GETTING
WHERE I AM
A Little of My Story
When I was nine, I used a vintage typewriter--you know, the kind with the hammers that get stuck on each other if you type too fast?--to craft a weekly newsletter for my family. There were stories about myriad things, made-up sports scores, and weather reports.
At 14, I had over 30 pen-pals from around the world. Norway, California, Greece, Ghana, Australia, Russia, Indiana, Canada, Japan, Kenya. We exchanged crucial information--our favorite foods, what time we went to bed, what books we liked to read, how many siblings we had, our favorite colors, what school was like--and coins in our respective currencies.
By my senior year of high school, I'd penned quite a collection of short stories and had completed a 100+-page novella. My stories ranged from expanded interpretations of song lyrics to mysteries and love stories, to modern biblical retellings and even a brief foray into time travel narratives.
Not realizing that my passion lie in communication, not literature, I majored in English in college. I fell in love with Shakespeare’s Sonnet #116 and the legend that is “Beowulf,” re-read “Dover Beach” more times than was necessary, and discovered “Roman Holiday” much later than I should have. I slogged through Richardson’s “Pamela” so I could read Fielding’s “Shamela” (worth it!), and relished portraying Miss Cecily Cardew in acting class. Sandra Cisneros helped me realize I could enjoy contemporary writing with her “House on Mango Street,” and my copy still sits on my shelf, margin notes and underlinings and all. My senior project was an exposé on Othello’s Desdemona and when it was over I thought I’d never care to hear her name again. But I got an A.
Today, I’m a mom, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a friend, and a Christian. I love the Oregon Coast, all things British, coffee, leggings, walks in the woods, dark chocolate, "Doctor Who," and a good belly laugh. I tell great stories, make people laugh, and sometimes neglect to keep my mouth shut when I should. I’m brutally honest, loyal, sentimental, and driven. I love to cook, sleep, walk, and talk. I love meeting new people, whether it’s in line at Starbucks or at the DMV, shading (I can’t sun; I burn) at the beach or watching my kids at the park.
And this is where my story intersects with yours. Let’s make the most of it!
