What other ways are you different? Besides the chicken thing :)

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

I have a 16h OTTB(off the track Thoroughbred) that is more a pet than anything else. I dont ride. No time.
I only have one child. Not the norm where we live.(although it should be)
I have rebuilt, frame off restoration, a 1969 Camaro Coupe. Only thing I did not rebuild myself were the engine and the transmission. Although I rebuilt the carb. Did all the rewiring myself.

I miss that car.
Have never been out of the US. Didnt leave the East Coast until I married my second husband.
I have TWO mother in laws. One that is truly evil. The other is just nuts.
I enjoy doing laundry and house work.
Married to my second husband, still friends with my first
Have more guy friends than girl friends.
Went to an Aggie H.S.
I am a "Neo Pagan" by definition. But actually am more a solitary witch. Much to my moms ire.

Oh and I kinda live like Melinda on Ghost Whisperer. Havent had any come to me wanting to hurt me or help me send a message or such. They just like hanging out and asking questions. The Battleship Massachusetts at Battleship Cove was a BLAST.

 

[rebbetzin]

Is this ever a diverse group!!

I think I was born in the wrong era, I LOVE things Victorian. My "differentness" is that I want to live on a farm. I think it may be "genetic." I have many farmers on both sides of my family. When spring comes, I just have to plant things!!

I grew up in Los Angles CA. A city kid to be sure. Though my dad's dad was a farmer, and daddy had a garden every summer, it was in his blood too. Actually, my mom's dad grew up on a farm too. My cousin still lives on that farm.

I have two children, both married. My daughter and her husband live in CO. Say they are NEVER coming back to AZ to live. My son and his wife recently moved to MO. They have 12 children, 12 years old to 6 months. Seven of the grandchildren are adopted. Two sibling groups. They homeschool and are "quasi-health food freaks." They want to raise the kids in a rural enviroment and have purchased land and are in the process of building a house.

I was single for many years and NEVER planned to get married again, I had my life all planned out! Or so I thought.

I am quite normal,

I attempt to grow vegetables, fruit trees and flowers in the desert. My husband says I grow the most expensive food on the planet. Due to our high water bills.

I grind my own wheat, make kefir, have made my own cheeses. I'd love to have a few goats or a small cow...

I love to bake bread, my favorite food is fresh bread right out of the oven with a ton of butter! I make most every meal from scratch.

I LOVE to cook, but I HATE

And we don't have a dishwasher! Well, I am the dishwasher!

I Brush my dog's teeth every morning, it is a ritual we have, it was the dog's idea to brush his teeth, honest.

My husband is the "strange" one of us. We have been married 14 years. He is a outlaw biker, disc jockey in "Gentlemen's Clubs"

, turned Messianic Rabbi. (That is a whole other story!)

We are not vegetarians, in fact he says when served a salad, "That's not food... that's what food eats."

He is an Electronic Design Engineer by day, a Rabbi nights and weekends, and he restores vintage audio gear when he should be sleeping. He is the ultimate type A, over-achiever. Over the top IQ. He has many patents to his credit. Has worked for the same company for 28 years. He has two radio shows, well, three, one is on the web, so it goes all over the world. He restores 1970's vintage audio gear as a hobby.

Four years ago when he got this "audiobug", he bought a ton of broken audio gear for cheap on ebay. Then he bought all this diagnostic/testing equipment. His intention is to fix the gear up like new and sell it. He specializes in Pioneer brand. He is good at fixing things. But, he is a perfectionist, he replaces all the old parts and resolders all the curcuit board connections. So, he will never make any moneywith the amount of time he spends fixing things good or better than new. He says he does it so people will be happy and have good music.

But, now I no longer have a house! I have an audio warehouse!! Stacks of receivers, reel to reels, cassette decks, turntables, equalizers, timers, speakers you name it, if it helps make music, we have it!! Only the "Top End" stuff.

Here is a funny story...Early on in this hobby, he found using building insulation cut to fit the gear exactly gave him the best ability to get the restored gear shipped safely to it's new owners. We came home one day from buying a few 4' X 8' sheets of insulation, as we got out of the truck, he said, "Now where am I going to put this?

As we carried it though the house, we got to the hallway, and he said, "Hey, it goes perfect right here!" And so now I have only half a hallway!!

The other day, on an audio forum board he belongs to, they asked people to describe their lives with a song lyric.

He had this lyric to describe his life...

