5 Things You Didn't know about Me

You know I love animals and photography. You probably also know I moved to Florida in 2018. But did you know I was born in Colorado? Yep, my parents drove across the country for their honeymoon so my dad could start his graduate studies at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. While he was working on his Ph.D. my parents started their family.

Here’s a few other fun facts about me -

1.     I’ve been a vegetarian for over 30 years. I never liked meat much when I was a kid, always preferring peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to the traditional turkey at Thanksgiving. So making the transition wasn’t that hard for me. Since I made the change, I’ve never looked back. I will say it is easier to be a vegetarian today than it was back then. With more options at main stream grocery stores and restaurants, it’s possible to go meatless just for some of your meals. While I don’t eat meat or fish, I do eat dairy and only free range eggs.

2.     I was born with a hearing loss. It took my parents 5 years to figure this out, and there is no medical explanation for it.  My speech skills were very good in spite of my disability. It wasn’t until my pre-school teacher noticed I didn’t react to loud sounds like everyone else in my class did that my parents had me tested. Being different was hard for me growing up, which is why I gravitated toward animals to cope (they never judge and didn’t care that I didn’t fit in).

3.     I didn’t grow up with dogs. But I wanted one after I met my swim instructor’s Labrador retriever. Her black lab used to swim in the pool before my class started and I just fell in love with him. My parents are cat people, so no amount of begging and pleading was going to get me a dog. But I never stopped dreaming of having a retriever and finally in my 30s, I adopted my first dog - a golden retriever named Mika.

4.     When I semi-retire, I want to travel the country in an RV taking landscape photos and doing pet portrait sessions. I have so many places I want to explore and photograph, this would be the best of both worlds for me. From Maine, to Oregon, Montana to Texas, so many places to see, so little time. Wouldn’t it be awesome to have photos of your dog in Rocky Mountain National Park, your family portrait in Zion National Park or to wake up on the shores of Lake Michigan???

5.     I don’t watch much TV. When I do, it’s usually tuned to HGTV and home remodeling shows. If I wasn’t passionate about photography, I’d probably be an interior decorator. However, I can’t help but wonder how much waste we throw away because a trend is no longer popular. Ultimately, I think classic styles with quality products is the way to go. Less waste, more taste!  

Do have any questions for me about me? Share them in the comments below!