Last month I turned the big 3-0. I'm not sure what it was about this particular birthday, but it got me thinking back on how I became the person I am today - and all of the people I was in between. I've never fit your typical stereotypes and I've never really cared what other people thought about who I was. I've blended in and out of so many "cliques" and have always made friends in all of them. One of the things I enjoy the most in life is bringing different groups of people together that wouldn't normally associate. I don't leave the farm much these days, but I can officially say that in my 20's, I lived enough to make up for staying home these days.
I've managed junior retail stores, high-end fashion stores, "adult stores", and children's stores. I spent my early years working in theater as a set designer/builder. I've worked in musical theater- I was an actor, a dancer, and a singer. I've done choreography and stage management. I've been an aide in an Alzheimer's ward. I've helped market bands and music bars. I've done band booking for popular reggae bars. I've attended a crazy amount of release parties and spent time backstage at every major music venue in Florida. I've associated with everything from reggae to ska to punk rock bands. I've attended concerts that range from reggae to country and everything in between. I have no specific "genre."
I've run the hippie scene: free-flowing, easy-living... I learned to live greener, eat better, and just let things go - a lesson I'll never forget.
I've lived in the high fashion circle - mainly for work. I've learned to appreciate fine clothing, designer brands, and how to dress properly to hide or accentuate your assets, as well as learning how to act professionally, how to do things the "right way" and how to blend in to the business world.
I've spent time in the punk rock scene. I've had every hair color from peacock blue and turquoise to green to purple. Every shade of red and black has been in the mix as well. I've had long hair, short hair, pixie cuts... you name it. I learned to have fun, let loose, and just be myself without any worries about what others think.
And I've adapted to the farm life. I've learned to care for my animals, to be a home-maker, and to be a full-time mom. I've learned to accept the quiet, the calm, and to be free from the hustle and bustle of the city. I've learned to spend more time being a mom and less time being what others want or need me to be.
I've lived a pretty full life. I did a lot of what I had set out to accomplish when leaving high school. I'm glad that I have run in so many different circles and collected such an eclectic and unique group of friends - I feel like every bit of living I did in my 20s led me to be the person that I am today. I've been a hippie, I've been a punk, I've been a fashionista and today- well, today I'm a freelance writer, a farmer, and a mom, but most importantly... I'm me.
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