I find it problematical to talk about me. I am more than the labels attached to me, but there are no words to define that which is ‘me’. So, I’ll talk briefly to the labels instead.
Writer: I knew, from age 10, that I was a writer. There was no ‘wannabe’ about it. I was writing. Ergo… I started writing, because I was unhappy with the way the original ‘Planet of the Apes’ movie went. The woman astronaut died before even setting foot on the planet, for gods’ sakes! So I rewrote it. The woman astronaut lived, and saved the stupid male astronauts’ butts many times over. By age 13, I was writing my own original stories, as well as fan fiction, and used the high school typing class to type up collections of these stories. I even drew illustrations, just as though my stories had been made into movies, and the centre pages of the book contained movie stills. I discovered Star Trek fanzines and began writing for them. I had my first professional article published in ‘The Age’ newspaper at age 17 and was convinced I was going to be The Writer To Watch in the coming years. My first professional story sale came some long years later. I wrote mainly fiction for many years. In recent times, I have returned to writing articles, and am a columnist in ‘NOVA’ magazine, an Australian healing magazine.
Poet: I never thought of myself as a poet. It seemed such a ‘wafty’ thing to be, and I didn’t look stylish in a black beret anyway. But, about a year after the birth of my first child, some poems came stuttering out of me. Then, no more for some years, until an intense personal relationship broke down. Suddenly, I had a lot of anger with nowhere to go. I wrote a lot of angry, hard poems, and charged out to performance venues. People cowered away from me and my firestorm. After a year, I wrung everything I could out of myself, and there was nothing for another eight years. Two years ago, I returned to poetry, with gentler poems, a wider range of emotions, and more experience. I have much to say about the natural world, parenting, autism, my cats, and the people around me.
Mother: I am the mother of two children. My daughter is seventeen, my son is fifteen. Their disabilities have led me a merry dance through life, and both kids have taught me more than I’ve taught them, I think. My life is richer, and more fraught, for having them. I am also owned by three cats. Angel is a ginger male, five years old now. Missy is a grey tabby, fat, and thick as a brick. Baby is just on two years old, and is a ginger female. She has a dumb blonde look about her, and chases butterflies.
Reiki Master: I am a teaching Reiki Master of the Usui System of Natural Healing. I trained under Rosemary Nissen Wade, and Ann Adcock, twelve years ago. Reiki is a wonderful tool in my tool belt. I have used it on a practical level to ease pain, manage stress, and even treat burns. I have used it to communicate with my non-verbal son, the cats, the car(when it wouldn’t start), and the plants in my garden.
Teacher of Middle Eastern Dance: I started learning belly dance in 1989, had a break to have my kids, and resumed it again around 1995. I started teaching it at neighbourhood houses in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne in 1998, I think. Last year I retired from professional performing, and I am currently on sabbatical from teaching.
Tarot Consultant: my love affair with the tarot started twenty years ago. Someone told me ‘don’t start with the tarot, because once you do, there’s no going back’. This prompted me to find out what tarot was, buy a pack, and start learning. I quickly progressed to doing readings for friends, and from there it grew into a business. These days, I do the occasional professional reading, but mostly I read for friends again. I am clairsentient and sometimes clairaudient.
Teacher of Meditation: this is a job I fell into. After years of sporadically meditating, and picking up different techniques along the way, I was offered a meditation group to lead. I jumped at the chance, and have found a new love. I use the meditation classes to introduce students to silent meditation, guided meditations, and various other techniques.
Witch: a path I’ve been following for many years. Before I even knew what I was doing, I was creating rituals for myself. Witchcraft puts me in touch with the natural world, its rhythms, its pace, its beauty and ferocity. I love dancing around my cauldron, and intoning chants to create a cone of power. I love kitchen witchery, candle magick, knot magick, and the poetry of spell writing. Earth, air, fire, water – I find something to love in each element. I watch ants, birds, sunsets, and ocean waves. I make my own incense, and enjoy collecting things from the natural world to put into my spellwork.
Yogini: I love the path of yoga, but am not following it wholeheartedly. When all else fails me, yoga and writing are there, and yoga does now form a part of my daily life. Favourite pose: the swan. I also love kirtan.
Reader: I love books. I love the feel, the look, the smell of them. Other people seek solace in booze or drugs. For me, when the going gets tough, the tough buy books. Favourite authors: Oriah Mountain Dreamer, Diane Duane, Julia Cameron, Natalie Goldberg, Marge Piercy(poetry), Mary Oliver(poetry), Barbara Hambly, Janet Evanovich, Howard Waldrop, Billy Collins(poetry), Rosemary Nissen Wade(poetry), Sue Isle, Connie Willis, Robert Silverberg(short fiction), Isaac Asimov(short fiction), Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Robert Fulghum – off the top of my head.
Other labels you might apply to me: witch, enthusiastic blogger, journal-writer, knitter, cat lover, integration aide, advocate, cook, household engineer, partner, dreamer.
Labels I wish were mine(and who knows, they may well be, yet): astronaut, gymnast, professional pool player, perfumier, aromatherapist, resident of Hawaii, writer in Antarctica – at least, that’s the list this week.
