Playing TAG--Seven Things You Didn't Know About Me

Some of my new blogger friends are playing this game and I thought "Why not?" It seems like a fun way to get to know you and in turn, for you guys to get to know me! :D

So, without further ado, I give you:

Seven Things You Didn't Know About Me

1. I never thought I wanted to be a writer, it kind of snuck up on me. Well, more like landed in my lap and slapped me upside the head, but okay. I have an aunt who is a writer and has struggled with it in some form or another her whole life. I didn't want to be that person. Obviously, as time has gone on, I realize I'm not her. I have different experiences and a completely different mindset.

Which leads me to...


2. I grew up in an eccentric house, with a fine artist for a mother and a down-to-earth bowler for a father. At least, that's how I perceived them as a child. Of course, my parents transcend both of those labels now, regardless of how much they still are both.

My middle brother was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor at the age of 2 (I was 5), so my world has always been a little skewed. However, it's been through this trial by fire that my fascination with how the brain operates was born. I'm absolutely enthralled with how we perceive the world around us. --Now, having just turned 30, my brother is still as obnoxious as ever-- but he's still around to be so.

My youngest brother is an Über genius (for the love of all that is holy, don't tell him I said so!) and is currently enrolled in the Physics program at the University of Minnesota.

Yes, that's us, circa 1985.

I really should replicate that hairdo some day, it's simply awesome. 

3. I have an obnoxious passion for the organics industry and eating right. (See also my obnoxious obsession with Jillian Michaels) For two years, I was on the board for our local Co-op and did most of the graphic design work. It was one of the few places I felt my talents were put to good use.

Which leads me to...


4. Three years ago, I went back to school to learn Communication Art. (Graphic Design) While I loved working in school, I found the real world of Graphic Arts to be stifling and manipulative. Neither of which I can handle. I'm a straight forward person with a creative edge and I just can't be put into a box where we want to control the masses. Besides that, I'm too much of a rule bender to make this work in the traditional formats.

Anyway... To this day, my husband's favorite piece that I did is this one:

We had to create a wine label for an assignment and after snooping around the local liquor stores, they all bored the hell out of me. I decided to be myself and go a little nuts. I drew the Banshee in Illustrator and went wild. Notice the organic label? See, told you I'm obnoxious. 

This actually won a Silver Addy Award in 2008.

Despite having forsaken the Graphic Design industry in lieu of writing, I still do web banner design on the side. So my own recent favorite is this one:

Those of you in the know, know why it had to be done. ;)

5. I actually inherited my mother's artistic abilities. When I went back to school for Graphic Design, I found that I have a knack for pastels. Who knew?

This also won a Silver Addy Award in 2008.

Yes, I'm a Whedonite and proud of it.

So did this one. 

This is a based off a picture of my son interacting with our crazy dog, Jedi. (Yes, that's his name.)

6. I love to be creative in just about any form. That includes interior design. When my son was born, I knew without a shadow of a doubt -- he was going to be a Harry Potter boy. (Much to the dismay of my Baptist mother-in-law, but that's a whole different story.)

This is my origination sketch for my son's nursery. No, none of the cutesy bugs and trucks. 

This kid was gonna love Harry, come hell or high water.

Lucky for me, now at 5 years old, the kid's as much in love with Harry's world as I was. He can't wait for bedtime so we can continue to read! (I think I must be doing something right)

My amazing acrylic-painting-fine-artist mother did the detail work for the mural--

The rest was me pretending I knew what the hell I was doing. ;)

My daughter, on the other hand, got the cutesy room. How could I resist fairies and trees, I ask you?

7. I'm openly Wiccan, however, not obnoxious about it. (See also: freakout of mother-in-law)

Every person has an obligation to utilize the philosophies at their disposal to rise above the chatter and find a way to your authentic self. I don't care what that is- as long as it means something to you. I'm not in your head or living your life. If that's Jesus or the Science textbook on your desk, so be it. Mine just comes in the form of the Wiccan philosophies... though, there are some who would look at my beliefs as not Wiccan at all. I tend to have an Atheistic slant and how can you be Wiccan and Atheist at the same time, right? Like I said before, I'm kind of a rule bender and I don't generally find myself needing to adhere the beliefs of others. I march to my own drummer and I'm damn proud of that fact.

As a side note: If you'd like to have a lively discussion about any of this, by all means! I do not however, take kindly to evangelizing. Be forewarned. I demand the same kind of respect you would expect for yourself.

So that's it! Carry on and have a lovely day!