The story of me

Here are the basics: I was born in Hackensack, New Jersey to two high school sweethearts about 4 years after they graduated and married. I'm the eldest of three - I have a sister and a brother. My father is half Italian and half Norwegian. My mom is pretty much a walking United Nations. At one year old, my family moved to Northern Virginia. When I started kindergarten, we moved to the house my parents still live in.

I had a pretty easy middle middle-class upbringing. Starting at seventh grade, I attended a private Christian church-school. I graduated with the same 12 people I met in 7th grade. Yup, graduating class of twelve. Whee.

I attended a Christian college in Florida for a semester and a half before being kicked to the curb. Came home, started working full time and did so until a little over a year ago.

Married the wrong guy; ended that. Met the right guy and started that. Big M is amazing and truly the best man I could ever hope to marry. We now have two offspring and are living in Richmond, VA while Big M gets his degree in Chemical Engineering.

Pretty boring, eh? Let me toss in a few choice pieces of Rubia Trivia...

I accidentally died my hair purple while attending aforementioned straightlaced Christian school.

A drag queen did my hair and make up when I married Big M.

I don't think the minister who married me and my ex ever got paid.

I have never broken a bone in my body.

I don't have a gallbladder.. ew.

I didn't attend my first concert until I was 19.

I once dated a guy who was one of 13 siblings, all of whom had been molested by their father in one way or another. Because of this, he didn't understand sexuality and turned to male prostitution as a teenager.

I once owned a quarter horse named Spike. He routinely fell asleep and stepped on my foot while I groomed him. We had Amish shoe the horses and provide our feed. I loved meeting the Amish and really respect their values even though I don't agree with their philosophies.

I went to Mexico as part of a National Geographic photography workshop. I got sick and missed the best event - a real bull fight.

I met Big M on the internet back when most people didn't know what the internet was. Like before companies like Kellog even had websites.

I have tootie-fruity eyes. They are basically blue but they can look grey or green or somewhere in between depending on my mood and the clothes I'm wearing.

I still have profound guilt and shame about leaving my ex because I know it hurt him so deeply. I know it was the best thing for both of us, but I hate that I was the cause of such immense pain.

I have never tried drugs. Nancy Regan's "Just Say No" worked. That and I never had access.

I still haven't finished college although I did go back to school while working full time. I need about 3 more quarters (the school uses a quarter, not semester, system).

My husband survived thyroid cancer. Helping him through it was the hardest time of my life.

My grandmother died two years ago and it still hurts like it was yesterday. I see her every time I look into my daughter's eyes.

I have a high school friend I think about quite often but am too chicken to find and contact.

I once crashed my bicycle while riding it slower than people walking. I did this when I crashed into a parked car.

I accidentally ripped off the exhaust system of my grandparent's El Camino. The next year, I accidentally put diesel fuel into their unleaded engine. How they ever trusted me to drive again I'll never know.