Ok, here I am, for all the world to see...

Why am I writing a blog???  I am a frustrated writer.  I remember as a young girl having some dreams.  One was to be a gymnast.  I didn't think it would EVER happen.  I was (was, you say, doesn't she mean IS??) uncoordinated.  But it did.  It took years of hard work, but I retired 6th in the state as a 16 year old.  The same year I broke my ankle, collar bone, and wrist.  (You caught the uncoordinated part, right?)  

Next, I thought about being a runner.  Could never happen, I thought.  After all, I couldn't make it around the track. How did those people do it??  But I did that too.  After I quit gymnastics (ok, so I hadn't completely quit...I ran cross country and did gymnastics and was in the marching band and had a part time job and was a psychotic over-achiever regarding grades...and almost gave myself an ulcer...) I took up running.  And improved quickly, got to go to NY for a regional meet, lettered, learned the value of team work (running really isn't an individual sport, you see).  I ran in six Boulder Bolders.  Coached track for eight years.  LOVE running still, but that pesky ankle doesn't, so now I walk.  

Which all brings me to my last goal, and back around to the whole writing thing.  The last goal I made as a teenager was to write a book.  I had an absolutely terrific junior year English teacher named Marilee Ruddle.  She was a legend of ferocity at Northwood High in Silver Spring, MD.  She challenged me, encouraged me, got my poetry published, and gave me the writing bug.  Ok, she was also the first teacher to say to me, "This essay is complete crap.  You give the illusion of saying a LOT, but I know the book and you're not saying anything of value about it.  Try again."  Pissed me off.  I'd read the damn book, unlike some classmates, and I'd written damn essay, and dammit, I knew it was crap and how dare she call me on that?  I got As.  All my teachers gave me As in writing.  Who did she think she was?  My first C on anything EVER.  Overachievers out there will recognize me...I set out to prove her wrong.  To get that elusive A from her.  I never did.  She ruined my GPA but gave me immeasurable life lessons.  I love art and poetry and opera and writing because of her.  I worked harder and learned more than in any other class.  But I still haven't written a book.

Instead, I became a math nerd, with a math degree and math teaching job.  And journals.  I have loads and loads of journals.  No one is allowed to read them, not even my best friend who will be known as C.  (She has sworn to burn them upon my death).  So that's why I'm here blogging and writing and I'm excited about this adventure.  I'm not looking for a huge following.  I just want to push myself to write, and if it's going to be out there is the blogosphere, searchable and readable, it will make me try harder.

Here's to a new adventure.  After all, life moves pretty fast.