Exposing the author behind the veil. It would seem appropriate to introduce you to me, and giving you a glimpse of who I am, if only a small fraction. I am unlike anyone you’ll probably ever meet. I am truly one of a kind. Those who know me, know very well that I dance to the beat of a different drummer. I’m not even so sure that drummer inhabits the same world as I. Those who don’t know me probably think that I’m just insane. But I fully embrace my oddities and idiosyncrasies. They are what make me who I am.

I am very proud of my heritage. I am French, German, and Russian. My dad immigrated to the United States from Canada and lived on the east coast. He spent over twenty years in the Air Force, and was eventually transferred to North Dakota. My grandparents on my mom’s side immigrated here from Russia, and homesteaded near Towner, ND. My mom grew up on a ranch near there.

I am very opinionated, and outspoken, especially when it comes to injustice. Justice for every person, and every living thing is something that I hold very dear to me. If I see an injustice, you can almost guarantee that I will be the first one to point it out. Therefore this causes me to unintentionally rub the delicate fabrics of society the wrong way at times. As I'm sure you've all heard the telltale story of how #nevertheless she persisted became viral, that is a 100% accurate description of me.

My humor is thick with sarcasm, and bite. My sense of humor can veer on the side of inappropriateness at times. Though I don't get offended very easily, I find myself offending others fairly frequently, though never on purpose. Those who know me quite well know that though I'm capable of being serious, more often than not, I'm not being serious.

I'm very impulsive. I tend to act first and think later. I also tend to talk first, and think later. I don't consider it one of my most pleasing features.

I'm more of an introvert rather than an extrovert, therefore I keep my social circle rather small. I prefer quiet nights at home as opposed to going out on the town.

I like most types of music, though since I’ve gotten older, I like classical music the best because I like the emotion it conveys without the use of lyrics. My favorite composer is Vivaldi. Growing up however, I was surrounded by classic country, as well as classic rock, and metal. AC/DC, Metallica, and Guns and Roses were my favorites.

I am most at peace when surrounded by nature. I’m one of those people who would be perfectly content living in a cabin in the woods, completely away from civilization, with the wildlife as my neighbors. While most people sunbathe, I prefer to soak in the light, and energies of the moon and gaze at the night sky.

I also tend to gravitate towards mysteries of the unseen world. I have been reading tarot, and other divination systems for the past 18 years or so. In that time, I’ve built up a decent collection of tarot decks. I also have an extensive collection of crystals and minerals. I’m also a certified Reiki master.

I like to engage in crossword puzzles, word finds, trivia, and other mind bending entertainment. As well as read about little known facts. I have an entire section of my brain dedicated to useless knowledge I think! I also like to indulge in video games on occasion. I like boardgames, and anything competitive. I always keep up to date with the latest news from news sources other than FOX News.

It's not a rarity to find my nose buried in a book. I am a very avid reader, with my favorite genre being historical books. I love learning about history, and trying to place myself into the atmosphere of the time period I'm studying. I like to completely immerse myself, and become lost in my readings. I've actually been writing my own novel for some time now. I look very much forward all stages of its completion. Thus far, it's been a journey in and of itself.

It's also quite common to see me drawing, painting, or creating some kind of work of art. My artwork usually leans towards the dark side. People usually assume more often than not that I must be a very morbid, and depressed person. Nothing can be further from the truth. I like art that evokes a reaction. Art that disturbs you, and makes you feel uncomfortable. I like to touch the deepest parts of your psyche and soul. If what I create hits you to the very core, I've been successful. Life isn't just about what makes us feel good, and what makes us feel safe. It's also filled with what makes us feel uncomfortable, and disturbing. Just because you ignore that aspect of yourself, doesn't make it not exist. It's very much alive, and it's usually the part of us that holds the most important lessons.