"I was an orphan and I couldn't help it. I've been in and out of trouble since they left me in a basket on the freeway."

We do not have cable, but we have 4 televisions, and each of our computers can get TV too... I LOVE the PBS "Create" channel. I love travel shows. I love to travel too. We go to Israel every few years. But here in the States we love to take long driving trips on rural roads to see the countyside.

I do not have chickens... Yet..

My husband says I am on here so I can torture him with my ideas for chicken coops he should build. But... he is getting worn down...it is only a matter of time....

His latest excuse is that he thinks it is too hot here for chickens to be happy in the summer. I keep telling him there are plenty of people with chickens in Tucson.

That is about all that is different about us.

Oh, one more wierd thing, I collect "cute" .gif files!

 

[Liza]

I am normal in someones eyes I am sure!

I married my high school sweetheart at 17 and we just had our 25th wedding anniv. last week. We have one 14 year old daughter, two dogs, four chicks and 11 acres in the Texas Hill Country.

We cook a lot outside in dutch ovens, on our pit and we have a two burner cajun cooker. Once we have to turn the AC on I no longer cook in the house at all. Everything is prepared outside and I don't turn the AC on until it's 90 in the house at 10:00PM. This summer we reached that a few days ago.

I cook my own bread, make my own pizza crust, grow a garden, can vegs, make butter and sometimes cheese. I don't shave under my arms and have not for at least 20 years. I only shave my legs about once a year and that is only if something really big is going on! I gave my daughter the option when all her other friends were shaving and to my delight she has decided to not shave as well. I explained to her that the US woman only started shaving in the 1930 because Mr. Gillet decided he was not selling enough razors to just men so he started the, "You are not a real US woman if you don't shave your legs slogan." At least that is what my research says.

I have a celtic knot tat around my ankle that means forever and my husband has a tat of a face we saw while climbing around Texas caves. We got them for our 10th wedding anniv. and still love them.

I drive a truck and love it! If I could I would love to own about 500 acres and build a house right in the middle. I love people but when I come home I don't want to deal with noise from anyone else.

Do you think I am normal?

 

[mirime]

Quote:
Yeah I do. I don't use deodorant, and don't shave my legs over the winter...too darned itchy!
And I'd love to know what kind of canner you have!

 

[kodiakchicken]

I love threads like this! Learning about different people is one of the things that makes me "different", although I have to agree with others that I don't think we're all different so much as there is no basis for normal.

Unique things about me, hmmmm. Well, I was a shy child who as a teenager could be intimidated by a hard stare from a kindergartener. Not sure why either, b/c my parents were super supportive. Now people that know me don't believe I could have ever been like that because I'm am super outgoing and love people. I thrive on having people around me and close friends, although I am perfectly happy at home with a good book. I get obsessive about books, to the point that if I'm reading a good book I will stop taking care of the house, sleeping, eating, etc until the book is done.

My husband is ten years older than me and quit (not retired) his job at the Post Office after 22 years to work from home as a knifemaker and blacksmith. I supported him 100% and still do. I prefer to work outside the home and hate being judged for not being a stay-at-home mom. I only have one daughter although I would have preferred a housefull. Sometimes God has different plans. We've tried to pursue adoption but just don't have the finances. I don't think I'll ever understand how people can say they are helping the children but would rather keep children in orphanages and foster homes when a good, loving family can provide everything but the $30+ thousand for adoption fees. So, instead we've chosen to expand our family through animals, opening our doors to the neighbor children and through exchange students from around the world.

We are moving backwards as we advance in life compared to most. We both climbed the ladder, got the good jobs, nice cars, house, cell phones, etc then decided we were miserable. So, we've cancelled the cell phones, cable, quit buying new cars (our newest is a 7 year old Escape bought used) and are perfectly happy in our three bedroom home. I'm learning to can and am fighting the Kodiak weather to have a halfway decent garden. We live a very subsistence lifestyle, still hunting and fishing for most of our meat and I'm going to start sewing all my shopping bags and wage a war against plastic bags.

I have a very non-girl job as a project director for the land department of a native corporation. The highlights of my job are the back-country trips to the bush where I work on my company's cabins, build trails, and oversee guided fishing operations. I carry a shotgun that I'm certified to use by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as a bear guard and I see Kodiak brown bears within yards of me on a regular basis while in the field. I wear hipwaders far more than high heels in a year and instead of a cell phone carry a satellite phone. One of my biggest pet peeves in life is being judged on appearence. I do all of what I do above while being 60 pounds overweight and asthmatic - but I can keep up with all of them.

