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Seven Things You Didn't Know About Me:

1. In my young teens, I was a champion equestrian, earning a pile of blue ribbons and trophies - which my younger brother and sister eventually destroyed.
2. I took up the guitar and flute at age 13, and sang in bands in college and beyond. My first on-stage musical experience was with a jug band! 
3. One of my ancestors was a French pirate, hung to death in the gallows of London. Another was in Antoine de Cadillac's party - the group that founded Detroit. 
4. I saw the Beatles live - twice.
5. My house burned to the ground in 1998. Obviously, I survived.
6. My first car was a 1968 Dodge Dart (used) and my car payment was a whopping $33/month.
7. I started The Write Concept in March 2000, after being "downsized" twice by Fortune 500 companies.

1. I'm a Pearl Jam fan, seen them at least 20 times in concert.

2. I was a Pilot at the University of Illinois, ran of out of money for flight school and had to get a job working on computers at a bank.

3. My first job was working on a farm at age 12 for $1.50 an hour.  Following summer I got a raise to $2.00 an hour.  $5.50 or $6.00 was minimum wage at the time.

4. My first car at age 16 was a 1974 Dodge Dart.  It was an ugly puke yellow.  Lasted me 3 years and then I upgraded to a chocolate brown 1973 Plymouth Satellite.  Drove that for another 5 years until I had money to upgrade to modern.  Then a 97 lexus and now drive a 09 Honda Pilot.  15 years of driving and only owned 4 cars.

5. I played trombone and sang school choir 5th through 8th grade.  Received outstanding male performer award at my 8th grade graduation.  I was the only male in both band and choir so the award defaulted to me.

6. My mom held me back in preschool so I could be in the same grade with my then best friend.  Year later we moved to a different town.  Ended up being a good move because all through school I never like the kids a grade above me.

7. I have high cholesterol.  It's hereditary and nothing I can do about it.  Good news is my grandparents lived into their 90's and I've had great uncles live into their 100's.

1. My first "real" job was serving ice cream in Livonia's famous Han-D-Dip Dairy Barn, making $1.50 an hour.

2. By the time I was fifteen I'd been to 49 out of 50 states, and added Alaska to the list in my early 20's.

3. I have nearly drowned three times: once as a child in the Pacific Ocean, once as a high schooler body-surfing in Hawaii, and once as an adult canoing in northern Michigan.

4. I have a (formerly) secret desire to direct movies, especially documentaries.

5. Met Gordie Howe at the ice capades when I was about 6 and then got lucky enough to watch the Wings win their first cup in 42 years with him as an adult.

6. Once bungee-jumped off of the Kewadin Bridge in New Zeeland (that's the one that started it all).

7. Launched The Catalyst Company in 2001, just three months before 9/11, and somehow kept it going through those tough economic times.

Oh, let's see now:

1) A great grandfather on my mothers side was a great lakes ship captain. One on my fathers side was a 'salty' captain on a sailing schooner out of Gloucester, MA fishing the outer banks. It's in my blood man.

2) I can drive a spit-axle transmission, operate a front end loader and a tow truck. My first job was working at a service station when I was 16. Drove a dump truck for a while and a semi hauling junk cars to the scrap yard when I was 17-18.

3) Have not consumed a drink containing alcohol in over a dozen years.

4) I have a black belt hanging in my closet with my name embroidered in Korean. (Karate)

5) My first car was a 1973 Ford Fairlane station wagon that my sister backed into a tree so I spent a year driving with plastic rear window.

6) I like road trips. I spent 3 months living out of a Vega with a buddy traveling the back roads and I rode a motorcycle to Arizona and back. Thought it was so cool to ride through Texas with beer between my legs cause it was legal then. (see # 3)

7) I'm a good swimmer cause I have webbed toes. Two of my toes on each foot are fused since birth.

Crazy huh?

Let's see if I can add anything to this list in 09'.

