Brother and Son
Nobody has been more influential in my life and identity than my mom.
I was close enough to my dad and got to get to know him fairly well while he was around, and his side of the family always felt closer somehow, but my mom raised me, we spent so much time together, and felt deeply connected in a way nobody else came close to.
I remember our long talks at night, and going to community college and law school classes with her when I was a kid.
She always used to talk aboutbeing called a「 stupid, crazy, bitch 」by so many horrible men who she had to deal with professionally - and to this day I still hold out hope that she will write a book by that name about her experiences and about how powerful, capable women are dismissed first as not knowing anything, then as being irrational, and then, once it's no longer deniable that they were right, as being bitches.
I love her so much and am thankful every day for how she brought me up and that she didn't burden me with religion.
My sister and I are close. She is an anesthesiologist and has helped me a lot over the years.
Doctor
No not that kind of doctor, but I do have a Ph.D. in physics - in no small part because although I never had any real「 heroes 」growing up, Dr. Sam Becket from Quantum Leap resonated with me very deeply and was truly an inspiration. From the very first episode, there was just something magical to me about that character, and the show, and Sam's relationship with Al, and even though some things admittedly don't hold up so well today, it still remains my favourite by far, and as absurd as it sounds, it is not an exaggeration to say that I got my doctorate, in part, becuase Sam had one.
Pilot
Flying was something I always loved. In retrospect, I probably should have figured out a way to do it sooner, but I finally got my private pilot's license in 2021. I don't get to use it nearly as often as I'd like, but just like being a doctor, it feels great to be a pilot and to know that I can just get in a plane and fly.
Cook
I wouldn't claim to be a great chef but there are a few things I can make relatively well including my recent weekly tradition of pizza which is actually getting pretty.. pretty good.
Kind but not「 Nice 」
A lot of people who don't know me well tend to misread me and assume that I'm wishy-washy or a push-over, OR if they overstep a boundary, they tend to think I'm an asshole.
The truth is, I'm just genuinely, temperamentally kind and patient and empathetic by nature. That's not to say I don't have limits or difficult days when my fuse is short, but I aspire to be, and generally am compassionate and caring and helpful.. but I also don't put up with bullshit and, particularly, transgressive people who excessively overstep my boundaries.
I don't hate many things, but one thing I really can't stand and won't tolerate is people who push too far and force me to put my foot down - I don't like it, but I will do it, and if you force my hand then I'm never gonna forget it.
Traveler
IDK if I would say I'd say I have wanderlust, exactly, but I love visiting, spending time in, and living in new places ( though not so much the actual act of travel, itself ). I particularly enjoy walking around cities and getting to know customs and languages.
