An extension of my blog "Writings of a Misguided Blonde," this blog contains ideas and writings for a possible novel. Please enjoy!

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Sunday, March 26, 2006

The Subject of Parenting/Reproduction/Etc.

A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled across a blog called "The Baby Dance." I was so moved by the entries that I contacted the primary author and asked her if I could prepare something for her to post on her blog (she did this a few times). She sent me an e-mail back stating that she would be happy to share something that I wrote with regards to having Turners Syndrome and not being able to have children naturally.

The problem is that I have too much to say! I've had close to 2 decades of experience of analyzing every aspect of what it means to be a parent, being pregnant, how that all relates to being a woman, etc. etc. etc.

I want to write something extremely profound, but don't even know where to start. Hopefully I'll be able to do it soon.

More later.

Lindsey

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

School - Part 1

Throughout my elementary, junior high, and high school years, I had a love/hate relationship with school. The academics - the reading, the writing, and everything else - I loved! I loved the organization and the creativity - along with the extra-curriculars. However, the social aspect of school always frustrated me and left me feeling excluded at every turn.

Throughout the earlier years, I was teased horribly and it really took a tool on my self esteem. The more I was singled out by my class, the more I threw myself into my work. In the end, I formed a sense of self and was more than prepared for college.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Study Abroad - Part 1

During my freshman year at MSU, I knew that I wanted Study Abroad to be a part of my experience. Unfortunately, I was unprepared for just how deeply my study abroad expriences would shape not only my college education, but my life as well. In all, I participated in 5 separate study abroad experiences and 3 alternative spring break trips to various locations in Mexico. Honestly, it would have been difficult to have fit more student travel into my college experience.

During my last year at Michigan State, I was fortunate enough to highlight my study abroad experiences by becoming a Peer Advisor in the Office of Study Abroad. It was one of the most natural and rewarding jobs I've ever taken.

Now that you have a little background, let me provide you with little more detail. First off, it is important to note that every experience added a little something different to my education and my view of the world. Prior to spending the summer of 2000 in London, England and Glasgow, Scotland, my foreign travel experience was limited to Canada and the Caribbean (while I had traveled to Cancun, Mexico with my family, it is more similar to the US in culture than Mexico).

I immediately fell in love with the idea of traveling, writing, and studying. It freed me in a way I had never felt before. It highlighted a year of tremendous personal and academic growth. Prior to Michigan State and my first study abroad experience, I had spent my entire life in a town of slightly over 2,000 people. Everyone knew everyone else and it seemed almost as if one couldn't change preconceived notions others held of them.

College was my opportunity to break away. Study abroad allowed me to break the mold even more. Study abroad allowed me to take it to the next level, and it allowed me the opportunity to look at life from the vantage point of an extremely intelligent child. While everything is new and exciting, the individual is able to respond and learn in a mature way, acheiving true growth.

Thursday, March 09, 2006

Earliest Memories...

As she sat there making mud pies, all should could think about was going to the bar after the game. Whether Daddy's team won or lost, whether Daddy had a good hit or home run - none of it mattered to her. She just liked spending time with him and Monica. Sponge wasn't bad either. Unlike Daddy, he'd play fooseball and pinball with her. But it was Daddy that bought her pop and chips!

Well, the game wasn't over yet. She sat there watching Monica record everything. Why didn't she just keep score? What were all those other numbers? She wasn't sure. All she knew was this: she couldn't spend enough time with Monica. She was so grown up; she even had her own car and a boyfriend. She had this whole mystique that Lindsey couldn't even comprehend yet.

Lindsey and Kelly would put the bikinis Mom and Grandma bought them in Beaverton along with sneakers and go out to the store to play with Monica. Normally they would play kickball with the volleyball in the store. Monica was a sports nut who played volleyball and couldn't stand cheerleaders. She even hid Lindsey and Kelly's pom-poms on them! Oh, and she threatened to cut Lindsey's long hair if she put it in her mouth just one more time. Lindsey knew that Monica would do it too! She never sucked on her hair again.

If Lindsey knew that elementary school was going to mean leaving all of those early memories behind, she might not have been quite so eager to start school.

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Another Quick Message...

I've been taking my time trying to come up with the easiest way to begin this whole adventure in fleshing out the incredible story that is my life. So much has happened in my 25 years that I don't even know where to begin.

I'll be posting more soon...

Lindsey

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Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Quick Update!

I've finally outlined my ideas thus far. It is now time to get down to the real work - writing!

Honestly, I am not sure how I am going to go about fleshing all of these outlines out. I might experiment and see what works best. Oh well, I at least have a day to think about the structure.

I just truly hope that this is the birth of a classic novel (or series). It may take me until I am 80, but I'm not going anywhere.

More later...

Lindsey

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Affects of Turner Syndrome

  • Being short
  • Not being able to have kids
  • Views of adoption and abortion
  • TS camp in Colorado - Brenna and Tracy
  • National Conventions
  • Visits to U of M hospital
  • Shots
  • Much More...

Childhood Illnesses and Accidents

  • Spinal Meningitis
  • Several sets of tubes
  • Turner Syndrome
  • Burned feet
  • Almost drowned
  • Stitches near eye
  • Bike accident at Crystal Creek

Monday, March 06, 2006

Political Interests During Childhood

  • Remember watching "Meet the Press" as a child
  • Remember watching "NBC Nightly News" every night
  • Remember watching President Reagan's speeches
  • Remember watching coverage of the 1st Gulf War
  • Helped Jill campaign for various Republican candidates during high school
  • Saw Clinton, George W. Bush, and McCain on MSU's campus
  • Loosely associated with College Republicans

Guy Issues In College

  • Adam
  • Jesse
  • Wheaten
  • Andy Dickens
  • Andy Kay
  • Eric
  • Brian
  • Episodes in Spain
    • Barcelona
    • Madrid
  • And more!

