Tagging is Weird

Jen tagged me. I thought she might have learned her lesson. But…

 

7 weird facts about Kym

1. Weirdest fact of all—I am a real Black belt. Good lord, who let that happen? Anyone who knows me realizes quickly that I would rather read than run but our tiny little hamlet has the 2007 teacher of the year for the World Tang Soo Do Association, Becky Rupp, and, if she can make ME a black belt… Hell, what are you waiting for? Someone like you could be the next Chuck Norris.

2. I have a weird psychic ability. I have yet to mention the name Garberville in any remote corner of the world without having some totally unknown person drop their jaw and explain a connection. For example, the time I was in a filthy little Laundromat in Berkeley Student Housing. My best friend and I were folding clothes chatting about Garberville’s incredibly small size but relatively large reputation. I swear there was no one else in the building– but a middle aged man poked his head around the corner long enough to announce proudly, “The only time we were ever in Humboldt County, my oldest son was conceived at the Sherwood Forest Inn in Garberville.” Then he headed out to his car leaving us gaping after him. “Who was that unmasked wanderer to the forbidden delights of the So Hum motels?”

Attention Disturbing Photo below the fold (Don’t say I didn’t warn you!)

3. My son has the same weird ability to attract people who know of our area. When we were in Germany this last summer, he left our camping spot and walked 2 miles through the dark to a source of loud music and laughter. Once there, he told fellow concert goers that he came from Humboldt. Immediately, they knew right where it was and welcomed him with cries of, “Big Bud.” Perhaps they knew the American slang for friend. Whatever…Any way, he was immediately part of the group. Though they seemed somewhat disappointed he didn’t have a “joint” with him. Mayhap they thought he was a plumber?

4. This one probably wonn’t seem that weird to you but it does to me. Before I had children I once co-headed an anti –war toy campaign. I still refuse to buy my sons toy guns but… Somehow, I don’t think my fellow activists would be impressed by this photo.

  1. hunting, first deer

    Parenting stretches your parameters

    5. I’m writing a biography of Fred Haskel Foster. What? You don’t know him? He presided as Mayor of Billings, Montana five times during the pioneer years. He knew Calamity Jane and once tried to stop a robber by pretending his finger was a gun… I’ll bet he would have liked to know my martial arts teacher.

    6. I don’t own a television. Mostly it’s a terrible waste of time. I think fandom is silly and shows shallowness of character. I would never in a million years ask someone for their autograph (unless I could sell it on Ebay) but I write for a fanzine for the one show to which this personal predilection doesn’t apply—Firefly. You can read about my obsession at the online zine I not only write for but helped start. Pathetic, but I can’t help myself. And, in spite of the fact the show was cancelled after only 12 episodes in 2003, I’m only one of legions of rabid fans with the same problem. Chris, a regular here, writes wonderful analysis at SciFiTVGeek. Come my little chickadee, you too can be a fan of an obscure cancelled show. You can buy it here or, just ask me, I keep two sets so I can loan one out. I had 3 but someone won’t give it back, and you know who you are, you pathetic addicted loser!

    7. I wanted to be a Chaucer scholar when I grew up. I’ll just leave that little fact dangling there…. If it embarrasses you to know someone of this odd and unpleasant perversion, just pretend you never heard it. I promise I won’t bring it up again. But if any of you actually know who Chaucer is, please drop me a line. Not only am I the only person in my world who could tell you his first name, I think he is funnier than Robin Williams and changed the course of literature as much as Shakespeare……Yes, I know, I have a lot of weird obsessions and it’s lonely out here in the lunatic fringe.

    So… The rules of this meme are

    Link to the person who tagged you;
    Leave a comment on their blog so that their readers can visit yours;
    Post the rules on your blog;
    Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog;
    Tag 7 random people at the end of your post;
    Include links to their blogs;
    Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

    Being the fringe lunatic I apparently am, I think I’ll pick and choose among the rules.

    I linked to Jen who tagged me and pinged her so her readers can visit here (But don’t they have something better to do—scrub the grout around the toilet for instance?)

    I posted the rules but, if I’m not going to follow them, why should you?

    I shared 7 weird facts about moi (way too easy for someone who thinks of themselves as white bread and bologna).

    Tag 7 random people (technically that would mean selecting 7 bloggers at random from across the blogosphere but I cringe at that humiliation and choose instead) People I actually would like to know more about. Jackie, Heather, Ren, Ernie, Carol/Greg, Ekovox, and…Heraldo…(Yes, wouldn’t we all like some clues into who he/she is?)

    But, I’m not leaving a tag on their blog about this… That way they can legitimately claim they aren’t aware of the Herculean task I’ve set them (Don’t blame me. Blame Jen!)

