Ten Random Facts

1. I am a Canadian citizen. Actually, I'm dual -- Canadian and US. My grandparents were Scottish emigrants to Quebec and my mom was born and raised in Montreal.
   
2. I was attacked by sled dogs once. I was too little to remember and didn't get damaged at all -- my mom said I was too bundled up. This was when I lived in the Alaskan bush when I was a small child.
   
3. I graduated from high school in a little town outside of Geneva --- Geneva, Switzerland that is -- the school was called "L'Ecole Internationale" and was a British run school. We were there because my dad had a temporary post as an attache at the WHO.
4. I devoted many happy hours in my teenage years to creating a fictional family tree that spanned many generations. It was fun making up stories about all the different people and I learned a lot of history reading books to find out what their lives and times would have been like. What do you mean, "get a life"? : ). I was a Star Trek fan, too, since you mention it, but I've never been to a convention or worn Vulcan ears.
   
5. I am a distant descendant of Eleanor of Aquitaine, according to my father's genealogical research. Also of John Alden.
   
6. I had an undiagnosed case of selective mutism back in my grade school years. It became full-blown in 4th grade when we had made our fifth move in as many years, and in 10th grade I managed to overcome it. It took some effort, but it was worth it ... most of the time.
   
7. My ever-present companion as I was growing up was our family's silver German shepherd, Hansel. He was just a few months older than me and a mainstay of my life, and I so clearly remember when I realized that he was getting old and I was still barely past childhood. For several years I prayed every night that God would somehow make an exception and admit him into heaven when he died. I have to admit I still have some hopes that I'll meet him up there -- Hansel certainly was a nobler character than I am yet. My dad, a physician, made the decision to euthanize him at home when he could no longer walk or remain continent. He tried to do this when we kids were asleep but I stayed up all night so I could be there. For some reason this wonderful child and dog relationship did not translate into a generalized love of dogs. No dog has ever come close to living up to Hansel in my mind; generally, furry pets make me feel itchy and aversive. But Hansel was way more than a furry pet.
   
8. My father is an author
9. I make up silly lyrics to familiar songs and sing them to my little ones. My older kids get so embarrassed by this, but I notice they have started doing it too -- and Aidan shows a real talent for personalized lyrics to various songs.
   
10. I spent a night in a jail near Zurich -- more innocent than it sounds, I promise. I had gone to a Christian rock concert with a friend, and the trains stopped running before the concert was over. So we were just going to camp in the train station, but the Swiss railroad people didn't think much of that idea -- so they took us to their very clean, comfortable and safe jail cell. We took the train home the next day. My mom says she aired out and disinfected everything I had with me, but I doubt if it was necessary. I'm not even sure if they actually HAVE real crooks in Switzerland. At least, we saw no evidence of any.

There's ten. I will take an idea from Faith and tag anyone who hasn't been tagged yet, since it looks like most of my blogcircle HAS been by now!