100 Things About Moi (Part One)

I got "tagged" to write 100 things about myself by my friend Amy. Thanks, Amy! I've been thinking about doing this for a while, but never worked up enough motivation. Since I'm ultra-long-winded, I'm doing this in two installments. Here are the first 50.

1. My middle name is “Hacker” … well, almost. It is “Hacken” and looks like Hacker if I write it sloppily.
2. Both of my two sisters went to Ivy League colleges. I am fairly certain I could have too, but I felt strongly that I was supposed to go to BYU. I’m sad that I missed a really intense academic experience, but I’m glad I have zero student debt.
3. I had a full scholarship to college and only had to pay half tuition (because my dad works there.) BYU reimbursed the other half and paid me to attend college!
4. My oldest sister is an Egyptologist and has lived in Egypt twice.
5. I dream of going on a Mediterranean cruise with my oldest sister, so she can act as tour guide in Egypt. I want to enjoy the French Riviera, Italy, Greece, Egypt and some mellow days cruising the Mediterranean with a good book.
6. I am the youngest child in my family.
7. I am the youngest child of a youngest child of a youngest child.
8. I am also the youngest daughter of a youngest daughter of a youngest daughter.
9. It’s not looking too good to continue that legacy, since I have three sons.
10. My Mom has 6.9 grandchildren—six grandsons and one grandson on the way. No granddaughters.
11. My other sister has flown on the Disney jet with the leaders of Pixar.
12. My brother-in-law works for Google, which is pretty much the awesomest.
13. My other brother-in-law is a psychology professor at BYU and has studied a lot about Autism, which is also pretty cool.
14. The oldest sibling in my family died before turning three, from meningitis. My Mom put him to bed with a fever, thinking she’d take him to the doctor in the morning. He never woke up.
15. I never met my “oldest” brother, Dougie, but I really miss him anyway.
16. My dad is an award-winning poet and has translated other literary works into English.
17. My Mom was frustrated when she moved to Utah because of inadequate school options for her smart kids, so she helped put together the “Accelerated Learning Lab” programs in Alpine School District.
18. I’ve had several neighbors who were in the ALL programs and it always makes me happy to hear their good experiences.
19. My Mom was my 5th grade teacher.
20. My parents were divorced when I was in elementary school.
21. My step-mother is from Transylvania! So far, no signs of vampire tendencies. Just really good cooking.
22. I was relieved to change my name when I got married. “Hacken” sounds like you are coughing up something wet and green.
23. I’m glad my brother is having a boy, so the Hacken name will continue another generation.
24. My sister-in-law is a vice principal and I’m so glad she decided to take a chance on my brother. ;)
25. My brother is the only one without a college degree but makes more money than the rest of us combined. Probably.
26. Since I live with a husband and three sons, I’m WAY out of touch with my girlie side. I get a little giddy when I go to the mall and look at high heels sometimes.
27. I’m a sucker for shoes and jackets, but I rarely indulge in buying them these days.
28. I’m proud to be a tightwad.
29. I’m very loyal to Toyota cars. I honestly can’t understand why Ford and Chevy are still in business.
30. I admit that I own one American-made car, a Saturn which is decrepit and broken down. (Huh… Maybe I learned my lesson.)
31. If anybody wants a broken down Saturn, let me know. It goes to the top bidder. (“Do I hear 50 cents? Let’s make it a dollar. Two dollars? Come on, folks. This is 100% Made in America!”)
32. I’m way too verbose in my writing.
33. That’s a nice way of saying I’m long-winded.
34. I worry that I’m a bore because of #32 and #33.
35. I’m very loyal to my friends.
36. Even when somebody hurts me, I have a hard time thinking ill of them. It’s a blessing and a curse.
37. I think charity is the most desirable of all spiritual attributes.
38. I majored in Communications Studies in college—I almost majored in Advertising or Public Relations, but Comms Studies ended up a better fit. I sort of wish I’d done PR though.
39. I have owned two businesses.
40. One was desktop publishing—I did custom design work once for a CD cover, but mostly sold stickers to BYU, Deseret Book and the Missionary Training Center.
41. I got bored with that business because it ended up in the boring details of accounting, packaging and delivery. What I liked was the creative design work.
42. I dream of working at an ad agency’s creative department someday.
43. My other business was making movies for LDS children. That business was awesome, but it dissolved before we finished.
44. The reasons it dissolved are too complicated to explain, but I don’t think that my becoming pregnant with twins helped anything.
45. I was a computer science teacher right after college—despite having no formal training in computer science or teaching.
46. I accepted the job right before finding out I was pregnant with my first child.
47. I only stayed a semester because my pregnancy was not going well and my doctor told me I had a good chance of being put on bed rest.
48. It was good that I left when I did because I did eventually get put on bed rest.
49. When I was in kindergarten, I found a stray, hurt cat. We took him in and named him “Bastet.” Can you guess which of my sisters named him?
50. Bastet would come cuddle with me when I cried. I was heartbroken when he died.