1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 things about me

Educator on the Edge tagged me. And in turn I tag: Nan (how come you haven’t been tagged yet? You are always first. Or maybe I just missed it?), Hamid (of back of van fame), Hal, Darmok (who has been awfully quiet), MissProfe (nice blog I just discovered), School Teacher at Bright Minds (don’t know your name), Illinois Fred (if you go in for this sort of thing), Khloud (who does occasionally go in for this sort of stuff), and this Bronx history teacher (in case she is not busy when she gets back from vacation).

Now, here are 8 random facts about me:

• I can’t pronounce the difference between the vowels in bear, beer, bier, bare, bear, Bayer or anything else like that. Same goes for pare, pear, peer, pier (but payer, as in single payer, is good)
• I don’t like to drive. I had a license as a kid, but only drove briefly. Once I got to NY it made no difference. I didn’t even own a car until a few years ago. Yesterday, on the way to the mechanic because it’s been stalling, I stalled. I wasn’t happy about paying the money, but part of me was glad I got that 20 mile ride in the tow truck’s passenger seat.

(6 more, below the fold –>)

• I once noticed a neat linguistic thing that may be just interesting enough to write up, but I wouldn’t know how or where:some European languages use “valet” for the boy in the deck of cards, what I call the jack. Some dialects of Arabic use “walid” for the same card. The latter is definitely of Arabic origin, good word related to the verb “to give birth,” but we are not certain of the origin of the European word (wierd twist of “vassal” is the best guess out there, but it is shaky) The possibility of a relationship, either through borrowing or through influencing sound change or semantic change, deserves exploration.
• I didn’t much like being a teenager. Little kid? I miss. Young adult? Ditto. But teenaged years were extra-stressful.
• When no one else is around, I don’t think. I discuss. Out loud. With myself. Often I ask, answer, object, insult…..
• I really, really like arithmetic. I do it all the time when no one’s looking. When I almost lost my composure at this year’s graduation, I forced myself to do a bit of long division in my head to steady myself.
• I used to be a tremendously picky eater. And I was much worse when I was a kid. Now I am down to a shorter list of what I avoid, but the big one, cheese, interferes with a lot.
• JD, my real first and middle initials, are what my parents called me when I was very young. They thought it was cute (like juvenile delinquent). My aunt and uncle and no one else still calls me JD.

Educator on the Edge tagged me.

The rules are
1. Let others know who tagged you.
2. Players start with 8 random facts about themselves.
3. Those who are tagged should post these rules and their 8 random facts.
4. Players should tag 8 other people and notify them they have been tagged.