HKAngel24

As was a suggestion from my last thread - I am going to write things about ME that has NOTHING to do with the addict.

I long to hear what others have to share about themselves and WHO THEY are. I am sure this has been done before but I always love getting to know others outside of their problems.

Here's my paragraph:

I'm about to turn 25 years old. My favorite food is grapes. I love high heels and wearing dresses, especially in the summer which is one of my favorite times of the year. I enjoy wine, good conversation and dining al fresco. My guilty pleasure is celebrity gossip magazines and blogs. I read obsessively (when school isn't in session) and also enjoy writing, running, yoga, pilates and traveling. Lately I've been reading strictly memoirs as I love learning of other's life stories. I am a strong supporter of size acceptance and promoting healthy body image and firmly believe that: Scales are for fish. My other interests include law, investments, real estate, journalism and psychology.
I like cynical and sarcastic humor aka Woody Allen-like. I like shoes - although I’m really more of a handbag girl- but living in the city limits me to what I can wear on my feet when trekking across town. My favorite authors are Elizabeth Wurtzel, Augusten Burroughs, Cintra Wilson, David Sedaris, Wally Lamb, Caroline Knapp and Laurie Notaro. I also enjoy the free-spirited books of SARK. Although I don’t have cable presently my favorite television shows are Sex and the City, Entourage, Six Feet Under and 24.
I dislike romantic comedies, miniature golf, cheesy love stories, society’s limited standards of beauty, cat calling, large crowds of people, ignorance and cattiness. I have an incredible well of ambition and creativity (I think if I could just get rid of 'the fear the binds' and tap into it.

Now, everyone else's turn. I'm excited to read everyone's paragraphs that are all about YOU.
Thanks for letting me share

ladyamalthea

Heather, I am too tired to do this tonight, but I am typing this message as a commitment to do this tomorrow, because I love what you have done here and know I need to do this. Will post more later, and thanks for this thread!

GiveLove

Hi HK - I'll play!

I'm 45 and love good soft blue jeans, cotton shirts, and silver hoops. I "clean up nice" as my husband says (oh, yeah, I'm married) but am really an earthy girl, an ex-tomboy who loves to get her hands in the dirt, on the reins, in the dogs' thick fur, etc.

I'm shy, but very friendly to people who approach me first. I can often be seen wandering across campus lost in thought. My friends think I'm this eccentric, lovable girl raised by wolves. I am a pretty good cook, and lean toward Asian cuisines (esp. Thai) because I can often stuff my face with my own cooking without getting too overweight.

I spend my days at school, at my journal, at my computer job, in the garden, on a woodworking or stonework project, on long walks or trail runs through the woods, and at the library. I live in a small house which backs to forest, in a town of 500 souls within a half-hour of Denver. My neighborhood is equal parts well-off yuppies, rednecks, stoners, artists, and white-collar recluses.

I love movies, dramatic plays (not musicals), concerts at small venues, and I am a voracious reader; my favorite writers are J.D. Salinger, Christopher Moore, Walt Whitman, Martha Beck, Chuck Palahniuk, Billy Collins, and about a thousand more. I don't watch much TV, though I was very attached for a while to Monk, The Office, and to the british series Coupling.

I spent many years in recovery before reaching this space where I'm standing, where I like my own company just fine, I no longer give myself a hard time for not being Ms. Perfection, and I enjoy waking up in the morning...and, to paraphrase The Who, I get on my knees and pray I won't get fooled again!! Lots of work to get here and lots of work yet to do, but I'm glad I've stuck it out so far.

Hugs to all,
GiveLove & fam

Momsrainbow

My goodness-you are younger than my grandson who has made the proud fram of 2 great-grandkids. Wish they were close.

What a great idean-posting about what we are really like-our likes and dislikes-probably has done that before.???

Love my big Lady dog. She weighs more than me-now-just a perfect gentle giant.
Two horrible pups AH brought home-a nightmare-but good pups now and love them to death.

Used to raise birds-still have a few-time for them to earn there keep.

Loved selling on ebay- and anything about vintage items.

Used to love flowers-but taken over by weeds-hope to correct that shortly Anyone want daylilies????
I love to read-mysteries-love to embroidery. I am addicted to the news channel!!!!