I'm president of a non-profit group dedicated to trail improvement and enhancement on Kodiak Island and I personally specialize in mitigation of damaged ATV trails - although I am an avid ATV'er at heart.

I believe in God and Jesus but not organized religion. I can't stand the hypocrisy I've found in churches. I feel much closer to God standing on a mountaintop surveying all he has made or watching one of His creatures of earth than I've ever felt sitting in a pew listening to some mortal man's interpretation of the bible.

I love varying opinions and agreeing to disagree and the wonderful chaotic group of people the world offers up. I am not prejudiced against people for their beliefs, religions, appearances or ancestry, but cannot tolerate rudeness, dishonesty, disrespect for other people and just plain meanness. I also believe that you have the right to complain all you want about something, and I'm willing to listen, as long as you are willing to do something about it. But don't expect me to be a shoulder to cry on night after night if you are unwilling to change your situation.

I am a terrible cook, which is odd as my mother is a wonderful cook. I try though. I love crafts and and home decorating although I don't think I'm terribly good at any of it. I'm an awful housekeeper and absolutely hate housework. I'd rather be out playing with the dogs, ducks, chickens, rabbits and cats. If I ever have my choice of just one luxury, it will be to hire a housekeeper.

I think the sun rises and sets on my daughter yet have never had any other person in my life drive me so absolutely insane! My husband and I hardly ever fight and he's the greatest man I've ever know - far more than I've ever deserved.

Hmmm, I've rambled on forever now and upon reading over this it appears that my life is pretty plain. Oh well - as the old saying goes "I just gotta be me!"

 

[ChickenToes]

Ugh...where do I start?!

First off, I'm a homemaker, which just isn't done much anymore. Right off the bat, that makes people look at me differently. My DH and I never eat out, don't have a satellite or cable, and we read more than we watch TV. I bake all our own bread, and we eat almost no processed food. (Sorry, but food does not come out of a box. Ingredients come out of boxes.) I sew my own curtains. I can, freeze, or dehydrate all the fruit and veggies that I can. I garden and have lavender growing outside my living room window. We compost as much as we can. We unplug appliances that aren't in use and make sure to turn off power strips as well. My DH rides his motorcycle to work to save on gas. I worked in Yellowstone for awhile, and that gave me a better appreciation for the world around me.

I have 31 chickens and desperately want ducks. All this and I'm only 20. I've been married almost a year now, and things couldn't be better.

 

[rooster0209]

I can barely start with how different I am from the ppl around me. I grew up in OK, moved to ND because I love the snow. My huband and are I both 40, married three years ago. A first marriage for both of us.

Oh yea, I love cows!

 

[menageriemama]

Quote:
tiffanyh, WOW, you sound like one cool chick yourself!!!!

Kudos on the black belt, I have yet to add martial arts to my "resume"

Forgot to add a few things... I love Jane Austen and reading is my favorite quiet passtime. I am a hunter by upbringing, and have in the last few years really learned to love it as not just a way to feed my family, but also as bonding time with my dad. I am looking forward to finishing my biology degree when my kids are a bit bigger. Lastly, I volunteer for Rhodesian Ridgeback Rescue, and they are my favorite breed of canine!!!

Thank you everyone for sharing yourselves!!!! What a great group of people!!!!

 

[ZooMummzy]

Well, I have 5 dogs...21 cats....4 ferrets and 11 chickens. I'm pretty sure that does not make me normal in anyone's book, lol but I really don't care. I've always lived outside of what everyone else considered normal. There's just no fun in being normal

 

[Oblio13]

We don't own a TV. We're slowly converting all our vehicles to diesel. We love traveling in the third world. We're serious foragers and mushroomers. We built our own house. Our favorite dogs are Great Danes.

I eat road kills.

I make it a point to go camping at least once a month, every month.

I've crashed almost every form of transportation except a train. (Anyone have a train I could borrow? I'd like to make the Book of World Records.)

I shot a charging bull elephant between the eyes in a Zimbabwe national park.

My daughter and I made a fort out of political campaign signs.

My great uncle commanded a division and won the Knight's Cross on the Russian Front during WWII, and then survived 14 years in Siberia.

I love foxhunting.

My wife and I get along so well because we both agree that I married well above my station in life. She looks like a model, is a gourmet cook, has two degrees and, obviously, an extremely well-developed sense of humor and/or poor taste in men.