During junior high in an attempt to attract boys, I became a Detroit Tigers fan. My first game was 6/7/1981 and it was free helmet day, which was an unexpected bonus. I was fortunate to have been taken to quite a few games by my dad and a few of them were autograph days. I was really happy when they won the World Series in 1984. "Let's Hear It For The Boys!" The last game I went to was on 6/24/1995 with Kathy, Conrad, Robert, and Grace.

Graduated from High School in 6/1985, ranked 13th in a class of 214. I was admitted to the National Honor Society my junior year. Here is one of my senior pictures: fedora. I took four years of art and my senior year I was part of a 5 person team that painted an impressionist painting 'The Boating Party' by Mary Cassatt. Compare our work to the original. Is it a good copy? I was responsible for painting the water. The art teacher made us practice, practice, practice before she allowed us to paint on the wall. The classes I enjoyed most were my Basic computer class, being a teacher's aide to the computer teacher for two years (which really improved my typing speed), Earth and Space Science, Astronomy, French I and French II classes. I'm surprised at how much French I still remember. I'll write a few phrases, however, they won't have grave or accent marks: Je parle francais, mais je ne parle pas tres bien. Je parle francais un peu. Je t'aime les chats. I can remember wearing a J'aime Jean (Taylor) button my junior year partly to aggravate an ex-boyfriend. It worked! Hahaha! I am really shy and didn't date much in high school. My favorite fashions during this time were my fedora, headbands, bandanas, leg warmers, wristbands, fingerless gloves, mid-calf length pants, tight jeans and high heeled shoes with cute socks, baseball shirts, concert t-shirts, pins of my favorite bands, slouch socks, harem pants, stirrup pants, big earrings, sparkle makeup, face paint, etc. I got to go to see the Detroit Red Wings on 11/23/83 when I was a junior with my friend Julie and her family. The reason I have an autographed picture at all is thanks to my Dad who requested it for Liz and me. Back in those days the Red Wings didn't win many games, however, the fans were very loyal and games sold out on a regular basis. Sports games are so much better live. My last game was 10/15/1996 in Texas when they played the Dallas Stars. Unfortunately, they lost that game. However, they went on to win the Stanley that year and again the next. My friend Sandi and wore jerseys and had a banner, which ticked off the people behind us.

Graduated from Business School with a Word Processing Secretarial certificate in 12/1986. Maintained a 4.0 throughout the whole year and was student of the month in June.

Graduated from College in 6/1991, summa cum laude, with an ABA in Business Computer Systems and in 6/1992, summa cum laude, with a BBA in Senior Business Computer Systems. Special thanks to my friend and mentor, Susan, for believing in me and encouraging me to go back to school. I graduated with a 3.5 gpa and a Master's Degree in Information Technology in September 2000, though having it hasn't done me much good career-wise thanks to a terrible economy and job market. At the moment I have had to settle for being an Accounts Payable Clerk. I am grateful to have a job at all.

Got married on 4/24/1993. I have been told that in my wedding pictures I look like a young Lucille Ball. Decide for yourself: Wedding picture.
Sadly the marriage did not work out. After a trial separation in June 2000, we divorced officially on January 23, 2001. Luckily, we did not have any children, although the spoiled cat named Shadow stayed with Shawn. Shadow le chat pictures. I sure do miss him - he does have the softest fur if not the sweetest disposition.

My favorite holiday is Halloween. I guess it is because you get to dress up like someone else and pretend to be them.

I am a vegetarian and believe that our diet has a direct effect on health. In 1997 a special friend, Belinda, referred me to an alternative medical doctor who is wonderful (a genius) and has improved my health tremendously. I also go to a mercury-free dentist and no longer have any mercury/silver amalgam fillings.

My favorite methods of exercise are aerobics, as well as Yoga, T'ai Chi, and Qi Gong, though I have let that slide the past few years.

I have a passion for 80's music: My all-time favorites are Duran Duran (if you couldn't tell), Loverboy, Adam Ant (with and without the Ants), and Tears for Fears. I love to dance. Duran Duran's music is the inspiration for this.

My favorite actors are Kevin Spacey, John Cusack, Sean Connery, Jason Connery, Michael Praed, Mel Gibson, Oded Fehr, Michael Dorn, Patrick Stewart, Brandon Lee, Ray Winstone, Nickolas Grace, Rodney A. Grant (native american) and Craig Sheffer; actresses are Jodie Foster, Gillian Anderson, Mary Stuart Masterson, Ally Sheedy, Oprah Winfrey, Sandra Bullock, and Molly Ringwald.

Favorite movies are The Crow, Dances With Wolves, The Negotiator, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (also a great book), A Time to Kill, Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion, Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail, Young Frankenstein, The Robin Hood series shown on Showtime, Extremities, The Accused, Pretty in Pink, Footloose, Dirty Dancing (got to see it at a sneak preview given by a radio station in Ann Arbor), Ghostbusters, The Lost Boys, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Road Warrior II, Better Off Dead, the first few Friday the 13ths, Back to the Future, and The Breakfast Club.

