12 Things You Don't Know About Me

You've seen this all over Facebook, Pinterest, Etc. You like someone's posting and in turn they assign you a number so that you can write down things that most people don't know about you in accordance to your issued number.
Well, my number was 12.
Here we go:

1) I won the City Park 4th of July Pie Eating Contest 5 years in a row. I would've extended that but they started using really nasty pies donated by the worst bakery in town!

2) I also won the City Park 4th of July Watermelon Eating Contest 3 years in a row. Unfortunately my younger brother likes watermelon much more than I do & he stole and held onto the title for 6 years.

3) I took ballroom dancing lessons throughout a good portion of my childhood. I also attended more Cotillions and Debutante Balls than any sane person outside of 18th Century Vienna would ever want to.

4) I loathe clowns. Not that I'm scared of them, I just find them distasteful and far too needy. They're not funny and rather annoying.

5) I never received flowers at work on Valentine's Day until I was 50 years old. That's not too say I never received presents at work on Valentine's Day, I'd just never received flowers up until that point. Chocolates, yes. Jewelry & Clothing, yes. Gift Cards & Cash, yes. Vacations & Cruises, yes. Flowers, no.

6) My favorite part of Christmas was flying back home to L.A. on Christmas Eve as one of 6-10 people in the entire plane, now ensconced in 1st Class on a 747 because the Flight Crew didn't want to have to walk all over the plane to take care of us. And take care of us they did! Champagne was flowing, hors d'oveurs were served, and boxes of chocolates as a 'Thank You' gift for flying with them on Christmas.

7) I was given a title by a Royal Court as a Thank You for services rendered.
 
8) I taught debutantes how to curtsey in heels for 8 years. I also taught them how to correctly wear a tiara, correctly put on opera length gloves, and how to avoid back lighting when wearing chiffon.

9) I've seen performances of the musical Evita a total of 138 times. Followed by 'Phantom of the Opera' at 87 performances.

10) I had Steve Jobs's private phone number for 11 years.

11) I've had 71 friends and acquaintances pass away from complications of AIDS & HIV since I was 24 years old. Of the 71 I was with 48 of them at the time of their passing. I live with survivors guilt every single day.

12) I walk with a cane because of a combination of Osteo Arthritis and from injuries to my knees that I never had properly attended to when I was younger.

Bonus: Yes, it's true I don't run. If you see me running past you, you'd better run too. Because if whatever I'm running from is chasing me, I only have to be faster than you.