25 Things About Me Meme

[chomiji]

This has been coming at me from all directions, both here on LJ and on that other silly place wot starts with F. I refuse to tag people for something like this ... do it if you feel like it, my dears!

 

1. I used to study martial arts. I got to yonkyu (green belt) in Uechi Ryu karate and nikyu (equivalent to a brown or blue belt, depending on the system) in Aikido. I wasn't very good in either, but Aikido was definitely a better fit.
    
2. I have been an SF fan for a long time. I remember reading Ruthven Todd's "Space Cat" series at 7 or 8 years old.
    
3. My favorite sushi is flounder and shiso leaf nigiri sushi. This is never on the menu, but most places will make it if you ask.
    
4. My Western zodiac sign is Leo, with Libra rising. My moon and Venus are both in Cancer. This would be more than enough to explain why I am a sentimental mess - if one believes in astrology.
    
5. My Eastern birth year sign is Earth Dog.
    
6. I can't really say I have a favorite color, because I like too many of them.
    
7. I prefer to wear white metals (silver etc.) in jewelry. I love opals, too.
    
8. My favorite ice cream flavor is coffee. It's even better with bittersweet hot fudge on it.
    
9. I was allergic to strawberries throughout my childhood. I did not taste a fresh strawberry - that I can remember - until I was around 12.
    
10. I was born in Washington, DC, and have lived in this area all my life, except for 4 years at college.
     
11. As a child, I learned to ride a two-wheeled bike without once falling off. It was only a few months later that I skidded on sand and took a spectacular spill.
     
12. Trees and natural running water - especially small, rocky streams - are among my favorite things. I think of them when I need to calm down.
     
13. In my teens, I was pretty artsy. I used to attend a summer camp for artistically gifted children, for which I had to present a portfolio each year for admittance. However, after the first year, I knew I would never make it as an artist because I was in the bottom 50% of the talent. I enjoyed the camp anyway.
     
14. I have sung second soprano, alto, and tenor.
     
15. When I hear birds chirping, I tend to chirp back without thinking about it.
     
16. I started reading manga two years because so much of the science fiction and fantasy that was being published was either stupidly wooden or terribly nihilistic and depressing.
     
17. I still read favorite children's books as "comfort reads."
     
18. I have been married for nearly 24 years at this point. I met my husband 5 years before we were married.
     
19. My Hebrew name is Rakhel, which English is "Rachel" rather than "Ruth." That's because I was named after my maternal grandmother, a Ruth whose Hebrew name was Rakhel. I never did learn why she had that Hebrew name.
     
20. I used to play folk guitar. (I still have the guitar - I probably ought to start playing it again.)
     
21. In college, I created an exhaustive card index of Elvish vocabulary from Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion (Lost Tales and so on hadn't been published yet.) I also reconstructed Proto-Elvish from the Sindarin and Quenya samples I collected for the index.
     
22. I was a herald in the Society for Creative Anachronism. I was one of two Staff Pursuivants to the Triton Herald of Atlantia right after I graduated from college. The other Staff Pursuivant was the man I would eventually marry.
     
23. I am tremendously near-sighted: -8.5 diopters or so (this is considerably worse than 20/800). I started wearing glasses at age 4. First I was cross-eyed, then far-sighted, and by the age of 8 or so was near-sighted without ever having attained normal vision.
     
24. Perhaps because of this, my hearing and sense of smell are excellent. The latter meant that in years of living in shared housing, room mates were always sticking wretched-looking food items under my nose and asking me "Has this gone bad?"
     
25. I like to travel in that I enjoy experiencing other places. On the other hand, I am not a good traveler because I have trouble sleeping anywhere but my own bed. (Actually, I don't always sleep very well there, either!)

Comments

[bad-mushroom.livejournal.com]

I can definitely relate to 23 and 25 -- I'm not quite as nearsighted as that (yet), but my vision is already almost 20/500 at age 19 (it started at 20/60 only about ten years ago), and it's still getting worse...yikes. And the traveling. Exactly.

[chomiji]

Yeah, thus far it's only nearsightedness, but I've been told I'm at big risk for detached retinas because my eyeballs are so long front-to-back!

The traveling thing kind of sucks, because seeing new places is so much fun.

