Seven Degrees of Separation

I was challenged by my friend Alex Moore to do the following meme. "Come up with seven things about yourself that you are willing to share with whole web. Then tag seven other people to do the same."

Here we go:
1. Even though I grew up in snowy northern Idaho I have never been very good at driving on slick roads. I never drove on slick roads when I was young. I never got a car of my own until I was 21 years old and then I probably always rode with someone else when the roads were slick. I practice every day, but if I ever feel that pull of the car toward the ditch, I panic... even if I am going 20 mph.

2. I have never driven or ridden on recreational vehicles like snowmobiles, four-wheelers, motorcycles, jet skis, etc. I don't know why... I guess I just never was around many people that had them or rode them. My students think I am an alien from another planet when I share that.

3. Another reason my students think I am an alien from another planet is because I have never hunted. My dad didn't hunt, we didn't often have wild meat at our house, and it was just something I have never been interested in. My husband has hunted his whole life and he recently brought home wild meat that I am learning to prepare in different ways.

4. I cooked my first Christmas dinner this year. I have never been at my own home for Christmas since I reached adulthood so when we were snowbound it was a lovely celebration at Christmas with just us and our own new traditions for Christmas.5. I love to wear pins and brooches almost every day. I started it when I taught younger children because they would always notice the lit up Hallmark Christmas tree pin or the Valentine bear. Now I have a big collection of snowman pins. I wear them all winter and each one has special meaning. Even 14-year-olds will comment on my snowmen. I also love heart pins, watering cans and of course my pink ribbon for Breast Cancer Awareness.

6. I love to communicate with people through email, blog comments, and the phone but I still love to write cards and letters and mail them the old-fashioned way. I also love to receive cards and letters in the mail. When I see a colored envelope in the stack of mail with handwriting I recognize it makes me smile.

7. I have slowly developed a deep passion for poetry. My mother read poetry aloud to us growing up, I went through my Rod McKuen phase as a teenager, and then loved to read rhyming funny poems to my students. Somewhere along the way I began to really embrace poetry with more zeal.
I know there are enough of you that want to do your seven degrees of separation, so I won't name names. Just let me know when you do it so I can read it!