Ten Things About Me – Old Skool

Today’s prompt in the Kickin’ it Old Skool Blog-a-Thon is to tell everyone ten things about me.

Ten things… Hmm.

I think I’ve written posts like this before. Do I come up with ten new things, or just ten interesting things that new readers might not know (but regulars on my blog probably do know).

I’ll give you ten things that often surprise people. I tend to meet people through one of the items on the list, then they’re a little shocked to find out about the others…

1) A am a real, live vertebrate paleontologist. I have that career that every nine-year-old in America wants (except for mine, of course). Most people at some point have been fascinated by dinosaurs, and I’ve made a career of it. Well, sort of, anyway. I study mostly fossil mammals, but that’s another blog post.

2) I am studying swordplay. Not Olympic fencing, mind you. Classical fencing. The martial art. And longsword whenever I can.

3) I enjoy sewing period costumes. The 14th and 15th centuries of Europe are my favorites. I like to go to Renaissance Faires in costume whenever I can.

4) I also participate in the Society for Creative Anachronism, which is a lot of fun. It gives me an excuse to wear all the period clothes I make. I also like to put on armor and join in with the SCA’s heavy weapons – which looks like real sword fighting to the untrained eye, but really isn’t.

5) I write fiction. I’ve written a few books, none of which are published, yet. I need to work on revisions, but I keep writing more books. The one I really need to finish is called “Prince of Herongarde.” It’s written and only need revision and editing. (‘Only,’ she says.)

6) I’m also a geochemist. I have to get paid somehow. I spend many, many hours in a laboratory arguing with an unruly mass spectrometer. You’ll see posts about that from time to time.

7) Years ago, way back in high school, I painted regularly. Some of my artwork is showcased here. I still like to paint, but I don’t do it often any more because of time limitations (see above).

8) I suffer from social anxiety. Yes, I do. Medications and therapy and all of that. Most who only know me casually don’t believe me.

9) I, with my husband and son, live rurally and have chickens. At last count, we had 29 chickens: 28 hens and a rooster. We get lots and lots of eggs.

10) My son is on the Autism spectrum, which makes life rather interesting at times…

 

So these are ten things about me. Now to get on to the next thing: writing tomorrow’s Friday Headlines post!