With apologies to Oh The Joys, this post is in honor of Tanis, and in a few years, for my kids.

There was a time when I wanted to be “cool”. I wanted to look like the other kids and wear what the cool kids wore (In sixth grade I had to have moccasins, in 7th grade, a pair of dark blue Nikes with the light blue swish). In high school I settled into the band crowd and that mostly worked for me. I still wasn’t a cool kid, but I had “people”. In college, I realized that my different looks were an advantage. People remembered me (in a good way) and I started to use that to my advantage. It my mid-20’s, I hit my stride and never looked back. Like it or lump it baby, I yam-what-i-yam, ya know?

In honor of Tanis’s post about marching to her own drummer, I share with you what makes me, me.

I was a Mac user long before Apple was cool and during the years when Steve Jobs wasn’t CEO and everyone said they were done for. I tell people my blood runs in six colors and most people don’t get it.

My first car was a brand new mini-van, by choice. I miss the functionality and would get another one in a heartbeat if it was practical where we live.

I wore sneakers under my wedding dress and proudly showed them off. I live in Danskos in the winter and Crocs sandals in the summer. I think high heels are painful and high fashion is stupid. There are days when I dress to impress, but I refuse to be uncomfortable.

I loved Star Trek the Next Generation. I thought the Wesley Crusher was cool.

I love to dance, but am hopelessly uncoordinated. There has been at least one trip to the ER tied to my dancing.

Solid, three part harmonies bring tears to my eyes. Blue grass fiddles cut right to my soul.

I didn’t start listening to FM radio until high school. As a result, I know the words to way to many cheesy 70’s songs. This includes (but is NOT limited too), Daddy Please Don’t, Convoy, The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia Any Barry Manilow song from the 70’s, Dead Skunk and several Tony Orlando and Dawn Songs. Those are just the songs in my iTunes library. I spent the first two years of college listening to the classic rock station just trying to catch up. I never made it to the “cutting edge” stuff.

I like Nickleback too. I like, 38 Special Styx, Poison, Quiet Riot, Ratt, Twisted Sister and Night Ranger. Today, my tastes, are more country. Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Miranda Lambert, but don’t leave out Anna Nalick, Norah Jones, and Jason Mraz. In short, my tastes are all over the map.

I like Dolly for her voice (no, really!) and yes, she has awesome business sense.

I bought The Climb by Miley Cyrus because I liked it.

I danced to Celine Dion with my Dad Dennis at my wedding (Because You Loved Me). I can belt out a mean “Its All Coming Back to Me Now”. No apologies Tanis.

I recently discovered romance novels. I can respect literature, but can rarely read it. I like good stories, and symbolism can frustrate me.

I go to the movies to be entertained. Make me laugh, and please don’t make me think too hard. I do that in other areas of my life.

My actor crush growing up? Andrew Stevens How’s THAT for out of the main stream. Anyone else remember Code Red?

I get very wrapped up in TV shows like ER and 24, to the point where I don’t watch them because they stress me out.

I hate most sit coms and reality TV because I hate to see people make fools of themselves.

I love Big Bang Theory because while not nearly as smart, I identify with the geeks.

I like old George Carlin and think that Dennis Blair is one of the funniest men walking the planet.

I drink tea, not coffee and while I have been exposed to a variety of fine teas, many of which I have enjoyed, I can be equally happy with a cup of Tetley.

I love acapella music.

My vision sucks, but I will not miss out on all that is to be experienced in this world. I hold things close to my face to read them and my bioptic allows me to see things clearly that are at a distance. Yes, it looks odd and if I catch you staring at me for a long time, I will turn my scope on you. If you are curious how it works, just ask me nicely. I’m happy to explain and if you’re nice, I might even let you try it.

These days, I embrace my inner dork on a regular basis. If Oh The Joys hadn’t used it first, I would have used “The Dork at the Keyboard” in my blogging description.

My daughter is approaching the precipice of her teenage years with impatience, mixed with fear and anticipation. Thanks to this book we regularly have discussions about menstrual cycles and their, uh, accouterments. I dread the teenage years because like Tanis, mine SUCKED and I want better for my kids. Yet, I know that it is just something that every kid had to get through. Right now, my daughter seems to follow her inner spirit and I can only hope she hangs on to that guide as time passes.

In the mean time, I save this link to show her it could be worse, she could be her for a mother 🙂 And, I’ll gather more photos of me to prove to my daughter, no one survives unscathed, but we all muddle through one way or the other.