Back by popular demand (OpinionMom, Happy as Kings and Foundation Forum!), eight things about me:
Rules:
1. Rules? Why are there rules for what I post on my blog and how I post it? Why can’t I take this as a prompt and join the discussion as I see fit? But my personality profile says that I am a bit of a nonconformist, so it is rather natural for me to challenge nonsensical rules.
The rules are simple…
2. That is good. I like things to be straight forward and above all to make sense.
Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves.
3. Why eight? It is also a fairly significant number to Buddhists: eight auspicious symbols, eight noble ones, eight magnificent offerings, eight worldly dharmas. Is this the blogging equivalent? Did I ever mention that if someone wants me to do something, I like to know why? Actually, to save me from building unfair resentment of you, I need to know why.
The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed.
4. Uh, sorry. Too late. I’m already on number four. While I have a general deference to authority, there will be a lot less conflict if said authority gives me room to set my own goals. I don’t like rules for the sake of rules. A deadline and a vision. That is all I need and I work best under these circumstances. And it doesn’t really make sense to post the rules at the beginning. People generally know how these meme things work.
At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names…
5. This sounds like chain mail. What if those people don’t want to answer this meme? What if they feel obligated because I tagged them and then resent me for it? What if someone else gets jealous because while they are sitting at home secretly wishing someone would tag them with this meme because everyone in the world, even their nonblogging friends, has managed to get tagged, I go and tag someone else who doesn’t want to be tagged? OK, so I struggle a bit with personal relationships. I’ve never been the type to have a lot of friends.
…then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment,
6. Just like that? Did I ever tell you about my first day with my host family in Germany? While I was washing the dishes, my family went into the front room and closed the door. I stood awkwardly outside it for awhile and finally retired to my room, feeling dejected and shut out. I knew that Germans close doors. It isn’t a privacy thing and it doesn’t mean you aren’t welcome. It something many Americans struggle with when they first arrive. I knew it in my head, but it was a struggle for me until my family asked me why I didn’t come spend time with them after dinner. I know everyone likes comments, so that wouldn’t be such a big deal, but this one will be a bit off topic.
“Hey, I noticed you wrote a long entry there in which you solved all the world’s problems, but I’m really just here to see if you’ll answer this meme thing and link to me.”
…letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.
7. Uh. Yeah. Read my blog. I cannot stand asking for things like that. That is the hardest thing for me in writing. So far I have labored my way through several article proposals and a book proposal. All required extensive rewriting. I do not like to sell myself. I like my work to stand on its own. They all take the same tone of, “If you need someone to write on this topic, I have some good ideas and would like to be considered. Thank you.” But I’m supposed to come across as if I’m the greatest thing since sliced bread and the only person in the world that could possibly cover this topic. That is so not me.
8. Which brings me to the eighth trait. I know that I can come off as somewhat arrogant and self-centered. But I’m not. I am decisive, and impatient with normal social rituals. I tend to hang back and observe people. There are very few people in the world who understand my sense of humor. Most people seem to have a difficult time discerning when I’m serious and when I’m not. If I’m stirred to say something, it generally will be direct. I’m not skilled with the niceties and cloaking of intentions…and if I sense that you are cloaking your real intentions in niceties, I will tend not to trust you. All of this seems to make people think things about me that aren’t really true. I’m really quite a nice person, and if I let down my guard I am a very loyal and trustworthy friend. It is just very hard for me to get to that point.
And see, people who get paid to analyze people agree with me. I think whoever wrote this spent some time inside my head. Finally, someone understands me!
Let’s see…eight random people out of the blogrolls in my sidebar:
All Things Hold Together
Fernook Farmgirl (Who doesn’t want to know what’s going on in Mayberry?)
T.F. Stern’s Rantings
Actual Unretouched Photo
Birds of the Air
Daddy’s Roses (’cause I just realized that I haven’t been there in a long time now that I stopped reading my bloglines account).
Graced by Christ
Fish and Cans (had to check out what that was about)
Already been tagged? That’s ok, so have I. Don’t feel like it? That’s ok. I don’t always respond to these things either.
Principled Discovery is a place to stop and discuss news and information related to faith, family and particularly education. Pour yourself a cup of tea and join the conversation! 
well, I played along. liked how you did yours.
Well Dana, I will try, but not till after my travels are over. Right now I am at my in-laws lakeside condo with the family and then next week I leave for a Mission Trip to Mexico.
