{ about the author }

Short: Lisa. Age 24. From Alberta, Canada. Married (since age 19), with no kids yet. Living in a fairly new condo, not far from her family's home. Working as a junior high teacher, teaching mainly English language arts. In her spare time loves: writing, reading, taking photos, cooking and watching her favorite TV shows (Lost, Grey's Anatomy, Prison Break, and almost anything on the Food Network except Rachel Ray).

Long:
My name is Lisa Anne (with an 'e'). I come from Alberta, Canada, which is a gloriously beautiful province with prairies flatter than you can imagine and mountains so high and rocky, you can't believe they're actually right in front of you in all their splendor. Although Alberta is well-known for its vast fields of wheat, canola and other grains, I have little experience with the rugged outdoors; I am a city girl, born in the city, raised in the city, and remaining in the city. These days, however, I feel more of a pull towards nature. I try to get out an enjoy the sun more, I take walks in the natural ravines that are left, I pot my own plants and am loving the feeling of earth between my fingers. In the summer of 2005 I tried wilderness camping, where we had to haul our own water and stash food away from the bears. I climbed a real mountain that summer, a mountain with no trails or guardrails, and I loved the feeling standing on the top, thinking "I did it. This little city girl actually did it."

I spent my past four years in the city going to University. I studied education and received my degree. In May 2005, I suddenly transformed from being student to being potential secondary school teacher, and I have to confess the transformation was somewhat surreal! I spent one entire year as a substitute teacher, which was filled with its own wild adventures. Now I have my own classroom in a rough neighborhood where I teach junior high students who are mainly Muslim and who are largely refugees and immigrants. I'm totally loving it.

In my spare time, I love to write. I find poetry rolls around in my mind almost constantly. Nature and simple beauty inspires me most. I can find myself so moved by the slant of a sunbeam, or or an aspen's leaves clapping in the wind. My poetic outpourings, however, have found their way onto the paper less and less these past few years. I think it was school that stifled my creativity. I am trying to find my way back into my artistic groove, as I regenerate my journals and scrapbooks and this blog as well. My eighteen year old brother tells me I'm too "emo" for my own good, with all my flower photos and collected verses, but that's okay with me.

My newest obsession is photography, and for my latest birthday, all my family and my darling husband saved up to get me my first digital SLR camera (a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi). I spend much of my time wandering alone over dandelions or hovering over white plates of perfectly laid-out food, lense zoomed in. I look forward to pursuing my photography and my writing for years to come.

I know right now I am at a point in my life that I know should be cherished. Derek is heading back to school to study Nursing full time until March, 2008. I will work hard to contribute to our income, and I will also have much time to spend alone. I am working to become more content with being by myself and enjoying my own company. We hope to have children within a few years, and I know this alone time will be something that I will covet much later on!

Overall, I feel like I am ever-evolving, and I have chosen to share this process of evolution with all of you, via this blog. I thank you for being alongside with me in all of it.



Movies I Rewatch:
Amelie, Cold Mountain, Little Women, Jurassic Park, Under the Tuscan Sun

My T.V. Lineup:
American Idol, Canadian Idol, E.R., Everyday Italian, Lost, Seinfeld Reruns, Survivor, The Barefoot Contessa, What Not to Wear, Grey's Anatomy, 1 vs 100, Top Chef

The Best Things I've Read:
Among Schoolchildren, Blue Like Jazz, Captivating, Searching for God Knows What, The Beothuk Saga, The Survival of Jan Little

Music I Groove to:
Coldplay, Damien Rice, David Crowder Band, Jack Johnson, Stars, Billy Talent, Sam Roberts Band