Random personal facts (good for trivia games and blog memes)

Back in July, I attended my first ever blogging conference–BlogHer ‘07 to be exact. I had a fantastic time and declared it the “best conference ever.” I stayed at the Hi-Hostel in Chicago and now want to look for great hostels whenever I travel. One of my hostel mates is Adrienne and she’s the creator of Baby Toolkit where she and her husband, Jim, offer “tips, tactics, & gear reviews for parents.” Well, recently Adrienne “tagged” me with the “8 random facts about me” meme (she wrote her own 8 random facts with much humor, so check it out).

Meme Rules

Post these rules before you give your facts
List 8 random facts about yourself
At the end of your post, choose (tag) 8 people and list their names, linking to them
Leave a comment on their blog, letting them know they’ve been tagged

Random facts about Shonnie (accurate as of October 2007)

I am adopted. This has been a blessing in my life in so many ways. I was raised by wonderful parents who were able to provide me with so many amazing opportunities throughout my life. Plus, since the mid-1990s, I’ve been reunited with my birthmom and that part of the family who gave me life. Though I know many people want to have their own children, I think that adoption would help heal much of this world’s suffering as there are millions of children wanting parents and as many people who want a child to love.
I have five wonderful children (That’s cats to you and babies to me.). Bruce and I are blessed to call Chocolate (18 years old), Kaali (13), Attabi (12), Bandit, and Desmond (8, brothers) our family. We are a blended family (formerly “his,” “mine,” and “ours”) who get along very well, love to sleep together, and peacefully share our 1,000 square foot home.
I am a happy, healthy vegetarian. I stopped eating red meat in 1992 when my mom stopped eating it. Chicken and other poultry flew the coop around 1997, and fish/seafood no longer were part of our diet (both Bruce and me follow the same diet) starting in 2004. This is one of the best choices I’ve ever made in my life–for my physical health, my spiritual peace, for the health of our planet (learn why no true environmentalist can eat meat), and for the sacred life of the other creatures with whom we share our earthly home.
I am an avid trail runner. Since moving to Asheville in 1997, Bruce and I have ditched road running for hoofing it in the pristine and peaceful mountain trails that abound around our lovely town. Most weekends we can be found scrambling up or scurrying down the challenging single-track footpath known as the Mountains-to-Sea trail (learn more about this 900+ mile trail that traverses North Carolina).
I am a grandmother to two fantastic kids and aunt to two other awesome young ‘uns. Molly and Jack (grandkids) visit us each year for a week that includes a white water rafting trip and at least a few conversations in Pig Latin. Jason and Marissa (nephew and niece) just had their first camping trip on a visit to North Carolina with mom and dad and I know I definitely want more of that kind of time with them in the future.
My husband, Bruce, is not only my honey, but also my business partner, running buddy, and spiritual soulmate. Though we have a 28 year chronological age difference, we figure that because I act so much older than I am and he is a kid at heart, we average out at mid-forty as a shared age. We met while training for the Austin Marathon back in 1995, began dating in 1996, moved to NC in 1997, and married in 1999. Together we authored, I Do! I Do! The Marriage Vow Workbook (read about this book for couples that want to write their own wedding or commitment/re-commitment vows), and do much of our professional work together.
I’m chair of the board for Jubilee! Community, a spiritual community/church, that truly practices what we preach. While I’m the most progressive thinker in my family, I’m also the most regular church goer (go figure). This community, though Christian-based, shares the wisdom of numerous traditions and spiritual teachings (learn about Jubilee).
I’m currently looking for signs from the universe about what path I’m meant to now walk in life. Professionally I’m currently a coach and consultant, though at heart everything I do in work is about teaching. To that end I’m considering if I want to formalize that vocation, and if so, in what particular way will most suit me and best serve the world.

Now, as the saying goes, “Enough about me. What about you?” If you’d like to offer some random facts about yourself, drop a note in the comments area. Specifically, if you’re one of the following folks, please join in the fun by participating in the “8 Random Facts About Me” meme:

Margot Wurst, adoption triad coach
Sherri Singleton, health and fitness coach
Jay Joslin, actor, author, designer, minister, student
Ben Daniel, progressive minister and writer of spiritual and political commentary

Filed under: Uncategorized, Randomness by Shonnie on October 22, 2007 |

2 Comments »

So here are eight random facts about me:

I am an adoptive father (two daughters from China)and a biological father (one son).

I grew up on the Mendocino Coast.

I am the family cook (and I don’t own a microwave).

I was an exchange student in the Dominican Republic.

I once met with three Shining Path stowaways on a container ship in Port Newark, NJ.

I don’t watch television.

My wife taught me to love opera and I taught her to dance merengue.

I play a Gibson guitar.

Comment by Ben Daniel — October 23, 2007 @ 12:14 pm
You’re now even cooler than I thought you were Ben. Bravo for being an adoptive parent. I wish more people were. And congratulations on cooking sans microwave and abstaining from TV. Let’s you put yourself to other good works, of course.

Comment by Shonnie — October 23, 2007 @ 12:58 pm