I am a native New Yorker (upstate and the City) living in Salt Lake. Yes, I did need a passport when I arrived in ‘02, or at least felt like I did. But Utah has changed and grown and I’ve mellowed and it’s a solid fit now. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever lived, full stop. Come visit, but don’t stay. Ha. We joke about the lines at CostCo getting worse, but we’re half joking. Stay away. Kidding. Sort of.
Let’s see, what else:
I am a messy car person, and every time the low fuel light comes on it’s a huge shock to me.
I want to garden because I will always put myself in the way of beauty, but I don’t want to spend my time gardening.
I cannot leave Walgreens without dropping at least fifty bucks on any given occasion. I have a drawer full of a thousand versions of the same lip color.
I love New Zealand sauvignon blanc and romantic period films and dancing to ‘Walking on Broken Glass.’
I work out ferociously, meditate daily, and believe in moderation in all things, including moderation itself.
I have a precious and challenging family: a smart, talented, and good-looking husband — the love of my life — who can be hard to reach; our seven-year-old daughter who is clever and curious and more dramatic than a Lifetime miniseries; our five-year-old son who is silly and sensitive, and whose current love of dinosaurs has manifested in some really aggro behavior at times. These people are my heart outside my body, my greatest strength and my greatest vulnerability. They are what I need.
But who am I?
I am a person who tries. I try anything once. Sometimes I’m foolish enough to do it again. I try to try my best; I try to do it all; I try to keep getting better. I try to show up — for my colleagues, for my family, for my friends — and most of all for myself, who I’m learning is the first, longest, and best damn friend I’ll ever have.
So I’m trying to treat her better and let her get her words out. I am a writer. I am a writer because I write, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.
Thank you for being here, and for showing up, for me.