I started calling myself LadyGypsy in a Prodigy chat room back in 1994 or so. It stuck. My real name is Kimberly, which makes me the 1970’s version of Caitlin. I’m in my early MID 30s and live in Southern New Jersey with my two cats and two dogs.

I’ve been online in various forms since 1994. This blog was started on December 30, 2002. It’s mostly petty and shallow and I have few “expert” opinions on anything. But all blogs are petty and shallow, and I think I’m less self-absorbed and blindly judgmental than most. And I don’t make money from this blog. But I’d love to make money off of another website. I just have no idea how yet. But I’m thinking about it.

I write about anything that strikes my fancy but notsomuch politics as that tends to really piss people off. Which leads me to this: if you know me in person, you may not want to read this? Why? Because chances are I’ll eventually say something that will upset you. And I don’t mean to…but how exciting would the world be if everyone agreed on everything?

I work for my local newspaper in one of the two online departments it has. I used to be on the content side. Now I’m on the advertising side. I I had a high-powered position at the paper, but in 2006 I resigned from that position and fell back into a support role. Someday I’ll be ready to take a stab at management again. But the department’s in much better hands now and I like coming to work again.

I’ve been ‘talked to’ from my job about this blog on three occasions. I’ve never given away company secrets nor have I spoken badly about the people I work with. Some people like to make mountains out of molehills, I guess. But because of that, I don’t express my views on the newspaper industry on this blog. If you want great opinion on that issue, see Tim Porter’s First Draft. Good stuff there. Also Google News is a worthy source of news about…well…news!

Here will go my stab at the 100 things about me meme.

100 things about me (a work in progress)

1. My first name is Kimberly
2. Kimberly was the 4th most popular name in the year I was born, 1972.
3. Which makes me the 70’s version of “Emma”
4. I was named after the actress Kim Novak.
5. My middle name is Ann.
6. I wish it were spelled with an “e.” “Anne” is royal. “Ann” is Raggedy.
7. I live in Southern New Jersey, about 10 minutes away from Philadelphia.
8. At 33, I got my first ‘place’ of my own.
9. I’d like to leave New Jersey someday.
10. The Carolinas speak to me. So does Florida and San Francisco.
11. I’m half Italian, and the balance Irish, English, and French.
12. And happy to be an American.
13. My current musical obsessions are Dave Matthews Band and Barenaked Ladies
14. But my continuing musical love is Big Band Music.
15. I cried when Frank Sinatra died.
16. I used to be way into New Kids on the Block.
17. Not ashamed about it either…they were the perfect distraction for me when I was a teen.
18. Before that was Wham!
19. I didn’t think George Michael was gay until he was busted for soliciting.
20. I work at a newspaper
21. In the advertising department
22. Which was not what I had planned, but how things worked out.
23. I love smart guys with a good sense of humor
24. In suits/ties/suspenders
25. Or kilts
26. I met my husband in an online chat room on Prodigy back in 1994
27. Back when chatting cost me $2.95 an hour
28. Needless to say, I was broke back then.
29. We married in Spring, 1997
30. We separated in Summer, 2006.
31. We divorced in Autumn, 2006.
32. He’s a great guy, and if you down him in any way ever, I will cut you.
33. I look at it this way…Prince Charming and Prince Phillip are both Princes and stand-up guys, but only one is really meant for Sleeping Beauty.
34. I’d do that all again.
35. I met my current boyfriend online as well. See: Old dogs, new tricks.
36. I toy around with my hair color a lot.
37. I was a blonde child
38. But now I think I’m a light brunette.
39. It’s hard to tell, since it’s been over 15 years since I’ve seen my real color.
40. I regret starting to dye it in the first place
41. After 4 years of silent desire, I got my navel pierced on 5/31/06
42. I don’t smoke.
43. I tried 2 cigarettes when I was 21, and didn’t like them at all.
44. I drink occasionally.
45. Mostly on vacation or on holidays.
46. Sometimes Friday nights after work.
47. Mixed drinks > wine > beer.
48. Mountain Dew > all of the above.
49. I used to be scared I’d become an alcoholic, but if I’ve made it 35 years without being one, chances of my becoming one now are slim.
50. Out of curiosity, I took 2 “hits” from a joint once.
51. As I was already drunk on Long Island Iced tea, it made me very giggly.
52. I was fun, but I won’t do it again.
53. Oddly enough, I know many more people who smoke marijuana now than I did back in high school and college.
54. Which is fine with me. These people are smart, pulled-together. They’re good people.
55. So I think marijuana should be legalized.
56. I have no children
57. I’d like two.
58. Girls names I like: Aislynn, Brigid, Charlotte
59. Boys names I like: Patrick, Nathaniel, Alexander
60. I voted Clinton, Clinton, Bush, Kerry.
61. Yes, I regret voting for W. Bush.
62. But I thought at the time he’d fix Social Security.
63. I regret voting for Kerry, because I wish the Dems would have run a different candidate
64. BUT NOT HILLARY! PLEASE!!!
65. After losing faith in the Republican party, I registered as a Libertarian in 2007.
66. I really really dislike spiders and bats
67. I startle easily. Please don’t come up behind me and frighten me. My heart will race for at least an hour, and I may scream at you.
68. And I won’t be sorry I screamed. But you will be.
69. Once upon a time, I wanted to be a talk show host
70. I cried when Johnny Carson died.
71. I love hats, ankle strap shoes and twirly skirts and dresses.
72. My style has been called 50’s/retro. I like that.
73. I should have been born in the 30’s.
74. I wrote a personal mission statement for myself back in college
75. “To always act, no matter what the situation, with the grace and dignity that befits a lady.”
76. I constantly fall short of that ideal, but I keep trying.
77. I love MMORPGs.
79. After 6 months away, I’m playing World of Warcraft again
80. I have two level 60 characters: Sandriara (rogue) and Honorra (priestess) on Shadowsong
81. But now I’m playing Horde on Hyjal.
82. I have a sexy lil’ Blood Elf Paladin.
83. I have a hard time keeping track of my email
84. My highest adult weight was 178 lbs
85. My lowest was 136
86. When I was 136, I was hungry all the time and exhausted from exercising
88. I’m heading up toward the upper limit again, which makes me twitchy.
89. I wear glasses for distance.
90. My hearing’s off. Not enough for a hearing aid, but enough to bug me and probably others.
92. I’m trying to watch more TV.
93. I love Dancing with the Stars.

more to come…