100 Random Facts About Jen

1. I was born on a Friday
2. In September
3. in 1972
4. I am the oldest child in my family
5. I have one younger brother
6. I was a loud child who talked constantly
7. I still talk a lot, but have become a better listener
8. I am German, English, and Irish. There's some French and Swiss and Scottish in there too, but it's mostly those three. I used to do genealogy as a hobby before I had kids.
9. My favorite place to play as a child was under our weeping willow tree
10. I started playing saxophone in 4th grade. Had to quit dance to play an instrument
11. I played through my sophomore year in college
12. I was in choir in high school and several years in college
13. I sing alto and love to harmonize rather than sing alone
14. I am learning to play the lap harp, and will upgrade to a hammer dulcimer when I get better at it
15. I have always been a good speller, writer, editor.. Anything language arts related is my kind of thing
16. I suck at math
17. Seriously, anything past long division, even fraction adding and subtracting, and I get lost.
18. I love science, but was not much better at it than math.
19. I especially love anything to do with genetics
20. I have traveled outside the US to Mexico, England, Wales, and Scotland
21. I have been to 32 states
22. I think I would like to visit the other states just to say I had been to all of them
23. I would like to travel to Ireland to see where my ancestors are from
24. I would like to see the rich blue of ocean in the caribbean, though I'm not a beach fan
25. I would like to visit Europe, Asia, and Australia/New Zealand someday
26. I wanted to name my daughters Madeline Grace, Evie Rose, and Laura Kate.
27. I also really like names like Harmony and Willow
28. I did not have strong opinions on boy names, but got to honor my grandpa and brother
29. I am in a book titled Fit and Fabulous in 15 Minutes, written by Teresa Tapp
30. I wish I still looked like my after picture from the book
31. I have had 2 more kids since then
32. I have not given up and am working toward that goal again
33. I have an overdeveloped sense of empathy. I have an ability to actually feel other people's strong emotion.
34. It seems to be specific to a few people to whom I am very strongly connected, and I don't have to be near them to feel it.
35. The feelings are usually intense sadness, overwhelm, grief, depression, and loneliness.
36. If something big and overwhelming hits me out of nowhere, I can usually find the source by sending a few texts or emails
37. I have had dreams where these feeling that are not mine get explained, but I am always at a distance, watching, and cannot intervene.
38. I have had issues with anxiety and depression my whole life
39. This is not surprising given the empathy thing.
40. I have grown 3/4 of an inch since college. I was 5 ft 6 1/2 for a long time. Now I am 5 ft 7 1/4.
41. I wear a size 8 shoe
42. I am very spontaneous
43. I don't mind routine, but I can't deal with schedules, they make me feel too constrained
44. Two of my kids think this is great. It frustrates the hell out of the other two.
45. I sometimes work best when given creative license
46. Alternately, some things I do better with very clear directions and expectations
47. I bit my nails for about 25 years. I stopped last year. Suddenly and easily
48. I love Dr. Pepper
49. If I drink alcohol, you can tell what mood I'm in: missed dessert? white russian. Sleepy? rum and coke. Want to get drunk? margarita. Other than that, my standard drink is an amaretto stone sour
50. I have been really drunk about 4 times. Really. Twice in college and twice in the last 8 years.
51. I have never passed out or thrown up
52. I have never had a hangover
53. I really don't like the taste of alcohol, and I mostly prefer to be present and aware
54. I love fantasy and sci fi books, which is unusual for a woman
55. I love those kinds of movies as well as action/adventure
56. I think this makes me a great movie date, rarely would I ask to go see a chick flick
57. My favorite author is Diana Gabaldon, who wrote the Outlander series, I also really love the PERN novels by Anne McCaffrey.
58. I used to homeschool my older two children
59. I have given birth without medication, by choice, four times
60. I am not a superhero, I just have a high tolerance for pain
61. I am not any kind of militant about my choices being better than anyone elses
62. I like to hear that women read and research and make educated decisions and are not pushed around by others who would take advantage of their lack of being informed
63. I had my oldest child in the hospital. She was 3 weeks early and weighed 7 lbs 5 oz. My labor was 18 hours long.
64. I had my second child at home with a midwife, and gave birth in a birthing pool.
65. She was 9 lbs 4 oz and 3 days early. 3 1/2 hrs labor
66. I had my third child at home without a midwife. That's an unplanned unassisted homebirth
67. She was born in the bathtub, and her father caught her. 9 lbs even, 4 days early. I was in labor for 1 hr and 15 minutes. It was mostly harrowing, but I think it's pretty awesome that it happened that way
68. I had my fourth child at home with a midwife. I gave birth standing up in the birthing pool while the midwife got his shoulders unstuck.
69. He was 9 days overdue, and my labor was induced with blue and black cohosh tincture. I was in labor for about 4 hours, and pushed for another hour and 15 minutes
70. He weighed 10 pounds. I also think that's pretty awesome
71. I hate to drive in twilight, I can't see well and I can't fix the issue
72. I am mostly really bad at keeping track of spending money
73. I often wonder if my second oldest child got her ADHD from me. Disorganization and impulsivity would be my standout features.
74. I do not understand the draw of reality tv.
75. I have at least 3 tattoos planned, but do not have any at the moment
76. I have a bachelor's degree in psychology and special education
77. I want to get a degree in music therapy, but am afraid it will take too long
78. I have been interacting on the internet since my junior year in college
79. I started with telnet & talk requests, then Internet Relay Chat (IRC), ICQ and AOL IM, then email lists and online discussion forums, then blogging, and very briefly, myspace, before Facebook and Twitter.
80. As far as social media, I prefer Twitter to Facebook.
81. Twitter reminds me of IRC, that you can leave and come back and conversation is still happening, more interaction and more quickly on Twitter.
82. I am very emotionally strong and resilient, but just realized it recently because I thought it was related to the fact that
83. I am also the most thin skinned, hypersensitive person I know. I'm not weak. I'm just really emotional.
84. I have been camping in a tent one time, in childhood
85. I cannot drive a stick shift. I'm sure if I had to in an emergency, I could muddle through.
86. I miss having a car. I have been driving a minivan since 2002.
87. My first car was a 1979 Dodge Omni, it was maroon
88. I love my music LOUD. My vehicle always has a great stereo
89. I generally prefer techno/industrial and emo/teen angsty music.
90. Given that I am almost 40, I think that is odd. But it works for me.
91. I also really love the music from when I was in high school and college
92. I identify strongly with my Irish heritage, and I tend to like Irish music. Traditional and in gaelic, or current and popular. I have been a devoted U2 fan since I was young, and right now I love Snow Patrol and The Script, both from Ireland.
93. I was so glad to find out the lead singer of Snow Patrol was over 30. His lyrics are some of the most intense and emotional I have ever heard and I have a massive crush on him
94. My favorite actor is Christian Bale, first saw him in Newsies in 1991.
95. I have a thing for guys who sing bass
96. I have only ever dated tenors
97. When I was chosen to go to All State Choir my junior year, it was the validation I needed to believe I could sing well. Without that, I don't know that I would believe in my ability.
98. My favorite color is green
99. I do not like the taste of coffee, but can flavor shot and sugar it enough that I can stand it for its medicinal purposes.
100. I want to learn to do an aerial cartwheel and a backflip before I turn 40.