I glanced up from my work this morning and was startled to find this gal spying on me through the sliding glass door.
Weirdly, I was just telling Tara I wanted to smoke a turkey on the Traeger next. Is this a sign or what?! Wild turkeys are common in my ‘hood; our first summer here, a whole family of ’em – mom, dad, and six of the fluffiest little chicks you ever did see – regularly paraded through our yard, but I didn’t see any last year.
One morning last week, walking through the park, I spotted this fella.
You know that scene in Elf when Buddy is trekking to New York, spots a raccoon, and tries to give it a hug? Totally me. Or it would have been me if this guy hadn’t scampered up a tree instead. (Based on how Buddy’s encounter played out, maybe this was for the best.)
Ever since reading Sterling North’s Rascal in third grade, I have been fascinated with raccoons. Ironically, North’s book – which recounts his childhood in southern Wisconsin with his pet raccoon, Rascal – takes place within spitting distance of Lake Koshkonong. Today, I live within spitting distance of Lake Koshkonong, and North’s childhood home is now a museum one town over (it’s on our bucket list). That’s a seriously strange coincidence! In any case, I have long dreamed of having my own pet raccoon, though I’m pretty sure Laverne and Shirley would not be amused.
I don’t usually go for this stuff, but Brian nominated me for a Sunshine Blogger Award that’s been making the rounds, and I thought I’d play along. I like the questions, and this saves me the trouble of coming up with something else to write about besides wild animals. So, without further ado:
What is your morning routine?
Assuming I haven’t died in my sleep, I get up at 4:55 a.m. Check the weather, throw on some workout clothes, and go for an hourlong walk, either outdoors or on the treadmill. Shower, get dressed. Play Wordle and Connections. Drink coffee and fix a simple breakfast (e.g., some combination of Greek yogurt, granola bar, cereal, banana, bagel, or a hard boiled egg). If I’m working from home, it’s a leisurely morning; commuting to Madison involves a mad dash out the door one hour before I log on, with my coffee in a travel mug and breakfast in a bag. I usually listen to a podcast on the drive to work. I treat myself to Dunkin’ or Starbucks on Wednesdays, and on Thursdays, I skip my walk so I can sleep in for an extra hour+.
What is your favorite season? Why?
Jacobsen’s Pure Flake Sea Salt. It’s a great flavor enhancer, and the size of the flakes means a little bit goes a long way.
Oh, wait. I read that wrong. OK, I’m going with autumn. Isn’t that everyone’s choice? Cooler temperatures, less humidity, pumpkins, fall colors, football, cozy blankets, NO MORE MOSQUITOES. What’s not to love?!
What is your favorite childhood memory?
A warm summer night in Ohio, a grassy field ablaze with fireflies, Bob Seger on the transistor radio. I wrote about it here. To this day, I can’t listen to “Against the Wind” without thinking of that long-ago night when I found myself chasing something I hadn’t even lost yet.
Who or what has been your most unlikely teacher?
Not to sound narcissistic, but me.
I wanted to be a professional writer and knew I had talent and skills but zero experience. I found myself trapped in manufacturing-based customer service jobs and, at my lowest point, I worked in a call center, answering hundreds of calls a day and barely earning minimum wage.
Scratch that: at my lowest point, I was unemployed for nearly two years. My marriage had crashed and burned. I was dead broke. But instead of giving up hope, I put together a plan. Took unpaid gigs and shelled out articles for content farms for a few pennies a word just to build a portfolio. Wrote a novel, and when I couldn’t land a literary agent, turned to a self-publishing company instead. The best way to be a writer, I figured, was to act like I was a writer. And you know what? People took notice. I scratched and clawed my way into a legitimate writing job, and from there, never looked back.
I didn’t learn how to do this in a classroom. I taught myself how to become a writer and, through hard work, determination, and more than a little stubbornness, turned a series of dead-end soul-crushing jobs into a career I love.
What are you most proud of?
See above. My ability to embrace change and manifest the life I want. I’ve never been afraid to blow up everything I’ve built and start over from scratch if it leads to bigger and better things. Sometimes, more than once. Life is too short to settle for anything less than everything.
What is something that surprises people about you?
The fact that I’m an introvert. I don’t come across that way on the blog, or even in person with people I’m familiar with, but I tend to clam up around strangers and will never be comfortable in social settings.
What motivated you to start blogging?
A desire to channel my creative energy while chronicling my life. Blogging is the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone. The friendships that have followed (not to mention a marriage!) were an unexpected bonus but arguably the best thing about blogging.
What forms of entertainment do you enjoy the most?
Music is my passion. Spotify went down for 30 minutes one day last week and I was lost. I can’t work without music, I can’t drive without music, and I certainly can’t spend a Saturday night without music. Tara and I bonded over music and, once we got together, attended so many concerts we long ago lost track of the exact number. At least 100, probably a lot more.
If you are a book reader, do you prefer a paper copy or a digital copy?
I’m Team Kindle, baby! You just can’t beat the convenience or the portability. It’s like having a virtual bookstore with millions of titles just a click away. I can change the font type and size, spacing, brightness, etc. with a few finger swipes. Take notes, highlight passages, look up unfamiliar words. I check out most of my e-books from the library using the Libby app. Pro tip: if you haven’t finished your book by the due date, turn on Airplane mode. Your loan is “returned” but the book is saved to your device until you connect to Wi-Fi again.
What’s your favorite music genre, and who is your favorite singer?
Rock ‘n roll of all kinds…indie, classic rock, alternative, grunge. And if Bruce Springsteen is the one singing the songs, even better. I’ve seen him in concert twice, and those shows are my top two favorites. I even got to hug him once.
What societal causes do you care about the most?
There’s a great ugliness spreading through Mexico: cat juggling. We must do something to stop this!
Thanks for the nomination, Brian! I won’t tag anyone in particular; if you feel like answering these questions in your own post, have at it. You’re all rays of sunshine to me!
Mark My Words 
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