Thursday, February 17, 2011

Welcome Blog-Hoppers!

Today is the launch of the SheWrites blog-hop. Bad timing for me, as I've had some other issues that have interrupted the regular blog schedule.

Trust me, first time visitors: it does get better, and I actually do post five days a week.

But before we get back on schedule, and in honor of the "getting to know you" blog-hop, today's post is 8 surprising things about me. Knock on wood . . . the regular posting schedule will resume tomorrow with my "Brother Can You Spare a Link" post with links of interest to writers.

And now, eight surprising things about me:

1. In my spare time, I like to explore caves (real, hole-in-the-woods caves, not tourist attractions) and chase storms. I was once in an F-1 tornado (as in: "I was inside the damn car while the tornado grabbed it and shook it like a snow globe") .

2. I'm not even remotely a girly-girl. Up until recently, I owned 3 pairs of shoes: one pair hiking boots, one pair tennis shoes, one pair sandals. However, "Tabitha's Salon Takeover" and "America's Next Top Model" are two of my guilty pleasures. Miss J is my hero.

3. I collect winged lions/cats (not angels; no halos, just wings), swords, and guns. The lions and the swords are generally decorative, the guns are not. I have a concealed carry permit and can shoot the nuts off a gnat. For 16 1/2 days every year, I go survivor and spend my days hunting deer, hiding in the woods, eating potted meat. All other considerations are secondary to deer hunting for those 2+ weeks.

4. I have a unique personal style. Although most of the clothes in my closet are either black or camo, I do like sparkly things. I went into a western store recently and fell in love with a line of purses they have: Mossy Oak camouflage covered in sequins and rhinestones. So we decided that my personal style is "Redneck Drag Queen." I can live with that.

5. I was never a dog person until I got my dog, who was supposed to be an advanced replacement for my husband's aging dog (we live in an . . . um . . . disreputable neighborhood, and a guard dog is very beneficial). She bonded with me instead of him and I have no complaints about it. We watch the Westminster Kennel Club show together and I bought her a NY Yankees shirt that she loves to wear (she's a German Shepherd, by the way). I have almost no pictures of my kids or my grand kids on my phone, but a hundred pictures of my dog. I call her my sweet ba-boo and buy her presents constantly (which, by the way, she unwraps all by herself because she's the smartest, most beautiful dog in the world).

6. I love crows. I used to have a pet crow named Edgar. Now, when there are crows in the trees outside, I freak my dogs out (and my neighbors) by cawing back to them. I'm sure the neighbors just chalk it up to, "it's that crazy writer lady again."

7. I'm petrified by steel wool and hornets/wasps/non-honey-type-bees. Ironic since the remedy to keep hornets/wasps from moving into a hole in your house is to stuff the hole with steel wool.

8. Thanks to some weird rumor mill, the neighborhood kids think I'm the local witch (hey, maybe it's that talking to crows thing) and believe crazy things like, "if they step into my yard, creatures will come out of the ground and eat them." I do nothing to dispel these rumors and generally encourage them. Just wait 'til I'm a famous writer and I convert this place into a Gothic mansion. ;)

Thanks for visiting, and stop back tomorrow for some handy links for writers.

23 comments:

  1. Good to meet another blog hopper. Looking forward to the writing links tomorrow.

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  2. Hello! I'm here from She Writes. I love the list of eight surprising things - great idea.

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  3. Love pet crow named Edgar! :-)

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  4. Hmmm... trying to figure out why I show as wednesday sisters rather than name and photo, but it's Meg. :-)

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  5. Thanks for the comments, everyone, and for stopping by! :)

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  6. I almost choked on my coffee when I got to Redneck Drag Queen! Loved this post and can't wait to see more.

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  7. "I do nothing to dispel these rumors and generally encourage them. Just wait 'til I'm a famous writer and I convert this place into a Gothic mansion. ;)" LOL. Love this! Thanks for the warm blog hop welcome :)

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  8. Thanks for stopping by and commenting! I really appreciate it!

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  9. LOL, Brenda! Too funny on how you keep neighborhood kids out. We just keep a demon-possessed chicken to chase people...

    It's nice to meet a fellow She Writer! Cheers :)

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  10. Wow, great bio Brenda! I am an acupuncturist and any number of folks eye me warily through peripheral vision ...

    From another SheWriter at http://cathykozak.com

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  11. Wow! Just got back from your Blog on Blogs about Blogging after falling down the rabbit hole and coming out with a blog listing on Google. Still a little dizzy but thanks for the leads.
    Another SheWriter

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  12. Wow, I was on the floor about the Redneck Drag Queen. Great Post. I've read your story in Emerald Tales Mag and thought it was great!

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  13. Breanda YOU ROCK GIRL!!!!
    LOL. I'm sooo not a girlie girl. The neighborhood witch thing totally cracked me up cause I can totally see the kids standing on the other side of your street daring each other to ring your doorbell then chickening out. :) hahahaha.

    My hub loves hunting. yet surprisingly has not taught me how to shoot yet. I think he's afraid of me being armed on certain days of the month. Mainly because I'm already dangerous. *cue maniacle laughter*
    *stops*
    Oh sorry did I say that out loud? *blushes*
    Anyway. Totally love your blog! I'll definately be keeping an eye out for you on SW.
    TTFN!

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  14. Hello from another blog hopper.

    This is fun, isn't it? Loved your list of things about you. When that new James Cameron movie came out, I wondered who actually dives in caves, and now I know!

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  15. Amanda: I want a demon-possessed chicken!

    Cathy: I forgot to mention, in addition to being terrified of steel wool . . . I'm petrified by needles! ;)

    backcountrywriter: Lol, how many times I've said, "I'm just going to check out this one link . . ." and four hours later . . . Glad you found them helpful!

    Dawn: Great to hear from you again! I'm tickled pink that you enjoyed it (okay, pink and camo).

    C.M. Villani: Lol, my hubby didn't have a choice; I owned guns when he met me. I think he had to go out and buy his guns so he'd at least have a fighting chance. ;)

    Karen: Yep, it's crazy folks like me who do that kind of thing. I actually have a non-fic piece in the anthology "Wild with Child" about going caving with my daughters.

    Thanks so much everyone for stopping by and commenting. This blog-hop stuff is fun!

    If I haven't visited your blog yet, never fear--I'll visit soon (and repeatedly)!

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  16. Brenda - what a fantastic blog! I'm a little waltz-dizzy from all the new writers I've discovered over the past day or so, but delighted to have stumbled in here to make your acquaintance. I'll definitely be back when head has cleared...

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  17. This is my first ever blog-hop, and it's all a little overwhelming, lol!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, Deborah!

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  18. Hi Brenda, thanks for stopping by my blog. I am now following. Would love a follow back.

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  19. Hi Debra! Now following you through Blogger. Thanks for stopping by!

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  20. Now that was a cool list of stuff to learn about you! You sound totally fascinating. Good to meet you!

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  21. Thanks, Tristi! Fascinating is a way better adjective than I usually get, lol.

    Great to meet you, too!

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  22. Hi Brenda!

    So tell me...did you start the rumor that's scaring the bejeepers out of the neighborhood kids?

    Just asking. LOL

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  23. No, someone beat me to the punch. But if I'd thought of it first, I would have! ;)

    Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

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