ME

Until college, I led the sheltered life of a Bainbridge Islander. On the island, I developed the local, home-grown sense of suffocation from surreality that plague those who yearn for a connection to the real world.

My childhood: running through spirinklers on sunny green lawns, stomping in puddles in ladybug boots along my long private driveway, constant love and attention from my stay-at-home mom (who only threatened to belt whip us out of love), saving the world from Shredder with my ninja turtle skillz.

In highschool, being a ninja turtle got a little old. I began my pursuit for the Truth amongst my many crushes on boys, spending every afternoon competatively running around in circles, and eating up everything I was fed in my classes.

I ran away from paradise and sought refuge in Chicago for a taste of reality. I lived the life of a big-city girl. I navigated the streets of Rogers Park and its homeless population with daring and bravery. I became an experienced user of mass transportation through many sketchy adventures on the "el" and by frequently utilizing Chicago's luxurious (cough*) public bus matrix. I can describe taking the el as a $2.50 round trip urban safari, where the local inhabitants can be observed up close in their natural environment- crowded days it can also function as a handson urban "petting safari"- not so cool.

By the end of my three years in Chicago, I was one of the locals. I grew accustomed to seeing a White Hen located on each street corner, and the multitude of unkept, crusty men who prey on young adults. I became desensitized to poverty, homelessness, hearing gunshots fired next door, cold windy winters, street-flooding summers, e-coli infested Lake Michigan beaches, and (gasp!) snow that sticks to the ground.

Now I have graduated and am suffering from the pleasant mild shock of rural beauy overload. I have moved back home in order to spread my experience of enlightenment (for example, it CAN snow in March, pizza does taste better with a deep dish crust, wow- people in Wisconsin really Do wear cheese hats)- a decision represented well in Socrates' cave analogy. I'm getting used to drinking alcoholic beverages from something other than red plastic cups, paying over $2.50 for a gallon of gas, and sacrificing some of my wild college living and freedoms for free room and board at the bed and breakfast that is my parents home.

I am getting accustomed to the real working world with my first full-time position ever. I am involved in Public Affairs for a regional Housing Authority and local Redevelopment Agency. I have stumbled upon some startling realizations: in the working world, you don't get a month off for the Christmas (sorry, Holiday) Season. You can't put off projects until the night before they are due. You have to answer your cell phone- even when its someone you dont like. You don't get to buy cool new books each semster. There are no CLIFF notes for real life.

I no longer feel like I am living in between class and library hours. My entire day is full of what I call "living". With my full time, best ever boyfriend, I still manage to find time for work, filling out law school application and spending time with family. My life is full to the max but I feel like I am on the right track and I love it. I love the pacific northwest with a passion, but am beginning to miss Chicago- it is also proving difficult to keep the passion in my long distance relationship with my partner in crime and roomate.

Sometimes I feel like my adventures contain all the ingredients for a successful comedic sitcom. For that very reason, I have started this blog. I have just upgraded my already high nerd status.