This Is Me

You can find this is under the About page too, but I can’t figure out how to get that to show up at the top and no one will see it way down at the bottom, so here it is again.

“I’ve seen a look in dogs’ eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts.” – John Steinbeck

This quote from Steinbeck pretty much sums up my blog.  “Travels with Charlie” was one of my favorite books so that’s where the title comes to play.  Yes, dogs have been a major part of my life, and in the past years, I’ve had nothing but border collies.  They are hard work, but this blog isn’t just about them…because every day human life is nuts….and if you can’t make light of it, basically you will be miserable. Humor is a human’s best friend.

I’m an adult female of an age I’m no longer comfortable talking about.  I can only assume that in a few more years I’ll get over that and be proud, but when you’re on the back side of a decade and your chin is getting wrinkly, it’s painful.

I have a degree in psychology with a minor in art.  The psych degree is useless to get a good paying job, but plenty useful in real life.  Essentially I am an artist.  I spent many years trying to deny this and fit in to a “normal” way of existence, but with half my head shaved and a penchant for wearing long underwear under skirts, it was kind of difficult to trick people into thinking I was just another everyday human.  I dabble in a bit of everything.  Fiber (which sounds way better than saying I crochet since everyone associates that with grandmas), clay (I make animal objects with a slightly twisted sense of humor), and photography.  You can check those out at Red Dog – Black Dog on Facebook.  I paint and draw with charcoal as well, but they’re not really my favorites.

I am currently a reporter/photographer for a small town local newspaper.  It’s a love/hate relationship.  Low, essentially non-existent pay and the same thing over and over and over again.  I love to talk to people though and find out their stories.  I did write a column for a year in a different local paper.  You used to be able to find all those online, but I was always sincerely surprised about that.  The newspaper ended in 2008.  The domain just expired.  Anyway, I have copies and I will post some of them here, because I loved doing them and it was some of my favorite work.

I have a condition called Meniere’s Disease.  It’s an inner ear, vestibular disorder that in five short years stole my hearing from my right ear and had me sleeping off vertigo attacks on the side of the road.  Some people keep a normal existence for decades.  I had surgery this year that removed my inner ear and it’s left me walking like a drunkard (and probably unable to pass a field sobriety test even when sober).  It’s been a journey.  I’ll share it.

I’m also extremely unlucky in love, and that can be pretty comical at times too.  I seem to like slightly broken men (maybe that’s an understatement).  Yes.  Everyone has baggage, but I lean toward guys who don’t know how to deal with it.  My therapist said I’d be bored with a normal guy, and I know he’s right.  Seriously.  What artist with a degree in psychology likes normal?  I’ve learned recently it’s because I can relate to them. I’ve been single for the majority of my life, but did spend 8 1/2 years of my life with a man who basically wasn’t very nice to me.  He apologized later in life when we were split up but still friends.  I like to stay friends with my exes, which may be considered weird.  The latest man loved and lost doesn’t seem to get it.  If someone is that big of a part of my life, I want to stay in touch.  Even then, I’ve learned since the first boyfriend to look at every man I meet and lose as a learning experience.  The latest one is wounding me deeply.  But surely there’s some humor there somewhere.   I’ll share those tribulations as well (Not about him so much.  That would horrify him and I still love him too much for that).

I’m also in therapy.  Surprise, surprise.  But at this point in my life, my counselor is more just someone I can go to and dump all my week’s travails on and who understands psychology like I do.  He’s completely awesome.  Everyone should have one.  🙂