Sunday, March 05, 2006

Childhood Pastimes

  • Reading
    • Nancy Drew Series
    • Ann of Green Gables Series
    • Little House on the Prairie Series
  • TV
  • Traveling
  • Dolls
  • Swimming/Tubing/Canoeing/Kayaking
  • Writing (Journals)

Camp Stories

  • Girl Scout Camp
  • Bayshore - Church Camp
  • Camping with Dad - Overnight trips on the Rifle
  • King Mountain Ranch - TS Camp

Saturday, March 04, 2006

Grandma and Grandpa Reid Stories

  • Asparagus picking with Grandma
  • Grandpa and Grandma's garden
  • Spending the night
    • Prayers
    • Ice Cream Sundaes
    • Grandpa's candy bar stash
    • Johnny Carson
    • Tigers baseball on the radio on the way to their house
  • Grandpa's truck (Becky)
  • Grandma taking us to Lutz's Funland
  • Bronner's, Zender's Snow Fest
  • Suszko Reunions
  • Mom and Grandma Reid playing cards, eating cheese popcorn, and drinking Tab/Diet Coke
  • Bee sting on foot
  • Endless games of solitare, war, crazy 8's, euchre
  • All of the Suszko great Aunts and Uncles
  • "Owen's Castle"
  • Owen quotes
  • Deer season
  • Grandma teaching us how to drive
  • Kamerzels
  • Grandma's polaroids
  • "Hide and Go Seek" at our house
  • Those damn bathrooms
  • Mike, Linda, and Laura
  • Grandma's minivan
  • Grandma's station wagon
  • Going to work with Grandma
  • Working with Grandma
  • Playing in the tubes
  • Grandpa giving us all the pop cans
  • Many, many, many more

Friday, March 03, 2006

Elementary School Teachers

  • Mrs. Weisuhn - Kindergarten
  • Mrs. Balton - 1st
  • Mrs. Butz - 2nd
  • Mrs. Brown - 3rd
  • Mrs. Currie - 4th
  • Mrs. Bal - 5th
  • Mrs. Kusey - 6th (and Mom for Social Studies!)
  • Mom's parties
  • Mom's crazy friends

Garrett Stories

  • His birth (4th grade) - Full name Robert Garrett Russell
  • First word was "ball"
  • Infamous Christmas video of him and his "work" bench
  • His goofing off on family vacations
  • Him being a joker
  • His operations
  • Picture of him and Grandpa Reid - His 1st gun
  • His obsession with Great
  • His relationship with Grandpa Reid - Garrett's impressions on the day of Grandpa's funeral
  • All of his experiences
    • Traveled to Bahamas, Caymen Islands, Hawaii (twice), Mexico, etc.
    • Suba dived with my cousin Mike
    • 2 major operations, and a heart condition
    • Skiing, snowmobiling, etc.
  • Laura/Amit's wedding
  • Him being my baby
  • Babysitting while Mom worked at the canoe livery
  • Bath and the "tube" incident
  • Tubing/canoeing/etc.
  • One of the most athletic kids I know
  • Leader of the younger cousins
  • MSU visits
  • And much, much more

Thursday, March 02, 2006

Easter Vacations

  • Disney World - Orlando, Florida - 1988/1995
  • Aruba - 1989/Christmas Vacation 1990/91
  • Caymen Islands - 1999
  • Kissimmee, Florida - 1998
  • Kaui, Hawaii - 1997
  • Cancun, Mexico - 1993
  • Alternative Spring Break experiences
  • Spring Break in Spain - Costa del Sol

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Canoeing/Tubing

  • The Rifle River
  • The AuSable River
  • The Apple River
  • Family vacation "selling" the drifters - Sleeping Bear Dunes, The Platte River
  • Electrical storm during tubing trip on AuSable
  • Thunderstorms tubing on the Rifle
  • Emily losing her new glasses in the Rifle tubing
  • Machele and I canoeing from the edge of the campground
  • Mallory popping out of her tube (2005)
  • Pop, chips, etc.!
  • Roasting hotdogs on the beach
  • Overnight canoe trips with Dad (near Stoddards)
  • Brian and I tipping over
  • Tipping over at church camp (first time ever)
  • Apple river (Wisconsin) trip (while in Minnesota)
  • Trash pick-ups in high school (Kristy and I getting stuck)
  • SO MUCH MORE!

MSU Experiences

  • BBSC - Lori Trudell
  • Vern, Dr. Betts, and Dr. Keller
  • Anything study abroad
  • Walking on campus
  • Tower Gaurd
  • Golden Key, Alternative Spring Break, etc.
  • Volunteering
  • The Rock
  • Coffee shops across from Campus - The Blue Note, etc.
  • The Union
  • Lindsey and Kimberly Sarbo
  • Snyder/Phillips Freshman and Sophomore Year
  • Derrick Lushnat
  • Class projects
  • Late nights at the library
  • The Business Library
  • The International Center
  • CLACS
  • The Breslin Center, Spartan Stadium, and Munn Field
  • Football games
  • The Fix!
  • National Championshop 2000!
  • Erica living in Hubbard
  • Brian and I - McDonel Hall
  • Bridget and Vicky
  • The Auditorium - "Evita"
  • The Wharton Center
  • The Kellogg Center
  • MBS and Women in Business
  • Tutoring
  • Etc., Etc., Etc. - I could go on forever!