    Photo by talented computer artist Marie E. Bird

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    28 Comments
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    Chris
    Guest
    16 years ago

    I don’t have your 3rd DVD set, but I am definitely a “pathetic addicted loser!” The geeking continues…

    Chris
    Guest
    16 years ago

    When it comes to Firefly, that is…

    Chris
    Guest
    16 years ago

    …ahem…

    Jen
    Guest
    Jen
    16 years ago

    LOL. I’m so glad you did this though because I had no idea you were writing the biography of Fred Haskel Foster.
    I knew who he was (which is freaky in itself) because my mother grew up in Billings, Montana and my Grandfather was a North. (The Norths are famous in Billings, but not our branch. LOL.)
    And I had no idea you were a rabid Firefly fan.
    I love that pic. But then, I HAVE a few pics like that.

    Staff
    Member
    16 years ago

    Chris, yes…ahem..We are absolutely not geeks except for our obsession with Firefly. And if you have another opinion, hide it under your pocket protector, I have a reputation to uphold and I’m trying to help put together a class reunion. No one will come if it’s put on by a geek.

    Jen,You’re related to Austin North? Sheesh, a friend of mine at Yellowstone Genealogy forum is looking for a short, couple paragraph, bio on him. It wouldn’t be for money, of course;> But your family’s info would get out there. I can hook you up if you’re interested.

    You may have a few photos of the dirt faced Okie boys but you don’t have them with their first buck, yet. They aren’t old enough…Uh, never mind since when did local hunters follow all the rules;>

    max
    Guest
    max
    16 years ago

    After reading some Chaucer in college the instructor asked the class, Did anyone find this material offensive? I raised my hand. I was the only person who raised a hand. His jaw dropped his brows shot up and he shouted, YOU?!?

    I have never quite been sure how to interpret that response.

    mjean1
    Guest
    mjean1
    16 years ago

    The copy of Firefly you “gave” me (I thought you gave it to me) is now in Illinois and no chance it will come back to California before this summer – right, Heather?

    Staff
    Member
    16 years ago

    Mom,Down with the guilt monster. You are innocent this time (as if I’d ever call you names!). I’m not counting Firefly discs I’ve given away.

    Max, Welllll, Chaucer could be quite crude but somehow I doubt that bothered you. Let me guess, his somewhat antiquated ideas on women (which were refreshingly strong and lusty in my opinion) bothered you?

    And yep I would have to yell, “You?” also.

    How the heck can someone I like and admire find Chaucer offensive…
    Oh, wait, at least that’s a somewhat better response than “He’s boring” or “Chaucer, who?”

    max
    Guest
    max
    16 years ago

    Nope. I find Chaucer totally crude and offensive. It was also kind of appalling to me to discover this Chaucer person whose name I had heard breathed with awe and respect on a par with Shakespeare was just a guy writing what to me amounted to dressed up pornographic limericks.

    [I was also kind of appalled to discover Oscar Wilde was writing entire plays that were really just drawn out puns.]

    bluelaker4
    Guest
    bluelaker4
    16 years ago

    Well, I had to click on “Jackie” to find out if that was actually ME you want to know more about. My oh my.

    First, this is what I know about Tags and Pings:

    Tags: papers put on objects to identify them in some way, such as on a deer after you shoot it (oh yeah, we don’t do that on this blog), or on used items you are trying to pawn off on someone else at a yard sale.

    Pings: I think this has a related name called Pong, and is a fun game where two people hit weightless white balls toward each other…sort of like tennis only different.

    Now, what are the rest of those rules?

    bluelaker4
    Guest
    bluelaker4
    16 years ago

    Oh, how could I forget my one claim to fame?

    “Whan that Aprille with its shoures soote,
    The droughth of March hath perced to the roote,
    And bathed every vein in swich liquer,
    In which virtue engendred is the fleur.”

    Forgive the spelling because I don’t have Chaucer’s book…but since he spelled weird anyway, I will trust that no one who reads this will know which words I spelled his way and which words I spelled my way.

    And for the record, I never understood Shakespeare OR Chaucer in my feeble attempts to read them. What I recall about Chaucer’s book is it consisted of a bunch of stories made up by fellow traveler’s.

    Staff
    Member
    16 years ago

    Okay mayhap a bit crude

    Derk was the nyght as pich or as the cole,
    And at the wyndow out she putte hir hole;
    625 And Absolon, hym fil no bet ne wers,
    But with his mouth he kiste hir naked ers
    Ful savourly, er he were war of this.
    Abak he stirte and thoughte it was amys —
    For wel he wiste a womman hath no berd.
    630 He felte a thyng al rough and long yherd,
    And seyde, “Fy! allas! what have I do?”
    “Tehee!” quod she and clapte the wyndow to;

    Teehee quoth she! I guess the crude country woman in me can’t help but snicker.
    But as Aunt Jackie quoted there are also some beautiful pieces and descriptive phrases, and sardonic political exposes and commentary on contemporary religion. It takes pure genius to combine them all.

    Aunt Jackie, I cant wait to read your weird facts.

