Allow me to introduce myself. I’m quirky, enthusiastic (less so as I age) and direct. I’m the youngest of a large family, heavily dominated by women. I’m a proud, almost fanatical resident of San Francisco. Fanatical in my love for the city, not my politics. I moved here on January 1st 2000 to take a corporate job that gave me an incredible amount of experience and is the only time I’ve had prolonged insomnia. I’ve loved it ever since and to this day get a thrill coming in over any of our bridges. I’m a closet creative, having spent a lot of time in the corporate mindset and world I have all but lost the creative streak in me and am attempting to find it again with this class. I’m an unconventional wife in a fresh and very happy marriage. Recently I started my hand at gardening and have found that I am quite good at it. I have an incredibly overactive mind and level of focus and divert some of that through physical exercise. And now meditation, on the days I can get myself focused enough to spend 15 minutes breathing. I’m funny and even though I claim to dislike sarcasm, a little on the sarcastic side. I’m a big believer in the basics, like being good to people. This was grilled into me at a young age with the plaque permanently over our family dining room table encouraging us to ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’. Along with my mother’s final words to us every day when we got out of the car to go to school, ‘Do something good for someone today’. My mother is someone who is heavy on my mind these days, she’s not well and who the hell knows how to deal with parents being sick and incapable of caring for themselves. I keep wishing someone would tell me or that there is a book I can read. Three things about me that most people would be surprised to know: People are surprised I’m from the West Coast; I’ve lost count of people who think I’m from Boston. I feel that cursing is a necessary part of my vocabulary; some things just can’t be said without a few good expletives thrown in. I’m lively and bright on the outside but quite often dark and cynical on the inside.