While I am flattered to be MeMe'd again, this time by the non-French speaking Michelle Casey, it is true that my first MeMe is not in the alphabetical list, which is likely why I'm being tapped a second time.
In early December, I wrote a MeMe, which is floating around somewhere, so I probably have very little to add to that.
Real Estate and Computers in 1988
Let's see, I bought my first computer in 1988, a 40-lb portable to replace the free computer I had been given several years earlier. I think it was an IBM XT, and it used 5 1/4-inch floppy disks. Not only do I have those disks, but also the 3 1/2 disks, none of which I can use anymore. I bought voice mail technology compatible with DOS and started a company called Pet Crisis Hotline, which I ran in my spare time. We sold pet tags with an engraved 800 number that disclosed owner information and authorized immediate medical treatment if a lost pet was found injured. I used to read my MS DOS book at bedtime. I had been selling real estate full time for more than ten years in 1988, ran my pet business, and started to write online -- Freenet was the only way I could access the internet, and there were no graphics. I'm dumbfounded at how much information can be stored on a thumb drive nowadays.
Title Searching in Colorado in 1975
I once worked for First American Title as a title searcher in Boulder, and I lived 17 miles up the canyon in a small town called Nederland. We had two bars in town, the Pioneer Inn and the Branding Iron, One of the bartenders had "restroom" tattooed on his arm so he didn't have to talk to customers who asked him where the restrooms were located. He could just raise his arm and point. My first residence in town was an A-frame where 17 guys lived. I was the only person who got up early in the morning to go to work, and everybody else used to stay up all night. They would often keep me awake with their noise, playing music, rolling logs into the fire, tossing empty beer cans into the kitchen sink -- rattles, bangs and thuds. So one winter morning when I left for work, I propped open all the windows, all the doors, and cranked the stereo up full blast as I headed out the door. There were much quieter at night after that.
Birding since 1995
<--------------This is a red-footed boobie.
Both my husband and I go birding. We didn't plan to become birders, it happened quite by accident. One day we paused to wonder, "Hey, what kind of bird is that?" So, we bought a bird book, then binoculars and before long we were hooked. The first time we spotted a killdeer, I nearly hyperventilated with excitement. If birds were stoners, killdeers would be excellent candidates. If you don't look at birds, you might think they are all brown or black, but the truth is there are a huge variety of birds of many colors, shapes and sizes in your back yard that you have probably never noticed.
Pet Lover
We have three cats. Two are ocicats that came from a breeder in Orange County. One is a chocolate silver male who can't be shown because he doesn't have any spots; he is marbled. The other is a retired breeder who is a cinnamon spotted and came to live with us when she was 18 months. Both were sort of considered throwaways because they aren't show quality anymore. Our other cat is a Somali, and he's almost 16. He lives in a 4x4 pen and comes out at night to sit with us. He was diagnosed with kidney disease a little over a year ago, but his last doctor visit showed no signs of disease anymore. Our doctor thinks the cat is neurotic now and not physically ill at all. All three think they run the house and scream at us nonstop.
Adventure Travel
When I'm not swamped with work, I try to arrange time to travel. I love to travel but I don't care much for tourist attractions. I guess you could say I look for adventure. I once hiked through Provence, starting in Riez and walking nine miles over the mountains to Moustiers St. Marie, a small village that is famous for pottery nestled on the side of a rock canyon. That was only one day - we spent 10 days hiking on old Roman trails.
I've also hiked through the Ring of Kerry in Ireland. Traveling on foot is a great way to see the countryside and small towns. Couple years ago we went to the Galapagos and toured via a 16-passenger boat most of the islands, which is the best way to see the area. Then we slept in a thatched hut in the jungles of Ecuador for three days on our way back home. You have no idea how loud a jungle can be until you are sleeping in the middle of it. The screeches, howls, croaking -- it's unbelievable. Those 17 guys in Nederland paled in comparison to the sounds wild animals in the jungle can make at night.
So, now I will tap three others for a MeMe, whether it's a second round for them or not.
Comments (18)Subscribe to CommentsComment