Since a number of my readers are fairly new, I thought this would be a nice place for a "getting to know you" section of Bellesouth, in which you will get an extremely rare glimpse into my life. I try to keep personal things personal, but I'd like you people to know a bit about who I am.

My pal Melissa tagged me over on Facebook, and I opted to take on the challenge and continue this tag over here. I was gonna tag 16 of my own friends but when I came up the list, so many of them were tagged by other friends and it just became this big giant tagfest of despair. So I ain't taggin' fer sheeyit.

The Rules: Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 16 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 16 random people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you.

1. As I'm getting older, I'm coming to realize that The Who might very well be the greatest band to ever have existed.

2. When I was a baby, I had to wear Forrest Gump-style braces on my legs because I was a preemie and my legs had not yet fully developed.

3. I ALWAYS have to park on the "cool side" of Sonic. This means when I go to a Sonic I have to drive around to the other side and park.

4. I have an IQ of 141. I think this qualifies me as "borderline genius;" although I really don't feel like one.

5. I write, eat, brush my teeth and hair, and crochet with my left hand, but I use scissors and sport with my right hand.

6. I have an irrational fear of crickets. I hate the noise they make, I hate their legs, I hate their antennae, I just fucking hate them. I can squash a cockroach or a spider but get me the fuck away from some crickets.

7. Even though I am a lifelong southerner, I absolutely despise watermelon and fried catfish.

8. I have appeared on national television at least twice in my life.

9. Celebrities I've met include Bill Clinton, Star Jones, Journey guitarist Neal Schon, Kelley Deal of The Breeders, The entire Duggar Family, Cracker lead singer David Lowery, Built to Spill lead singer Doug Martsch, and I was childhood friends with Wes Bentley (who played the creepy neighbor with the plastic bag in American Beauty). I have been a friend of Wes's family for more than 20 years.

10. In 2002, my maternal grandfather gave me money for a plane ticket to London so I could visit my brother and his wife during the Christmas holiday. He wanted me to travel and see the world, especially since he was getting up in age and could no longer do so. I spent Christmas 2002 in England, with my oldest brother and sister-in-law as my only family. That was the last Christmas my grandfather was alive. I really don't think my grandfather would have had it another way.

11. I have voted in the last four Presidential elections, beginning in 1996. I've never voted for a Republican President and 2008 was the first year I voted for the winner. Riddle me that.

12. SOMETHING I HAVE NEVER TOLD ANYONE: I have a fascination with counting up to and down from the number five in the following pattern: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 3... you get the picture. I frequently do this while crocheting; I think it's a reason I can't work from patterns.

13. Dec. 17 is traditionally my lucky day.

14. I am tempted to drive to Canada in the next four years just so I can have another stamp on my passport.

15. If I had a disposable income, the first thing I would do is travel to see as many friends in as many parts of the world as possible.

16. I once sang in public on a regular basis (mainly for church events). I am now trying to re-develop my singing voice, which soured a bit after years of smoking, followed by neglect.