My Five Things.

by Amber on November 22, 2008

There’s been a bit of a meme traveling the web lately, asking people to detail five things about themselves that are little known. And while no one tagged me in particular, a few people asked, and I felt like it would be kind of fun to think about what those five things would be, and test my bravery a bit to let them out.

1. I don’t have a college degree.

Perhaps some of you aren’t really shocked by this. :) I’m about 21 credits (1 semester or so) shy of my music performance degree. Why? Well, I knocked around for a while trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, so landing in music took a little self exploration. Which put me on the six year plan, and that meant four years of tuition money wasn’t going to cut it. So after attempting to work full time and go to school full time, I had to make the difficult choice to go find a “real job” and hope that life would take me back to school someday. If I had all the money in the world, I’d be a career student. I love learning. But landlords don’t take extra credit to pay the rent. So, I ventured off into the business end of the music world, working as a fundraiser for the symphony orchestra. I loved it. My career took off, and I never managed to get around to going back.

Has it hindered me? Not really. I suppose I haven’t gotten a few interviews because of it, but in retrospect, I’d never be where I am now if I’d decided to settle into the corporate lemming walk off the MBA cliff (sorry MBA friends, nothing against it, just not my gig).

2. I’m self conscious about my hearing.

No big sob story here, just lots of troubles as a kid that left me with pretty limited hearing in my right ear. (And please believe me when I say that my hindrance is microscopic compared to some.) Background noise on phones sucks. And professionally, it’s challenging to be in a crowded cocktail party or conference and fight to hear the conversation happening just a few feet from me. So if I say “what?” a lot in our conversations, it’s not because I’m not listening. Chances are it’s because instead, I’m hearing the asshole behind me prattle on about his weekend conquest instead of your illuminating dialogue. :)   At least now it’s socially acceptable to have headphones jammed in your noggin all the time.

3. In another life, I’d be a physicist.

I’m a complete nerd when it comes to space stuff. I get the astronomy photo of the day from NASA, because I can. I can stand outside and stare at the stars for hours on end, even in frigid weather. I’ve read Brian Greene‘s The Elegant Universe and The Fabric of the Cosmos over and over again (and my brain still hurts). If I had school to do over again (see #1 above), I might just try and do something science-y. The trouble there is my lacking math skills, but hey, a girl can dream.

4. I’m a cliche: I ride horses.

Off and on, I’ve done hunters/jumpers for about 20+ years. (For the non-horse people in the audience, that’s the rather reckless practice of riding a 1,500-pound horse while it jumps over fences decorated like little houses or barns or dumb stuff like that).  I’ve broken I think  a total of 11 bones doing it over the years – most of them minor (although the tailbone one was pretty unfun). Horses are a wonderful outlet for me – I could (and have) spend an entire Saturday, filthy with horse hair and barn dust and be completely blissful. I don’t own my own horse and never have, but someday, I will. In the meantime, I’ll be content to ride other people’s and dream of the Olympics.

5. My Gramma Rules.

Ruthie is 85, and during the warmer months, she gets around on her hot pink mountain bike to take herself to the store, garage sales, whatever suits her fancy. She paints, and she’s amazingly talented ( I have several of her paintings in my house, and I treasure them all).  She was married to a wonderful man who tragically succumbed to alcoholism and later cancer, and she always maintained a disposition of hope and optimism. She’s also agoraphobic, fighting for 50+ years to learn to be comfortable in open settings, social situations, and crowds (and she’s overcome it beautifully).  Gramma never, ever fails to make me laugh, amaze me with her wisdom, or spoil me rotten. I’m so blessed to have someone like her to guide me through this crazy world.

So, there you have it. I’d love to know five things about you. I’m not going to tag you lest I put undue pressure, but please do share. It’s the fun of all this, after all.

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  • http://mommygossip.blogspot.com jyl_mommygossip

    Fun blog! First time visiting.

