Do you want to know a secret?

So, another thing my friend Pam Asberry did in her blog was give me an award.

While I failed in my miserable existence of passing the award on to other bloggers (most of the ones I follow are the ones she chose anyway), I need to follow the other requirement of telling you ten things about me that you wouldn't know. They're not really secrets, but I made you click and read, right?

1. There are certain songs that make me cry. Every time. If I ever had to perform them, I would have to practice a bazillion times. But, I love them and always stop what I'm doing when they come up on the computer or on the radio and I've worked them into my novels, with my characters performing them (Rob used to be in a boy band and they do various charity and fund-raiser shows). First is Warren Zevon's "Keep Me in Your Heart" which he recorded right before he passed : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMTKb-pgxGI  Next is one I've referenced here before, Edwin McCain's "I Could Not Ask for More": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPXRJkla7fI Finally, one I haven't heard on the radio in a long time, England Dan & John Ford Coley's "Love Is the Answer": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH8PVPel15M&feature=related There are others, but those three come to mind right now.

2. In one of my previous lives, I ran a bookstore. It wasn't always the dream job that everybody thought it was. I worked 65 hours the week of my wedding. I spent many late nights finishing returns and strip lists (for mass market paperbacks). But, I got to meet many super people, including my husband and doubled my library with my employee discount.

3. In that capacity, I got sued by the local group, Citizens for Decency. Actually, I was named in the suit against the store, because we carried a little book called Joy of Lesbian Sex. The woman minister who was so outraged about it didn't say anything about Joy of Gay Sex or More Joy of Sex, but they were right next to the religion section. The suit was dismissed, but the entire chain was rearranged, with the Sex Ed books going on the other side of the store next to the nature books. (Truth) Oh, I also got interviewed by The Gay & Lesbian Alliance, where I gave the quote, "I have something to offend everyone in this store."

4. Since 1995, I've been obsessed at various levels with counted cross-stitch, spending waaaay too much money on patterns and supplies.

Wedding sampler I did for one of my Framing Goddesses.
5. Since about 2008, I've been obsessed at various levels with beading and jewelry making. Oh, good. Yet another expensive, time-consuming, sedentary hobby.

6. Back in 2005, when my husband and I boxed all the books so he could refinish the floors, we had 65 boxes. Let's add another 40 in the intervening years. So little time....

7. I'm the biggest fangirl. There are pictures out there of me in a "Star Trek" costume and video of me "filking" (singing with science fiction lyrics substituted).

'Nuff said. Geek.

8. I was in dance squad and flag corps in high school, then on several drill teams in grade school and Job's Daughters (Masonic organization). Oh, freshman year in college, I took Arthur Murray Dance Studio lessons.

9. Speaking of Job's Daughters, I am Past Honored Queen and Majority Member of Bethel #74 (now defunct), International Order of Job's Daughters. I gave my doll and charm bracelet to my niece.

10. I graduated from DePauw University in 3 1/2 years because of classes I took at the local junior college during high school. Good thing, they cut my financial aid for my senior year. I did not go to my class reunion this year and I'm not telling you which one it is. I will tell you, Jane Pauley, Erma Bombeck and the CEO of IBM at the time spoke at our graduation.

Thanks, Pam! We live to amuse, so I hope you all enjoyed. Tell me a secret about you in the comments, please!