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LAYERS OF ME |
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I found the
"topics" here on someone else's web site and was very interested to read about them. It might seem a little narcisistic but at the same time, I'd love you know all this stuff about you too. |
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LAYER ONE Name: Jean Batzell Fitzgerald Nicknames: Jeannie, DeeDee (family nickname) but only a few people ever called me these. I think Dee Dee is my "over-Soul" name. Birth date: August 17 Birthplace: Schenectady, N.Y. Current Location: Mulberry, FL (between Tampa & Orlando) 3 direct hits from hurricanes in 2004. Other places you've lived: Boston (6 years), Chicago (1 year), Kankakee, IL (2 years), Wilmington, N.C. (5 years), Memphis (2 years), and now Mulberry, FL since 1989. Occupation: Artist with web sites www.dogloverdesigns.com www.kittycatdesigns.com www.masterpiecedogs.com www.prettyornaments.com www.heartbridgegallery.com (all my Cafe Press products in one place) www.wunavakind.com (a variety of my crafts including jewelry is here on my first web site.) E-Mail: jeansart17@earthlink.net LAYER TWO - Physical Stuff Eye Color: dark blue Hair Color: streaked dark blond which varies depending how much I let my hair influence my self esteem or maybe it's the other way around. Hair Style: Short and straight right now. Favorite Pampering: Foot massage. Height: 5' 9 1/2" although I may have shrunk. Smoke?: Not anymore, gave it up after 30 years in 2001. Do you want to lose weight? Yes, but not quite enough to get serious about it. 20 pounds would make me skinny again. Since I stopped smoking, I've gained 12 and had gained 12 while I was taking care of my mom before she passed away in 1994 (food was my reward.) Your heritage: English, Welsh, German, Irish, Dutch The shoes you're wearing today: Sandals (big one strap across the front.) Skirt, dress or pants? Pants but if it's a skirt, it's a long, usually peasant type skirt. Your best physical feature: probably my feet - runs in the family. Any scars? bottom of chin when Walter knocked me down on the ice at age 10 to give me my first kiss, star in middle of forehead where I fell on rocks at the beach when I was five (I think it was an unconscious death wish since I was sent to camp and I thought they didn't want me anymore), left temple where I ran into a branch climbing trees as a kid, another on my knee - crashed on my bike growing up. LAYER THREE - Food Coffee or Tea: coffee with cream and sugar but I like tea too. Someone just introduced me to White Tea (comes in flavors) which is less processed & is supposed to be as good for you as Green tea. Favorite candy: Turtles from the market, Godiva or Lindt boxed chocolates. Favorite veggie(s): corn, sweet potatoes, potatoes and cauliflower Meat or pasta: Pasta - I can just eat it with butter, garlic salt and mayonaise and love it! Favorite dessert: creme broule or cheescake but I love SO many. Favorite Snack food (s): Mini rice cakes in Ranch flavor - scratch that. I'm sick of them now. Now it's just apples, fruit in general, raspberries in particular. LAYER FOUR - The Past Closest childhood friends: Nancy, Betty and Mary in grade school and high school. Diane in college. Donna, Judi, Lucy, Cora, Margaret, Mary, and my best friend Betty in Michigan (she helped found an art department at a college there and is now retired - adores her Golden Retriever and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.) College? Syracuse University, B.A. in Liberal Arts - History and Philosophy. Graduate Degree? No. Jobs in your life: Started as a paste up artist for printer in Boston, professional fashion model (also in Boston, for 3 years when my son was growing up - did some photography but mostly runway and fashion shows plus promoting at department stores), sewed for a designer in Boston too, classified ad taker for a newspaper (Illinois), assistant to the editor for a top college in NYS (Union College in Schenectady) - wrote the "Class Notes" for the alumni magazine, bookkeeper for a major real estate firm in Memphis (got promoted until the "Peter" principal was about to kick in (i.e. I was rising to my level of incompetence and we moved to Florida before that actually happened - what a nice party they threw me), Documents manager for an environmental firm before I quit to go up North to care for my mom. She passed away in Kennebunkport, Maine back in 1994 (best thing I ever did was take care of her). (Secret jobs: Go-go dancer at an upscale nightclub after I got fired as a waitress at a large hotel for not getting the rolls on fast enough. Met a lot of "interesting" people and was always described as a "sweet" kid. Later, after I married, I was a professional fashion model for 3 years in Boston - even got into a catalog at one point although I did mostly product demonation and runway work because it was more steady. Thoughts on your mother: We had our problems but I adored her and she taught me so much. I miss her since she passed in 1994 but I believe I have visitations where she surrounds me with love. I feel her presence. I just think she was an incredibly beautiful, talented person (check out: http://www.cafepress.com/heartbridge/2657506 ) who loved people so much and tried so hard to do the right thing all the time - the most honest person I've ever known. And I can still hear her wonderful laugh. I was blessed - still am. Thoughts on your father. He was a trained fine artist now listed in Who Was Who in American Art. He won a full four year scholarship through a nationwide