Sunday, February 8, 2009

Mega Random


I have been tagged several times recently for the "25 random things
about myself" meme and didn't post because I thought it was a bit
overboard on the randomness. But my new bloggy friend, Denese ,
finally coaxed me into it. So, for your complete reading pleasure, here
are 25 totally random things, in no particular order, rhyme or reason.
And since there are so many, I'll try to keep each one short and sweet.
.
1. I adore winter, snow and cold weather. If I had a choice, I would
move even farther north.
.
2. I have a favorite pair of bright red woolly slippers with a delightful
circular design stitched into the tops of each. I wear them every day.
.
3. On my desk is a 1937 British Royalty coronation commemorative
beaker filled with freshly sharpened pencils.
.
4. I like my things to be mellow and a little bit worn.
.
5. I like orderliness, but must have a certain amount of clutter
about me, like a nest. I collect things like a magpie.
.
6. I am drawn to heads. I have busts, masks, and wig forms
(random heads) around the manor. Some of them wear quirky hats,
since I adore hats, as well.
.
7. My uncle calls me Duchess, Duch for short.
.
8. I have an old hotel desk bell on my desk and like to ring it
when a great idea comes to mind. ((ding)) It rings a nice clear "a
major". I have perfect pitch, by the way. I can hear a note, tell you
what it is, but can't, for the life of me, make my voice sing it.
.
9. My computer desk is an old oak drafting table from a pre-war
school in Kansas City.
.
10. My feet are always perfectly groomed with red nail polish, but
I pick my fingernails.
.
11. I was once a licensed sign language interpreter for the deaf.
.
12. I love foreign film and like to practice my phrases out loud as I
watch.
.
13. Even though I am not of the Catholic faith, I collect religious
icons. I love their artistic beauty, history and symbolism. I would
say that I am not a religious person, but a very spiritual one.
.
14. My current favorite dinner plates are vintage Mason's ironstone,
Bow Bells pattern.
.
15. I majored in fine art in college; minor was psychology.
.
16. One of my favorite pieces of jewelry is a vintage gold St. Francis
of Assisi medal, which I wear on a chain.
.
17. Did you know my daughter is an opera singer?
.
18. My Collected Poems of Edna St. Vincent Millay is always with me.
.
19. I like to sleep in one hundred percent cotton men's pajamas.
.
20. My eight years of piano lessons didn't "take", but in my dreams
I can play like Van Cliburn.
.
21. I am an avid genealogy buff and have spent the last five years
researching and logging stats for over 6000 ancestors into my file.
My Scotch Irish paternal sixth great grandfather had a close and
enduring friendship with Thomas Jefferson and my maternal
second great grandmother was full-blooded Cherokee.
.
22. Recently, I've had to give up my beloved ultra strong coffee and
replaced it with decaf tea. Tea is fine, but I sure do miss my cuppa.
.
23. I have a shoe thing. A whole wall in my closet is devoted to
shoes. But the older I get, my feet have become so sensitive, I end
up wearing only a few of my favorite standbys; especially my soft,
camel colored suede, pointy toed mules.
.
24. I always keep a vase of fresh flowers nearby. I consider it an
investment in loveliness.
.
25. I've been to Japan, England, Poland, Germany and Canada, but
I'm not really much of a traveler. I like it once I arrive, but then
I'm ready to return after several days. For me, there's no place
like home.
.
So, there you have it, bloggy friends, I'm sure you are completely
randomed out now! I'm not going to tag anyone in particular, but
please feel free to post your own 25 randoms!
.
Oh, and by the way, David over at Authorblog has written one of
his delightfully fun little ditties in his regular "Verse and Worse" posts
about Willow Manor today! Go over and check it out!

54 comments:

  1. Utterly fascinating Willow and over 6000 logged relatives, WOW! I love the idea of the heads around your home with quirly hats on too, we may need a few piccies of these please?

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  2. I do the same thing with flowers.

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  3. This was so much fun to read! By the way, I can't tell you how many people I've met that collect Catholic or Orthodox icons who don't subscribe to those faiths. I find them fascinating as well!

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  4. I'm happy to say that I knew all 25 things about you! :)....except maybe the current Mason pattern?

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  5. Really interesting, Willow! It is fortunate that you like winter weather ...

    I love the idea of ringing the old hotel bell when a great idea comes to mind!

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  6. Tres interesting. I too, already knew most of these randoms but I also learned a few new Willow-isms - I can't imagine life without my early morning coffee.

