Hi! I’m Lisa – and I’m the author of this blog. You needed to be told that, right? I started this blog in 2002 – you can see all the archives here, if you care to browse. I live in Wisconsin – originally from Texas, and live in the Southeastern part of the state. What we small-towners refer to as “the Milwaukee-area” – which really isn’t near Milwaukee, at all – but it’s easier for the rest of the world to figure out where I am on a global scale. For the most part, when I tell people I’m from Wisconsin, I get a blank stare . . then I say – - “You know, Milwaukee – the home of cheese, beer and Laverne & Shirley?” – - Then I get the understanding “Ahhh.” My small town is actually West Bend – - but aside from the cooking appliances, who has really heard of West Bend, anyways?
I like small town living, though. We live out in the country – our nearest neighbor is about about 1/2 mile away. And yet, we still get high speed internet access out here – that rocks.
Why is the name of my blog “Just A Girl” ? Because of this, of course
I am the owner of E.Webscapes which is a blog design and web development studio. I also own Blogs About Hosting – which is a blog and webhosting service. I’m a Registered Nurse and for 15 years I spent working in the area of Home Hospice, providing care for terminally ill patients in their homes. A little over a year ago, I quit nursing full time and dove full time into my design and hosting business and haven’t looked back since.
I do miss nursing, in part. I think after 15 years I suffered a bit of burn-out on the caregiver end…and working for myself, doing something I truly enjoy was something I couldn’t turn my back on. Returning to nursing in the future is not out of the realm of my possibilities..and I do keep up my skills by working on an on-call basis for the hospice, as my schedule permits. Though, I am finding more and more that with the blog design and hosting business, my time available for nursing is very limited. I keep hiring talented designers to help me with the work flow – - but somehow, my schedule never really opens up the way I think it should!
My husband, Chris and I got married in June 2006 in a beautiful outdoor ceremony in upstate New York. We’d been together for 5 years prior to the wedding – - so I guess we decided it was time I make an honest man outta him. He is the owner of a very successful business of his own. We both work out of our home offices – but suprisingly don’t get in each other’s hair. Each in our own office, we surface in the kitchen 3-4 times a day to share quick 15-20 minute coffee breaks with one another before hitting the grindstone for the day. He is the love of my life and my greatest love story ever told!
Before Chris? I was once married in 1989. Divorced in 1993. Big mistake, don’t ask. However, the part that was not a mistake was the product of that marriage — two bright and beautiful kids, Benjamin and Melissa. Ben was 1 1/2 and Melissa was 10 months old when I divorced. I have full legal custody and an ex-husband who is absent in the role of father. The kids are now 16 and 15 years old . . I’ve raised them by myself all these years and have the gray hairs to prove it!
My likes? Candles, Golden Margaritas – shaken, no ice.. no salt, Black Russian on ice, Jazz, Norah Jones, Tori Amos, snow, scuba diving (PADI OW certified – going for advanced sometime in the next year), downhill skiing, fishing, camping, gambling, chocolate, thunderstorms, Williams and Sonoma.
My dislikes? Marmite, polka music, jealousy, sucking up, insincerity, being tickled.
People who know me say I have no sense of humor. I know the truth, however – my sense of humor is very ecclectic and sorta fringe. Folks stare at me blankly when I say I didn’t like the movie “Stripes” or “Animal House” or “Throw Mamma from the Train”. The ‘comedy greats’ never really knocked my socks off . . like, Steve Martin, John Candy, Dan Akroid. Give me some Eddie Izzard or Lewis Black stand up comedy any day of the week … or even some classic Monty Python, and I’m happy.
Music? Oh yes! My first go-round in college had me majoring in Vocal Performance with a Music Education minor. I’ve studied vocal jazz, opera and contemporary. For 5 years, I made a living as the lead singer in various local rock bands: an ’80′s female rock cover band .. ya know, Benatar, Heart, Smyth..) . . . I also rocked out some blues in a band called Kidd Sister…and when I wasn’t busy, I belted out jazz at a local smokey jazz club, or hired myself out as a wedding soloist. I play the piano, also. Then I had kids – and I had to grow up and get a real job to make some real dough. Hence, nursing school.
Muscial favorites?
Pink Floyd
Metallica
Rush
Tori Amos
Norah Jones
Etta James
Jazz piano
Yngwie Malmsteen
Andrés Segovia
…to name a few
Give me a nice, warm glass of B&B Dom, a roaring fire, a candlelit room filled with Nag Champa incense burning . . . a plate of pears with some fresh brie – - and I’m a happy girl.
I’m a girl. I want a lot of things in life. All I really want is whirled peas.
Give me a fresh layer of snow, my ski’s and a crisp winter night on the ski hill – I’m equally happy.
Give me fresh espresso in the early morning hours, I’m content.
Give me an open campfire and a sleeping bag underneath the stars . . a stick and a bag of marshmallows – - color me thrilled!
Give me an iPod with all my favorite music and a chair to curl up in . . . I’m in heaven.
Above all else? Give me something to do – - I can’t STAND being idle!
[...] Next up we have Lisa S. at RightVoices.com. Is she right (as in politically right-of-center)? Or is she right (as in correct)? Let’s have a look: [...]