Not very weird but almost random

Kenju has tagged me to write seven weird and random things about myself. I seem to remember being tagged with this meme before, and having trouble coming up with seven things. The main problem is that I am not a weird or random person, as everybody who has read me for any length of time knows. I am normal.

This, of course, makes me unusual. In fact, I think I can safely say that this is the first weird and random thing about me:

1. I am normal.

Practically everybody out there claims to be crazy, insane, or weird. I am not. I am sane, normal, and totally lacking in weirdness.

2. I am also not random.

This is where it gets difficult. It is hard for a normal, sane person to come up with weird and random things. Perhaps I can manage one or the other.

3. I sometimes have an ingrown toenail. This is a random thing about me, but not particularly weird. Lots of people have ingrown toenails, and I sympathize with all of them.

This reminds me of something else from the days before I had an ingrown toenail, which I suppose could qualify as a random memory except that it is sort of connected because a toe is involved:

4. Once upon a time I had an assignation with a guy which involved tying a bit of string to my big toe and leaving the other end (of the string, not the toe) hanging out of my window. The idea was that when he finally got away from whatever it was he couldn't get away from earlier (I forget what it was) he would pull the string to let me know he was waiting outside, so I could let him in. Under the circumstances this was not a weird thing to do. It was a normal, common-sense thing to do. I cannot remember now what the circumstances were, exactly, except that it was perfectly logical at the time. Context is everything.

There was a terrific storm that night.

When I woke up the next morning the string had come off my toe and was twisted around the end of the bed. Also, my toe hurt.

When we finally met again a couple of days later he was not very well. I tactfully did not mention the fact that he hadn't turned up until he told me, through sniffs and sneezes and gritted teeth, that he had spent half the night outside my window in the freezing rain and a howling gale tugging at my string and eventually shouting and banging on the window and HOW CAN ANYBODY SLEEP THAT DEEPLY?

That was a bit embarrassing, although it explained the sore toe.

5. For a while, when I was a kid, I had a pet duckling. (I'm getting better at this random thing.)

6. The other day I was listening to a podcast and learned that the reason hours have sixty minutes is that the ancient Babylonians counted in base sixty. They must have had a lot of fingers and toes. (We're back at toes again. 'Random' is hard.)

7. I hated having my photograph taken when I was a kid. In every family photo taken from when I was about four up I am the one with my face hidden, or else I am not there at all. I hated the camera with an irrational and meaningless passion.

Actually, I still hate having my photograph taken. I just don't cry and run away these days.

There! That's seven.

Now, here are the rules of this meme:

1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog. (Done.)
2. Share 7 random and/or weird things about yourself. (Done.)
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs. (I do not know any random people. All the people I know are perfectly normal, like me. Also, many have already done this meme. How about you tag yourself by leaving a comment, if you want to do it?)
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. (See 3)

Why I blog meme

I have been tagged for a meme. I do not know why Tinyhands used a C for me. Why did I get a C? Should I have tried harder?

Anyway, here we go. Five reasons why I blog.

1. Because I can't stop. (Although I do seem able to pause, sometimes.)
2. For the comments and connections. Classrooms are very isolating. My readers keep me sane. (Really!)
3. To let off steam. Blogging is more fun than bashing my head against a wall.
4. At times my job seems utterly pointless. Some days, writing about it IS the point.
5. Life is full of funny bits.

I don't know how many people I am supposed to tag, so I'll just pick a few.


Carrie, RadioactiveJam, Paula, Styleygeek, Kenju, Maria and, um, anybody else who wants to.