User Profile

I am a 50 something woman who lives very much in her head (some say I think too much). I have an extended family ranging from a 90 something grandmother to 2 granddaughters, one 6 yrs old and one 2yrs old, and one grandson, a year this November. I also have 3 sisters and 1 brother whose families span the country from coast to coast. Family is particularly important to me and frequent visits, emails or phone calls help us stay together. My family is the essence of my life experience. I grew up as an eldest child and have a lot of family memories to keep. My elder son is a cook at a local steakhouse and is considering culinary arts as a career. My younger son will soon be promoted to Gunnery Sergeant in the USMC; he teaches meteorology and forecasting at the Armed Forces Weather School at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS. He has completed 3 tours in Iraq thus far; our entire family is hopeful that he will not be called back for another tour anytime soon.

I enjoy reading and studying history; especially as it relates to myths and legends and their affects on the development of culture and ethnic identity. These interests often extend to enjoying film efforts to portray these times and issues. However, my romantic nature also treasures these myths and legends as simply good stories of heroes, damsels in distress, and tragic endings to the most noble efforts by fallible, but noble, characters. I have always loved reading; when I was growing up and wanted a break from being the "big sis", I'd climb a tree until I could see out over our part of the city and read my latest book. Not only did I have a wonderful place to read and imagine, I was hard to locate for chores and other family needs. I still take a book with me most everywhere I go, then if I get delayed or need to wait for some reason, I have something to read and enjoy instead of steaming about wasting time. I also love movies. My heartbeat still jumps a bit when the auditorium lights go down and the feature begins. As long as a film can help me sustain my "suspension of disbelief", I'm drawn right in regardless of the genre.

My Mom and I cook together a lot; I've learned so much and had so much fun through those experiences. At Christmas last year nearly our entire family was at my Mom's for the holiday. Unfortunately, she was very ill and could not get out of bed. I prepared the traditional family spread for 18 people and even managed to avoid cutting myself badly enough to require a trip to the ER for repair of a serious cut. My family has a long standing joke about never allowing me loose in the kitchen with a knife on a holiday based upon a few incidents in my past with sharp objects. Though Mom was ill, we all had a wonderful time and I will remember that holiday season for the rest of my life. I'm sure the 4 family dogs attending the feast also enjoyed it; they weren't left out of the festivities and savored their treats as much as any human there.

My professional education was as a registered medical technologist. This field requires a 4 year degree with a 12 month internship in a quallified hospital laboratory. We are the laboratory professionals who perform and report the lab tests ordered by physicians. I worked at my profession for 25 years, 20 years of which I spent in a blood bank/transfusion service at a local 750 bed acute care hospital and trauma center. There were few dull moments and many of sheer madness. I really enjoyed the service side of the job; helping people, especially those whose lives depended on well done, prompt and accurate work, was especially rewarding for me. But in my field, as in many in American medicine, the bottom line sometimes must be considered at times that seem inappropriate. These were the experiences which I did not enjoy as much. I was forced to leave my job 3 years ago when I had the first of 3 surgeries following an auto accident which totalled my sweet little 10yr old Honda. Recovery from these has allowed me to do less than I had hoped; I am now disabled and permanently unable to take up my profession again. I guess this means I will have to decide what I want to be when I grow up just a little sooner than I had planned. The tale is still unfolding, however! Cheers and blessings--

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