Being the baby sister made a huge impact on me growing up. It forced me to push out of my comfort zone for any sort of independence; (e.g. walking to school for a moment alone), it gave me a perspective of family relationships that is a testament to unconditional love; it made me kinder, more appreciative and yet someone who despises sharing; it provided--and continues to provide--me a home beyond four walls which knows no boundaries; and it has provided me with endless hours of laughter, anger, bickering, consoling, sharing, and enjoyment with many more to come.
As a young girl, I wrote books of poems--one of which I used to break up with a boyfriend--read books way past my bedtime, spent all of my allowance developing photos I had taken and breezed through writing intensive courses without effort. Throughout college, I wrote creative short stories and long argumentative papers that challenged my range of knowledge and pushed my creativity to new limits. I presented thesis papers at conferences and won scholastic honors for my research.
Post college I entered the world of marriage and mommy-hood, which enlightened me to adult responsibilities and real world irony like nothing else I had ever witnessed. These experiences alone could fill thousands of pages and I’ve often thought of creating “How To” manuals for the poor naive young women who are about to venture into this land mined filled territory.
In recent years, I’ve taken to journaling, exploring digital photography, and digital video editing. My life experiences have brought me to a culminating place where I can combine my passion for all of these things, along with my love for fashion and flair for creativity into a career. Although becoming a freelance writer has been an evolutionary process, the art of expression itself has been a consistent part of my life and all of the experiences I have had along the way. Whether it be working as a graphic designer or on a video documentary of a race horse, the projects I have taken on over the years have had an important impact on my ability to see and convey them from more than one perspective.
Always the one my family and friends turn to in a pinch for anything from a last minute wedding toast to a cunning or witty remark, I keep my cell phone close by for any and all vernacular emergencies.
One of the most memorable things I have ever written is the opening line in the eulogy letter I wrote to my father, “Hi Dad. It’s me, the caboose.” It brought a room full of grown men to tears and to this day, is still remarked upon.
Many years out of college and lots of real life experiences later, I have begun to share publicly the humor, satire and irony I find in life’s every day conversations and circumstances. My life isn’t so much different from any one else’s... I’m just a wife, daughter, sister, aunt, friend and every day mom (housekeeper, taxi-driver, personal chef and family social planner) living the Life of a Rock Star™.
Au revoir for now...n
2008 Copyright Nicole Hanratty
