Saturday, April 23, 2011

Awarded the gift of gab?

A belated thank you to Donna Volkenannt for the SISTERS OF THE QUILL blog award. Another thank you to Sioux for the STYLISH BLOGGER AWARD. Also thank you to Dianna Graveman for passing on the VERSATILE BLOGGER AWARD.
I am instructed to share seven things with you. This list is, shall we say, comprehensive.

Seven things about me:
1. I saw Dr. Zhivago on the big screen at age sixteen, was so impressed, I came home and wrote the entire script in a notebook. American Bandstand and Elvis rocked my world. Dean Martin crooned to ME, not those Gold Diggers. The Beatles didn’t do a thing for me. Chad Everett was MY Dr. Dreamy.

2. I worked at a photo developing company in high school. I was quite dexterous, operated a huge IBM billing machine using both hands. I could bill faster than anyone in any of the plants across the US. They filmed my technique and used it as part of a training film. Then, I was promoted to the office where I did the daily bank deposits for fifteen branch stores. Imagine, seventeen, working part time and handling big money. I also operated an old fashioned plug in cord switchboard, and I loved it.

3. Nineteen, married a year and my ex was drafted and shipped to Alaska instead of Viet Nam. We lived in Delta Junction; population 500, in 1969-1970, where a herd of free roaming buffalo traversed our gravel road and shook the ground as they rumbled by each night. One night I came face to face with a massive female and her calf. I gasped and backed into my door. She snorted and moved into the woods across the road. Temperature was fifty below zero.

4. I developed a love of writing at eight years old when I learned to write essays in third grade. Word play has always been a delight, diagramming sentences a breeze, and book reports were fun. In high school my junior year, my English teacher would leave the room and put me in charge of her class. In college, the instructor wrote on my journal, “If I graded these on a competitive basis you would have the only A in this class and the next highest grade would be a C-.

5. A junior editor from Parents Magazine called to tell me he was unable to convince the editor-in-chief to publish my article. He said, “Don’t let this stop you from writing; you have a unique writing style.” Several male and a couple of female editors from magazines and newspapers have called to tell me my essays made them cry.

6. My dream as a young girl was to have four children, three girls and one boy. After having a daughter and a son, I quit. I remarried a man with two grown daughters. We now have three daughters and a son. I have always received what I’ve wished for in life, but seldom when I wanted it.

7. When I was married for the first time, and we had only one car, I coveted a little ranch house in the suburbs that I used to drive by when I took my ex to work. When my second husband and I were looking for a house, our realtor told us she had one more to show us, out of our price range, but … To say I was shocked when she pulled into the driveway of that house is an understatement. The elderly woman accepted our low bid, and I now live in the home I always wanted. I believe in God, positive energy, spirituality more than organized religions, and faith.

Now I pass these awards to Susan and Odie, the first to comment on my blog.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Linda, to say I am impressed by your list would be an understatement. I have been in the office machine industry since 1980 & know about the bookeepping machines so I understand better than probably most of your readers how special your talent was. Enjoyed so much reading about your adventures. Have a blessed weekend & thanks for sharing.
Odie :)

Susan said...

Great job, Linda!Wow, I didn't know you married at 18 the first time around. Enjoyed reading about you. Susan

Sioux Roslawski said...

I loved the story about coming face to face with a buffalo and her calf...about getting the family you dreamed of (the last line about getting what you wish for but seldom when you want it) and the house you dreamed of. And yes, I imagine you HAVE received calls from editors about your writing...and probably there have been many who never bothered to call you, but told their family/a friend about a piece they read from a writer named Linda O'Connell.

I too loved Dr. Zhivago--watch it every time I can.

Linda O'Connell said...

Hi Odie, Susan and Sioux,
Thanks for your comments and friendship! I am in the midst of baking and cooking, but can't help sneaking in here to check my blog.

Unknown said...

Wow, amazing list. This is what is so awesome about these lists, we get to learn wonderful tidbits from your life and feel a just a little closer to you! Dreams do come true and you my dear are a testimony to that!

Chatty Crone said...

Very interesting - love to hear about my blog friends. sandie

Karen Lange said...

Congrats on the awards! Congrats to the new winners too. :) Have a wonderful weekend!

Tammy said...

I enjoyed all of those! But--oh--FIFTY BELOW??! I think I would have let the she-buffalo get me.

Donna Volkenannt said...

Hi Linda,
What an amazing post. I love the statement about how you've received what you've wished for in life, but seldom when you wanted it.

I can see why your writing so moved the editors. You have a gift and those of us who have read your writing have been blessed by your sharing it.

Oh, and congratulations on your awards!

Donna

Julia Gordon-Bramer said...

Once again, I pop into your blog, only to think: are Linda and I the same person?! Allow me to explain:

1.) you may have been noticing that I have been completely taken away by Dr. Zhivago in my own blog! I WAS (and still am) crazy about the Beatles, thought.
2.) I worked for IBM as one of my first jobs. I was also a switchboard operator. Mine wasn't the same plug in kind as yours, but I was a whiz--one of the best--and they moved me all around to train others.
3.) Got married at 20, but I was with Mark G. at 19. I also know the experience of having been chased by an angry bull. Maybe not the same as a mad buffalo mama, but in the moment, it couldn't have been worse!
4.) It was at eight years old that I knew writing was for me, too.
5.) You've got me beat there!
6.) Two kids, two marriages, like you.
7.) We were so poor in my first marriage that we only had a motorcycle for a while. Winter was rough! We knew homelessness for a time, too, so I really understand that one.

Love you, Linda! Happy Easter!

Julia Gordon-Bramer said...

P.S. Meant to say "though" not "thought" in #1.

Vicki Rocho said...

Congrats on the award. And what a great story about the house! Things have a way of working out, don't they?

Janet, said...

What an interesting life. I love your post and the 7 things about you.