The Obligatory (& Much Belated) 100 Things

1) I was born in the year of the pig.

2) I’m an Aries.

3) I share a birthday with Hayley Mills and James Woods.

4) My name (Shanna) means:

~ Hebrew: 1. Beautiful, 2. God is gracious; variation of Shannon; lovely

~ Nickname for Shoshana (Hebrew) "lily, rose"; short form of Shannon or Anglicization of Shaina. From Hebrew Shoshana ‘the lily of the valley’ or ‘a rose’ ‘you will find happiness’.

~ Generally considered to be a modern form of the name Sean, an Irish form of John. Shaina also means 'beautiful' in Yiddish.

~ Celtic/Gaelic Ancient God (Shannan)

~ Gaelic: little wise one (Shana, Shani, Shanna, Shannah, Shannan, Shauna, Shawna, Shannon), also connected to an Irish river Shannon 'old and wise'.

~ Shanna Quay: From the Gaelic "seanachi" - which means a 'storyteller', or someone who passes down the culture, history and myths of Ireland by word of mouth - as in songs and poems. It is pronounced Shanna-key. In Ireland, the word 'quay' is also pronounced like 'key'. (Many thanks to Steve Power of Shanna Quay - an Irish Music website which is sadly now defunct - for this lovely description!)

~ Old English: Lily

~ Slow Water. God is gracious (Irish/Hebrew). A feminine form of Shane.

5) My favorite flowers are soft pastel-colored daylilies and sweetpeas, white waterlilies, dragonfly columbine hybrid and dogwood. There is a day lily named Shanna. I also love the legend of the dogwood.

6) I am an INFP, and addicted to personality typing.

7) My childhood nick-name (given to me by my uncle Devin) was Snickersnot.

8) If I'd been a boy, my name would have been Shawn. I have a brother named Shawn. He rocks.

9) I also have a brother named Eric who totally rocks, too. And a sister named Shannon, who's also pretty awesome.

10) In all, I have four sisters and three brothers.

11) I have five children.

12) All of my kids have high IQs.

13) I have three boys and two girls.

14) My father's side is Irish and French were some of the original settlers in Cajun territory, Louisiana.

15) I have a 'thing' for geeks and/or nerds.

16) I think of myself as a geekette-wannabe-in-training.

17) I'm strong-willed, independent and stubborn.

18) I think I'm also nuts.

19) I plan on a career in Physical Therapy or Nursing.

20) And I want to be a web/IT geek when I grow up.

21) I also want to be a naturopathic doctor.

22) I am an ADHD crafter.

23) I love gory horror movies.

24) I also love chick flicks.

25) I love vegetarian food,

26) But I'm not a vegetarian.

27) I love chocolate, especially Hughes.

28) And Chicory coffee

29) I love Thai food (to cook and to eat).

30) I like to make soaps and toiletries.

31) My favorite scents are lemongrass, jasmine and any citrus.

32) My favorite color is green.

33) Blue is a close second, but really it's any color in the ocean-y colors that do it for me.

34) I love mermaids and Gwragedd Annwn and mermaid designs.

35) I even have mermaid Polly Pockets (which I stole from my daughters, tee hee).

36) I love and feel an affinity with Marlene Dietrich, who was largely misunderstood.

37) As was Marilyn Monroe.

38) I love crab and salmon sushi rolls,

39) And I sometimes make vegetarian sushi rolls.

40) My favorite band is the cure.

41) I am addicted to music and pretty much love any and all kinds, especially alternative rock.

42) I sing along with the radio constantly.

43) I want to sing with a band just for fun sometime.

44) I have a lot of friends in bands and music.

45) And not just in school bands.

46) I'm a craft addict.

47) I’m obsessed with sewing machines.

48) I have six of them.

49) I also probably have more craft supplies than Hobby Lobby.

50) Which isn't true, but I wish it was...

51) I love to shop at import stores and craft supply stores.

52) I also love fabric wholesalers.

53) I am a natural blonde.

54) Most of my friends will tell you that I live up to the hair color.

