Nancy over at Nancy’s Point issued out a very fun challenge to her friends and readers. I decided to play along, too!
1.) According to my father, my mother wanted to name me after a river in Alabama, the Cahaba River. I’m very grateful that my father always waned to name a daughter Lara. I was named after Superman’s mother on Krypton.
2.) I’m 35 years old, and I have never been pulled over by a cop for anything, though not that I’m complaining.
3.) Both of my dogs are named after sci-fi characters in my favorite shows – Firefly (Mal) and Battlestar Galactica (Boomer).
4.) I attempted a stand up career in my mid-20s, but it didn’t work out due to a paralyzing fear of public speaking.
5.) I’ve had a personal mantra for years now, and it’s just me yelling “rules” after my last name. It started out as a joke between my friend and I because we had been watching “Billy Madison.” O’DOYLE RULES.
6.) I love watching romantic comedies, even the bad ones. Boy, do I love bad ones.
7.) I went skydiving two days before my double mastectomy. It was the most bad ass thing I have ever done in my life.
8.) For my 16th birthday, my dad took me and two friends to a comedy club in Kansas City. When they asked for volunteers, I raised my hand and they picked me. I got on stage, and it was amazing. It was the best birthday.
9.) I have a running bucket list. I hope to run my first full marathon next spring.
10.) I have the movie “Heathers” memorized because I have watched it dozens of times.
11.) I’m afraid of zombie shows or movies. They give me nightmares, so I don’t know why I started watching the Walking Dead.
12.) During my first chemotherapy, I went into anaphylaxis. The nurse said that I only had 10 ccs when I started choking to death. It started out as a horrible dizzy spell and then it felt like God himself sat upon my chest. Still, to this day, I feel panicky and adrenaline whenever I feel slightly dizzy. I don’t know if it’s PTSD, but it’s something.
13.) I have never wanted to have a wedding, though I’m not anti-marriage. Since my mother died when I was so young, I have never daydreamed about my perfect wedding because she’s not here.
14.) I took dance lessons for 8 years when I was a child. As an adult, I have proclaimed that I can’t dance, but it’s a lie. I can, but see number 4.
15.) I finished writing my memoir, but I keep rewriting it. I’d like to be done with it soon, perhaps after I finish my first marathon – Get Up Swinging: cancer to marathon. What do you think?
Get Up Swinging 
I can relate to some things from your list. I am sorry about your mom. I so much can relate to #13.
Would love to learn about your experiences with skydiving! I’ve been talking about this for months now and I want to do it…this summer. But I am scared. Do you feel like you’re falling? Your heart OK?
Thank you for writing this list; it helps us in the blogosphere get to know you better. I love the title of your memoir. I would never skydive; I’m too chicken, and I don’t like high places. I’m sorry that your mom died when you were so young. It’s unfair.
Just getting to commenting on this post. Better late than never, right? Great list. Love that you’ve finished your memoir. I would love to read it sometime. Is it published yet? I like the title idea, Cancer to Marathon. And skydiving? Yikes. I would never do that. Risk taker I am not. Funny that you hate zombies, but still watch the Walking Dead. We are all such contradictions sometimes, don’t you think? Thanks for sharing about yourself.