    I left you a few Darwin tidbits in the comment section of the previous post. What an interesting man. Love from much further North xo S & les Gang

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  7. Intriguing to read. What a lovely post.

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  8. I knew less than half the random items listed...thank you for sharing.
    I am having the same situation with shoes...I too have tons of shoes but now wear only a few comfortable ones, usually made by Bjorn.

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  9. interesting in deed. i also love the idea of your bell! we have a great thing in common.. our daughters are talented vocalists! :)

    blessings,
    Tracie

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  10. Susan, thank you! I'll check out the links. The Darwin family was indeed interesting. Have you read Period Piece by a Darwin granddaughter? It's a recommendation from Elizabeth and on my "to read" list.

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  11. Brit Gal, yes, I promise some pictures but I have yet to replace my broken camera. Whaaa!!!

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  12. I have to have flowers, as well. In fact I have a couple of hanging vases, so I can have them on the walls of the bathrooms, too.

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  13. Too bad about your coffee but the tea is good too! Your love of home comes through when you share your Willow Manor blog with us. <3

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  14. Ding!

    6000 relatives, huh? And you haven't found me? I swear we are so similar.

    Hope your camera is fixed....soon!

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  15. Wow. An Opera singer? for a daughter? When I gave birth to my daughter I could have been the fat lady singing.!

    Very MEGA RANDOM INDEED. Funny I bought an outfit at the MEGA MALL in Minnesota! One of my girlfriends EX works there. We got a steal on it. Discounts can't beat them can ya.

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  16. Yes, yes on lots of things particularly the fresh flowers -
    they always lift the spirit
    also the Mason's china
    Also love the subtle lighter background you have chosen.

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  17. What fun !! Opera singer - cool and yikes.... Cherokee - that explains so much - both the mystical and the cheekbones - And HATS - I am a milliner - third generation. I grew up in a hatshop. I am happy your friend tslked you into this

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  18. I would love to see more of your collections Willow, especially the head collection! Magpie is in my blood as well.

    I'm hosting a creative spaces challenge this week in order to infuse these chilly days of winter with some inspiration. Please think about joining.

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  19. Hi Willow-
    What an interesting post..add me to the list of icon collectors, all denominations.
    Love your portrait..did Shepard Fairey do it?

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  20. It does feel very narcissistic, doesn't it?

    I do think it is a good way for people to get to know you. And sometimes some of us who have a problem talking about ourselves need to. I'm glad you made the effort!

    From one finger picker to another (a lifelong bad habit);

    Denese

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  21. I need one of those bells! I think I have a porcelain Christmas bell somewhere - I just may have to dig it out.
    Saint Francis is my favourite saint. I have a linen wall-hanging with his prayer on it in my dining room.
    I have traveled to the UK and Europe, but like you, am always anxious to come home - to my own bed.

    These were great responses. (I like David's ditty too!)

    Kat

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  22. Awesome to learn more about ya!!!

    I think you just like cold weather because you love your slippers so much.

    I have awesome slippers that I love, and my mother gave me sweater socks for christmas, those things are the BEST!!!

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  23. well, that was fun! I'm glad you shared! and isn't it sad when you can't wear great shoes anymore....i buy the same style of merrills and that's all i wear anymore...i wish i had kept my wonderful vintage vamp pumps from when i was young...they would have been fun to "art up"...

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  24. yes on the flowers- it certainly helps when your daughter is a florist who cant stand waste.
    xx

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  25. And as for shoes: I now wear Munro Americans. They're made well and don't hurt my feet. I have a CLOSET full of shoes (a response to having skinny feet and feeling like I'll never find another pair that fits..)..

    Denese

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  26. Lovely! Enjoyed this, Willow.
    My younger brother has perfect pitch--he can't sing, but he recognizes every note. The little old man who tuned our piano used to make my mom have him leave the room because he would get confused with Eddie's perfect pitch as he hit each key. We also always have fresh flowers all over our house--all year. I agree--it's just something we can't do without.

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  27. I love that you keep fresh flowers always. And that you can sign!

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  28. It's nice the way you reveal yourself here, Willow.
    8.I should try this, instead of saying "ding" aloud(as I'm wont to do)
    9.Would love to see the drafting table. Lotsa room on one of those things. The one I built is long gone.
    12.I end up repeating the phrases "sotto voce" but only if viewing with others
    21.I too, have taken up this quest. But most living relatives are not of much help in getting me started on the right path.
    22. Aaaarrrgh! No coffee?? I need my 12-20 cuppas...every day.
    25.One does get homesick. I'm a world traveller. But moving around so much as a kid, I never really got "rooted" in any one place.
    I may have to try this at some point. Thanks for sharing.

