It's My Birthday!

1. I turn 30 tomorrow. On my birthday, I try and keep a clear separation from what took place on September 11, 2001 and my birthday celebration.

2. I want to be Beverly Cleary when I grow up, or kind of like her. I love the idea of being a children's book author and living in the Bay Area. I imagine myself waking up to a cold, foggy morning, and drinking my coffee while reading over my latest manuscript.

3. I know how to change a starter on a 1975 mail Jeep and have done it before. My dad believed in raising Julie and I to be independent and self sufficient. When I worked for him on the farm, and the starter went out on the Jeep, he made me figure our how to fix it myself.

4. I almost drowned in the Arcularius when I was 4 years old. My sister, my friends Aaron and Laura, and I were all supposed to be napping while my parents were fishing in the river. Aaron and I woke up and were thirsty and decided we should fill our thermos with water from the river. We thought the best way to do it would be to make a human chain. Aaron would hold on to me while I bent over and filled the thermos with water. Our idea was not successful, and we fell in. We drifted down stream to where our parents were fishing and my dad grabbed us and pulled us out of the rushing river. Aaron's mom Judy, put a Snoopy band aid over the sore spot from my dad pulling us out. It made me feel a lot better.

5. I love to travel. I'd love to visit every continent, excluding Antartica, before I die. So far I've made it to Europe, Asia, and of course, North America.

6. When Julie and I were high school/ junior high age, and my parents would go out to dinner and leave us home for the evening, we would cook orange dinner. We would have mac n cheese, cheetoes, and orange soda. Healthy.

7. I love watching documentaries. I don't know what it is about them, but they suck me in. Some favorites are Trekkies (long story, but I met Gabriel from the movie), King of Kong, and Spellbound.

I tag Ellie, Malisa, Phil, Ben, and Alli.