User Profile

Hi there, my name is Lisa. Well lucky you for coming across my new profile (dissertation, more like) after I accidentally deleted my old concise one. I was feeling a little introspective when I wrote this, obviously (juuust a smidgen). Don't feel bad if you don't have time to read the whole thing. Hopefully I'll have the time and will to trim it down soon.

So, here I am at my fuzzy, this-web-cam-is-an-older-than-dirt-piece-of-crap best:


You know people always want to know "which is it" about a person. Are you good or bad? Sweet or sour? Soft spoken or loud? Cool or a big neurotic dork? Ambitious or a procrastinator? yadda yadda... well I'm both, depending on my circumstances or mood. It's not a black or white, cut and dry deal here. We're multi-faceted creatures. For instance, I am very out-going and affectionate, but quite standoffish until I feel I can trust you; I'm artistic AND financially responsible; I'm practical, but will pack a satchel and head someplace I've never been on a whim; I despise vulgarity, but read and write dirty smut. I am very understanding, but that doesn't mean that I don't get irritated as fuck and vent from time to time. I also curse more often than I'd like, but I'm working on that.

Life has taught me a lot. It's not wise or practical to put labels on people or see them as cast from a certain mold; you'll just end up feeling fooled and betrayed by them, when in reality it was your own judgments that did the fooling. You think sizing somebody up and sticking a label on them simplifies things for you, but it's really less stressful to keep an open mind and be accepting; not be in such a hurry to figure people out. Enjoy the surprises.

Dichotomy fascinates me. I feel sad for people who don't express any contradictory personality traits or interests. I'm all too familiar with this person...they're afraid people won't like or accept them so instead of just letting their hair down and being themselves, they are projecting an image. It makes me sad for them because you can't experience true love and acceptance if you feel that people are in love with an image you project instead of who you really are.

What I'm saying, in a long, drawn out, convoluted way, is that all you can do is be yourself. Even if somebody doesn't particularly like or get you, they will at the very least respect your authenticity. But I'm totally off topic now. So, about me...

I AM A MOTHER. And a very proud mother at that! of a 21 year old son, Kyle, who is way too much like me personality-wise. Luckily we like ourselves (for the most part) so our similarities don't cause conflict. Much. Like anybody his age, he's trying to define his passion, find his purpose, and figure out which career path he wants to take. He is torn between being a veterinarian, a vet tech, or physics teacher. My advice is just pick one, life isn't permanent, it's an experience, but you know, I'm happy to provide a safe place for him to figure it all out on his own. It's just us, my cat Earl, goofy dog Zeke and, for the time being, my mother's dog Lacy who just turned 12, which is pretty old for a German Shepherd. They are the first to greet me when I rise and bring so much joy to my life. They sure do shed a lot though. If I vacuumed as often as required to keep the lovely line of fur from crawling the baseboards, I'd have no time for the important stuff like cooking from scratch, spending time with my mom & grandma, volunteer work, and thumb wrestling my son (or LOSING at thumb wrestling I should say. where did this kid get his freakishly long thumbs from? Not me, not his dad, not my parents. It's a very odd thing.) And why does all the dog fur collect along the perimeter of my apartment anyway? Doesn't it make more sense for it to be actually on the carpet where they lie? Don't they know what a pain the ass it is to use that vacuum attachment to suck it up with? I should buy a carpet rake. It would be much quicker and easier.

What else about me... I am a practicing Buddhist. Basically non-denominational, but if I had to pin-point it, I live by a blend of Mahayana, Zen, and Tantric philosophies. I march to my own drummer. I am open to evolving and changing my outlook when necessary. I like to look at things from different perspectives.

I am empathetic and vulnerable, but not weak. I have reasonable boundaries and will enforce them. I also respect the boundaries of others.

I believe love, respect, friendship, compassion and forgiveness are necessary to my happiness and are all VERBS -- something I should DO and express. Love can also be something that you just are, and I try to do that; to be love. I would also love to be in love, if I could ever meet a kindred in male form.

I am human and err often. I am also quick to apologize and ask for forgiveness. I still have so much to learn and have many flaws and quirks, but overall I think I'm a good egg. I try. I am authentic. I am grateful. I live with integrity. Do I sound like I've read one too many personal growth books? Heh heh that may be so, but I am sincere. It comes from the heart.

I love music!!! I play the harmonica, but not professionally. Professionally, I'm a part-time substitute teacher and also work as a care provider at a group home for adolescents with behavioral and emotional handicaps. I love my work, but it doesn't quite pay the bills. I supplement my income with my handmade crafts and art (jewelry, soap, candles, pillows, batik) and I tie-dye and sell all fabrics and garments -- mostly bandanas, saris, t-shirts, and sheets. I have done seasonal catering in the past and hope to start that again this year. Whatever it takes to get through school -- I'm a full-time student majoring in Nutrition & Psychology. My ultimate goal is to work with the morbidly obese and people with food addictions and/or poor body image. I want to help people learn to love themselves for who they are on the inside. We're all beautiful and unique. We all have a right to happiness, love, and respect, just because we are here and we exist. Once we realize that, we can reshape anything we want.

I don't know what else to say, but that's OK I've been long-winded enough already (I can do that...I've been a non-smoker for 5 1/2 years now). My interests below pretty much cover the rest. If you friend me, I'll friend you back. I do not judge people, I'm interested in meeting people from all walks of life. Namaste

Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live,
It is asking others to live as one wishes to live.
-- Oscar Wilde