Some Stuff About Me

I’m what I like to call an incomplete polymath. I know how to do a lot of things, with just enough skills in each category to be dangerous. The quintessential jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none.

I am or have been at various times, either professionally or as an amateur, the following:

• Costume designer
• Actress
• Producer
• Website designer
• Publicist
• Elected official
• Accounting clerk
• Nonprofit manager
• Videographer
• Political campaign manager
• Newsletter editor
• Grantwriter
• Small-town reporter
• Graphic designer
• Short-story writer
• Entrepreneur
• Copywriter
• Events manager
• Embroidery artist
• Radio news reporter
• Classical singer (coloratura soprano)
• Hospital receptionist
• Chicken keeper

Once I feel I’ve somewhat mastered a skill, it’s on to the next thing. (This becomes a problem when I get involved with long-term efforts. I bore easily.)

I wouldn’t dream of listing all these on my CV or LinkedIn page as career experience, as if I’d collected a paycheck, salary or fee for all of them, because that wouldn’t be true, and unlike some folks of my acquaintance, I’m not into resumé padding.

But they’re skillsets that, if nothing else, have made my life much more interesting and rich in other ways. I’ve been paid (and in some cases, very well, thankyouverymuch) for practicing some of the above. But I’m not going to say which, because in the overall scheme of things, it’s not that important.

I recently took an online Myers-Briggs test. The result, along with a detailed explanation. Yup.

And here is what one of my type often does for a resolution:

“I resolve to be less of a perfectionist and share more of myself with others.”

Outcome: Refuses to disclose resolution to others, for fear that they will have to admit failure if they do not achieve it.

Much, much too close to home, LOL.

Some other stuff about me:

I’ve kept a handwritten journal, mainly in ordinary college-ruled lined spiral notebooks, off and on for over 45 years. I’ve always written it in cursive, with a fountain pen, emulating the friend who got me started in the habit back when we both were in college.

As a side practice, I’ve begun collecting new and vintage fountain pens. My favorites are the Japanese brands because they are made to fit smaller hands and have Extra Fine nibs available that suit more compact handwriting. I currently own fine and vintage pens by Sailor, Nemosine, Esterbrook, Lamy, Cross, Pilot, Pelikan, and several others, either unbranded or knockoffs of more expensive ones, that I use as EDPs (Every Day Pens). And I still have the $1.00 Sheaffer school pens that started my journaling habit–and that now go for ten to fifteen dollars each on Ebay.

Writing by hand with a beautiful writing instrument is soothing beyond belief. The only problem is what my surviving relatives and/or friends may do with all those journals should I suddenly depart this mortal coil. Some, only partially in jest, have threatened publication, a la Anaïs Nin‘s diaries. In that case, I wish I could be around to see what some people in my life would think when they read about themselves. My favorite Anne Lamott quote, from her masterful guide to writing, comes to mind: “You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better.”