A game, oh boy, a game!!

I think today should be Danni-Appreciation-Day.

Why, you ask? Well, because today I have chosen to step out of my normal comfort zone to do something that I always flee from. You see, I am a person who has never enjoyed playing games. I will come up with a hundred and one other things to do before I will ever resort to game playing. My husband pulls out the cribbage board, I roll my eyes. My friends want to get together for a game of Pictionary or Guesstures, I suggest alternative activities. Friends extoll the joys of playing cards (in Vegas or at home) and my eyes practically roll back in my head from anticipated boredom.

So, you can maybe imagine my reaction when Sugarcreekstuff tagged me for the "7 Things" game. Then, Chicken Mama Susan at Eastside Farm Chronicles tagged me, too, a few days later. My eyes grew wide when I read that Fay at the Country Livin'Blog tagged me. I'd been able to put off responding for quite a while, since I was in the middle of a move and all, but then, today, Sue at A Multi-Colored Life tagged me. I'm really touched that each one has thought to 'tag' me, but now I'm also thinking..."the madness must stop!!" :-)

And so....I have gone against my very nature today to participate in something that I would normally avoid like the plague. Why? Because I'm really a team-player at heart. I may not want to play with a group, but I love being part of a group, talking and interacting. Besides, everyone else has been so funny and good-natured about what I'm about to do, that I can't stand to rain on anyone's parade. Therefore, here are my seven random (useless), weird (who cares), interesting (boring, really) things about me that most of your probably don't know:

1. While I am most recently of the high-tech professional world, I was formerly a personal trainer at Bally's Total Fitness. I loved this job and invested so much in it (personally and monetarily), that it literally cost me to work there.
2. I speak fluent German. My mom is a German native and, when my sister and I were kids, she would take us every other summer to visit family and travel through eastern Europe.
3. I hate to fly. I consider myself a very stable and strong woman, but put me on a plane and the feelings of panic I experience have me contemplating running down the aisle screaming, spitting and pulling at my hair. NEVER fly anywhere with me. Oh, and thank God for Xanax.
4. Other people don't generally "get" my family's sense of humor. I guess we're pretty rough on each other, with quick banter, sarcasm, and more than occasional snide insults, but we adore each other and feelings are never scathed. Visitors will come to a family gathering and look at us in horror, not understanding why everyone isn't crying.
5. I can be a bit spacy and absent-minded at times. I once gardened in my front yard (in the city) for 20 minutes in my bra, because I had earlier gone in to change my shirt, got distracted, and never finished the job. My husband finally came outside and said, "Uh, Danni....?"
6. I like the smell of my dog's feet. (oooh, that's a good one, isn't it?!)
7. I am a secret People and Us magazine reader. (shhhhh...don't tell!)

Jeez. That was painful.
--> But wait...as per the directions I was given, here are the rules I am following:

- Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you. (Done)
- Post the rules on your blog. (Done)
- Post 7 random or weird facts about yourself on your blog. (Done!)
- Tag 7 people and link to them. (See below)
- Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged. (See below)

I am choosing to disobey the last two rules. Out of the kindness of my heart, I will not be tagging anyone else for this game. The "fun" ends here. With me.
You can all thank and appreciate me now.

Please, please never tag me again, because I will probably implode. (This especially includes that Archive meme that is going around...)

Engage me in conversation, though, or invite me to a group lunch and I'll be there in a heartbeat. :-)