1.  I'm a grandmother who lies about her age :-)

2.  I've owned so many cars I probably can't remember them all. The first was a Stuedebaker station wagon & you could see the highway go by under your feet.

3.  I'm married to my best friend. We've known each other since high school, but we weren't high school sweethearts.

4.  I'm a big fan of Wheel of Fortune, Biggest Lose & Survivor.

5.  This was one of the best Christmases ever.  My son was here from Daytona Beach for the first time in 3 years and eveyone from hubby, Mike's, side of the family was here for the first time since 1980.

6.  I love to read. Jodi Picoult is my current favorite fiction writer.  I'm on my 3rd reading of Money & the Law of Attraction by Jerry & Esther Hicks (They were featured in The Secret.)

7.  I was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, but moved to Michigan when I was 3.  Being born in the south is my rationalization for not liking the cold weather.

7. I am actually an artist and designed a lot of the art work in the Chrysler Tech Center 11 years ago and designed the letterhead for my old High School.

6. I trained for a body building competition in Mt. Pleasant 7 years ago.

5. I was Youth of the Year at the age of 14 in 1994 traveling Michigan speaking at The Palace, at conferences, schools, and for Chrysler.

4. I won the Auburn Hills Citizen of the Year in 2008

3. I started my first day / week / month of my freshmen year of High School with a huge shaved oval on the back of my head with 12 staples holding it together after falling and getting ran over by the cyclist behind me in a BMX bike race.

2. I grew up in a mobile home / trailer that was 12' x 62' until I was 14 in a rough area.

1. Over a year ago I found out I was adopted... well, that my father who raised me is not my real father.

1) I was at Al Kaline day in 1971, and have two pins to commemorate the event. Who else remembers the game went 17 innings?

2) I bought my first house when I was 21.

3) I moved to San Diego when I was 22, and stayed there several happy years advancing  my software development career.

4) I meet Richard Dreyfuss, who I had a huge crush on, and was too terrified to speak to him, and I am STILL kicking myself 20 years later.

5)  I spent 12 terrifying hours on a bus between Los Mochis and Mazatlan, Mexico, and not a single person in the world knew where I was.

6) I never met my father's family, but started looking for them about five years ago.  After much research, with a single phone call, I was able to add about 70 people to my family tree - most of them still here in the metro Detroit area!

7) My mother was born in Mexico, and I grew up with my grandparents speaking Yiddish, Spanish, and English to me all in the same sentence!

1. I'm related to THE Col. Sanders. He was the younger brother to my grandfather's grandfather.

2. I met Ron Howard when I was in college and working for the Oklahoma Historical Society. The first thing I said to him was, "You're Opie." Duh - I think he knew that.

3. I harbor a desire to be a singer, but can't carry a tune to save my life.

4. The most daring thing I've ever done was leave Oklahoma and everything I knew to move to Michigan where I knew only one person - my husband. Now he threatens to move us elsewhere because I can't go anywhere without seeing someone I know.

5. My grandmother was born on the boat to America from Galway, Ireland. On that same trip, her two older sisters died from typhoid fever and my great-grandmother became pregnant again.

6. I have no recollection of my childhood up until about the age of 10 or 11 due to a very traumatic event. Everything I know, I've been told and its as if it happened to someone else.

7. I did not attend either my mom's or my dad's funeral - both due to weather conditions. Since I live here in Michigan & they were in Oklahoma - it just didn't happen. When my dad died, Oklahoma and Kansas were under severe tornado watches and I ended up being at the airport for 36 hours on standby until I gave up and went home. When my mom passed away last year, we had just gotten about 11" of snow, and my husband said there's no way I'm taking a chance with my life to go 1,000 miles to a funeral. I was mad, but I understand his reasoning.