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  29. I have been working on my geneology too. I am doing it just from my great-grandfather and down with information from ancestory.com. One of my cousins did all the other work.

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  30. LOVE this.

    Loved no. 19 and 25.

    "1. I adore winter, snow and cold weather. If I had a choice, I would move even farther north."

    --Brrr....love it though.

    How al very interesting. didn't realise you were an art major as well. that makes sense though.

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  31. Lyn, it's from the site Obamacon.me, so I guess you could say it was by Shephard Fairey, in a way! ;^)

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  32. "If I had a choice, I would move even farther north."

    Speaking on behalf of all Canadians (something I do all the time whether they like it or not), we'd love to have you! Come on up, the weather is freezing and the snow is deep!

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  33. loved the Mega Random! so much goodness.....

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  34. Would love to know if you've found a good decaf tea?

    Have recently switched from coffee to black tea, and should give up caffeine entirely, but can't find a decaf tea that doesn't taste weak to me:-(

    Thanks, and that was lots of fun to read!

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  35. Di, to your question about the decaf tea: no!! Keep me posted if you find a good one. In the morning I drink regular black tea and anytime after 2 p.m. I drink Lipton decaf, 2 bags, but it does taste weak to me, too.

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  36. "8. I have an old hotel desk bell on my desk and like to ring it when a great idea comes to mind."

    Do you go : "Ta-dahhhh!" as well?

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  37. I really enjoyed reading your random things. The bell was my favourite. It reminds me of the british sitcom Fawlty Towers.
    As we are new aquaintances I won't bore you with 25, but will give you a few.

    1. I was born and raised in England, travelled to the US when Iw as 17 and fell in love with my future husband the minute I saw him. Married him when I was 20 and emmigrated. All my family still live in England.

    2. I love a good laugh. A big one from the gut. My husband and best friend are the only ones who are able to get me to do this.

    3. I'm a hopeless romantic

    4. I love Victoriana and was delighted to find that Victoria magazine had resurrected itself.

    5. I can play the trumpet, clarinet,recorder and piano. None of them well, but I can play a tune on each.

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  38. interesting to read the facts about you...

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  39. "I collect things like a magpie" -
    loverly. *smile*

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  40. I do the same thing with my nail polish. =]

    And thank you, by the way, for the comment.

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  41. Hi Willow-
    A couple of really good brands for tea:
    Triple Leaf: great herbal,
    Tazo: Organic Chai, especially for Chai Latte. Delish! Also Earl Grey.

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  42. So much fun to read. I usually keep my toenails a light colour as I'm so fair, red is a shock on me. But I fell asleep once whilst getting a pedicure and my dear lady chose a colour herself rather than wake me. She chose one entitled "I Am Not Just A Waitress". It was the reddest red I had ever ever seen. For two weeks I jumped every time my toes popped up from the bubbles in the bath!!

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  43. You are a charming collection of quirks and preferences!

    I was also fascinated to learn that your daughter is an opera singer.

    Would you consider doing a post sometime about genealogy? How did you get started? What tools have most helped you?

    Do you like winter from the inside looking out? (In other words, because you like be cozy inside?) Or do you also like to be outside in cold weather?

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  44. The more you write and the more I find out about you, the more I think you'd make a wonderful subject for a book. Ever think of doing memoirs?

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  45. Oh...and I'll take you up on your blanket offer. 25 things comin' right up.

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  46. Re: "My eight years of piano lessons didn't take", but in my dreams I can play like Van Cliburn."

    I am a frustrated pianist too.
    My parents spent tons of $$ on lessons and for a useless degree in music.

    Live and learn.
    At least you have perfect pitch!

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  47. Clare, thanks for your few randoms! Always nice to get to know my bloggies a bit better!

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  48. Bee, yes, I will do a post on genealogy sometime soon. Good idea. I like to be inside and out in winter...I like all the aspects!

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  49. Starlene, funny you should bring this up, because WT keeps pestering me about writing my memoirs!

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  50. Is your daughter an opera singer?

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  51. You love cold weather? I thought you were kinda quirky, now I know you're nuts ;-) Your daughter's an opera singer? what opera company? Enjoyed this post willow.

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  52. Willow, I felt like I have really got to know you through your blog, but this post was so informative. I am so happy that so many people have gotten turned on to your blog. It's great and I always learn so much. That is sooo cool about your daughter. Always entertaining!!

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  53. May you become a truly religious person some day. I wish you all the best.

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)