SOMETHING ABOUT ME

I LOVE WRITING.   I DIDN’T REALLY PURSUE IT AS AGGRESSIVELY UNTIL NOW.  MY FIRST EXPOSURE WAS THE HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL OF WHICH I DID THE “DIVISION PAGES.”  CREATIVE WRITING BEGAN TO GERMINATE.   I WOULD LOVE TO BE A BIOGRAPHER.  THE INTIMACY YOU WILL SHARE WITH JUST ONE PERSON IS IN ITSELF A BONDING OF 2 MINDS AND PERSONALITIES CONDUCIVE TO A SPECIAL TRUST OF WHICH FEW OF US ARE FORTUNATE TO EXPERIENCE.    I LANDED MY FIRST JOB IN WRITING AT AGE 62 AS AN EDITORIAL ASSISTANT AND CONTRIBUTING WRITER FOR A SMALL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER.   IT WAS A TITLE BUT WHAT REALLY MATTERED WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO “MY THING.”   I BRANCHED OUT INTO THE NEWS AREA, HEALTH ARTICLES, CURRENT AFFAIRS (INTERNATIONAL) AND EVEN THE POETRY PAGE   BUT I WAS MOST INTRIGUED WITH THE PROFILES OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.  I TYPED THE ARTICLES SUBMITTED FROM THE REGULAR COLUMNISTS ON A BI-WEEKLY BASIS AND THIS GAVE ME SOME PERSPECTIVE ON HOW TO DO A COLUMN.   I WAS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CALENDAR AND THE COMMUNITY EVENTS PAGE.   BUT WHAT I REALLY ENJOYED WERE THE INTERVIEWS WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND DOING A REGULAR CAMEO SERIES OF PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES. 

PRIOR TO MY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS NEWSPAPER, I WAS A TELEPHONE OPERATOR WITH NORTHWESTERN BELL, A WIFE, A VOLUNTEER, A MOTHER, A HOMEMAKER - ALL THE THINGS A WOMAN OF THE 50’S WAS EXPECTED TO DO AND BE.    FORTUNATELY, I TOOK SOME CLERICAL SUBJECTS IN HIGH SCHOOL (INCLUDING SHORTHAND WHICH WAS VERY NECESSARY IN THOSE DAYS TO GET ANY CLERICAL POSITION).   LITTLE DID I KNOW IT WOULD BECOME OBSOLETE IN THE NEAR FUTURE?  THIS GAVE ME ENOUGH TO FLY SOLO IF I NEEDED TO.   CONSEQUENTLY I OBTAINED JOBS AS A SECRETARY AND A RECEPTIONIST FROM LAW OFFICES TO CHURCH OFFICES.  I ATTENDED COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND ADULT CLASSES AT THE U OF M.   SUBJECTS LIKE FRENCH AND PSYCHIATRY, WOMEN’S STUDIES AND CHILD PSYCHOLOGY WERE MY CHOICE.   AFTER THE CHILDREN WERE GROWN AND ON THEIR OWN. I RETURNED TO THE CLERICAL FIELD AND WORKED FOR THE TEMPORARIES MOSTLY.    I TOOK EARLY RETIREMENT BECAUSE OF BACK PROBLEMS AND THEN I DISCOVERED THAT WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO DO THE REST OF MY LIFE WAS SOMETHING PERSONALLY FULFILLING AND CREATIVE.   WRITING WAS THE OBVIOUS ANSWER.   BALLROOM DANCING GAVE ME ANOTHER CREATIVE OUTLET IN ADDITION TO CARING AND LOVING ALL THE ANIMALS THAT CAME INTO MY LIFE.  THEY CALLED ME “MRS. DR. DOOLITLE” OF WHICH I AM TRULY QUALIFIED. 

SO HERE I AM AT DAYTON’S BLUFF.   WORKING AS A NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR EMPLOYEE, I DECIDED TO GET TO KNOW DAYTON’S BLUFF AND ALL OF ITS INHABITANTS (AT LEAST AS MANY AS I WAS ABLE).   GETTING OUT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALSO ENHANCES MY FAMILIARITY WITH THE BUSINESSES AND THEIR OWNERS.  YOU WILL SEE A MIX OF PEOPLE IN MY ARTICLES.   I HAVE FOUND THIS COMMUNITY TO BE ESPECIALLY RICH IN ITS INHERITANCE OF MULTI-ETHNIC DIVERSITY.  THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT PROVIDE THE STABILITY AND GROWTH OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALSO ADD TO THE CULTURAL DIVERSITY NECESSARY TO “MAKE A VILLAGE.”   THERE IS A REAL PANDORA’S BOX FOR ME TO EXPLORE.  THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND MAYBE I WILL SEE YOU ALONG MY JOURNEY.