Marie over at Why She Runs tagged both of us to do the 11 Random Things + Questions. Since she thought Madonna’s half-time performance was awesome, as did I, and since I’ve never done the chain mail thing where you send a book or a recipe or good wishes, I figured it was time or I’d run out of chain mail karma. So here are 11 random things about me; I did not answer her questions–she said it was optional–because a) you know plenty enough about my running and b) it’s almost 9 p.m. and I want to go to bed. (So you’ll learn 12 things about me: I consider my early bedtime sacred.)
1. I’d name impatience as my biggest fault. When I want things to happen, I want them to happen now. Not in two hours or two days or two weeks. My immediate family bears the brunt of this, and I don’t want to pass this trait onto my kids, so I’m doing my best to practice my patience.
2. I am awful at shutting drawers and cupboards.
3. I consider The New Yorker to be the gold standard for writing. I love that I will read 12 pages about something random like bacteria or the harp that I had no previous interest in because the writer is so talented in reporting and telling a story. I also love the ads that run along the margins of the pages: who buys a $6,000 broach in the shape of a bee?
4. I can’t stand noises that I don’t create. Don’t whir that R2D2 thing at breakfast, Ben; don’t shake your pompoms in the car, Amelia; don’t cough anymore, Grant, even though you have a cold. The only noise I adore? The snore of my blind, old dog, Jessie. It’s just perfect. I want to record it so I can always listen to it.
5. My favorite dinner is a good veggie pizza (a variety of good veggies: not just green olives and canned mushrooms), a wheat beer with a lemon and a slice of carrot cake.
6. My left eye used to wander really ambitiously. I had two surgeries to correct it when I was in grade school, but they didn’t work. I let it go until I got to college, when I started to feel like the really tall girl with an eye that didn’t behave. So I had one more surgery–the techniques had improved considerably over the previous 15 years–and it’s perfectly straight now.
7. I listen to AM radio or NPR to fall asleep. I don’t care what they’re talking about as long as somebody is talking. I have to concentrate on something else besides my life to relax, otherwise my brain whirs and sleep doesn’t happen.
8. Ben was supposed to be a girl. Well, kind of. I had an ultrasound at 19 weeks (see #1: impatience), when their units aren’t fully formed. My mom was sure it was a boy, but I didn’t want to listen. So when this little man appeared, I spent the first 24 hours not knowing what to do with a boy. I have two sisters, and was mostly raised by my mom: I know feminine energy and rhythms. I do not know testosterone. Most days, I still don’t know what to do with a boy except try to understand Star Wars and not curse the bits of Legos that stab my bare feet.
9. I bite my fingernails. Not as badly as I used to–I was a bloody, torn-cuticled wreck all through grade school and college–and now, as I near 40, I’ve mellowed and they’ve grown. Some. But the only manicure I had was before my wedding, and I don’t anticipate ever getting–or needing–another.
10. I have fibroids. (Oh, you knew that.) I felt awful that I didn’t respond to the amazing comments and personal stories from that post; I just didn’t have it in me. I apologize; please know that I read them all and couldn’t believe all the good vibes coming my way. But here’s the update: I have opted to have uterine artery embolization, a minimally invasive procedure where they go in and cut off the blood supply to the ‘roids. I hope to get it done within the next two weeks so I’m feeling healthy and ready to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Kansas City Express. (If you’re in the KC area, we’d love to see you: I promise, I’ll be happy and healthy!)
11. If you read my posts regularly, you know I like tidy endings. So I’m going not going to disappoint now. I’ll be honest: now that I’m not feeling so wiped and out-of-it, I’m impatient with the whole medical situation. It took me nearly two weeks to get an MRI of my pelvis. I got it on Friday, freak blizzard and snow day on Friday be damned. I put that truck in 4WD and got tossed into a tube. So at least I’m on my way; what is most frustrating is knowing that I’m going to feel like crap once again and have to heal again. I just want to get it over and get on with it. After all, I’ve got things to do–and places to run.
I have thought about you so much since your fibroid post and hoping you are doing well. It sounds like you are on your way to getting better, so glad!
I’m always amazed when people can DO those 11 things about me kind of things. I feel like I’m too boring :)
they’re not the most scintillating things, Lisa. :)
Funny how the snore of a sweet ol’ dog is so much more soothing than the snore of a sweet ol’ husband. Speedy healing, Dimity, but don’t rush it…. like you said, you’ve got places to run.
I’m only saying that because I’m impatient, too….. :)
I can totally relate to your feelings on your Ben. I had an ultrasound at 20 wks after I was in an auto accident and wasn’t prepared to hear the gender of our baby let alone that it was a BOY! We have all girls in our family and it was borderline shocking for me. But of course after my Ben was born I’ve come to love his quite pronounced MALENESS. He’s an incredibly fun change of pace.
Love this post!!!! Reading your stuff just makes me happy…especially the part about your dog…sigh….
