Six Things

I got tagged by my friend Christina at Rockhound Place and I was challenged to write about 6 things that people do not know about me. This is of course a rather difficult endeavor, because usually there is a reason these things are not well known to people, especially since I am a very open and communicative person. Highlights of our past are easy to share, but what about the failures, embarrassing moments and even dark corners? I could find enough dark tales, but that would be a bit scary and very depressing. So, to have a balanced little list, I had to think for a few days to choose and also to ditch most stories having to do with drinking.

Did I mention before that my perfectionism stands in the way of successful blogging like a giant obstacle?

1.) Unusual: When I was a child - a very active child - , I held the record for most x-rays in the practice of my orthopedic doctors and I also constantly depleted their inventory of bandages and plaster. I spent so much time at their practice, that one could have thought I am part of the inventory myself.

2.) Funny: I was so incredibly nervous at my first piano recital, that I played everything way too fast, got lost and had to improvise, which nobody noticed, since I was playing soooo fast :)

3.) Scary: At the confusing age of eleven, I once misinterpreted something I overheard my mother say and consequently believed that she was trying to get rid of me. I was convinced that she had hired somebody to kill me. And so for about a year, on any given Tuesday night, the night she was always taking a class, I searched every inch of the apartment in fear and desperation while only moving sideways along the walls and carrying a big kitchen knife in my hand. I have never spoken to my mother about this and never will.

4.) Stupid: At the age of thirteen I went to a 3 week camp on an island in the north-sea (very cold and windy in March) and I had my first real straight-into-the-heart-fill-your-diary crush. At every party we danced to Blondie's Heart of Glass together. The last time we danced he tried to kiss me and I was so innocent and clueless, I did not get it, moved away and spoiled the moment. I am still upset over that one.

5.) Crime: A lot of the rich kids at school went shoplifting when we had a free period. It was just for fun and they picked random things and then threw them into the trash later. I thought that was incredibly stupid, but somehow it set the scene for me, after all I was not rich like them. I shoplifted three times and I admit that the adrenaline rush is amazing, but I could never do it ever again.

6.) Awesome: While working for the Festival of Hearing in 1990, I got to meet a few composers. One of the composers was John Cage and his personable and humble demeanor impressed me greatly. It was a great experience to enjoy the concert after meeting him.

Maybe I should have chosen more fun stuff, like that I am pretty good at catching chipmunks or that I love to eat Spaghetti with ketchup (there goes my credibility as gourmet chef...). Anyway, I am tagging Andrea at rerun and jungleclown to tell six things.