Five Things You Don't Know About Me

Inspired by Dorothy and Litlove I thought I would share my answers to this meme as well.  So here are five things that you might not know about me:

1.  Let me get the biggie off my chest first.  I don't own a car.  I don't drive.  I don't want to own a car or drive.  Yes, I am an anomaly in this indepedent society that is America today.  But there you have it.  I actually like walking.  I walk all the time, and then I walk some more on my treadmill at home.  I take public transportation (with, as some have so lovingly described them...the unwashed masses), and yes, sometimes some of them are unwashed (I have lots of stories...).  I wish the public transportation was better in Omaha, but it isn't.  It isn't much of a priority here.  I also wish there were more sidewalks in the newer parts of town.  But that doesn't seem to be a priority either. 

2.  I was hit by a car while crossing the street a few years ago.  I guess that is the risk you take being a pedestrian.  It was in January, it was early and dark and I was going to work.  And it was really, really cold and snowy.  I am a good pedestrian, and I waited for the light to turn green and the little walking man to appear, and I set off on my way, and was...well...hit by a nasty, little minivan.  Apparently the driver didn't feel like slowing down in the snow to stop for the red light until she saw me.  Oops.  There is nothing like the feeling of being swept off your feet and thrown to the snowy pavement by a minivan.  Okay, I am being pretty dramatic, but I walked away from it with only a very nasty bruise.  Once again...this city, and the way it is run...drivers are required to carry proof of insurance with them, which this lady did not have.  The policeman (and yes, there was an ambulance as well as fire truck) let her call her husband to get "their policy number".  Little catch, it belonged to a different vehicle.  She didn't even get a ticket.  To this day I am still in a huff about that! 

3.  I love to travel even though you wouldn't know it by my lack of going anywhere lately (too poor...too much book buying I suspect!).  In college I went by myself on one of those package tours they advertise in universities. London, Paris, Rome! (I wasn't quite brave enough to backpack on my own).  I spent two summers in Ireland (primarily in Belfast) volunteering on a Children's Playscheme that would integrate Catholic and Protestant children on little day trips and fun events.  I spent part of a summer in London living with three crazy Irish girls.  And I lived a year in Austria (outside of Vienna) teaching English in a high school (and spent lots of time traveling to neighboring countries).

4.  Growing up I wanted to be various things-including: an arachaeologist, an oceanographer, a journalist, someone who works for the foreign service, someone who does restoration on artwork (like the character in The Fander's Panel--but I could never get past all the chemistry classes!), but I ended up studying and getting my degree in Art History.  I later took some grad classes in education (to possibly get an MLS).  I still haven't quite decided what I want to be when I grow up, but until then I work in a library.

5.  In my free time I like to do creative things.  I have done a lot of paper-arts/collage sorts of things, and have even had a few of my pieces shown in some of Stampington's publications (the collage above is an example).  I am also a needleworker.  I have a pretty large collection of "stash"--more linen, floss, and charts than I could possibly use in a lifetime (but I am still known to buy the odd thing here or there).  I have a needlework blog, The Peacock's Feather.  I am a slow stitcher, though, as I tend to spend more free time reading than stitching!

Comments

[Dorothy W.]

How interesting! I'd totally not have a car if I could get away with it. If it weren't for my job, and the fact that there's a great park about five miles away where we take the dog, I could probably get by without driving. I'd have a cheap commuting bike.

[Susan]

"I still haven't quite decided what I want to be when I grow up, but until then I work in a library."

Story of my life in a nutshell. . .

[Stefanie]

I wish I could get by without having a car. I do manage it from April until October when I ride my bike to work. How scary that you were hit by a car! That woman has a big karmic debt she'll be working off for a long time!

[Joannie]

I figured out what I want to be when I grow up: a person who reads books and gets paid for it.

Now if I can only figure out who's going to pay me...hmmm.

[Marg]

Okay...I am going to make a comment completely unrelated to the post (not because I didn't enjoy reading it though!....sorry!!)

I found this post about music relating to the Patrick O'Brian novels. Thought you might be interested if you didn't already know about it!

[Marg]

hmmm...maybe you need the link!!

http://www.squawkradio.com/index.php/sblog/liz_opens_the_door_to_fall_music/

**going to bed so that hopefully my brain works better tomorrow!**

[Marg]

Umm....really wasn't trying to post that many times...sorry!

[Litlove]

I love this, Danielle, because you don't often say much about yourself usually. You poor thing - how awful to be hit by a car! And I would have been spitting feathers too, if the driver hadn't even been issued a ticket! Unbelievable! Art history is a wonderful subject to study (wish I'd done more of that), and I always admire people who can stitch. I'm hopeless!

[Carl V.]

Thanks for sharing. I love collage work and that example is fantastic!

I couldn't live without my car but I don't fault you for not having one if you can get by without it. That has to save you a ton of money, especially considering the scam that is gasoline prices.

Glad you weren't hurt in your accident. There are way to many uninsured motorists out there. The penalties should be much, much stiffer.

I haven't traveled outside of the U.S. but want to...someday!