Lovestoomuch

I'm a 39 year old mother of 2 beautiful girls (11 & 19). I just became a grandmother almost 3 months ago and I'm loving every minute of it.

I was born and raised in the south. I live in the sticks actually lol. I love to go 4 wheeling , fishing, camping.........anything to do with the outside and getting good and dirty LOL. However I can get dressed up and fit in with the best of the best if I need to............. although I prefer a big juicy burger to some fancy restaurant with stuff on the menu I can't even pronounce.

I'm quick witted, optimistic and a bit sarcastic sometimes. I like to make people laugh, but mostly I like to laugh at myself and the junk I manage to always get myself into.

I'm a bit on the clumsy side. Walking and chewing gum at the same time can seem like an imposible task most days.

I love to write and can be quite creative on those sleepless nights. I got really bummed out when most of my stuff got lost in cyber space the last time SR went down.

I have a tendancy to make life way more complicated than it needs to be, but I'm not a complicated person if that makes any sense. I think conformity sucks. I can't stand having to be politically correct all the time and I always try to keep it real.

I'm a news junkie and CAN'T STAND Star Wars or any of the 10 billion episodes of Star Trek..........any of them......LOL.

I love going to the beach, the movies, playing ball with my kids. This sounds like an add for cupid.com or something.

Lastly, I'm an honest and dependable friend. I'd do just about anything for the people I love.......espcially my girls. I always try to do the right thing and never try to step on anyone's toes. That's just not my style.

Oh.......speaking of toes........lol.........I love shoes too and have many many pairs although I only wear like 3.

Great thread BTW!

maddie82

Good idea Heather. So many people on here have helped me when I've been upset and, outside of you, I don't know much about anyone. These posts have been really interesting.

I'm 24 and just moved into an apartment that I absolutely love to be closer to work. I work at a government consulting firm and am also in school working on my masters in international affairs. However, I just recently decided that I want to go to law school and hope to get in for the fall of 08. That will mean quitting my job and probably moving again but I'm excited to start over somewhere new.

I spend a lot of my free time reading, going out with friends (love a good meal and a nice cocktail), running and doing yoga, and studying for the LSATS. I'll read anything, but prefer non-fiction and everything by John Steinbeck. I reread books I love over and over. I love to shop when I can afford it-I've recently developed a boot fetish and have been buying every pair I can get my hands on. I'll take any excuse to dress up.

I'm fiercely loyal and would do anything for my friends and family. I'm more of a listener than a talker and have never liked being the center of attention. I actually like my own company and don't mind spending time alone. I also recently started looking for a dog so I've been going to shelters in the area when I have time.

I look forward to reading about everyone else!

Elana

Wading in.....
I can just barely REMEMBER being 24... LOL

I am in my early 50's. I have done a variet of jobs from training horses to dairy farming to engineering and bridge design to surveying. Currently I am a Real Estate Appraiser.

I spent my first years living in a residential city neighborhood. My teen years were spent living in a rural place and most of my free time was spent on horse back.

When I married I moved to a dairy farm which I was owner and operator of with my husband for 20 years. Currently I live in a too-big-house on a too-msmall-land parcel (1.1 acres) in a very small subdivision at the foot of the Catskill Mountains.

I love to read and anything I read I will finish (even if it is awful). I used to have favorite authors but I read faster than they write so now I try to read New Authors and New fiction for recreational reading. I read chemistry, math and (now) physics books and work thru the problems to (try) to keep my brain sharp. I love chemistry. I like applied math but hate math for the sake of math..... I like engineering.

I like music.. Classical (Baroque symphonies and concertos) and light opera (Mozart is my fav.). I like Rock 'n Roll but not rap or hip hop.

Of all the things I have done my favorite work has been the management/training of animals and veterinary work. I would go back to school and BE a vet if not for my age (can't pay back the loans or make the #'s work). I enjoy training my dog and my cats. I miss horses a lot.. have ridden over 50,000 miles on horse back in my life.

I like my life alone now. I can choose what to do and when and have to answer only to my dog and the cats. I am not afraid of being alone and have little time to be lonely.

My future plans are to sell my house (when the market stabilizes) and to buy a smaller house with outbuildings and available land and farm part time. I am thinking of stepping away from dairy and raising dairy replacements and sheep. I would like to train stock dogs and have a horse to train too.

