5 Surprising Things about CRJ

~ Chocolaterunsjudy

5surprises

We’re having a little get to know your blogger better talk today.

That’s what the new Friday Five 2.0  from Fairytales & Fitness and Rachel @ Running on Happy dreamed up for today. Who am I to argue? So here are five fun/surprising things you may not know about me.

frifive2

In High School I won an art scholarship
Surprised? Lemme tell you, it sure surprised everyone at my high school, too. I didn’t take a whole lot of art classes. I was in band, I was in honors classes, and I had a very, very small circle of friends.

This drawing helped me win a scholarship

But I loved to draw; always have (sadly don’t do it a lot anymore, although I still do go through phases). I was always drawing, and by the time I hit my senior year, I didn’t have a lot of classes I needed to take.

So I did take some art classes. And then I took some art classes at a local community college, too. I may have been the most surprised when I won that scholarship! I think there was a lot grumbling that it was because of my grades.

Decorative and useful

I couldn’t paint . . . and then I could
I did try to paint when I was younger — without any lessons. And I sucked. So I gave it up.

Then one day I came across a decorative painting magazine and thought: “I can do that”. Well, I really couldn’t, not at first. I still sucked. But I fell in love with it. So much in love with it that I started to go to decorative painting conferences in Las Vegas. Hmm, a little like my running story, no?

I was good then; now I’m out of practice

All those trips to Vegas? Many of them were for that conference (although many of them were just because we both really like Vegas, for different reasons, and it was easy to get to from Austin).

Eventually I got pretty good.

I pretty much haven’t painted since we moved here. I want to, but you see, I started this little running hobby . . .

I swam on a swim team for quite a few years
It’s not because I’m a good swimmer, either. I’m as slow at swimming as I am at pretty much everything.

It was because it was at our local Jewish Community Center, my Dad was heavily involved, and basically if you could float, you could be on the team.

Somehow I got to state finals once for breaststroke.

I went to state finals for bowling once, too
Speaking of state finals, my junior bowling team made it once, too.

I’m a good bowler when I’m in practice (which I haven’t been for decades). I have a wicked curve though. When I’m in practice, I can control it and know where to stand. When I’m not, it might totally be a gutter bowl.

Last time I bowled was a couple of years ago at my nephew’s Bar Mitzvah. It had been decades since I’d last bowled.

Anyway, our team actually did come in second at state finals.

I played the flute right through college
I’m pretty musical. I have a decent voice and like all my siblings, in grade school I got to pick an instrument to play.

My sister played the violin and was apparently good, but she didn’t stick with it. I seem to recall my brother trying several instruments, but again, nothing stuck. By the time I came along my parents were kind of tired with that pattern.

They wouldn’t let me take violin or oboe (too hard). They kind of chose flute for me. I really sucked at first (do we see a pattern?), but by junior high I started to get better. Eventually good enough for private lessons. Good enough to get into the state band.

I even considered becoming a professional musician, actually; I really did. One of my classmates went to school for it (but ended up becoming an instructor).

And because I am competitive, as you may have noticed, I didn’t go to school for music. Did I have talent? Yes. Did I have enough talent? No. At least not in my mind. But I did stick with art, sort of, for a career, eventually owning a graphic design business.

Oddly enough one of my friends here also plays the flute, also has no kids (by choice) and also loves cats.

Talk to me. Leave a comment or answer a question:

Tell me something I wouldn’t guess about you

Ever play an instrument? Which one? Do you still play?

Were you pragmatic about choosing a career, or did you go with your passion?

43 thoughts on “5 Surprising Things about CRJ”

  1. You sound very talented Judy! Alas I have no hidden gifts to share😔
    Over recent years I’ve realised that I’m probably better at cooking than I previously thought but I’m limited to mediocre when it comes to arts and sport😊

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    1. Um, hello, you’re a surgeon? That is definitely talented!

      I’m the proverbial jack of all trades, although there are lots of things I’m no good at – not at all mechanically inclined, for instance.

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  2. We had a piano at home so we all learned to play. My mom hired a piano teacher who was a student at CSUN. I remember playing Crocodile Rock at my recital. I haven’t played since I lived at home.
    I was going to be a computer science major and was accepted to CSUN but I changed to Biology. I’m glad.

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    1. I could totally see you in computer science, though. What changed your mind?

      My friend had a piano. I was always kind of jealous of that, but I’m also not sure I’m coordinated enough for piano.

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  3. I decided I didn’t really want to write code. I liked learning about living things and doing lab work. I like to measure stuff, hence my love for baking. I still get plenty of computer use.
    I’ve always wanted to play the drums but I don’t think I’m coordinated enough. I do play drums in the Rockband game, though. My hands are too small to play the guitar.

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  4. You are so talented Judy! I played the clarinet for three years in middle school before having to choose between playing in band and soccer when I went to high school.

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  8. I used to play the violin in grade school.

    I started out as a math major in college but I switched to French when I found out that you could spend your junior year in France.

    My original career choice was to be an art teacher but I loved art and still do but just wasn’t good enough. I used to draw to teach everything to my students.

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  9. I was on the musical side (piano and clarinet) and once thought I’d major in music. Life happened. Your decorative painting is beautiful. I was never good with stuff like that but I had a MIL who could do anything and I’d just ask her. LOL.

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  10. Wow! You are a really creative person!! Don’t sell yourself short: talent is talent. I played the clarinet for a few weeks (I sucked) and then I tried the violin but stopped because I didn’t practice and was basically wasting the instructor’s time. I did sing in the choir from 3rd grade through senior year in high school. I guess I’m not completely untalented!

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  13. I played the flute as well… from 5th grade all through high school. My parents wanted me to get into marching band at KU, but I was terrified to run down the stairs at the football stadium whilst playing, so never took it any further. That is an amazing drawing!

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  15. This is crazy….but I have the art thing going for me, too. I’ll have to show you some pics of a couple murals I did at our church a few years back. And, I played flute (all the way through high school). Swimming? not so much. But you probably know that I run (?)

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    1. I forgot to mention that I have bowled, too! I was on a ladies daytime league years ago (childcare at the bowling alley made it possible). I had a few 200 games and a few 500 series…I am way out of practice now…I could maybe swing a 135-140 on a good day (or several gutter balls LOL)

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  16. Fun stuff to know about you!! My sister played the flute, and I played/play the violin and piano, (just silly similar facts, hehe, and I still have both my instruments) 😀 I also have an electric keyboard I like to tinker on.

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