Wednesday, January 07, 2009

16 Random Things about Me

Both Jess Lindsley and Evelyn Whitehill have tagged me on Facebook for this "game." Here's the rules:

Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 16 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 16 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you.

I have Facebook set up to snag my blog entries into notes on my profile, so I figured I would list the 16 random facts here, wait for the note to show up on Facebook, then see if I can figure out how to tag folks from there. This will be another learning experience for me! Anyway, here's the random facts.

1. I was a software engineer in my former life, but I've been writing fiction seriously since 1999 when I retired.

2. I'm an avowed chocoholic, the darker the better.

3. I obtained a BS degree from William & Mary in 1978, a double-major in Computer Science and Psychology (I use the psychology in my fiction writing).

4. My masters degree in software engineering was completed in 1983 from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

5. 1983 is also when I married my husband, Neil.

6. Neil is my website and email newsletter guru, bless him!

7. I have two children, both in college now.

8. I am interested in keeping fit, so I exercise at least five times a week: lifting weights/elliptical at the local Y, swimming, hiking or walking the dog, bicycling, skiing, using the Nordic Trac at home, or finding some other way to keep the pounds from piling on.

9. I love to eat (hence the need for #8), especially ethnic foods.

10. I'm the author of the gift basket designer mystery series with protagonist Claire Hanover who lives in Colorado Springs, my hometown. The first is A REAL BASKET CASE and the second to be released in May is TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET.

11. My TBR pile includes lots of mysteries, but also some literary, women's fiction, romance, and short story anthology books.

12. I'm in a book club that meets monthly to drink wine, eat dessert, gossip, and discuss that month's book.

13. I took a speed-reading class in elementary school, so I can read pretty fast.

14. My favorite children's picture book is Possum Come A Knockin'. My kids tired of it long before I did. It's hilarious!

15. I did indeed read Nancy Drew when I was young, but my favorite mystery writer in my teenage years was Edgar Allan Poe.

16. I enjoy cooking and learning new recipes, especially from the vegetarian cookbooks that my vegan sister sends me.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tag games, "Meme's" always make for good posts. Enjoyed your answers. I share your passion for ethnic foods too.

Helen Ginger said...

You are clearly a very smart person - a BS, a Master's, and you married a web guru.

http://straightfromhel.blogspot.com

Ann Parker said...

Loved reading your 16 random things. And I'd definitely like to know how you make the Facebook-Blogger connection. There's so much to learn!

And I, too, was a Poe fan from a young age. :-)

Anonymous said...

Ooh I work out 5 days a week too!!

Morgan Mandel said...

I used to work out twice a week, walk to and from the train. That was before this winter from hell where I can't drive, I can't walk on the slippery streets and I get bored using the elliptical.

Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
http:/www.morganmandel.com

Bob Sanchez said...

Interesting background, Beth. Computer Science and psychology make for an interesting combination—and of course the love of dark chocolate is something we have in common!

Chester Campbell said...

Enjoyed reading your 16 facts, Beth. I relate to a few of them. I retired in 1989, but I was 63 then. I try to stay fit by walking two miles at the mall. I miss a day now and then, but try to go every day I can. And I took a speed reading class years ago, but I didn't stick with it and I'm back to slow reading. Now and then I'll think about it and kick up my speed (particularly if I hit a boring part).

Beth Groundwater said...

I agree with Helen--marrying Neil was the smartest thing I ever did!

Eliza Gayle said...

I love reading posts like these, it's interesting to learn some interesting tidbits about people you follow.

Anonymous said...

Cool VTech connection! I went to high school in VA and a lot of my friends went to that school upon graduation.