5 Things You May Not Know About Me

I'm usually a lurker on other people's blogs - I visit a handful of blogs weekly but I rarely leave comments. So I was surprised when I saw my name on Kerilyn's blog - challenging me to do a meme - 5 unique things about me. The pressure! It's a good exercise though. I've gotten to know Kerilyn better, I had no idea she's a Middle Eastern history buff and a map fanatic.

Here is my list:

1. I once caught a thief breaking into a car outside my work in San Francisco and blurted out, "You shouldn't do that." He looked at me in disbelief for a second then grabbed a briefcase and laptop and ran off down an alley. Someone called the police and they came immediately. The police whisked me into the front seat of the patrol car and took me on a high speed tour of the neighborhood (I remember laughing inappropriately). We actually found him a few blocks away. He was easy to spot -- baseball cap, big mop of curly red hair, wearing a blue jumpsuit. I slid down in the car afraid he would see me. They arrested him and took him away in another car.

2. When I pass by streetlights at night - it seems like 4 out of 5 times the lights turn off. Danny says he never notices that happening to him. Is it just me? Does this happen to everyone?

3. I regularly fly in my dreams. I'm usually aware I'm flying, concentrating on keeping myself above the ground. It's not free and easy flying. It's a whole body experience, flying over houses and cars at night when the air is wet and heavy.

4. I'm obsessed with medical histories and narratives. I devour any medical article in the New Yorker immediately. I was in a used bookstore the other day and I was amazed that I had read nearly every book in their medical section (it was just a shelf long though). Mary Roach's Stiff. Atul Gawande's Complications. The Great Influenza. The Plauge. Leper Colony. Ebola. The Hot Zone. The Mold in Dr. Florey's Coat. Phantoms in the Brain. Oliver Sacks. How the Mind Works.

5. I vividly remember a few nightmares from my early childhood. Both are probably sad comments on the impact of television on my life. In one dream I'm terrified as I'm locked in Carpeteria, the carpet warehouse, for the night. In my other dream I'm chased by the Michelin Man - who is supposed to be what? A cute marshmallow character? A stack of fluffy white tires? I don't get it, he's very, very frightening. He's a dreadful mummy.

Ok so I'm supposed to tag 5 more people to do this meme. Bessie - you're it. Anyone else? I dare these non-bloggers: Sheila, Mom, Roberta and Britta send me your lists!