1) My first job was at a hardware store

2) I was Miss Greenbelt 1979

3) former Flight Attendant - Republic Airlines - Northwest Airlines

4) I am truly afraid of storms - thunder, lightning - the possibility of tornados (oh afraid of heights too)

5) but spiders don't bother me

6) my favorite channel is Bravo - Project Runway, Top Chef, Shear Genius

7) there is not much better in the world than toes in warm sand and an ice cold margarita on the rocks - OK lots of you know that about me

1. I love opera. I'm a season ticket holder at MOT. When I was much younger, I wanted to be an opera singer. I've studied voice privately, off and on for a total of about 20 years. I auditioned at Juilliard in 1965 but didn't pass the piano portion. Now, I sing for myself... and friends, if someone plays the piano. Oh, sometimes I do karaoke, too, but I stick to show tunes, pop or jazz. If encouraged, I have a wide repertoire of folk music, too. In this situation, there is usually someone who accompanies me on guitar, flute, violin or whatever.
2. I got engaged in the spring of 1971 on the Isle of Capri in Italy. I've been married to that same man for 37 years. I've known him for 47 years, since I was 15. We met in high school Spanish class.
3. I was in the audience at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival when Bob Dylan "went electric". I thought it was great but many of the die-hard folkies booed him.
4. My first car was a 1970 Ford Maverick. I ordered it new and picked the paint color-a lovely shade of green called "Anti-establish Mint".
5. I burned my bra in 1966 and started smoking cigars. I quit smoking, cold turkey, in 1986.
6. I joined NOW in 1973 and marched for the Equal Rights Amendment in Colorado. As an organizer, I was interviewed by the local newspaper. I also appeared on a local TV program answering questions about the ERA. At one point, I went "undercover" at a League of Housewives meeting to see what I could learn about our most vocal opponents. When I was recognized at an ERA parade a few weeks later, several women (League of Housewives members) spit on me.
7. I was an original member of "Comedia70", an improvisational theater troupe performing on summer weekends in Boston in the late sixties/early seventies. We had a spot on the South Bank of the Charles River, in the open air. Our audience was whoever walked by and decided to watch. We did mostly comedy, some "deep stuff", sang (I wrote our theme song "Hidden in Our Hearts") and danced. We also staged elaborate sword fights-even us 2 girls fenced! We passed the hat after each performance and people could donate whatever they wanted to give us. It was a lot of fun and we got decent reviews. Eventually, we got inside gigs at various events around town. We even did some charity work. However, if I hadn't also had a full-time job, I would have starved to death.

This is just about my favorite discussion topic of all time. We have an interesting band of folks. Thanks for sharing and I can't wait to see what we learn next!

1) I am a sugar addict.  My major weaknesses are in the form of donuts, rich cakes and pies.

2) I was in numerous car accidents before age 7.  Because of this, I believe this is why I am very cool in catastrophic situations.

3) When MSU rioted in 1999 after losing to Duke, I followed behind the riot police squad as the shot tear gas at crazed... property defacers.  Talk about surreal.

4) I once ate a serving of french fries a day for 48 days straight.  The streak was started during my 6-week excursion in Europe.  Streak ended at a Wendy's when it got robbed at gunpoint.  My fries got dropped on the floor as they were being handed to me.  Again, I didn't freak - I wanted to maim the assailant.

5) As a hobby, I rap.  I like doing it, but don't care about making money with it. www.myspace.com/gambitthemc

6) I used to own over 5000 vinyl records; I own about 15% of that now.  I'm a music junkie.  I still have over 200 professionally-released cassette tapes.  I also have reel-to-reels, but no player... YET.

7) I met my fiancee at a Halloween party in Detroit.  I was dressed as Tyrone Biggums - the character from The Chappelle Show.  Yes, the crackhead... and I barely meeting her that first time.  Horrible, I know...

7.  My first job at 12 years old was laying drain tile in new construction basements. I had to use a 75 pound jackhammed with a spade bit to dig the tile trenches. The basements were clay and it was summer. I only weighed 95lbs. Picture me looking like I'm riding a hydraulic Pogo Stick.