I am a very direct person.. what you see is what you get. I have been criticised for being too direct and I have been trying to temper that a bit.

I am a talented artist and photographer with some professional background in both illustration and photography.

Howzat?

Rella927

Excellent! Way to go on a peaceful life!

Jwife22

I wanna play!

I'm 24, married and loving life. I love reading and am more of a fiction, escape the real world kinda book lover. I love James Patterson, Nora Roberts and writers like that.

I also love love love to cook and bake. Bake more than cook so I have a good time baking desserts and giving them away to folks. I just made a peach pie the other night but hubby wouldn't allow me to give it away. I bake for the fun of it. I love to make up recipes and just cook.....if it turns out bad, we get a laugh!

I love animals and I have a little boston terrier named Maggie (see avatar). I'd love to get another but I can't right now.

Hmm...I am learning more and more about ME each and every day, my likes and dislikes, my limits etc.....never really learned those being such a people pleaser ya know!

I like music. Some of my favorite artists and or bands are Paul Simon, U2, Sublime, Coldplay, Crosby, Stills and Nash, and Rascal Flatts. I really love all styles of music except for hard rap and death or thrasher metal and the like.

I love movies, my favorite has been The Prestige, for all of you who haven't seen it, you should watch it, its VERY good. Stranger than Fiction with Will Ferrell was also really really good.

Hmmm...what else, I love to garden, I plant my own tomotoes, peppers and herbs since I only have room for a patio garden.

I also LOVE LOVE LOVE Shoes....I have probably 30 or so pairs but I only wear 7 or 8 of them. I am only allowed to keep as many pairs that will fit on my side of the closet, then since I have such little feet (6-6 1/2) all my little nieces get my shoes.

I am also a good listener instead of a talker. I love my friends and family and am very firm and unashamed in my beliefs, whether they be religious, political, moral or intellectual. I am also not very PC when it comes to a lot of things and don't plan on becoming very PC.

This is fun!

frankie_b

Heather, I really like this thread. Thanks. It's refreshing, interesting and fun getting to know one another. Codependent is only a part of all that we are.

MsPINKAcres

ok - my turn.
I'm 43 & a mother of 5 beautiful daughters (ages 29 - 20) (2 are my birth daughters & 3 are my step-daughters) just celebrated 15 yrs married to my AH. I have 6 grandchildren and 1 more on the way. I absolutely LOVE being a "ReeRee"

I am a career State Employee, 21 plus yrs - different jobs - such as Unemployment, Worker's Comp, Food Stamps & now a Real Estate Agent for DOTD. Also a Tax Professional for major Tax firm.

Cooking/baking is my stress relief - love to cook & have friends & family over to eat on Sundays. Not many people can beat my Chicken & Sausage Gumbo.

I am the ultimate GIRLY GIRL. I grew up on a dairy farm and have served my time with animals & planting things - I pray that I never have to do any of that EVER again. Very seldom will you catch me without full make-up, matching jewelry, shoes & toenail polish. (with a really cute purse - I really meant that girly girl thing)

To some that may sound like torture - to me it is about self-care - I have learned thru recovery - this helps me like me. It helps me feel comfortable in my own skin.

I also was a fairly decent catcher for slow-pitch softball (co-ed) adult team - had to "retire" do to an injury - even managed to look girly while tagging a guy out at homeplate!!

I love RECOVERY!! It has saved my life, my sanity and my world. I try to attend at least 2 meetings a week & stay in touch with the ladies that I sponsor on a weekly basis. Thru this site & another I even have the honor of having "on-line" sponsees - how fun is that!!!! I have shared my story of recovery on several different occasions as a guest speaker for Al-Anon meetings, AA anniversary meetings and Women's retreats.

Life is good thanks to the love of my HP & recovery.

Ok - enough about me - who's next?

greeteachday

Okay, I was way too tired last night when i saw this right before turning in to respond, but I think it is a great idea Heather, thanks!

So much about being able to talk about who I am is related to working a program and dealing with me instead of trying to fix everyone else. For the first time since before I had kids, I believe *I* define *me.* When I was raising my girls, my kids tended to define me…not by anything they did, just the way I viewed myself. As they got older, my work defined me, again because I allowed it to. Now, I am discovering the me that lies beneath the layers…like peeling away an onion.

