20 Embarrassing, Interesting, and/or Weird Things About Me

Written by Alison “MetalBabe” Mayhem

Thank you Kati Rausch for the inspiration to write this!

“IN THE BEGINNING”

My first memory is of my sister being born when I was two years old.

When I was four years old my parents asked me if I wanted to go to pre-school or start kindergarten early. I chose kindergarten! LOL. I was always one of the youngest people in my class and graduated at 17 years old.

I have loved sign language ever since I learned how to sign the Christmas song “Silent Night” in 3rd grade, and found it so fascinating when they had a sign language interpreter at concerts. A friend and I taught ourselves Mötley Crüe’s “Home Sweet Home” when we were teenagers, and we learned the alphabet too. I would love to be fluent.

I remember being on a beach in Florida while on a family vacation listening to the radio with my Mom, Dad, and Sister, and Madonna’s “Material Girl” came on. My sister and I were singing along, but we were singing “Cheerio Girl.” My parents told us those weren’t the right words, and we both argued that we liked Cheerios and that the song was about eating cheerios! Ha!

I learned to kayak at YMCA camp when I was in 5th grade and have loved it ever since. I go kayaking any chance I get!

I can read sheet music because I played clarinet in school for four years, between 5th and 8th grade. “This one time, at band camp…” Ha! Yes, I went twice!

“TEENAGE WASTELAND”

I took guitar lessons in 8th grade and learned to play (parts of) songs from Southgang, Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Shotgun Messiah, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, and more! My parents bought me a Richie Sambora Stratocaster knockoff for $100 bucks and I still have it!

When I was in 9th grade my parents paid to get me hypnotized to quit smoking cigarettes. It didn’t work, BUT I quit (buying cigarettes) based on the fact that my parents cared so much about me to invest their time and money so I would quit. (Note: I permanently quit New Year’s ’97.)

My sister and I BEGGED my parents for quite some time to agree to let us get our first tattoos when we were only 16 and 14 years old! We were in Florida and passed a shop. After begging throughout our entire lunch, they agreed, and signed permission forms so we could get tattooed! I got a dragon on my back because I ‘liked dragons.’ My sister did the same, except she ‘liked butterflies.’ LOL. There was no flash, or approval. Just tattoos. (And they were CRAZY cheap! $50 and $30.) When I went back to school after summer vacation, they wrote a story about me for our high school newspaper since I was the first one (they knew of) to have a tattoo!

I was Student of the Week and made the Honor Roll in Middle School/High School, and I graduated Magna Cum Laude from college. I always liked school, enjoyed learning, and got good grades. When I was a senior I had enough credits to join the Work Program and only had to go to school three hours a day.

I failed the driving portion of my driver’s license exam three times and didn’t get my license until my fourth attempt, AFTER my parents were required to pay for me to take a driving course. (I was first in my high school to get a tattoo, but last to get a license! LOL.) I always joke about being great at parallel parking and driving backwards, and that it’s driving forward I’m not that good at!

AFTER “ROCK N’ ROLL HIGH SCHOOL”

One of my favorite times in my life was when my dad and I worked together at the Department of U.S. Treasury. I loved seeing how much everyone loved my dad, and being part of that life. One of our most fun moments was when we dressed up like The Village People and performed a parody version on YMCA called NTEU at an end of year party.

“ALWAYS”

I do not wear sunglasses, (until the video I shot with Kati 3/1/19) carry a purse, or drink coffee.

I have never had a manicure, and enjoy painting my nails weekly. It’s fun doing something different every time.

I’ve never liked to stay up late and I’ve never been to one of the LA after parties. (I like to go to sleep early enough to get up and be PRODUCTIVE!)

I’ve never met Jon Bon Jovi, but I met his mom, dad, brother, brother’s fiancé (at the time) and grandmother on a fan club trip in NY, and I even attended church with his priest. I’ve met Richie a couple times, Phil, and Hugh… And always love to hang with Obie O’Brien (Bon Jovi’s Audio Engineer) at the shows, but NEVER have met JBJ.

I’ve been in three bands. First one was Think Green in St. Louis, where I played drums for three months…but never left the basement. Second was Hollywood 77, where I sang backups with Lenka Danger and played all over LA, and even a Seattle show. Third was Alice Cooper Tribute Band Nightmare, where I played an Actress (Nurse, Doctor, School Girl, Spider, Frankenstein, etc.) and performed with them all over LA.

I love spelunking, and when I lived in Missouri (“The Cave State”) I would go caving as often as possible, in groups, with friends, and alone. I have literally been in a cave so tight that I was on my stomach and the only way to move forward was to put my arms forward and use all my strength to drag my body forward! I always loved the bats too, and thought they were so cute. I’d even pet them sometimes when they were sleeping!

I was in the crowd for in Danzig’s “Until You Call on the Dark,” (with my sister) Megadeth’s “Head Crusher,” and have a cameo in the Last Curtain Call movie.

I believe that St. Louis has the BEST pizza in the WORLD and no matter how many times I have pizza somewhere other than St. Louis it does not come even close! I buy two or three from my favorite pizza place every time I travel from St. Louis directly back to LA and eat them sparingly until my next visit. (For anyone who doesn’t know, they use REALLY thin crust and provolone cheese. Similar to NY style, but BETTER!)