I recently joined Bliss “a social place for health and wellness bloggers” and decided to participate in their final 6 week challenge, to share 5 tidbits about myself that readers may not know about me.So, if you’re reading this…thank you so much for stopping by! I appreciate you very much. 🙂

1. Practice makes perfect. I hate that. There are so many things I would like to do but am too afraid or something, to practice them in order to get good. Like rollerblading/skating, running, playing the guitar, ultimate Frisbee, and piano to name a few. It may surprise you to know that writing and photography are at the top of the list. They are and I often feel like I have no idea what I’m doing. The important thing for me to see in this, is that I’m doing it – usually daily – and I hope to see improvement over time. Now if I could just apply that determination to those other endeavors.

2. Road trips seem to undermine the healthy bones in my body. That doesn’t mean I don’t have tricks. Even if we stop at a gas station and I want Cheetos, I try to look for a healthy snack, like roasted nuts or fruit or a Naked drink. Looking for healthy stores like Vitamin Cottage, Whole Foods, or just a regular grocery store along your intended route also help you find good food options – even when you just want Cheetos. Why does driving in a car do that??

    

3. My 3 favorite non-fiction books:

• Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda  by Romeo Dallaire
• The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan
• Ani Phyo’s Raw Food Kitchen 

  

4. We don’t own a car. Two years ago we both owned a car. I never would’ve thought we’d be a car-less family one day but yeah that’s pretty cool! Jeremy sold his Hyundai the Spring of 2010 during our ‘plan and save’ for our Round the World trip. We then shared my Scion xB (!Loved my ‘toaster’ car!). We didn’t get a chance to sell that car before our trip started in April because a lady rear-ended my husband in mid-February of 2011, while he was stopped at a stoplight. According to the body shop, she had to have been going 50mph when she slammed into him. Thankfully and gratefully Jeremy was safe and unharmed. He had the teeniest bit of whiplash and we were good about going to the ER and chiropractor for follow up to make sure he was feeling tip-top. This was all less than a month away from Jeremy leaving his job, us being without health insurance, 2 months before leaving for Ireland. WoW! Somehow it all worked out, they ‘totaled’ my car, car insurance paid for our rental most of that 2 month period, and everything was settled before our trip. I still don’t know how everything worked out so cleanly. I’m just happy my love is safe and sound. Just a quick mention we do all our getting around by walking and then public transportation – it is wonderful! We get a great strength training workout in going to the grocery store too. 🙂

 

5. I thought I hated gnomes. I honestly thought I did. I’ve had terrible, teeth chattering, bone chilling scary dreams of gnomes. Gnomes with gnashing teeth and yellow eys (I’m sure they had bad skin too) that chased me around my Dad’s ‘hoarder’ like basement. Yup, those kinds of gnomes. They’re short, strange, and more than a wee bit creepy. BUT a friend recently showed me a book she had and all of sudden a chunk of childhood came slamming back to me. I had that same book when I was little! It was the strangest experience to all of sudden remember that as a child, I had loved gnomes and looking at this book.

Are there 5 things you’d like to share with me?? Please do! Leave a comment below or just say ‘Hi!’ 

xoxo