In a (long) continuation of anniversary week, here are some things you may not know about Tom and I.

Here is what Tom wanted to share.

• When I got out of the Army, I made an iTunes playlist that was the exact length of the trip home. It involved the chronological order of all my favorite songs over my entire life. The only two mismatched songs were “The Best Day of My Life” by American Authors that I played driving through the gate at Ft. Campbell, and then “It Feels Like Today” by Rascal Flats as I drove over the bridge from Illinois to Missouri. Freedom.
• 75% of the time when I go to my shop, I have no project in mind. I just stand in the middle of the shop and stare at my tools until something pops into my head.
• I have waited my whole life to build a gym at my own house for two reasons: I want to listen to songs that would be embarrassing if I listened to them out-loud around other people like Cher or Selena. (Guys I got a little concert of Tom singing these songs to me, so for that this post was worth it.) The second reason is to wear flip flops when I work out.
• I have a deep compassion for animals. If I see an animal in need, I feel compelled to help them. I stop my police car with lights to help a turtle across the road. However, I hate birds. I feel like they are mocking me when they come into our yard. I really really hate cowbirds and sparrows, but I like owls so much. I am sad that they don’t want to be my friend.

Here are some things you may not know about me.

• I talk in my sleep. Apparently this past weekend I got into an argument with Tom about people wearing gloves. We have some gems over the last decade. One time I screamed, “Basketball Time” out of nowhere.
• I got into a fight at recess when I was in 3rd grade. We were playing Power Rangers, and us girls went all women power on the two guys we were playing with (one who happened to be my neighbor). I ripped my neighbor’s shirt and we all got sent to the principle’s office. It was the only time I was ever sent there for not good behavior. I am sure now I would have been suspended for something like that-I would have been mortified. Even so, I was devastated that my good record was tarnished, and even more horrified when my parents made me go apologize to my neighbor’s mom when I got home. My dad still mocks me for this indiscretion.
• I have a scuba diving license, but I have only ever dived in lakes in Missouri. This is a class that I took in college as my PE credit.
• I have worn glasses since the 5th grade, but prior to that I begged my parents for glasses. I remember crying that I didn’t have them and wearing my parents’ glasses when they weren’t looking. I was weird, and didn’t realize that glasses would give people reason to make fun of me in those wonderful years of middle school. This is the face of naivety circa 1995 a few month after getting spectacles.