Gardening is another passion of mine, though the growing season is considerably shorter here compared to most of the country so I'm unable to partake as much as I'd like to. There is no feeling quite comparable to sinking your hands in the cool dirt, or feeling the soil between your toes. Yes, on occasion, I have been known to kick off my shoes and garden in bare feet. Gardening is one thing that always grounds me, and washes away any stress I may be enduring. It's a thrilling feeling to nurture a seed to it's fullest potential, and watch it bring forth a bountiful harvest.

In 2011, our home was flooded out. Of course there was a big difference in the cost to rebuild ourselves, as opposed to hiring someone to do it. So we chose to rebuild ourselves. So I learned how to install new windows, doors, drywall and finish, insulate, install tile, laminate, and carpeting, plumbing, fencing, as well as vinyl siding, and roofing. I even did some wiring. One of the good things about that flood, is that I learned a lot about building and repair. I even built a really awesome deck on that house. With that knowledge, if I had to, I could build a house. I also discovered that I really enjoy that type of work a lot surprisingly. My dad held a carpenter type job, so if he were alive today, he’d be proud of me. Between my dad, and one of my brother’s, I also know a lot about car repair, and I’ve changed oil and tires several times. I believe that women should know how to do the same things as many men so they’re not helpless.

Though I do support women’s rights, I also fully acknowledge that there are some things men are better at than women, and vice versa. I also am pro-choice, however only when the life of the mother is at risk, or if the child was conceived during rape of molestation. I do not support abortion just because the woman doesn’t want a child. I feel that she already made her choice when she chose to engage in sex. When you choose to have sex with someone, I feel that you’re accepting the risk that you might become pregnant. It’s part of the package.

Though I am liberal, my views on relations between the two genders are still pretty old fashioned, most likely due to my upbringing. My mom was a stay at home mom, and as a child, that was very important to me. I liked coming home from school knowing my mom would be their with some type of homemade cookie, cake, etc. waiting for me. I also appreciated the fact that she was able to help me with my homework, spend time with me, and be there when I was sick. I consider myself lucky that I don’t have to work, so my children are able to have the same upbringing as I did. We’d have a lot more money if I did work, but some things are more important than money I believe, and we live a comfortable life without me working. We also have special needs children, and being a working mother would not fit into the picture very well. I do like to bake as well as cook, and everything I make is homemade, I don’t make anything out of a box. I consider myself to be a good cook, and my husband’s expanding waistline is proof of that. I support equal rights among women and men, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I’m a feminist. I am a typical housewife, and my husband rules the nest, and I’m comfortable with that arrangement probably because that’s what I grew up with.

I am a far left, card carrying liberal if you haven’t already guessed. I’ve been called a tree-hugging liberal hippie more times than I can count, and I wear that badge with pride. Human rights, and the environment are all very important to me. There is not a conservative bone in my body, and I’m proud of that. Being that is the case, I do not support Trump, or any of his policies, and m very outspoken about that. I was raised by liberals who instilled the importance of liberal values, and I have raised my kids with those same values.

I’m also a huge animal lover! I currently have three cats, and a dog, as well as some fish. I fall in love with every animal I meet. Though I’m partial to cats. At our old house, the fish lived in a pond I had built in the backyard. But since we’ve moved into a new house last summer, I haven’t had time to build another pond. Last summer was spent packing, and then unpacking That’s written down on my future to do list, among many other projects.

I hate small talk. I like people with depth who talk about subjects that really matter, or are deep rather than mundane topics. I like to probe the very far reaches of the psyche, and mind. I don’t want to know what’s up. I like intellectually stimulating conversation. Small talk bores me. I also like to people watch, and trying to figure out how other people’s mind functions, and what makes them tick.

I think my biggest flaw is unrealistic expectations. I set incredibly high standards for myself, and I expect nothing less than the best. I have a hard time making myself do something if I feel that I can’t be the absolute best. Unfortunately it doesn’t matter how well I may do at something, I always feel like I can do better.

I'm a very genuine, and real person. What you see, is what you get, and it's unlikely that I will change to suit anyone but myself. I have no problem telling anyone what I think. There is no guessing about my viewpoint. I don't sugar coat anything. If you ask me for my thoughts. I'll tell you exactly what I think.