About CurlyGirl

Now that I've had this blog for a few weeks, I realize that what I am about to write should have been the very first thing I wrote... Oh well. It's never to late to correct a mistake . . . right?

Curly Girl

Who am I?

I am a fun-loving, generally cheerful, brunette extrovert. I love people - especially people who smile at me, although sometimes the people who never smile are just as interesting. Or have the more interesting stories. (I recently finished a year-and-a-half stint in customer service at a telecom company, and the phone calls that I remember most fondly were with the people who were least friendly.)

Sometimes I think that I love places just as much as I love people. I live in a suburb of Los Angeles - not the Valley, thank you very much! - and I absolutely love it here. The sunshine, the palm trees, the spicy scent of the eucalyptus tree that I love even though it constantly sheds on my car, the sunny glint of the ocean on a clear day, the mountains glowing pink in the sunset... Sometimes I walk outside and smile just because I'm here.

I spent my college years in a midwestern city, and it was just as gorgeous, but in a different way. Downtown was full of old buildings that sometimes made me feel like I was in a little part of New York City . . . or maybe a Hollywood soundstage. October is far and away my favorite month of the year, and October in the midwest defies description. The leaves, the air, the pumpkins, the bonfires... But winter in the northern midwest also defies description, which is why I am happily back in southern California!

I got my college degree in media communication, and since then I have been an administrative assistant (several times), a customer service specialist, a warehouse envelope-stuffer, a voicemail specialist at a phone company, a freelance editor and a freelance greeting card writer. (That last one is my favorite. I get such a kick out of sending in my greetings and actually receiving a check in return!) It's probably time to find a job that I really love, but what I really love to do is tell stories - in writing, photos, video, etc. - and I've discovered that I'd rather tell my stories in my own time. I don't want to sit at my computer all day long, trying desperately to meet deadlines and satisfy bosses. I'd rather work at a job that I enjoy well enough and use my own leisure time to tell stories my way, at my pace.

Right now, I'm camping out with my mom in the most adorable little back-garden guest cottage you have ever seen! She was generous enough to allow her almost-twenty-six-year-old single daughter to move in with her while hunting a job. Have no fear: Once the job is found, I will be moving out!

One of my old college roommates used to say that adventure follows me wherever I go. Personally, I think it has more to do with my attitude than anything else. (Tramping through a harvested cornfield in the dark on a Friday night in a light snow while searching for the perfect autumnal decorations can be an adventure if you look at it the right way. Heck, having your car break down on the side of the interstate in the middle of Utah's desert can be an adventure, too! It's all in how you look at it.) Sometimes I do things just because I think it will be an adventure, and sometimes I do them because I figure I need more stories to tell my future grandchildren. I like to think that it makes me an interesting friend to have.

Curly Girl Style

Well, if you want to talk actual style in the fashion world . . . my fashion sense is absolutely fabulous. Unfortunately, I tend to lose my nerve when actually leaving the house, which means I end up wearing very basic outfits that bore me to tears. I'm working on that.

But enough about fashion - for now, at least. The best way to get to know someone is to learn about a few of their favorite things, so I'm here to share!

Raindrops on roses are lovely, but I generally prefer daisies and violets and daffodils and everyday flowers. And when it comes to weather, I like the wind. The fierce rain and lightning of a good ol' fashioned thunderstorm is also okay with me. (I can live without the tornadoes, though.) I spent my childhood in the hill country of Nebraska, where 'weather' means 'run for cover!' Good times, good times...

As for whiskers on kittens . . . well, I prefer dogs.

Bright copper kettles are certainly pretty, but I really don't cook. I can handle various pastas, and I have a couple of go-to casseroles for company, but other than that, the cheap IKEA pots and pans will do very well for the amount of cooking that I do - or don't do.

Warm woolen mittens? Yeah . . . I live in southern California.

...And that's enough from The Sound of Music! (I'm probably rambling enough already without going through the entire song!) So very quickly, here are a few more of my favorites:

- Tea. Coffee and I are friends, but tea and I are in a relationship.

- Dr. Pepper. I try not to drink too much soda, but when I do, it has to be DP.

- Bluegrass. Yes, I know - sometimes it's annoying - but I'm here to say that bluegrass music is not always annoying! Sometimes it's very fun! Besides, I like any kind of music that makes me want to dance...

- Friends. As in the television show. It's a wonderful thing.

- TV in general. It's addicting. My current favorite is Psych on the USA Network. It's like Hardy Boys meet Nancy Drew.

- Books. I'm a bit of a literature nerd, although my absolute favorites tend to be for a younger audience.

- Movies. For a girl who likes to tell stories, television, books and movies are like manna from Heaven.

- England, Ireland and Scotland. I spent a semester studying in the UK in college, and I fell in love. I would live in London if I could figure out a way.

- Travel. I love exploring new places. Samantha Brown (from the Travel Channel) is one of my heroes!

I'll think of more random favorites later. That's probably enough for now, don't you think? Actually, if you're still reading, I'm impressed! Now you know a little more about me . . . so tune in sometimes! It should be fun!