What is your favorite type of weather?

I love the type of weather that makes everyone think twice before stepping outside.

I like to avoid most people and most people avoid the outside when it’s soggy and wet with a hint of fog floating just above the ground.

Or

when the blanket of snow is so thick that it absorbs all sound surrounding it and the air is cool and crisp.

This gives me the opportunity to enjoy the quiet in the quiet.

What tattoo do you want and where would you put it?

I’d like to have my sun sign, moon sign and ascending sign tattooed on the back of my neck vertically

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Who was your most influential teacher? Why?

6th Grade: My homeroom teacher (I can’t remember her name) saw more potential in me than she saw in the school itself, its staff and other students combined. She convinced my mom to transfer me to a better Academy where she was certain I’d succeed. I did. There I gathered my self-esteem and academic confidence. The school she saved me from is now permanently closed and happens to also be the name of the bridge that collapsed in Baltimore on March 26, 2024

8th Grade: Mrs Guillmette was her name I believe. She supported me in the most subtle ways, she never said what she was doing or why she was doing it, she just did it. I noticed and appreciated it deeply. I couldn’t forget her even if I tried.

High School (Grade 11): Here I met Mrs. Nierman my English teacher. If I recall properly, as part of an assignment I wrote an autobiography and that either moved her or concerned her (likely both). Either way she enjoyed my writing and encouraged me to do it more. I did. Later that year and many after, she became my mentor and later my friend. She is the reason I love writing now.

College (Year 1): I walked into my writing 101 class expecting to learn how to write better, instead I learned about the environment, sustainability and minimalism. She was incredibly passionate about sustainability and she made it clear as she rode her bike to work everyday, drank water from GLASS bottle, and ALWAYS recycled. I loved it though. I don’t remember learning much about writing but I do know she is where my appreciation for Mother Earth started. The following semester I enrolled in environmental science.

There’s a special place in my heart for all the educators who have and continue to make a positive impact on the lives of the children they encounter. My experiences with own my teachers and professors has carried me through countless dark times and for their efforts, I will forever be grateful.

What do you wish you could do more every day?

I have many wishes, but the wish I wish the most is to spend more quality time with the little people I love the most (my boys) doing absolutely whatever no matter the day. Frankly, I—we are tired of having our time together condensed down to “just weekends” and in reality it’s barely weekends because those are the days I try to catch up on all the things I couldn’t do during the week…

Like, sleep.

I wish I could be present for every milestone, every school event, and every moment we want/need with each other, but I’m busy. More like distracted with being too busy on the hamster wheel chasing a life that always manages to escape me.

What is one word that describes you?

Hmmm how do I wrap such an intricate being into one word?

I don’t think I can but I can however give you one of the many words that can be used to describe me and thats divine.

What was the best compliment you’ve received?

The ones I actually remember and hold dear to me include :

“You have such an infectious personality”

This was said to me by a customer at a movie theater I worked at in my college years.

AND

“You remind me of an angel”

Says my best friend of many years.

My favorite compliments that aren’t really compliments are when I meet someone and their light begins shine a bit brighter.

For example, I went to this restaurant very close to my house once and because the food was really good, I made my way back there. The first time visiting, the cashier didn’t look too happy, he had the saddest look on his face so I thought maybe he was having a bad day as he was kind of cold and dry towards me. I smiled at him as he handed me my food and I said “thank you so much.” He gently smiled back and said “you’re so welcome, have a great day.”

When I visited the second time and he saw me; his face lit up. He smiled at me and goes “I remember you” he proceeded to ask me my name and if I lived nearby. He in turn told me his name and other things about him and his brother who was the cook.

After that encounter I now visit that place often, he knows me by my name and so does the brother. They’re no longer grumpy old men. They’re just Walle and Moe 🙂

What strategies do you use to cope with negative feelings?

First and foremost; acceptance. Emotions and feelings are apart of the human experience, joy and even sadness contribute to our richness as human beings.

While some try, totally controlling one’s emotions is not possible. It is however very possible to influence the feelings surrounding that emotion.

When they arrive I try to be mindful and if I’m able to I will change my environment to influence my feelings and invoke more positive thoughts. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, nature has a profound way of grounding me.

Negative feelings visit me often so I’ve learned to treat them as they are; visitors. Stoping by to remind me of my humanness.

What activities do you lose yourself in?

As someone who loses themselves in random things every few minutes my favorite things to lose myself in the most are music, nature and articles about random things.

With music, the melodic collaboration of voices and/or instruments touch my soul that takes me different places and I’m overtaken by sensations I can’t explain. I allow my body to enjoy it.

Nature, well nature has a way of connecting me to source like a plug to a socket I feel electrically charged except the charge is bliss and love; I imagine this to be God.

Articles seem to scratch that itch on my brain for dopamine. I get a hit of interesting information and

I fall into a rabbit hole desperately searching for more. I begin to think of all the ways I can apply it or share it; my hyper-focusing abilities are immaculate however I can’t maintain the momentum.

Which animal would you compare yourself to and why?

It depends on the day.

I think most days I’m a dolphin. Dolphins seem as though they’d be the free spirited girlies who walk around being the sunshine of everyone’s day; always smiling if they were human. That’s me 🤭

Other days I’m an Elephant, majestic, ancient, wise, occasionally silly with large personality to match their figure.

Then there are days where I’m a sloth, peacefully existing in my own world hoping no one bothers me for the rest of eternity.

What movies or TV series have you watched more than 5 times?

There’s something about people hurling insults at each other (on t.v) that just cracks me up. Those kinds of movies/tv shows will have me coming back for more belly aching laughs.

The movie that comes to mind that I will watch on repeat is Whiplash. In this movie one of the male leads, J. K Simmons plays the role of a jazz band instructor who is notorious for his foul mouth and insane teaching methods who drives the other male lead, Miles Teller quite literally insane.

I like this movie so much because it’s not stingy with the action or drama. The actors are great, the music is great and it’s relatable to an extent because I myself was once apart of an ensemble and music instructors DO NOT PLAY!

I also love the determination of Miles Teller as he sets out to prove to his instructor just how much he deserves to be one of the greats, no matter what it takes to get there.