I too am passionate about reading - classic literature and novels, primarily and I love to research things that pique my curiosity. Although I tend to be a quick study, for some reason I have difficulty remembering the names of actors/actresses, singers and even authors. I guess my focus is more on the substance rather than the particular name. Similarly in work, I tend to remember the nature of the case rather than the particular individual or entity name. I rarely watch TV or movies, I think because I have trouble sitting still for extended periods of time. (But when 6 ft under was on and 24, I watched them every week...an interest I share with you Heather)

I enjoy people but have a need for alone time as well…Too much interaction drains me physically and emotionally and I am content and at peace when doing things alone…It helps me recharge and tends to maintain my spiritual connection (the greatest blessing of recovery) I think I am a good, active listener, a trait that seems like I always had, but worked to improve when I realized how much it bothers me to be speaking and know that if I stopped mid-sentence, the person “listening” wouldn’t know or care.

My other interests include working out at the gym (I am pleased to say I am more fit at newly 50 than maybe even ever before), long walks, hikes with a camera, kayaking, swimming, collecting shells and unusual stones on the beach, and anything related to the ocean. I still love body surfing and a good wave…I think I will be 80 and still out there tangling with the breaking surf. I tend to come alive more in the nice weather; if it is going to be cold, I’d prefer snow to take advantage of winter sports.

I have an appreciation of beauty in nature and in the art forms and wish I had artistic talent. I’m thinking of trying some sort of basic class in hopes that I can develop some ability…I know I don’t come by it naturally, but there’s much in my heart that I wish I could convey in art.

I can be serious and I am working on not overanalyzing things, but I can also be playful, enjoy being silly sometimes and I value humor in all aspects of my life. I think sharing true laughter with someone I love is a beautiful part of intimacy.

cinderellawkids

Me, Im next.

Im 32 year old mom of 3 bouncing boys.


I love animals and most love me back.

Ima Legal Assistant with a degree in paralegal studies and photography. Through the years ve been a portrait photographer, magazine layout assistant, secretary, paralegal, waitress, dog walker and babysitter.

I love the beach water in sun. One day I hope to own a sail boat or atleast spend a lot of time on one.

Im current living life on life's terms and adjusting quite well to positive thinking.

Like Loves mentioned I too grew up fishing hiking and hunting, but I also spent Sundays having brunch at the country club so I can fit in and dress the part anywhere,although Im most comfortable in ripped jeans and plain T shirt

caileesnana

My turn.

I too grew up in the county and now live in a Dallas suburb. As a child of the late 70's I prefer jeans and t-shirts. I like people for who they are, not how much $$ they have or what car they drive.

I am a caretaker by nature and a RN. I have two children, on son 26 who was in Iraq, back and has full custody of my granddaughter who I love more than life. I also have my daughter.

I spend most time working, meeting, and being a "mom" and "nana mama" to my "baby". I do enjoy reading, watching my 5 nephews play sports and spending time alone when I can. Sometimes it's just nice to be quiet!

I am planning on taking the GRE in effort to get a masters degree. I love God and all the blessings he gives, and pray he gets me throught the valleys! I love country music, christian, Motown, anything except Rap and Hip Hop.

I also love to cook, but unfortunatley love to eat! So, I don't cook alot of goodies anymore. I am the oldest of 3, small family--we were the only grandkids on both sides.

susan

CatsPajamas

I am at work right now but have made a commitment to myself to come back and do this later tonight!

~Cats

Emimily

so since pretty much everyone in my family is an addict, and so are 90% of my friends, i thought it'd be ok to do this too.

my name's emily. my 23rd birthday is sept. 4th. i am a huge reader, my mom's a writer so we grew up around books. music is life, it surrounds me, i'm always humming or whistling... i love being outside, riding my bicycle and my longboard, practicing yoga, swimming, and i LOVE the ocean. i'm generally outdoors-y, not very girly girl. if i'm not wearing jeans, i'm most likely wearing some little hippie skirt and a t-shirt. i love my dog, and i love animals in general. as mentioned earlier, i am fiercely loyal. i work a pretty good program, and subscribe fully to the idea that people are perfect where they're at, and if they're perfect with God, then they're alright with me. i need to finish college, i'm 3 semesters away from a bachelor's degree in psychology. i want to move to northern california, oregon or washington so that i can be close to the ocean and the mountains. i am a snowboard fiend, i feel more at home riding than anywhere else. i miss my mom, and i'm working to build a closer relationship with my pops before he passes. i love my life, i'm grateful for every day, and on my good days i know that i'm walking in the sunlight of the spirit. i'm getting better, but i'm not all better yet.

