bioephemera.com

Eight random facts about moi

Oh no, I’ve been tagged with a blog meme! I generally tiptoe past memes when I encounter them; as they drowse in the hot summer sun, they are unlikely to retaliate - unless prodded with vintage medical paraphernalia, of course. Alas, the Evilutionary Biologist got me anyway (I knew there was a reason he spelled his name that way) and now I have to tag eight more hapless bloggers!

Here are the rules:

• We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
• Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
• People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
• At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
• Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Eight random things about me. . .

1. I never learned to type properly. Instead I hunt and peck with two fingers (at 50+ wpm).

2. I have a phobia of the circulatory system - not shots, or isolated blood, but veins and arteries. This is one of many reasons I am not a medical doctor (nor a phelebotomist, John)! I’ve not only passed out while donating blood, I’ve fainted on the floor while setting up my own physiology lab. Fortunately my students were not present at the time.

3. I was the 1st runner-up in my hometown Junior Miss pageant, thus earning the privilege of riding on parade floats wearing princess dresses for an entire year. And I know the secret pageant wave!

4. But I do not know my left from my right, unless I glance at my hands while making pencil-clutching gestures. (No, the “L” mnemonic doesn’t work, because I read just fine backwards - both hands look like “L”s to me).

5. I am addicted to jogging. I have to jog several miles every day or I get bitchy (that means bitchier than usual). The farthest I’ve ever jogged is 13 miles, but I have no desire to run a marathon: it seems quite painful.

6. When I took a French class in elementary school, I had a small crush on the instructor (a high school student - he probably wasn’t even that cute, but hey, he know French). I was too embarrassed to say “je t’aime” to him, and would only say it to the poster of a large purple octopus on the wall. So you can see the cephalopodmania started early for me. I have no idea what everyone else’s excuse is.

7. I have a pet corn snake who is afraid of (live) mice.

8. I once built a little apparatus to aerosolize crack cocaine for fruit flies. Sadly, they did not seem to enjoy it: they convulsed and died. For the record, I didn’t inhale - my drug preference is alcohol, specifically cocktails. And I’ve never had a hangover. That’s actually three random facts at once, so this meme is done!

I will tag Morbid Anatomy, Snail’s Eye View, Curious Expeditions, Dandelion Diva, Hungry Hyaena, Witless Wanderer, Cabinet of Wonders, and Simplistic Art.

C’mon now - most of you don’t write much about yourselves on your blogs, which is why I’m curious to hear some Random Facts! But if you have some no-personal-stuff rule, or you detest memes, you’re exempt. (Though at least consider participating. Those lumbering memes are safer when satiated!)

PS sorry if anyone has already been tagged!

10 comments June 28th, 2007

Poem of the Week: Pray that the road is long

Sunrise at Scala, Kefalonia
Bombdog ’s flickr stream

“but low-lying Ithaca is farthest out to sea,
towards the sunset, and the others are apart, towards the dawn and sun.”

-Homer, Odyssey

“Ithaca”
Constantine Cavafy

When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,
pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the angry Poseidon — do not fear them:
You will never find such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your spirit and your body.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not set them up before you.

Pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many, when,
with such pleasure, with such joy
you will enter ports seen for the first time;
stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensual perfumes of all kinds,
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
visit many Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from scholars.

Always keep Ithaca in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for many years;
and to anchor at the island when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would have never set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
you must already have understood what Ithacas mean.

Via Moon River

The Greek island of Kefalonia is thought to be Homer’s Ithaca

3 comments June 28th, 2007