*** Rules *** Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.
1. I was a teacher for 25 years. I loved teaching the little kids - first and second grades. At that age the kids are still very cute and eager to please. Second grade was my favorite age group. They are my kind of citizens!
2. I taught in Belleville, Van Buren Township, Wayne County, Michigan. When we moved there in 1957, Belleville was a Polish farming community. When we left in 1991 Belleville was a much more diverse town - fewer farms and many wage-earners working at the GM Hydramatic plant at Willow Run or the Ford plant at Rawsonville. I imagine that most of those folks are having hard times now in 2009.
3. The name of the District is the Van Buren Public Schools. My schools were Belleville Elementary, Elwell, Edgemont, and Haggerty.
4. Dick taught high school social studies for 32 years at BHS. Most of our close friends were fellow BHS faculty members.
5. Big Rapids, Michigan is my hometown. Our family, my parents and brother Jim, moved to Traverse City when I was in First Grade. My dad was a teacher and football coach in both Big Rapids and T.C.
6. My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice. The movie with Keira Knightley was OK, but I prefer the A&E production with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. I can watch it endlessly - over and over. The costumes, the music, and the performances do justice to the time and setting of the story.
7. As a child my favorite book was Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott. Sweet story. My Grandma Kanitz bought the book for me at the dime store in downtown Milan. We were shopping together, and she let me pick out whatever I wanted! I remember it like it was yesterday. I still have that same book - the cover is kind of in shreds, but I treasure it.
8. Jane Austen is my favorite author. When we were in England, we had a chance to see her burial site inside Winchester Cathedral. I was especially moved by being there.
9. My favorite color is yellow - because it's a sunshiny, happy color.
10. It is so wonderful to have a President who is thoughtful, charismatic, rational, intense, intelligent, and articulate. It feels like the whole planet is counting on him to make this a better world.
11. Movies are a real treat for me. Dick doesn't like to go, so I really look forward to having the kids come home because each one of them is willing to take Mom to the movies! The entertaining two star movies are my favorites.
12. I love Motown music, especially Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, and the Four Tops. My all-time favorites are "Reach Out" , "The Tracks of my Tears", and the entire soundtrack of "The Big Chill".
13. It sounds corny, but John Denver was my very favorite performer. We own all of his albums and still play them often, especially on trips when we can't find NPR. Our family could crack you up singing "Grandma's Feather Bed" - go ahead, ask us!
14. I am a big fan of college football and basketball. (Big Ten). Pro ball - not so much.
15. I have always enjoyed computer games, starting 30 years ago with Outhouse, then Asylum, then Zork - then Ultima - then Everquest, and now World of Warcraft - the most fun ever. Our entire family loves to play WoW, and it's a great way to keep in touch with everybody.
16. Dick and I have three marvelous children, Laurie, Tom and Jana. Luckily they are all intelligent, thoughtful, caring people and I'm proud of each of them.
17. We have one grandchild, Dylan, the son of Laurie and Chip. Dylan just "graduated" from Palm City Elementary School and was given the citizenship award. He's the best gandchild in the world. He's eleven years old now, going on 40.
18. We have traveled all around the U.S. and also to Australia, Belize, Mexico, Grand Cayman, Alaska, Hawaii, London, Devon, Cornwall, all of the Scandinavian capitals, Russia, Estonia and Poland.
19. My secret desire is to visit Jasper, Alberta, Canada, because of the John Denver song Rocky Mountain Suite.
20. Our hobby is geocaching. www.geocaching.com
21. We have found 2200 caches.
22. We have found a cache in every county of Michigan. We want to find a cache in every State - 16 States to go.
23. Even though I have an extensive collection of cookbooks, I really don't like to cook. Don't tell anyone.
24. Our whole family has degrees from the University of Michigan - 4 BA's, 1 MA and 1 PhD.
25. Our children are fourth generation graduates of the U of M. Yes, we are four generations of Maize and Blue faithful :) My grandfather Geib started it all by graduating from U of M Law School in 1904. Tom received his BS from MIT.