greeteachday

You are welcome to post here any time, Emimily! Congrats! I think it is so wonderful how some many of the posters here are so young yet so wise!

ladyamalthea

Okay, I'm back

I'm 24, and a second-year 9th and 10th grade literature teacher at a high school in a teeny tiny town about 35 minutes away from Atlanta. My students and my husband are my life. I enjoy what I do with every fiber of my being, even on days when my students don't enjoy it quite as much as I do. I've been married for 15 months now and love my husband more than anything. He is also my best friend. We have a cat whom we love dearly, even though she is not living with us at the moment. Until we close on our first house, which should be in the next two weeks, she is visiting my inlaws. I miss her terribly, but I love going to visit her when I'm not busy grading papers or trying to catch up on sleep. I am friendly and love making new friends. I love any and all music except for hard core rap. My favorite books include To Kill a Mockingbird, Night, Jane Eyre, and Rule of the Bone, although I am constantly being introduced to new favorites. I enjoy most movies, although comedies tend to be my favorite. I dislike goory (sp?) films, mushrooms, mayonaise and waking up early in the mornings. My immediate goals for the future include closing on our house, beginning my master's degree, and getting in shape. My long term goals include becoming an awesome mother, getting my doctorate, and being able to retire happy and healthy with my husband.

Spiritual Seeker

What an awesome group here!
I love my circle of friends. Usually when I meet with them it is to go for a long walk at the beach or harbor that are in the neighborhood of my California home. We often follow the walk with "happy hour" I also have an apt. on the east coast but only go there every couple of months. I've been married to my final husband for 12 yrs. and I am still madly in love with him. I have always traveled the world and go abroad at least 2 times ea. yr.
I have just one child, my 23 yr. old AS. I am happy to report that he has been back in my life in a BIG way this month after 5 yrs. of estrangement. It is wonderful !
Reading non-fiction is one of my favorite past-times. I am well-educated. This is the beginning of my 2nd yr. off from my career working with teens, but I plan to return to work next yr.
I'm athletic with tennis being my favorite sport. I eat healthy and love a good work-out. I have no complaints.
I am happy to be a part of the recovery community. Working the 12 steps of Al-Anon for the past 4 yrs. has been a blessing. I am thankful that my son's addiction led me to a better way to live my life.

Mavis

My real name is Karen, and I was named after my aunt. I was born and raised in Alberta, Canada and I hate winter. I dread the moment the leaves begin to fall because it means the deep cold is going to dump its white crap all over the place and blow -50 degree winds isolating me in the house. If any one does not know 'how cold' -50 degrees can be -imagine a crack of thunder in the middle of the night over your head, or better yet- the sound of a gigantic tree falling on your house and startling you out of your covers in a complete freight. and then you realize it's not thunder, or a tree landing on your roof -Its just the foundation of your home contracting from the drastic -50 degree temperatures and cracking all around you. . . NICE!!!!

I am 28, and have the misfortune of an older sister, who -on plenty of occasions, gotten gratification on belittling me infront of others at every chance, just to gain attention for herself.

I had always dreamed of being a writer. Sitting in my quiet little room with a cup of steamed chia and imagined typing my thoughts away. All day, all night. lol

I am back in school and still trying to decide what it is 'realistically' what I want to do when I get older. I finnished upgrading my highschool (English 30-1) last month, and next week, I start Grammar at our local college.

I love dancing, the odd glass of red wine, reading, Teramisu, gardening, playing acoustic guitar, torturing my son by singing I love laughing! I go to the comedy clubs when I can, I shop at thrift stores and wear flats.
If I were stranded on a island, and could only bring one c.d, it would be any of Nina Simone's collection. And if I were stranded with one other survivor, it would be Brad Pitt.

uuuummm, well, I'm out of thoughts for now, but thanks Heather, it was really neat that you posted this! a good change getting out of the 'usual'.