自己紹介

That's the kanji for Jikoshoukai, or self-introduction. As a representative of internationalism and English teacher in Japan, I was expected to have one ready at all times. These presentations were fairly formal (Japan being formal- shocking, I know) and were meant to include photos and other momentos from a person's life. The department of education encouraged us to prepare for them almost from the moment we were hired and to construct our spiel with the student audience in mind. Presents like pencils with flags on them, stickers or candy gave me my 15 minutes of fame with those kids.

The Holidailies prompt for December 1 recommends such an introduction of myself/myblog, but the strange thing about a blog is its absence of distinct audience. By selecting certain topics (if only I had catagories... soon, grasshoppers!) the blogger creates an audience, which turns my standard writing process inside-out. Come closer, my pretties.

Like moving to a new town, each introduction affords a contrived opportunity to choose which way I'll roll next. For now I'm sticking with "Confident, yet friendly." Toby is "Cranky, yet flirtaceous." Personas! Incomplete, yet fun to invent!

Obviously the problem is that my blog, like my brain, is a stunningly exquisite gem defying categorization. Ahem.

Mommy blog? Ugh- I hate the word mommy in self-reference. And the color yellow. And when people finger butter knives absent-mindedly. And, above all, automatons including those hideous lighted holiday deer looking to-and-fro, to-and-fro, to-and-oh you get the point.

Music blog? I am a classical musician with a flippin debt-inducing doctorate, but I also love to play off charts in rock-pop-jazz-country-folk groups. And I listen to everything, including rap, though I don't like much new country. I bet I have a cd every single one of my readers would like (all four!). I'm too cheap to buy enough music to be a reviewer, though. I also have the bad habit of listening to the same 3 discs exclusively, mostly while driving. Very unprofessional.

Christian blog? I guess you have me there. While that certainly informs who I am, I don't write directly about it much.

Foodie blog? If I thought anyone would send me free stuff to try, I would gladly become a foodblogger. I like cooking and recipes. Send me some, I'll eat them right up.*

*Unless they have beef, chicken, turkey, pork, almonds, walnuts, pecans, peaches, plums, apples, cherries or a bunch of other things in them. I am a delicate flower.

Weight loss blog? See above.

Wanna-be runner blog? Again, above. I've been a runner off and on for the past (GASP!) 12 years. If I was able to keep it up consistantly, I would be faster and skinnier by now. Bah.

So, welcome Holidailies-eristas. My persona is up for revision. はじめまして。 Consider us introduced.