Challenge accepted - the chain blog!

I received a tempting challenge over the two-week winter holiday from my friend and colleague, Tom Hierck, that has been lighting up Twitter like wildfire.   My middle-school self would be appalled of my delay and failure in turning in this "homework assignment" on time, but I was a bit distracted with all of the (what I now know as) binge-watching of Downton Abbey and House of Cards, and finally... finally getting to read Divergent!  The invitation to the challenge is to create a blog, or write on your existing blog, and list 11 random facts about myself, answer Tom's 11 questions, pose 11 of my own, and pass it forward to 11 recipients.

My 11 Random Facts:

1. Teaching is in my blood - I come from a family of teachers.
2. I'm a singer in a country cover band named Lincoln Don't Lie.
3. I am a foodie - I absolutely love to cook, but I still hate it when my food touches other food on my plate (weird, I know!).
4. I've auditioned for both American Idol and The Voice (didn't make it to the judges round, though).
5. I still remember the very first time I had to "turn my light to red" in 1st grade...
6. I was born with a cleft lip and palate and have had 13 reconstructive surgeries
7. I was captain of my softball team in high school, but I turned down full-rides to college to play softball after feeling overwhelmed from living and breathing the sport since I was 11.
8. My dog Wrigley loves to watch TV - she sat through (and watched) all of Avatar.
9. Studying abroad in London during college was the most rewarding learning experience I've ever encountered.
10. My last name used to be VonTesmer (somewhere along the line my ancestors changed it...).
11. I graduated from the University of Iowa but originally went there for their College of Nursing program.

Tom's Questions:

1. What was your favorite TV show as a child? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

2. What cartoon character do you most identify with? Not sure... but I really liked Rainbow Brite when I was growing up.

3. What ability would you like to have that you don't currently possess? I wish I could tap dance well.

4. What did you pick as your last meal? I'm currently on a fruit and veggie detox so I don't know if I whole-heartedly chose my last meal.  I had a mango and strawberry smoothie. It was good, but I'm pretty sure I'm ready for some bacon and pancakes!

5. What was the best present you ever received? My Martin acoustic guitar when I was 13.

6. If you could spend one hour talking with one person (living or dead) who would it be? My grandfather on my dad's side.

7. What would you buy if money was not a concern? A vineyard.  I would love to have my own wine.

8. What's the best sport to watch live? Hockey

9. What animal would you be and why? Probably my dog - she's got it good.

10. What age would you remain at and why? I'd stay 8.  When kids turned 9 or 10 it was no longer socially acceptable to go out and play with other neighborhood kids for some reason. Nights were full of campfires, ghost in the graveyard, flashlight tag, painting the neighborhood streets with chalk and creating a "town"... life before things became "too cool".

11. What is the best book you ever read? I think I say this about every great book I read.  It might be cliche but I'd choose the 3rd Harry Potter novel (The Prisoner of Azakaban).

My Questions:

1. If you could be anyone for one day, who would you be?
2. What is something you get nerdy-excited over?
3. If you were back in elementary/middle/high school again, what is something you would do differently?
4. What is one new activity you wish to take up this year?
5. When are you happiest?
6. What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?
7. What's your favorite part about today so far?
8. What was your favorite grade/year in school?
9. If you were going to write a book, what would you call it and what would it be about?
10. What is the best advice you've ever received OR given?
11. If you could time travel, would you travel to the past or the future?

My 11 chain-blogging recipients:

1. Katie Matthews
2. Amy Medows
3. Diana Parker
4. Pete Ceresa
5. Jen Oswald
6. Sara Tomasevich
7. Lauren White
8. Nate Driessens
9. Pam Basford
10. Regina Leeberg
11. Di Ander