I have a 'being in the right place at the right time' story about a movie called The Gate. Apparently, the promoters of this movie wanted to premiere it in Hell, Michigan (yes, I have been to hell and back many times), as a gimmick. However, it is a small town having only a gift shop, party store, and bar. The photo shoot of folks dressed up in Halloween costumes was held in the adjoining parking lots of the party store and gift shop. However, the closest theater was in Brighton, Michigan. The 13 year old star, Stephen Dorff (recent movie, Blade), was at the premiere and graciously autographed a movie poster for me. He impressed me as being a well-mannered young man. Surprisingly, this is the first time Hell had been used to promote a movie. The city supposedly got its name in the mid-1800's when someone asked the town founder, George Reeves, what he wanted to call the community and his retort was "Call it Hell if you want to". And, yes, Hell does freeze over ;).

Favorite TV shows are any of the Star Treks, especially The Next Generation and the character of Worf, Alias, Boston Public, 24, and That 70's Show. While I like Star Trek, I am NOT obsessive about it even though Shawn and I went to a Star Trek convention the first day of our honeymoon. It was because our friend, Laurie, invited us and bought the tickets. Was very happy that Michael Dorn and Marina Sirtis were the speakers because they play our favorite Star Trek characters. We waited in a very long line to get their autographs. Note: This takes a long time to load.

I am fascinated with Native American history, English history, and the legend of Robin Hood. Shawn and I have been to several powwows. Even got a nice picture of a warrior.

One city that has a special place in my heart is Savannah. I'm thinking it may have something to do with it's history and closeness to the sea.

My favorite vacation spot is Walt Disney World because I am a kid at heart and because my grandparents (with Aunt Mary) took my family many times for Easter break as a child and also to visit my Great-Grandmother that lived in Englewood. I have many wonderful memories thanks to them. My favorite characters are Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck. I was privileged to have an Aunt, Mary, that is only 6 years older than me who used to take me everywhere including Mackinac Island, Sea World, and Cedar Pointe. My dad's father was very encouraging about getting good grades ($1/A) and was pleased that I went to college. He is sorely missed as he passed away in the early 1990's. My younger sister, Liz, was declared terminally ill from cancer (Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer) in February 2000 and was given two weeks to live. She pleasantly surprised everyone by making it until Thanksgiving 2000. I miss her so much sometimes I ache. However, I would rather have known her and had her in my life for 28 years than to never have known her at all. My parents, Linda and Rick, are raising her son, Andrew, who was born April 18, 1991, coincidentally the same day as my late Great-Grandmother's birthday and what is really weird is that Liz had found out she was pregnant the week my Great-Grandmother passed, also cancer :(. One a brighter note, Liz had several fun nicknames as a girl, including Jabber Jaws and Lizard. My friend Adam created this really neat lizard picture for me in her honor:

There are also many honorary nieces and nephews in my life. I had the privilege of being present at the birth of my friends' Kathy and Conrad's second child, Grace Louise, as a birth coach (her birth day is also April 18th). It was such an honor. Words can't express what a miraculous experience that was. I am truly blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life and have met even more the last several years mainly over the Internet, one of whom is now my roommate (thank God we get along so well!). You know who you are :-). Lots of love :p.

Guilty pleasures: Romance novels, chocolate, ABC soaps (except for All My Children), dressing up for the Renaissance Festival, and e-mailing or chatting with friends on the internet.

Concerts that I have been to: Duran Duran (3 times prior to 1999: 1/4/1994, 7/6/1987, and 1993), Loverboy quite a few times (ones I can remember 'cos I found ticket stubs: 6/1982, 3/1/1986, 8/3/1994, 8/27/1995, 9/25/1998 w/the Beach Boys, 4/24/1999, 10/2000 just before the sad loss of Scott Smith, at Music Midtown in May 2001 and will be seeing them again in September 2002), Tears for Fears (1985), Power Station (6/1985), The Monkees 25th anniversary show, Stryper (about 3 times including 3/28/1987 and 8/23/1987), Motley Crue, David Lee Roth (2/1/1987--Andy Taylor was supposed to open and cancelled the day after I bought the non-refundable tickets, though I must say Liz and I really enjoyed the show, particularly the opening band, Tesla), John Taylor/Terroristen (11/7/1998), Fleetwood Mac, Poison, and the Tender Idols (a local 90's/00's Atlanta band with a great 80's sound) on 4/24/99 when the opened for Loverboy, 6/19/1999, and 6/23/99. There have been so many shows since then that I have lost count. One thing I will say is that the local music scene where I live now is absolutely incredible!

The one person I haven't seen in concert that I really, really, really want to is Adam Ant with or without the Ants.

I got to see Phantom of The Opera in Toronto 6/20/1992 starring Colm Wilkenson--absolutely superb! He made me sympathize with the Phantom. Great voice! While on that same trip I got to see my first Laser Light show at McLaughlin Planetarium set to Pink Floyd music. So glad Laurie went with me. I think we also saw the second Batman movie there, too.

I'm sure there are things I'm forgetting to include, however, I think this is a good introduction to my world. Take care and thanks for taking the time to get to know me better.