    So… music performance? As in singing or playing an instrument? Do you use your talent at all now? I still can’t believe I have a college degree. I was on the 10 year plan, but actually beat it and graduated in 9! Way to go me! LOL! Still paying off the loans. Ahhhh!

    Awesome that your gramma is still around. She sounds fun and untraditional… awesome! Mine died 4 years ago. She was my favorite person in the universe!

    Fun facts to know! Thx!

  • http://simonsalt.com simonsalt

    I think this is a great project. I hope a lot of people join Amber on here. Very social, isnt that what Social Media is supposed to be? So 5 things:
    1. I have four degrees and I use none of them for my work.
    2. I have jumped from airplanes, been shot at, beaten by Norwegian Whalers, run into burning buildings, crashed my car (twice), searched for missing people, recovered crashed aircraft, been knocked off my motorbike, been bitten by a dog & scratched by a cat (both left scars), and still don’t think I have scratched the surface of living a full life.
    3. The people I admire the most are not rockstars, they are the people who get up everyday and just do what needs to be done, without complaining about it.
    4. I am more comfortable in front of a group of 400 people than I am sitting down face to face with one person.
    5. If I wasn’t doing what I am doing now, I would in fact be doing something else, because thats me, I am always doing something else.

  • http://www.convinceandconvert.com/convince-convert-digital-marketing-blog Jason Baer

    I’m game:

    1. I really need to start taking better care of myself. 40 next year, with not a very good family health history, but it’s never been a priority for me.

    2. I started the student radio station at University of Arizona, and prefer going to concerts to any other form of entertainment.

    3. If I could figure out how to make a living at it, I’d write full-time, as it’s what I enjoy the most.

    4. I have a pathological aversion to satisfaction. I’ve been extremely fortunate in almost every way, but am never satisfied and always pushing. I don’t know if it’s some sort of “Dad never said he loved me” voodoo or what, but I have a huge problem with taking my foot off the gas.

    5. Even though I’ve been an online marketing consultant for 15 years and have worked with hundreds of companies, I still feel like a fraud about half the time.

  • http://www.theviralgarden.com mack collier

    I have a BBA and MBA, and can’t see where either has helped me a bit to do the current work I am doing. In fact, having the MBA has probably COST me some jobs. One time I applied for a local advertising position that I was absolutely perfect for. Never heard from the woman I applied with, I called her back and she explained that ‘well I never called you back because I saw you had an MBA and assumed you would want too much money!’ Another employer told me a similar story when I contacted them about another position and added that ‘you might want to consider taking your MBA *off* your resume, and see what happens’.

    You shouldn’t feel a bit bad about not having a degree, besides it wouldn’t help you a bit now as the social media stuff you are doing now won’t even hit the textbooks for a few more years.

  • http://www.thekbuzz.com carrie kerpen

    5 things:

    1. Despite my outwardly outgoing personality, despite getting married on a ballfield in front of 5,000 fans, despite my very public persona, I am terribly shy.

    2. I went to school for marketing and advertising, and it really didn’t help me one bit. Internships and networking were everything.

    3. I seriously enjoy Hannah Montana. Like, I’d watch it without my kids.

    4. The SECOND my children are grown, I am buying a convertible again.

    5. I still cant get used to waking up at 6am, even though my kids have been waking up since 2003.

  • http://dannybrown.me Danny Brown

    I’m completely with you on #3, Amber. The times I just go out in the back yard (even with a blanket in winter) and just watch the skies and stars for crazy amounts of time… well, I’m just glad I have an understanding wife! :)

  • http://envoyinc.com Kathy Broniecki

    Thanks for sharing Amber. I can relate to the hearing thing. I too had an infection as a child and cannot hear well out of my right ear. I have responded with a smile and small laugh inappropriately many times because I didn’t want to say “what” one more time;D OK, here is my biggest fear, that I don’t do social media right. I have been a traditional marketer for 25 years and this isn’t easy for me. Thanks to many of you, I’m learning that is about listening and contributing. So that is where I am. BTW, I think your Gramma rules too.