[bad-mushroom.livejournal.com]

Wow, long eyeballs! That's not one you hear often :P

[chomiji]

Well, that's what causes near-sightedness ... when they're too long front-to-back, the focal point for your lenses falls short of your retina. The lasik surgery compensates by changing the shape of the lens.

But you're right, it sounds pretty damn goofy!

[artillie.livejournal.com]

I was a herald in the Society for Creative Anachronism. I was one of two Staff Pursuivants to the Triton Herald of Atlantia right after I graduated from college. The other Staff Pursuivant was the man I would eventually marry.

I'm so confused.

[chomiji]

• Society for Creative Anachronism
• "The Society for Creative Anachronism (often called SCA) is a historical re-creation and living history group founded in 1966, which endeavors to promote the study and recreation of mainly pre-17th century Western European cultures and their histories. A quip often used within the SCA describes them as a group devoted to the recreation of the Middle Ages 'as they ought to have been' ... " - wikipedia
• Officers ... Herald - This officer is in charge of heraldic activities, such as the creation and registration of names and arms. Each kingdom has a College of Heralds which prepares submissions to go to the Society College of Arms, headed by the Laurel Sovereign of Arms. - wikipedia

They don't explain that a Herald also acts as a living mobile P.A. system: at a large event, you spend a lot of time walking around, banging the end of your herald's staff on the floor and yelling "Oyez, oyez! My Lords and Ladies ... !" followed by some sort of announcement. Also, a high-ranking herald (one with a title, like the Triton) has enough paperwork to do that he or she may appoint "Pursuivants" - herald-clerks - to help.

It's basically a large, international geek social organization (they pretend it's scholarly) that involves lots of medieval cosplay, except that instead of portraying a particular fictional character, you develop your own "persona," who is a person of whichever sub-era and culture you wish.

There are chapters associated with most college/university campuses in the U.S. Your local group would seem to be Concordia of the Snows.

[hikari-mibu.livejournal.com]

I can relate to number 1 and 9.

Up until a few months ago I studied ITF Tae Kwon Do and got to red belt before my health told me to stop or else...

And I have been allergic to strawberries all my life too...no telling what will happen if I should ever get a strawberry seed or hair in my mouth...*shudders to think what will happen*

[chomiji]

Yuan only partially for the lulz ... he's my only martial artist icon, I think!

My nephew is allergic to berries too - I guess it's inherited.

[freeradical9.livejournal.com]

I was a herald in the Society for Creative Anachronism. I was one of two Staff Pursuivants to the Triton Herald of Atlantia right after I graduated from college. The other Staff Pursuivant was the man I would eventually marry.

I have enough background to be able to translate, and find it unspeakably romantic. ^_^

I have been married for nearly 24 years at this point. I met my husband 5 years before we were married.

That's wonderful! So, this year will be 25? Very nice. :D

[chomiji]

XD

No, this year will be 24 years, on April 20. Next year will be the big silver year. And also the Young Lady's high school graduation. A big year all around!

[freeradical9.livejournal.com]

*grin* Clearly, I can't count. ...Or maybe read. ^_^

Next year does sound like a big year all around! Is the Young Lady anxious yet about post-graduation life (applications, interviews, etc.), or still mainly focused on getting to graduation itself?

The Young Lady & college

[chomiji]

She's starting to think about college: on spring break (early April), we'll probably do a college road trip with my friend K's husband and their daughter, who's TYL's best friend.

Her high school program requires an annotated portfolio, where she has to explain each piece she includes (mostly written pieces) and why it's included, and she's working on that too.

[avierra.livejournal.com]

Hehe, we have a few things in common:

7, 8, 12, 23, 24 (my husband canNOT tell when something is mildewy or has gone bad, it's amazing to me that he can't smell things properly)

18... coming up on 27 for me, and like you, I knew my hubby 5 years before we got married. (I was a child bride >_>)

20... I play the mandolin (Celtic music) and should take it up again ;P

I started reading manga two years because so much of the science fiction and fantasy that was being published was either stupidly wooden or terribly nihilistic and depressing.

Yeah, what is up with that?

[chomiji]

Wow, that's pretty impressive - 27 years, huh?

I'm 2½ years older than my Mr!

I know! It's like it used to be all macho and square-chinned, and then it was interesting for a couple of decades, and then it got all grim. Manga has a lot of heart, which is what I like.