Who Am I?

Excellent question.  I’m still trying to figure that one out myself.  However, as it is something I have my students write up in the beginning of the school year, I’ll make an attempt.

I’m a woman of the world!  I’ve felt at home in a few places, though not as many as I’ve lived in.  I’ll try most things at least once (although I have refused a bullfight, eating silkworm cocoons, and invitations to drinks, movies, a night in a field outside Paris, and an open subway seat from members of the opposite sex who were either or a combination of: a– drunk, b– old enough to call me granddaughter, and c– sketchy).

I try to be truthful, except when I’m not (usually with myself–though my attempts at lying are generally so fraught with discomfort and transparency, I generally don’t try.)

My prose tends to be dense, verbose, fraught with run-ons and excess parentheticals, redundancy, and yet generally decently spelled.  This should not be taken as a I-don’t-care-for-the-reader’s-delicate sensibilities sort of thing.  It’s more a I’m-mixed-up-and-my-thoughts-are-too sort of thing.  I use “sort of”, “like”, “anyway”, hyphens, dashes, parentheses, and ellipses far too often.

I’m an unapologetic idealist.

I’m a bit of a Victorian with a splash of mono no aware Ono No Komachi Heian Japanese, and reformist activist so blue I’m greenish turquoise.

I grew up in a small town, kept company with trees and the sky, fell in love with blizzards, and hopped off to learn more further afield though I come back every now and then to rearrange the furniture.

I have a small nuclear family and a gigantic extended one.

I am rich in friends and family who are all good, kind people, among them gifted artists, brilliant scholars, dazzling dancers, compassionate educators, conscientious activists, nit-picky lawyers, probing physicians, moving musicians, and generally some combination of the above.

I have been paid for bleeding rats, sending rejection letters, delivering lessons and assigning homework, creating educational card games and checking for commas, as well as knocking on doors to rid the world of environmental threats.

I like to run down hills, scribble and doodle, sing to echoes, chat with strangers, wander through mountains, stroll on seashores, climb trees, sip tea, make babies smile, knit and/or crochet hats, sculpt clay, have a view of the moon, dance and spin, bake (and eat) brownies, play the piano, peel wallpaper, paint, hug and be hugged.

I’m the sort of reader and writer who thinks it would be a nice thing to do before sleeping and then realizes that it’s morning already.