Who's Life Am I Living?

This is me…

1. I am 31 years old.
2. I live in the Southeastern portion of the United States.
3. I am the oldest child and grandchild in my family.
4. I am one of the few members of my family who actually graduated high school.
5. I am the ONLY member of the family to go to college.
6. I went even further and have obtained a master’s degree in education. I plan to work on my doctorate degree in the next couple of years.
7. I am a middle school teacher. That’s right, I work with the 11 – 13 year olds of the world. I love my job more than I could ever say. I was put on this Earth to teach.
8. I am a very loyal friend. I would do just about anything for them.
9. I love my family…even if they are nothing like.
10. I am the black sheep of my family. (baaaaaaaaaa!)
11. I am obsessed with New York City. I travel there at least one a year. It feels like home, and someday it just might become my home.
12. I love music, almost all kinds. I was raised on country music. But, now, my tastes have evolved. I listen to mostly top 40 music with a mix of country. As long as it does not give me a migraine, I can listen to it.
13. I am a huge fan of movies. Dramas tend to be my favorite. I like movies that really make you think and stir emotions. Independent films are also some of the best.
14. I am also a fan of the theatre. I am fortunate to live in an area where quality productions are close enough for me to see them. (No more than about 3 hours aways at max.)
15. I was born and raised to be a Tennessee Vols fanatic. I cannot help it, my blood runneth orange.
16. I know ALL the words to Rocky Top. (Believe me, unless you are a true Vols fan, you won’t know them all.)
17. I don’t like watching sports on television. I would rather be at the game. I especially like to watch college football, baseball, hockey and tennis.
18. My students and I joke that I am OCD (obssessive compulsive) and ADD (attention deficit disorder). I can talk and move at over 100 miles per hour, but I am also one of the biggest neat freaks I know. I have to have everything just so. It drives my students nuts.
19. I love to read biographies. I guess it goes to my nosey nature. I like to know what has happened in peoples lives that make them who they are or were. By far one of my favorites has been “Me,” by Katharine Hepburn. It was like sitting in her living room and listening to her tell the stories of her life.
20. I am addicted to CNN! I have this need to be in the know.
21. I am also addicted to Facebook and Myspace. (I swore that I would never be, but there you go.)
22. I am a democrat…the only one in the entire family.
23. I am gay…the only one in the entire family. (That I know of.)
24. Given the region of the country I live in, and in my chosen profession, I do not publicize the fact that I am gay. Not that it should matter, but there is a fear of being sought out and forced out of a school system that I have come to love. Even in this time of great change and greater acceptance, my part of the country is slower than others to move. Luckily, I have a support group of friends and other educators (that are gay) who support and love me.
25. I would love to live in a bigger city. One that is more accepting of everyone in society. It is not easy to find a city like that in the Southeastern portion of the United States.

Well, as you can probably tell, I am many things. My life has so many twists and turns in it that my Tom Tom (GPS system) would look at the map of my life and go “No Way in Hell.”

I am finally beginning to live my life as the real me. I have spent so many years denying and hiding the real me, that I am just now learning who I am and who I want to become in life.

Thanks for checking in on me and for hopping on board this roller coaster with me.

– J.

Just an awesome picture of how I sometime feel. (Extremely visible, but hiding my emotions and who I really am.)