I love your list. Having met manu Writer’s Workshop writers and marrying into a New Yorkers-by-origin family I have come to love The New Yorker (when I have time). You and Sarah should write an article about the explosion of women runners for it. :)
What a great list — and way to get to know a different side of you — though nothing surprised me (since between the book and many many TMI Tuesdays, I feel I know you well). best of luck on healing.
Patience is NOT one of my virtues either but I try. I think that’s worth something. I get the boy thing too…when I was pregnant with my first I wanted a girl so badly that when a co-worker told me she had a dream I was having a boy and she was always right, I stewed for weeks. And, she was right. Wouldn’t trade my lovely Ethan for anything! I also get to step on Lego pieces (or try to avoid sucking them up in the vacuum), listen to him explain what a Pokemon is and how they evolve, and try to stop him from either wacking his sister with a light saber (why did we buy him that?) or poking her in the eye with Dumbledore’s wand (why did we buy him that?). I wish you a speedy recovery and hope to hear about your next running adventure, even if it’s just a short, blissful around the block. I’m sure it will be awesome!
I am so glad someone else has the noise thing. I am a teacher and a mother, so when I am home alone I love QUIET. My husband works at home mostly by himself so craves noise. I am constantly turning off the radio, and he is constantly turning it on!
Seriously? Must you write about carrot cake, beer, and pizza when I’m trying to eat so healthy. And really, just a slice? I’d eat the whole thing!
Hang in there – you’re going to be stronger for it.
if I inferred one slice, I definitely didn’t mean to. Probably 3. :)
God only gives you what you can handle.
Or one I like even better not the old school saying above from a dear friend who lost her child within the first years of his precious life… ” I like to think life is 10% what happens to you and 90% what you do about it”.
I love learning about different sides of people…it’s nice to hear stuff that we normally don’t think too much about bc then we can learn much more about a person. I liked reading the part about when you were pregnant…growing up, I used to tell myself that I only wanted boys and then when I got pregnant with my first (a girl), I couldn’t imagine having anything else but girls after having her…I’;m very girly, so I really enjoyed dressing a girl! When I got pregnant with my second (a boy), I’m not going to lie…I was nervous…what was I going to do with a boy! But let me tell you…I absolutely love having a boy and if I ever had another and I could choose….well I would choose another boy lol! Besides, I think about when my daughter(she’s 3 right now) becomes a teenager and YIKES…I don’t even want to think about it lol! My husband already has his shotgun ready lol!
Loved hearing more about you, Dimity! Agree about the New Yorker, though I am also fond of the NY Times. And yo, on the boy thing! I actually wrote a letter to my first child while in utero, apologizing to it if it were a boy, because I wanted a girl so badly. Well, she’s Jane, so I got to delete that sappy piece of hormonally-induced prose. After having 2 girls, I was blessed with a boy and then overwhelmed by the number of THINGS you had to do to change a boy diaper (vaseline for the stitches, cover it to avoid spray, plus wiping/changing/lube as normal – I’m not an octopus, for crying out loud). I like Star Wars, but don’t get the utter fascination – and he knows that he has to “clear a path” from his bed to the door so that my feet don’t “find” any Lego pieces.
Hoping that your path to medical intervention is short, sweet, and as painless as possible. And you earn mega (Lego Star Wars?) bonus points for getting to that MRI last Friday!
So fun to learn more about you! I’m like you with The New Yorker and my husband is like you with the drawers and doors…they are ALWAYS left open!!! drives me nuts!
I really hope the embolization does its thing and you are all awesomely good to go :)
You are a wonderful writer. I am an avid reader, I don’t read The New Yorker, but I really enjoy your writing. Love Run Like A Mother and your posts!
You are awesome Dim!!! Thanks for posting…I can really relate.. dog snoring, boys, impatience..!
New to another mother runner and am enjoying your blog, podcasts and fb page! Totally love your wit, as I am a little on the sarcastic side myself! Looking for advice for chaffing for my ample thighs as I work on making them less ample!!!
LOLing-awesome post. And a nice insight into the rest of who you are. As a decades long subscriber to the New Yorker …. Well, let’s just say we are kindred spirits there. Excellent post, made me think of other ways I should document about myself (instead of just in my running scrapbooks). Thanks!
Dimity,
After my first son was born I had an uterine artery embolization at MUSC to stop some bleeding that was caused by a surgical error during my c-section. It was very quick and painless and rather cool to witness. The head radiologist was so good looking…the only pain I felt was having to lie partially naked in front of him!! I hope that your operation and recovery goes as smoothly as mine did.
Louise
Yay, Dimity! Thanks for playing along, I know it probably took longer than it should but it’s so cool to read about this side of you….I can relate on the patience thing which I have none of, and man, you’ve got more willpower than me for just having one slice of carrot cake!
We have so much in common!!! I guess that’s why despite not having run since August, I keep coming back here to read what you’ve got to stay.
Hang in there with your health issues. I’m rooting for you & totally feel your impatience!
Dim, I just loved your post and I could relate to sooooo much of it — especially the noise part. Just know there will be a lot of people praying for you as you undergo your surgery, as well as for a speedy recovery. Thank you for sharing your life with us.