I wanted to be a marine biologist for awhile as a kid and I'm still fascinated with the ocean today.

[iliana]

I'm jealous that you can live without a car. If I could, I definitely would be our public transportation in the suburbs of Dallas is crap. Anyway,glad you weren't seriously hurt in the accident but I think you have every right to still be in a huff about it!

[Danielle]

Dorothy--I wouldn't mind riding a bike if I was a tad bit closer to work. Do you have bike lanes where you live--I am always a little leery of riding in traffic.
Susan--By the time I decide I'll probably be too old to do anything about it!
Stefanie--I hope that lady felt bad at least. She seemed to give the policeman a complete snow job--she obviously knew she was lying. She definitely needs to work on her karmic debt!!
Joannie--I always thought it would be cool to be an editor or work in publishing--but you probably have to shuffle through a lot of so-so stuff before you hit upon the really wonderful stuff!
Marg--sorry about that--I deleted the extra comments. Typepad "stick" sometimes. It looks like nothing happens, but then you end up with duplicate notes! I took away the extras--no problem! Thanks for the link. I am definitely going to check that CD out!! How cool!
Litlove--I guess I don't talk much about personal stuff as I feel like I must be the boringest person on the planet!! At least these days! I love stitching, but I tend to pick up a book these days than other crafty things. I am always surprised when people say they are bored as I always have loads of things I want to do, and not enough time to do them!
Carl--I totally don't begrudge anyone having a car!! I know they make life much easier, and if I had kids (which I don't) it would probably change things!! My husband has a vehicle, so I am a bit of a cheat really. But for me not having a car works out great. And I think I must save money from gas and insurance and upkeep, and just the general stress of owning something that large and expensive!! I do wish more thought planning and money was put into public transportation and other modes of transportation. I think given other options people might leave their car at home occasionally when they could get around quickly and efficiently. I don't know where my desire came for being an oceanographer (Jacque Cousteau?) since I am as far from any ocean as you can pretty much get! :)

[Danielle]

Iliana--What a weird thing to happen. I am always complaining about people who run red lights and how annoying they are and look what happens!!!

[Max]

Interesting to read. One of the things I've been pondering lately is how a person is so much more than what they usually present to the world, or allow other people to see. I don't drive either, but to be fair that is mostly because I have less than no sense of direction and wouldn't be able to drive anywhere even if I did have a car cos I'd get lost on the way (even with sat nav)!

[Amanda A.]

I don't drive. I get all nervous and panic and then pass out. Not good behind the wheel. I'm a walker. And I bum rides off of alex. I figure its a fair exchange....

[Kim]

I work an hour outside the city. I could rent a car to visit family, but I have to have a car to get to work. I do use the light rail trains as much as possible to get downtown, and I often walk to neighborhood places. My ultimate goal is to live and work somewhere that I don't have to have own a car.

I grew up and became a teacher, now I'm working on becoming a librarian, but my dream job, like Joanie's, is to get paid for reading.

[Amelia]

I also do not know how to drive. I never had to, living in NYC. I've been living in Arizona for a year and 8 months and I've since learned that having a car here is imperative to living a normal life. Now I've just got to get my butt over to the DMV to actually get my foot in the door. Driving here is pretty dangerous though as this state has some of the worst drivers. They beat out NYC cab drivers any day!

Sorry to hear about your accident!! I agree with Stefanie - she does have a karmic debt to pay. I got hit one time, at my right of way, and the lady had the nerve to give me a dirty look and speed off. I'm glad you're okay, though!!!

Thanks for posting your answers to the meme. It was really interesting! :) And I've seen your work on your other site and I have to say that it is quite impressive. I don't know how you get everything done!

[Amelia]

Maybe you should write a memoir as I REALLY enjoyed reading your answers. I'm serious.

[Danielle]

Max--I am not very good with directions either. I wonder which side of the brain that information comes from. I am generally a really detail oriented person, so you would think that directions would be easy, but maybe I am just too lazy to pay attention!
Amanda--Driving stresses me out, too. I think that sometimes driving brings out the worst in some people!!
Kim--I have lived places where the public transportation is so good that you really don't always need a car. Of course that is not the way my city has been planned. European cities are the best--most big cities have great public transportation, or are very bike and pedestrian friendly!!
Amelia--I think I would hate to drive in NYC. I know some places you really can't get by not having a vehicle, which is unfortunate, but it is always assumed we simply will always have our cars. You are too nice, if I wrote a memoir it would be quite short! :)

[swingers]

I like to imagine myself as a model, like a fashion type.
It never happened for me, so now I'm going the
glamour route. http://www.geocities.com/swingers_ads_2005/ I came back
for the one in my green heels two days later.
The weather was warm so being bottomless was actually a lot of fun.

[single women]

Skin on skin- is that too forward???
We are only looking for couples and single females.
http://www.uinlove.com Single males are automatically filtered out and never reach our inbox.
It always amuses us that single guys cannot read and think that if they email us they will be the "one"
that breaks down that rule and makes us just gotta get together with them.