Let’s see if I can come up with ten things you probably don’t know about me. I’m pretty open about a lot of things, I mean, considering, I have spoken at length about my publishing process, having a baby, and my darling dog. Where do I start? There’s quite a bit still left, despite all that. Plus, I’d like to leave some things behind the scenes, maybe so I can do another list later, or maybe just maintain some privacy.

10. I’m actually a pretty private person, despite running a blog where I discuss my life.

You won’t get me to talk on things I have no interest in talking to others about. What are those things? Well, they’re private things, of course.

9. I’ve owned a cat.

Back in 2001, I adopted a Siamese from a shelter. Unfortunately, my financial situation went south, and I had to move home. I wasn’t allowed to bring him with me. But, don’t worry. He stayed with my former roommate who had adopted his sister, and the pair remained together until their deaths 8 years later. They passed less than a month apart. His name was Shen Fu, and he was awesome. He could talk. I’m not lying. Ask my mother about it. She doubted me, too!

8. I can both cook and bake.

There seems to be an idea out there that a cook can’t bake, and vice versa. However, I am here to represent the truth. Cooks can bake, bakers can cook. Sure the processes are different, but not really. It all boils down to chemistry. If you understand the properties of matter and how heat, mixtures, and touch affect them, then you can cook. I’ve said in other posts that my understanding of science has been an asset in the kitchen.

7. Dark Art is cathartic.

I find a lot of solace in dark art. When my mood is bad, I do a Google™ search to find some darkly themed art. Pinterest is also a great venue to browse such works. If you take a gander at my Trailokya PinBoards, then you’ll get to see some of my finds. They are dark, but they are stunning pieces by very talented artists. Something in them definitely speaks to my frazzled brain, drawing it back to level. I’m sure a psychologist would have a field day with that!

6. I’m low maintenance for others, high maintenance for myself.

I’m not the kind of girl who needs all the gadgets and latest and greatest things. I do all my own chores and errands, business deals, research, and so on. If I can’t do it, I will find someone to hire, but that is rare. Likewise, unless the gadget is very useful, I don’t even think about it twice. For instance, in the kitchen, I don’t use mixers or many of the other tools. Crock pots, I don’t own one. My closest friend owns two, and she is giddy over the new one she just got a couple months ago. Well, it was red to match the kitchen and didn’t cost very much. That’s something to smile about.

On other things, it took me telling my mom that I wake up shivering in the winter to get a heated mattress pad. I use that puppy all the time now that she got me one for Christmas a couple years ago. No more shivering. I wouldn’t have purchased it myself. Instead, I’d lop another blanket on the bed. I had a system figured out, anyway: put the vellux (polyester velour) blanket under my fitted sheet to block the cool air, and another on top of my two comforters. And that leads me to another fact about myself.

5. I sleep with flannel sheets, three blankets, and two comforters on the bed.

I bet you’re wondering how I get cold. The air comes up through the mattress from the box spring. In my old apartment, it would get plenty cold in the winter (wood floors in an 1855 house). You’d think the boxes under the bed would have blocked some of that cold air. But, no worries, I have heated bed now, and I keep nice and toasty if I want to.

4. I can’t sleep if Sadie isn’t with me.

I can’t sleep well, I should say. Her presence is comforting, and I’ve gotten used to her being on my legs.

3. My self doubt is a mountain.

Artists all seem to share this same problem. If they insist they don’t, then they’re lying! I don’t know any who don’t feel the creeping darkness of despair when they embark on their work, or even their life. Don’t even discuss the feelings one gets when releasing a work to the public. My anxiety twangs at the very thought.

2. My brain constantly reaches toward the future.

Unlike most folks, my problem with remaining present isn’t that I think about things that have been. I think, instead, about what is coming next. Days rush past in a whirl of preparing, acting, anticipating, etc. Perhaps that is why time slips by so fast.

My daughter is teaching me to remain present, but the hours are like minutes still.

1. I love interior design.

Perhaps I missed my calling. Then again, I sort of like being selfish with my talents in decorating. If only I had an unlimited budget. Oh, the things I could do with my apartment then!

Hopefully, I’ve revealed some interesting things about myself that weren’t already known to you. See you Monday!

 

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