Seven Things Meme

Shannon from ZoKai tagged me to do the meme asking for a list of seven things most people don't know about me. Since it is the holiday season, I’ve decided to write seven things that happened at this time of year.

1. When I was a young girl of six or so, I was a compulsive liar. The only way to “wipe the slate clean” was to go to confession. The problem was, our local priest insisted on numbers: I used the Lord’s name in vain 10 times sort of thing. Since I lied in confession about how often I had lied during the week, I figured the slate of my soul was blurry but not clean. It was only when I realised (imagined) that God would be talking to Santa Claus about “naughty and nice” that I swore off lying altogether. Life is just too complicated otherwise.
   
   
2. I spent most of my Christmases as a teenager dancing in the Nutcracker ballet in Montreal. We started rehearsing the ballet in September and started preforming a week before Christmas right through the holidays. As a result I am a Scrooge about the Nutcracker. When anyone ever mentions the ballet, if I ever hear the music, I want to shout out, “Bah Humbug”, or something must less Victorian.
   
   
3. The moment I “grew up”, I more or less discarded Christmas. I spent Christmas either alone at my parents’ place in Grenada (they were in Montreal with the rest of the family), or alone in my apartment in Germany. I found a way of riding under the radar of feeling obliged to accept invitations of family and friends. Instead, I spent blissfully special days indulging in celebratory solitary pursuits.
   
   
4. One of those Christmases in Grenada, Spike Lee wanted to rent my parents’ house. I was really excited about it; figuring I could at least drop by, as the house owner’s daughter, and ask if everything was to their liking. My mother decided against renting the house out because she confused Mr. Lee (and family) with some wild Hollywood types. She had images of wild parties and people falling off the cliff that their house sits upon.
   
   
5. If there is one thing that pleases me like punch, it is the fact that my two children are humble in their wishes (expectations) for Christmas presents. They actually put down titles of books and items of clothing on their lists. Those things would have never found their way on my Santa Claus wish list when I was a child: clothing, books, and practical things were non-qualifiers.
   
   
6. I cannot get through any school concert or Christmas concert without crying. Even though I am not a member of any church, I find the music indescribably touching.
   
   
7. My favourite New Year’s Eves are spent quietly. Part of this is because I believe it is beautiful to spend this day in reflection and meditation. And partly, this is because I dislike alcohol-induced hilarity.