I’ve never been to Germany, but did take three years of German. Sometimes, when I’m not too embarrassed, I try my wee bit of knowledge out on poor exchange students who somehow find their way to Mayberry. I think they appreciate it as the only language anyone in the Mayberry school system can learn is French. The local Spanish teacher became the high school principal.
My problem in Mexico is that anytime I open my mouth a mixture of German and English come out. The Spanish I have so faithfully practiced the last few months is in the wrong compartment in my brain.
Instead of “Buenos Dias” I always want to say “Wie gehts?” And when they ask, “Como Usted?” I answer, “Gut, Danke.”
Just some random meanderings.
Hi Dana. Love your post. It’s nice to come into contact with thinking people who stand out from the crowd. And to answer your question, no, you are not OBLIGATED to respond when someone tags you. And why you must list 8 random facts, I don’t know (maybe the number 8 was chosen randomly!). I hope I didn’t cause you too much trouble by tagging you, but thanks for your response.
I had to laugh about the closed doors because of my experience with Germans and closed doors. When I went to visit my German “sister” at her home, I closed the bathroom door when I went to shower. Boy was I surprised as I stepped out of the shower to see her older brother walking in! in an American home, a closed bathroom door means someone’s using it…I guess in Germany you have to actually lock the door!
Oh…and pretty please put me back on your blogroll?…I was downright honored to be there!
:::laughing::: I’m glad you saw the blog post … and weren’t offended, Dana.
I’m also of two minds about the “tagging,” which is why I haven’t (yet?) gone to anyone’s blog and said, “Tag! You’re It.”
Anyhow, it was a fun thing to do, and made me think — along the lines of what I’d like to tell my grandchildren ‘about me.’
It also gave me a change to blog photos that I don’t have any other reason to post. ;>
Hercules, I wasn’t offended in the slightest. Just having a bit of fun with the tag.
I didn’t put you back on Rebecca? Oh, goodness. I will fix that in a few minutes.
Laurie, when I first went over on my three years of high school German, it was quite common for people to not really understand what I was saying. I would dutifully repeat my struggled German three times. And then, no matter what, it would come out in English. As if that helped anyone. But I couldn’t help it.
Rebecca, you ARE there. You almost got stuck there twice. But my blogroll thingies now scroll and beginning with “L” has put you just under the line. You can just see the top of you under “Enjoy the Journey.”
I wish I had them on blogrolling like the others so that updated ones would move to the top to keep them shuffling, but I’m not spending money on this blog at this time!
LOL I loved this!!!! A very different approach to something that can get so boring after you read a few of them.
And thanks for not tagging me–hate these memes LOL
I have to say that #8 is very much my case as well, besides the humor thing; not sure if I have a sense of humor LOL But am often misunderstood and my directness and frankness really get me label inaccurately.
That must be why I like you so much, Shawna. I get along people who are direct and have strong opinions…even if they disagree with me!
I got it posted, took all day as I was constantly being interupted by customers; the nerve of them wanting me to work.
Thanks for including me in your game of tag.
How dare they! Well, I’ll go check out what you wrote, anyway.
Thanks for responding! It made me grin.
I think you shared more than eight things. Well, at least it seems like I know you a little better now.
Not a problem, Laura. I used to get tagged all the time on my old blog. So much so that I stopped responding to them. I hadn’t been tagged on this one until recently and then got hit with a small flurry. It was kind of fun…
Oh, and I lived in Germany for 6 years and I loved it!
Very interesting response to a
“tagging” for a meme! I love your approach. I may give it a try. BTW, I’d love to visit Germany. My nephew is serving in Iraq right now but spent a lot of pre-deployment time in Germany and is engaged to German girl.
Best wishes!
Love your answers! And now, I am not obligated to say, but I will anyway, that I have given you an award on my blog. So, if you would like, you can come there to find out about it. : ) I love to do tags but hate tagging people. These awards that are going around are kind of like a fancy, new fangled tag. But I participated in this one anyway!
Thanks, everyone! Germany is a lovely country and well worth the visit. And I haven’t even been to any of the places most Americans go. I was never south of Frankfurt. OK, I sort of was…I was on a bus that went from Berlin to Bibione, Italy. But I slept through southern Germany and only caught a glimpse of Switzerland in the dark.
[Why eight?]
You are thinking too hard. The answer to this is so simple. When I started blogging, the meme of 6-random things about you was already circulating. The seven random and eight random things went around at about the same time… we will have the nine random things soon.
I have had fun catching up on your blog…
Me? Over-think something? Not possible. : )
I think I’ll start the one random thing meme. It is more conducive to your average blog post.
Or how about the “blog whatever you want but link to me” meme.