6.  I was a very strong kid. At twelve I weighed 95lbs and could Military Press 170lbs.

5.  A distant cousin (Youko Ahola) was ESPN2 World's Strongest Man two years in a row.

4,  I rebuilt 5 donated broken down lawnmowers in in power mechanics class when I was 13. The following summer I got five friends to mow lawns with me. We charged 2 bucks a lawn and split the money. We would each do two a day. This was decent cash in the late 50's and early 60's.

3.  I bought an 80 acre farm in the UP for my Father to retire on. I was 16 at the time.

2.  I was Eight US Army Air Defence Soldier of the Month, Soldier of the Quarter and Soldier of the year.

1.  I have a soft spot for those who are less fortunate than me. 

1. I've jumped out of an airplane. On purpose.

2. I graduated from high school at age 16 and was enrolled in college (Michigan Tech) at age 17.

3. I worked as a bank teller on Victory Drive near Ft. Benning, GA. It was robbed before I took the job there, and I believe shortly after I left.

4. My first car was a Ford Tempo, stick shift. I'd always wanted to learn how to drive a stick after watching a movie where the girl couldn't get away because she didn't know how to drive one. Turns out there is a learning curve. Was stranded in the turn lane on a hill trying to make the left into the mall parking lot my second day with the car.

5. Believed all my life that my great-grandmother had awesome powers (water witching and some type of intuition) that I didn't inherit. Have recently discovered otherwise.

6. Raised Leader Dog Puppies for the Blind during my years in 4-H. Two of them went to Spain.

7. Have convinced some that I am hippie-eclectic and not always type A perfectionist. Through life's awesome experiences in 2008 I have begun to live more freely and have become more of a big sister to my brothers than I've ever been before. They are to credit for all the free hugs.

1. I went from inner city kid in Detroit to mid-michigan farm boy
2. I cried at age 3 when I found out that I wasn't going to change color to be like my best friends who were all African American 
3. I was a "lucky" graduate of the "Spin & Puke" during flight school in the Marines. 2 hours of "spinning" per day for 6 weeks.
4. A Coast Gaurd rescuer gave me a cookie before he dropped me back into the ocean for a nice long soak.
5. My grandfather was 100% Hungarian, but I don't like Goulash.
6. I still remember seeing my wife for the 1st time. I was 10, she was 8.
7. I have received numerous leadership awards, but my favorite was a surprise party from a group of seasoned GM UAW workers at Buick that I supervised for 11 weeks.

Sandra,

Did you realize that your Grandfather didn't have powers or that you actually did inherit them?

1.   My first job was a "car hop" at a place called Bob's Drive-In...roller skates and all!  The place is now a used car dealership.  I think I was making .75 per hour.

2.   I married my high school sweetheart, right out of high school, except the 1st few months I became aware of his presence at school, I thought his name was Greg.  Once we met, I found out it was Bill and 31 years later, we're still best of friends and enjoying each other as much as we did when we met. 

3.  My most interesting job was working at the Detroit Field office of the FBI in the late 80's and early 90's.  I was on "POPE" detail when the Pope came to Detroit (I think it was 1988) and I was locked down at the office to prepare for any sort of incident that would occur.  I was a ComSec Analyst (that's short for COMmunications SECurity) and was responsible for managing all incoming and outgoing communications including radio transmissions, teletypes, switchboard, faxes, complaint desk, NCIC/LEIN and more.  Very interesting job.

4.  While at the FBI, I met Bob Probert when he played for the Red Wings...he was being brought in on charges of smuggling drugs in his underwear from Canada; I think I still have a mug shot of him somewhere...

5.  Two summers ago hubby and I started on a trek to drive the entire Route 66 highway.  We started in Chicago right at Lake Michigan and made it just inside the state of Oklahoma.  We plan to resume at that location this summer and either drive all the way to CA or at least get another chunk of it out of the way.  Awesome drive, by the way.  We stayed on the actual Route except where it ended and we had to get back on the highway.   Really cool.