art contest and graduated from Syracuse University with an MFA. I was proud of him (because my mother was). My feelings are mixed. He was very shy. We rarely had a conversation. People have told me he was one of the nicest people they ever met though. I wish I'd known him better. Siblings: older brother, VietNam Vet (haven't seen in over 25 years - long story there), sister 16 years younger (lives in a different world) and younger brother by 5 years who I've been very close to off and on, mostly on. Regrets? Not really because I think everything happens for a reason and if it wasn't pleasant, then hopefully a lesson was learned. I think wishing things were different in the past is kind of a waste of energy unless you think you need to learn something more from whatever it was. I really like Dr. Wayne Dyer's idea that we can go back and reform energy from the past by how we think about what happened. I've been able to to do once in awhile. LAYER FIVE - Sort of Current Married? Yes, over 22 years to Jim, one of the nicest people I know. If married, husband's occupation: Works as an accountant for the School board and loves golf - plays every weekend. Update: Retired Feb. 2007, belongs to a golf club and works for me (I even pay him, haha) with my "shops" on www.cafepress.com Favorite thing to do together (everyday life): Go out to eat on Saturday night (doesn't matter if it's fast food or not) and then a little shopping, sometimes to Wal-Mart where I often need to pick up supplies for my business (on-line). What I really want to do is sky dive but DH won't do it with me. Married before: yes, both of us. Kids: one son Jordan from a previous marriage (director for a computer tech company) Step-children: Kerrie who lives in California with her husband Jack. Grandkids: three: Nicholas (9) and Lauren (7) and Molly (born Dec. 14, 2006 to Kerrie and Jack - she's adorable). If grown, where do your kids (or kid) live: In New Jersey. and in California. Thoughts on shopping: Don't enjoy it nearly as much as I used to. My best shopping experience now would be to look at antiques with a good friend where we were both looking for something special and commenting on everything. Update: I just started sewing little one and two piece "vests" for smaller dogs and I just love picking out fabric and decorations. Somebody ordered 7 and I got burned out so scratch that. LAYER FIVE - Current Your first thoughts waking up: where's that cute little doggie of mine. Pets? Cadey (SPCA, black long hair, plumed tail, cocker head, about 35 pounds - 10 years old) and Paddy, a Shih Tzu (born July 1, 2004) who constantly delights me. Breakfast? Usually toast with light cream cheese and poached egg. Your bedtime: sometime around 12:30 to 1 a.m. Get up: 8 to 9 a.m.- seem to need at least 8 hours a night. One of your favorite memories: watching my grand children on the merry go round at Disney World standing next to my son who adores them. Extra-curricular activity (ies): volunteer at the SPCA Thrift shop 2 days a week. Update: one day every two weeks while I try to get my Cafe Press shops in order. LAYER SIX Spirituality? Extremely important to me. I'm a spiritual seeker and like to read metaphysical books. I usually have at least 3 or 4 out at a time. Favorite Spiritual Book: A Course in Miracles + Paul Ferrini's books Another Favorite Book: Unconditional Life by Deepak Chopra, M.D. Your fears: not being able to walk or have a mind in my old age. Spiritual goal: sounds soppy, but I'd like to know myself as God knows me and to love myself as God loves me. I make myself suffer too much over stupid things. Worldly goal: To make a good living selling my art work. Pet Peeves: When people, myself included, don't realize how much they mean to other people and take them for granted. Hobbies: Sewing, reading, playing with different crafts - love to play games with my grand kids. Dusting, although it's not a hobby I enjoy. Favorite Celebs: Donnie Osmond (really! I love that guy. I just saw him on Martha Stewart). He's got a strong spiritual sense about him. I love his sister Marie too! Ellen DeGeneres, Tom Cruise, Bette Midler, William Shatner for his humor and humility (yes, really!). I tend to relate best to people with a strong spiritual sense (at least what I perceive as one), passionate and funny. Drew Barrymore, Shirley MacLaine, so many. Thoughts on growing older: I want to be like Cher and Bette Midler, Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah, and my mother, i.e. timeless and hip. It seems to be a bit of a struggle when confronted with the image this society propagates of old people in this society. I also believe "face lifts" are a waste of money unless you really look much older than you are. I think there's a reason for looking older and that is to let go of superficial values - just be the best you can be and let your spirit shine through. That's what people love about you anyway, not whether you have a turkey neck or not. (Mine is coming along nicely.) Hope for the future: More friends, more creativity, more peace, more joy, more family visits, another dog or two, a kitten maybe - more laughing and more money if you go buy one of my designs on Cafe Press. I've got some great dog and cat ceramic ornament designs at www.prettyornaments.com My dreams are coming true! I really believe life is what you make it and what you believe, so you will perceive. Try not to be afraid of anything since 99.9% of the time it's a total waste of energy (talking to myself here too), and God really is waiting to pour out His/Her joy into your heart and make your dreams come true too! |