    Heather
    Guest
    16 years ago

    Well, since I’ve all but abandoned myspace (except to read Renn’s blog), I thought I’d start out trying to come up with 7 weird facts about myself here, and transfer them to my blog, if it turns out interesting enough.

    7. My name (my FULL first name) is carved vertically into a quaking aspen tree on the Moulton Ranch near Salmon, ID. It was done by my Gramps. It took him quite awhile, but he carved my brother’s first (bro goes by DJ), so I wanted mine done too.

    6. I also have some kind of psychic ability. Not to attract people who have a clue where Humboldt is (I still call it “Almost Oregon” to most people), but actual foreseeing of some things. Examples: When I was driving around San Leandro one day, I kept having flashes of a full-sized pickup threatening someone, and the feeling was coming thru my husband. Days later, one of his coworkers was struck by a pickup and broke several bones in his body. Then last fall I kept getting flashes of “smoking smoldering ruins” and days later the fires broke out in SoCal.

    5. I have invented (with my husband’s engineering expertise) several objects for use by my severely delayed special needs son.

    4. Both Johnny Cash AND Victor Hugo share my birthday. Also in on it are a great uncle and one of my mom’s cousin’s daughter.

    3. As I read the Harry Potter series, I would always start with Book One, and read thru them all before starting on the most recent. I have a hard time remembering the details, otherwise, and Rowling often refers back to events in previous books, and, having ADD, it was easier for me to recall them if I’d just reread them.

    2. I actually picked my 3-yr-old son’s name while living in Spain in 1990, borrowing it from a Polish guy I met there, we spoke thru a German interpreter – The German guy spoke English and German, and the Polish family spoke German and Polish. We were like a mini UN.

    …AND the number one weird fact about Heather is:

    1. (Geek alert!!!) I have seen EVERY episode of ST:TNG, ST:DS9 and ST:V. And, if you don’t know what any of that means, you really don’t care to know. Trust me.

    Heather
    Guest
    16 years ago

    p.s. I (embarrassingly) don’t know much at all about Chaucer, even with 2 separate AA Degrees. 🙁

    Staff
    Member
    16 years ago

    Ah geek alert #1 tells me that we really are speaking different languages. I have no clue about those words.

    I remember hearing about these inventions before but tell me again what exactly they are.

    Also I didn’t know Grandpa had carved your name into a tree trunk along with DJ’s. I’ll bet he was wishing you went by initials too by the time he was finished. Do you have a picture of the tree? I would love a copy if you do.

    Staff
    Member
    16 years ago

    Oh, and don’t worry about not knowing about Chaucer. No one else does either. (I’m so lonely. Oh so lonely…

    max
    Guest
    max
    16 years ago

    [psst, st stands for star trek, so next generation, ds9, and voyager, it is a star trek trifecta]

    Staff
    Member
    16 years ago

    Ahh, Now I see. I used to like them but wasn’t passionate.

    max
    Guest
    max
    16 years ago

    They are no Firefly.

    Jen
    Guest
    Jen
    16 years ago

    Ah Kym. My little local hunters follow the rules. They had pictures taken with Daddy’s buck.
    They only shoot BB guns at the moment.
    And I must be a geek. I knew what STds9 etc. actually was. No, it’s no Firefly.

    damyantig
    Guest
    damyantig
    16 years ago

    The first vertue, sone, if thou wilt lerne,
    Is to restreyne and kepen wel thy tonge…..

    Well, I did read Chaucer, and know all about the Canterbury Tales, but that was because I was made to. I still nearly failed in my Chaucer paper for my English Honours!

    Heather
    Guest
    16 years ago

    Invented a foldable seat with 5-pt harness that fits into shopping carts, a scooter board that he can practice crawling on, and a thumb guard to keep him from skinning his own thumb with his teeth (among other less-successful stuff).

    Staff
    Member
    16 years ago

    Max, I feel snobby saying it but…there isn’t anything that comes close to Firefly. And I did like the later Star Trek with Picard but haven’t seen much else.

    Jen, I would love to see the pics of your boys with the buck but somehow it probably doesn’t fit the theme of the rest of your blog. BTW, I wasn’t too sure about this tagging but if I don’t learn anything more than what Heather invented it will have been worth it. Besides I got to have two people quote Chaucer in two days. I haven’t had that happen since I was in college!

    Damyantig, I love the quote. I think I’ll use it on my sones today;> I like your avatar too.

    Heather, I think I’ve seen both the later but not the first. I’m impressed!

    Jennifer Savage
    Guest
    16 years ago

    I haven’t had a TV in years, but we’re DVD watchers all the way and discovered Firefly last year. Loved it! Looking forward to following those links…

    Jen
    Guest
    Jen
    16 years ago

    AND look at all the Firefly lovers you found.

    Staff
    Member
    16 years ago

    I can never know too many Firefly fans!!

    alaskasteve
    Guest
    16 years ago

    Love your list and the conversation it sparked – kudos on no TV!

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