6.  I also met Mark "The Bird" Fidrych, in a small diner in Riverview one night.  He was playing for the Tigers at the time, and had gone and "tied one on" that night and was with some friends at the diner.  My husband went over to ask for his autograph, and he got it.  When he was leaving he smiled and waved and said goodbye.  Too bad I didn't have a camera with me back then.  He was very gracious, albeit drunk on his A** !

7.   I represented the city of Wyandotte in the Mrs. Michigan pageant two years running and finished in the top 10 the 2nd year (Stacy Fielder, Cecil's wife, won that year...can you say "fixed??")  

Well, here goes.  I am posting these 7 obscure facts in the hope that I get to know a lot more about many of my favorite MCC friends and acquaintances.

1. As a young girl, living in Jersey City, N.J., I was "privileged" (ha!) to go to many Broadway shows when I was just a baby (including the original CAMELOT with Julie Andrews and Richard Burton and PETER PAN with Mary Martin).  Of course, I don't remember a thing about these shows.  I think my parents thought I would get "cultcha'ed" by osmosis (LOL).

2. I can't ice skate.  Tried (and failed) miserably time after time ---- from venues like New York's Rockefeller Center to frozen ponds in friends' backyards, I have managed to only walk on my ankles every time.

3. Along the way, I have met a number of celebrities.  Tony Randall once bought a friend and I a drink when we were in a Broadway pub before seeing a show (by this time I was clearly no longer a baby).  I met Lauren Bacall in the elevator at The Dakota building when I was dating one of my first real boyfriends (whose relatives lived there).  But my favorite story is that Jackie Onassis and Barbara Walters were friends of my first mentor (and boss) at NYU;  and they came into our rickety old office on Washington Square West to pick her up --- and barely anyone recognized them!  (And, yes, Jackie Onassis had a very quiet voice!!!)

4. I amassed 500,000 "flown" Frequent Flyer miles in my 9 years at Unisys.  It was exhausting.  And (more embarassingly) we barely used them before quite a few expired!  (Too much business travel;  who wants to do it for fun when you are in that kind of a role?)

5. I love to sing.  I will sing.  Anywhere.  Anyplace.  Any time of day.  My one regret is that it takes so much effort to get people to join in (perhaps they prefer to be on key?  Who knows???)

6. My husband, Dale, and I are BOTH hyphenated.  We don't call it getting married, even though we had a fun and festive wedding in New Canaan, Connecticut.  We call it "getting hyphenated".  When we celebrate anniversaries, it is the anniversary of hyphenation.  And for almost 25 years,  explaining that to credit card companies, anyone doing nametags for us, anyone taking reservations etc. has become almost second nature.  I even have the terrible (but sometimes necessary) habit of explaining what a hyphen is ("you know, it's a dash or a minus sign on your keyboard?") which is either welcome or irritating depending on the audience.

7. In between my freshman and my sophomore years in college, I was dead broke; and worked three jobs all summer.  During the day,  I was an administrative assistant in a bank;  at night, I was one of those annoying B to C market researchers;  and on the weekends I made sandwiches in a Blimpie Base (the East Coast equivalent of a submarine shop).  To this day, I: 

a. Believe that being an assistant can be one of the most stressful jobs on the planet (and have tried to be as kind as possible to anyone who had the job with me);

b. Always answer the market researchers who call our house (even at inconvenient times);

c. HATE the smell of oil, vinegar and onions when mixed together (they were the standard Blimpie combination).

By the way,  I quit all 3 jobs just 1.5 weeks before the semester started, and was lucky to have a good (male) friend take me to Puerto Rico for 6 days.  Almost made the whole summer worth it!

Hey, Curtis:

On the cholestrol thing,  my husband (Dale) is bordering on it, for the same hereditary reasons.  He is currently managing it solely through diet.  Do you recommend that approach or do you use some mild medication?

If you don't want to post the answer,  my e-mail is kathleen@midwesttechnologyleaders.com.   If you want to share any advice, I would welcome it.

Happy New Year, and thanks (in advance).

Kathleen