  • http://insightsandingenuity.com Heather Rast

    Gulp. Okay, Amber. You’ve inspired me to man up. I’ll offer the short version, lest the ‘net “forever-ness” come back to haunt me.

    1. I have total distaste for monkeys and birds. Not funny, not interesting. Just creepy.

    2) My eyes leaked at Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. It wasn’t a cry, it wasn’t an errant tear. It was leakage, and I identified with the self-doubt and feelings of solitude that America F. emoted. I’m incredibly strong and resilient, but very vulnerable.
    3. I cannot abide passive-aggressiveness as a character trait. I can be direct without being offensive. Saves everyone time, energy, and a feeling of manipulation. Why suggest with subtlety, cowards, when you should be stating with certainty? Oh, that’s right…you can’t (at least not honestly).
    4. People are often intimidated by me. It’s not a dynamic I seek to create in my relationships, it simply is. And I don’t really know why. I’m not the smartest person anyone will ever know–but my drive and intuition can make me a solid contender. I don’t want anyone else’s job. I want to be on top by my own accord.
    5. I’m fearful that I’ve screwed up my daughter. She’s the eldest of 3 and at age 11 already a “little mother”–have I relied on her too much? Given her too much responsibility? Expected too much? Argh!

    That’s it. Hope you still respect me in the morning. Heather

  • http://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinfjelsted Kevin Fjelsted

    1) I am blind from birth. 2) I love to drive cars fast. 3) I love flying a plane ai want to solo. 4) I am remaking a new business approach and I intend to make millions and give most of it away. 5) My wife and I have adopted four children.it

  • http://www.designpatois.blogspot.com Jil Nelson

    Hi Amber,

    Most people I know are not doing anything related to their university
    major. Yet your candor is a great example to us all.

    I can’t hear well either — too many rock concerts — so I really
    seem dorky repeatedly asking “what” ?

    Blog on girl.

    j

  • http://www.designpatois.blogspot.com Jil Nelson

    My 5 things.

    1. I collect odd things from my beach walks. Sea glass. Six sided objects. Triangulated finds.
    blue tiles.

    2. My cliche: Pearls in ears. Diamonds on occasion. But rarely.

    3. I have never been so proud to be an Amercan than on Nov. 5th.

    4. I am wildly optimistic that something great will occur. Hence, I buy art and stuff.

    5. Re: #4. Nothing makes me happier than a fire in my fireplace. I love the warmth and the simplicity.

  • http://befluid.com Joe Magennis

    Amber .. it has been fun to connect with you on Twitter. Your personal blog will motivate me to get going on my own. I’ve been telling myself to do a blog relating to music, but the time just hasn’t become available. I’ve got years of journals filled with music notes & memories I’d like to transcribe.

    Ok, that’s 1.

    2) I am color blind .. Its hard to know how badly because I have no frame of reference to tell you what I see.
    3) I just recently gave in to my geek side. I tended more towards the “jock” side participating and watching, but as time has gone by I realized where my passion truly is.
    4) I married late in life (42) so have two young children (2 & 3 mos) that are going to keep me young in my later years. My desire for them both is to develop a craft that they love which will be able to support them financially as well as emotionally.
    5) I bought myself an acoustic guitar at age 40 and play mostly Neil Young and Grateful Dead tunes, but bottles and diapers have softened the calluses of late.

    Good stuff Amber. See you on line!

  • http://www.thekickboard.com Kevin Dostalek

    Well, I landed here via Twitter (funny stuff tonight)… but got looking around. I had to comment on this post though, seems we share much in common:
    1) I was a music ed major, didn’t finish my degree, and only had 3 credits needed.
    2) As a drummer for years, my hearing is suspect at times.
    3) I too am a physics buff, but only in an amature/hobby way (never took any classes past HS). teach12.com has fed that particular obsession well.

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