The Truth about Shelly

1. False--I had my wisdom teeth surgically removed when I was 13 to make room for more dental work. They came out in pieces so I could not take them home.

2. The Japanese mafia is TRUE. I will divulge as much as I can but I still stick to my story even if it is still in the theory stage. I did a year exchange in Japan (before my mission) with Rotary International. While I was with my first host family, I was on my way to the train station to go to school. It was about a 15 min walk. Now, some of you may know, or not, Japan can be a very safe and inviting place but sometimes there are weirdos lurking and frequently perverts ready to lift up your skirt and grab your butt! (A story for another time). Also, being a foreigner in Japan, lets just put it nicely...I stood out like a sore thumb. I was approached on several occasions by shady characters to take a letter or to stop and talk. I refused, of course, by just running away. I have since devised lots of alternative actions I would have done. I would have taken the letter, read it, gotten kidnapped because of what I then "knew", and escaped by a hair to tell the tale. However, it remains to be that I'm a wuss when it comes to confrontation. And I'll stick to my story that, had I really taken that letter, my life would be very different today.

3. I HAVE had a warrant out for my arrest. While at BYU, I drove a scooter around for transportation. I was pulled over one day for not yielding to pedestrian (lame-o), which I didn't see because there was a car parked in the way. I got a double citation because I also didn't have my motorcycle endorsement, which I thought I didn't need because my scooter wasn't above a certain cc, whatever. I went to contest it in court, showed up with about an hour in between classes, saw that the courtroom was full of other cases, and decided just to pay the fine. However, when I didn't show up for court, that is all the judge knew and that is how the warrant got put out, even though I paid my fine. It was about 6 months later that I received a letter from the Utah Education Department that my background check for my application to student teach was put on hold because there was a WARRANT OUT FOR MY ARREST! I had been driving around for 6 months!! Red hot!!! Had I been pulled over, there would have been no questions asked, I would have been cuffed and taken in. Luckily my roommate was a lawyer (public defense attorney) and she wrote a personalized letter to the friendly judge and I was off the hook.

4. True--I am a Biologist. I went to BYU. I took Entomology and even worked in the Monte L. Bean Museum as a curator for the Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) collection. My collection was SWEET, however, I only have a couple of specimens left in alcohol jars because moving doesn't mix with insect collections.

5. This one breaks my heart. I can't believe how many people didn't know I was a tapper (excused for all those who don't know me). Tapping really does feed my soul! My tap idol is Savion Glover and I someday WILL tap on Broadway.

Since Kara is the only one who got it right, I tag Kara!