55) I'm also very intelligent. (No, really I am!)

56) Or maybe I'm just full of useless knowledge.

57) I love amigurumi and want to learn.

58) I also love Japanese Kawaii crafts.

59) I've always wanted a navel ring, but never got one (yet).

60) I went to two high schools (but most people know that already).

61) What most people don't know it that while I was raised in the Midwest, I first saw a cow up close in New England.

62) I’m terrified of spiders.

63) The South has bigger and meaner spiders. And LOTS of BIG bugs. Ew.

64) I've worked in some interesting places, including a sewing shop, massage therapy supply trade shows, an RV resort and a health food store.

65) I like my current job the best.

66) I have friends all over the world.

67) I'm most infatuated with Ireland.

68) My great love was an Irishman from Donegal.

69) We're still friends, and I still love and dream about the drunken bastard.

70) I was married to a Sicilian.

71) His ancestors ran a part of the Midwestern Mafia.

72) My ex's family was really into the stories.

73) I got really sick of watching the Godfather trilogy with my in-laws.

74) They also love the Three Tenors.

75) I got sick of that, too.

76) I did, however, gain an appreciation for La Traviata and La Boheme (operas).

77) I've never been out of the country. Not even to Canada.

78) I'd love to visit rural seaside Ireland and rural France.

79) I know a little French and want to learn Gaelic.

80) I listen to music from both countries.

81) My youngest daughter counts in English, French, Spanish and Korean. She's 5.

82) My oldest tested 2nd in the state of Wisconsin in the 3rd grade.

83) His principal called him "frighteningly intelligent".

84) My second-to-youngest had his IQ tested at 140. He was 6 at the time.

85) I first entered college in Interior Design.

86) I ended up finishing in Early Childhood Education.

87) Now I plan to go back to school for Physical Therapy and Holistic Nursing.

88) I love to write.

89) I once dictated an entire (original) story for a girl in a lit class (Doc's class - in CT).

90) I spent so long at it I didn't finish my own.

91) She got an A and claimed it as her own.

92) She later told me her mother planned to send it in to a magazine. I was secretly pretty pissed about that.

93) I still plan to write a book one day.

94) My favorite author (both for his writings and his beliefs) is Kurt Vonnegut.

95) I'm also really into Amy Tan's work. She's amazing.

96) I love history and historical fiction.

97) History was one of my worst subjects in school.

98) English and literature were my best.

99) Along with Biology and Allied Health. After graduation, I wanted to become a Radiologist. I put it off for my ex-husband and children.

100) I believe, above all, it's most important to do what you love.

Adding to the chaos, just for the fun of it

As if things weren't crazy enough around this joint, with the kids' schoolwork and Tae Kwon Do lessons, church, my cleaning job, looking for a second job, deaths, health issues (of all sorts from lots of parties in my life) and all the typical chores of single-motherhood, I've decided to return to school. Oh yes, boys and girls. I am, in fact, completely insane. Or at least well on the way to it.

I've signed up for information on some IT training at a local college here with an excellent reputation and high-ranking. The 4-year degree training, after the boot-camp-esque pre-college program, is done on-line. This is a huge plus with my three-ring circus of a schedule.

For now, it's looking toward either small office (if I'm lucky - This area is pretty slim on jobs at the moment) or waitressing. The latter is more of a possibility, and after a quick pop-in hello to all of you, I'm off to apply at a few places in town.

This little drought in my own little job-o-sphere has been horrendous on my mood lately. I've been used to working in excess of 65 hours a week (and more) for quite a while. Not long ago I was working two jobs and had a third that was just a bit slow at that time (the cleaning one). One being seasonal and the other having done their own round of the lay-offs plaguing this area, and I'm going stir-crazy with little to do but drive my loved ones completely batty. (Sorry again for all that, Love... wanna share a straight jacket?)

As for the college business, I was once told I know just enough about computers to be dangerous, so I'm pretty sure I'll either fare quite well or kill a few of the main servers. We'll find out soon enough!