ginawrites

Woman. Mother. Writer. Feminist. Peace-monger.

My name is Gina. I'm 38 years old, married with three kids. I grew up in RI, and have lived in CT for the past 16 years. I have a Master's Degree in Social Work and have worked as a drug and alcohol abuse counselor with pregnant women, a suicide prevention counselor, and most recently as a psychiatric social worker at a children's out-patient clinic. Then I decided that working outside the home 40 hours per week was leaving far too little time to spend with my family, so I am now a full-time mom. It's a decision that has brought me great peace.
I began keeping a journal when I was 10 years old. My first journal was a blue five year diary with lock and key, given to me by my 4th grade teacher, Miss Price. I've been journaling ever since. Although the intent of this blog is primarily to share my family's news with friends and relatives, I suspect that I will also post the occasional poem, essay, or personal philosophical tangent. (Okay, I know I will!)
And now, allow me to introduce the cast of the drama that is my life:

GLENN - My husband. He's awesome.
JACK - My first born, 12 yr. old son. He's smart, sensitive, complex, and theatrical. An old soul.
CHLOE - My 8 yr. old daughter, the middle child. She's funny, energetic, loving, and lives for the moment. She walks on sunshine.
CASEY - My youngest son, 3 yrs. old. He's still a mystery. Every time we think we've finally got him figured out, he changes! We all love him like crazy.
MOM & DAD - My parents. They live in RI.
BOB & JOYCE - My in-laws. They also live in RI.
KEV & CHRISTIN - My brother and his wife. They are artists, and they have a cool dog named Scout. They live in RI, too.
DAREN & BEV - Glenn's brother & his wife. They have two kids, and they don't live in RI. They live in MA.

Other things you should know:

- I am a Unitarian Universalist. No dogma. Lots of love. Lots of questions. It works for me.
- I am shy until I feel comfortable . . . and it takes a while before I'm comfortable.
- Nothing makes me happier than good poetry.
- I suck at small talk.
- I think it would be cool to live in Bermuda.
- In high school I was voted Most Caring and Most Gullible.
- I think everyone should have a therapist.
- I am energized by sharing time with close friends and feeling really connected.
- But sometimes I really crave alone time.
- I used to be hip but now I'm mostly just kind of old and weird.
- My nose is pierced.
- I worry that people will judge me as too weird.
- I also worry that people will judge me as too normal.
- It's dificult for me to find a happy medium.
- I love tag sales and flea markets.
- I love ice cream.
- I'm ultra liberal.
- I can't sing but I wish I could.
- I have serious doubts about education as an institution. But I could never in a million years home school my kids. Never. Ever. Not gonna happen.
- Snail mail letters make me happy.
- I'm always searching for something.
- I want to go to sleep-away camp.
- I make up songs with extremely immature lyrics to amuse my children. It works.