I grew up in Small Town, Upstate, NY. A place where you play tackle football with your only kid neighbors, the cousins, predict the color car that is about to drive by, and "run over to Nana's" when you're driving your mother nuts.

Saturday morning cartoons, WWF, Hogan's Heroes and Dark Shadows were regular entertainment for me and my siblings. A-Team and Knight Rider were also among our favs. Oh, did I forget to mention MacGuyver?! How could I?! What is not to love about a man with a brain and a good looking smile?! It was love at first adventure...

This girl, yes me, was radical about everything. Well, almost everything. I was involved in Girl Scouts, Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Gymnastics, and I even managed to take Piano Lessons (the bane of my existence, though I regret not being more diligent in that arena). If I were to be honest with you all and myself, I regret not being more diligent in all my endeavors. Hind-sight is 20/20, clear as clear can be. I have to admit that I was highly involved with Gymnastics, advancing quickly through the levels with ease. I trained 5-6 days a week and I absolutely loved it...until it got hard...until I got hurt...until I developed fear. I should have been made to get up again, I should have been pushed, but alas, I allowed fear to debilitate me and I quit. But I didn't just quit gymnastics, I quit it all.

What's a girl to do when her calendar isn't absolutely full? Read, design dream homes, watch TV, hang with Grandma, beg Dad to let her be his helper mechanic.

At 8 years old, I was granted permission to go with my Dad to the Go-Kart track to "help" him. I was sooo excited!! EEK!! My sister started going with him when she was 8, so now it was my turn to go!! Oh so excited! This experience framed the remainder of my younger years. I sold Go-Kart parts and fuel, helped change tires, tie-rods and engines. Seats were the worst! You learn to never let your arm rub the fiberglass again!

I then graduated to help with the sign-in process, then the scales to be sure no one skived on the weight class, then scoring the racers as they crossed the finish line. I was a real official and you didn't mess with official business. To me, there was no grey. I could do it all...and sometimes I did.

Middle School brought on a new realization for me. I was pretty. I seriously did not think I was attractive until people in school started to ask me to go out with them. For real. And boy