good quality to have in life. If you can't laugh about something, why deal with it at all?

Friday, December 08, 2006

 
Blogger Trebor Nevals said...

Re: #4. I wonder what that is/means as I have the same thing. I tend to anthropomorphize everything. I still to this day find myself wondering how a pencil feels when it's sharpened. Is it pissed because it's getting sliced open and it's eventual mortality is approaching or is it happy that it's fulfilling its purpose in life.

Eh, who knows, perhaps it's just insanity. :)

Friday, December 08, 2006

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

RDG: Thanks! I wrote about your weirdness over at Steve's.

Brooksba: You have the same philosophy as me on many things. it's good to have an uplifting attitude.

Rob:I don't do it to quite the extent you do, but it is fun. I put it down to having a creative and interestin perspective/mind. Thanks for visiting. Nice thought-provoking blog you have. How did you find mine?

Saturday, December 09, 2006

 
Blogger Trebor Nevals said...

Thanks! How did I find yours... Well, Meno's blog links to you, 'Lucia has something to say' links to Meno and 'Dans Blah Blah Blog' links to Lucia. It's all about following the thread. Everyone, apparently, is connected to everyone else. (and probably in more ways than we really understand)

Saturday, December 09, 2006

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Rob: You're welcome. Yes, we're all certainly connected in a neat way!

Sunday, December 10, 2006

 

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