Have you ever learned something about yourself that you didn't know was in you?

-- Anonymous, October 11, 1999

Answers

I learned that I was a nervous laugher when I got married. Apparently I had just never been quite that nervous before, because this was the only time it ever struck me. As I stood there listening to the vows, trying to hold myself together because all of a sudden the vows meant SO MUCH more than they had in other weddings, I suddenly just broke out in hysterical laughter. It was horrible, and I could not stop, no matter how hard I tried. We had to put everything on hold while I tried to gain my composure enough to say I Do, but I couldn't get a grip, so I just laughed it out. I tried to explain to my new husband afterward that I really didn't find the whole thing funny, and I didn't know what happened to me. He took it pretty well, but I could tell his big smile had slipped a little during my ridiculous display. Luckily we had eloped, so no one we knew was there. That was not something I would want to do in front of all our friends and family.

I wish I had a better response, like I discovered I had the strength of 10 men when I pulled the school bus full of kids out of a lake single-handedly, but as usual, my experience has to do with me being a dork.

-- Anonymous, October 11, 1999

First of all, Congrats to you Pamie, on a great show. I'm really glad it went well and taught you things about yourself that are positive.

I surprise myself all of the time......I am such a chicken when it comes to meeting guys and my sister and friends have to literally do the talking for me. What surprises me is that I let them. haha No really, I get these bursts of courage and suddenly I'm not afraid to say anything to anyone.....now if I could just figure out how to get that burst more often.

-- Anonymous, October 11, 1999

I've been surpirsing myself a lot lately. I'm student teaching right now in a ninth grade English classroom. Every day I go in almost literally shaking, I'm so nervous. Everyday I'm convinced that this will be the day that I'll lose them; they'll all throw their doritos at me and stampede out of the room. So far, everyday I've gotten up there and sounded confident and managed to keep their attention for the full 50 minutes. Today I had them in the palm of my hand. They were laughing and participating and when I asked them to do some writing they pulled out those pencils and wrote like there was nothing they'd rather do (even the kids that often refuse to write). I saw one student smile for the first time today; normally she puts her head down on her desk or glowers at the world. What was I teaching, you ask? Poetry. Today was the first day of a three week poetry unit. You all should have seen them roll their eyes when I said that. Then you should have seen them get into it!

-- Anonymous, October 11, 1999

I quit smoking pot and ciggarettes!!!!!!!Whoo-Hooo!!!!!!!!

-- Anonymous, December 12, 1999