100 Things About Me:

1. I am a mother to one and a stepmother to two more.
2. I used to say I was never having kids.
3. I really meant it at the time.
4. I live with the sweetest man on earth.
5. Sometimes my sweet man gets grouchy and I have to remind him I can be even grouchier.
6. My middle name is Michelle.
7. If I would've been a boy, my name would've been Michael.
8. I was married to a Michael but he went by his middle name.
9. If my son would've been a girl, his name would've been Chelsea Elise.
10. Elise is my best friends middle name.
11. Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam were popular when I was in high school.
12. During that same period I changed the spelling of mine to Lesa.
13. Because I didn't like Lisa Lisa & the Cult Jam. I liked Van Halen.
14. I still love Van Halen.
15. The music I listen to is totally dependent upon my mood.
16. Sometimes it's old country, sometimes pop, sometimes metal.
17. With the exception of one year in Kansas City, I have lived in Iowa my whole life.
18. I daydream about living anywhere but here.
19. If I did move, it would be to Tennessee or North Carolina.
20. If I were really brave, I'd try California.
21. I'm not that brave.
22. My parents split up when I was 10.
23. Their friendship never split up though.
24. C's dad and I split two years ago.
25. Our friendship is still intact as well.
26. Sometimes I want to bloody his nose.
27. I'm pretty sure he echoes that sentiment.
28. My mom helped take care of my dad before he passed away.
29. I sometimes wonder if I could care for my ex.
30. I probably couldn't but I would go after anyone who hurt him.
31. I have very strong opinions on parenthood.
32. To the point where I'm a total bitch about it.
33. If I see you abuse a child, I will turn your ass in.
34. I worked in a group home for juvenile delinquents for 4 years.
35. Most of the kids I worked with had been abused.
36. I broke the cardinal rule and got attached to one of those kids.
37. I quit my job to become a foster parent so he wouldn't go back to his abusive situation.
38. I have changed career paths several times.
39. I have been a school secretary.
40. A cashier.
41. A factory worker.
42. Two different factories. Hated them both.
43. I've been a sales secretary.
44. A counselor.
45. A legal assistant.
46. And a hardware store clerk.
47. I am currently a web developer/system administrator.
48. I don't need to change careers ever again.
49. Because I learn something new every week as the technology changes.
50. I started out by learning html and css.
51. Now I know Windows and Linux administration, mail servers, graphics and a little bit of a hundred other things.
52. Most recently I have been learning php and mysql.
53. Sometimes I think my head might explode.
54. I have had no formal computer training.
55. I studied pyschology in college.
56. I firmly believe that anyone can do anything they set their mind to.
57. I was the first woman on our local fire department.
58. Because I wanted to prove I could do it.
59. The guys were really supportive of me.
60. My proudest achievement was getting ice rescue certified.
61. Because I was more scared than I've ever been in my life and I made it.
62. I didn't make it solely on my own willpower.
63. I made it because of the support of the firemen there with me.
64. Even the strongest, most pigheaded people need support.
65. The term "fireman" doesn't bother me.
66. I'm not much into correct terminology.
67. I believe words are just words and can only hurt you if you let them.
68. Even though my best web friend will beg to differ me.
69. The friends I love the most are the ones who challenge my beliefs.
70. That scrutiny helps me become a better person.
71. I will always defend my friends.
72. However, I try not to pick sides.
73. I can forgive almost anything.
74. Except lying. The truth is always the better way to go.
75. I was severely burned by an online friendship.
76. But I still believe in the goodness of people.
77. I know more rotten people in real life than I do online.
78. There are some really rotten people in the town I live in.
79. But I'm still nice to them.
80. I didn't used to be nice at all.
81. Being nice when I don't feel like it causes my head to hurt.
82. I have headaches about 25 days out of 30.
83. I became nice when C. was born.
84. I didn't want to be somebody's mean old mother.
85. I'm not old yet though.
86. I'm only 34.
87. 34 doesn't feel like I thought it would.
88. I found my first gray hair on my 30th birthday.
89. I found the second just a week ago.
90. My hair is very long.
91. Only because I go a year or two between haircuts.
92. I don't like having to schedule things like hair appointments.
93. Because I am a control freak.
94. I want to be the one who says what time I do something.
95. Online, people seem to think I am sweet and innocent.
96. I can be sweet.
97. I can also take your head off and hand it back to you.
98. I'm not innocent although I can be naive.
99. It's entirely up to you whether I am your friend or your enemy.
100. You'll find I do a bang up job of whichever one you choose.