A little about me...

After a certain age, I think it becomes tricky to describe oneself - are we just a bunch of hobbies or job titles or cities we're from or spouses or alumni or...

Eh. None of that really tells you about me.

Not that I have the simple definition or the perfect way to introduce myself.  I suppose – in that way – I am a microcosm of my generation: A 30-something Gen-Xer who lives mostly in the details, leaving the big picture to someone more vested in defining it…

For me? I like to talk over a glass of wine. I like to cook enormous meals full of things I don’t eat and like to eat baked goods that I can’t bake.

I have an opinion about everything. Roller coasters hurt my neck, but I’m happy to jump out of an airplane. I’d never buy a house without figuring out where the Christmas tree would go first.

I think I’m a good gift giver. I don’t like to sit with my feet on the floor. I miss my pets when I’m at work. I don’t go on many vacations, but I’m up for a roadtrip anytime. Somehow I never managed to get a passport. I look better with a tan. I like high heels with jeans.

This fuzzy, uncommitted life started on a dark & stormy night…

Back in 1975. I was born north of Pittsburgh in a township (not even a full town!) called North Sewickley. I hear that my favorite hobbies back then were projectile vomiting and pestering my folks' dog, Monkey.

My taste is leisure activities improved only marginally over the next decade or so. I went to school and church, joined a Girl Scout troop for the cookies and songs-sung-in-rounds, made decidedly questionable crafts at summer camp, and read Harriet the Spy, oh, a hundred times or so.

Things started to improve around the 5th or 6th grade. I was the only girl on my intramural basketball team (referred to by the coach as Girl), my dad built me an A+ geometry project (even in my 30s, I couldn't make that thing on my own), and my best friend picked up the strange habit of eating mounds of shredded cheese out of a bowl like popcorn. I snagged some jelly bracelets, made some more friends, posed for horrible school pictures.

By the time high school rolled around, I was a slave to hairspray. I had the huge clam bangs that weren’t even hot at the time. I hated riding the bus, loved English classes and had a metabolism I doubt could be rationally explained by science - I slept for at least 12 hours a day and ate half a loaf of bread slathered with cheese and mayo and chased with a half-gallon of milk before dinner. I joined lots of things - tennis, track, school newspaper, debate, etc., etc. Unfortunately, I was the best at debate (not exactly as exciting as winning the big game or something) and ended up winning the state championship and making it to the quarter-final round at nationals.

Onto college. I looked at a lot of schools but was sold on Ohio University within the first five minutes of the guided tour. What a place to go to college! A storybook campus, a great J-school and all sectioned off from the rest of the world by the ruins of Appalachia.

I lived in the dorms for two years and then moved into a big, white house just a block from the downtown. And, from there, into 4 or 5 other places, some of questionable construction. I met amazing people and spent hours, days talking about those "discoveries" that turn out to really be the well-trod trails of human existence.

I hung onto college for a while - snagged a full-time job and took a few more classes, not quite ready for it to end. Eventually, though, it was time to move on...

To Chicago, as it turns out.

I had just been married, finished up a job and lease, sold my car, etc. - basically I was ready to move on but hadn't picked where. So, with two weeks to decide to stay or go, we hopped on the Internet and started checking out cities...

It came down to Boston and Chicago (where I had been for one afternoon for pizza... another story). Turns out Chicago real estate is infinitely more appealing than Boston real estate. So, we rented an apartment online, found an available UHaul, packed up our stuff and my dog and headed north.

Ok, so, I started crying when we pulled into the alley of the place, but things looked much better from the front of the building. And, we ended up living in that apartment for two years and another in that building for two more. We were living one building back from the beach along Lake Michigan... it was pretty perfect.

In another part of the city, I was getting my start at an agency in River North. At first, it was awkward, personalities didn’t click at all, bosses yelled, etc. Eventually, though, I settled into the position my Dad trained me all my life for – Jane of All Trades. Manage huge projects, fuss the details, fix the things that are broken and generally figure it out on your own so that you can teach the people who won’t. That agency was sold and sold again – resulting in many late night chats around the bar on the first floor of that building about what was coming next, who would be laid off, what the new boss would be like, etc…

After 4 years, my husband at the time was ready for something new. He had applied to Ph.D. programs around the country and selected one of the top programs: Ohio State. This time we needed a bigger UHaul.

I’ve been in Columbus for five years now.

I’m single again (after a marriage that simply didn’t work out).

And, have the best job of my life.

I moved from a family neighborhood on the north side to historic German Village downtown. There’s a perfect-for-me townhouse in a walkable neighborhood complete with everything I need to lay down roots: a big park, lots of coffee shops & restaurants, and a great book store.

My dog is getting old like me and now there are two cats who keep us both … up.

In the “in between,” I've jumped out of perfectly good airplanes, careened down the highway on a Harley and hung over the side of a sailboat to keep it from flipping in the wind. While I would never trade the chance for more adventure, I do love the peculiar sounds of a backyard at night and cooking elaborate meals for friends I love. I am growing older like all my friends, but, still, not quite grown up and not really planning to be any time soon.

You can reach me at lhouseholder@gmail.com

Comments

[joyce]

Leigh,

I just finished reading some of your blog and you seem like a really interesting person. Are you still in Columbus? I had a close friend that worked in Columbus and lived in Pickerington. Anyway, I find your bloggy stuff fascinating. You appear to be articulate, educated and creative.

[Richard]

Hi Leigh,

I've long been a fan of your Advergirl blog (I'm a creative in the business, and it's up on my Bookmarks Bar...). And now I've discovered this one. I like your style: it's very readable with great observations and insight.

I'm tempted to do the same myself. Must be cathartic. Keep up the good work.

Richard x

[Jayme]

Love your about me section. I know how daunting it is to fit your entire life into the little box labeled "About Me". Would love some advice on the blog world and how to improve mine if you ever have any time to share.
And ps..your 30-something age is far from old...you seem more active and adventurous than those in their twenties.
Nicely done...

Jayme
www.adollarsigndollarsign.blogspot.com