The first thing that people notice when they meet me is my hands. I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis with the age onset of 18 months old. (It is now full blown RA) I have had 23-odd surgeries on my hands and 2 facial reconstruction.
Apart from that, I am a regular person with a irregular story. I'm married with a kid, work for a living and try to cram everything I want to do in a day that has only 24 hours. We're a busy household with 3 people. 2 cats and 8 birds.
I enjoy art in all forms. I started with music. In the 3rd grade I wanted to learn the violin everyone told me that I was "setting myself for disappointment" (this was before the ADA). I took that as a challenge. I have developed over the years a very determined personality and warped sense of humor. By the time I graduated from high school I had mastered 16 instruments. I went on to the University of Kansas where I discovered the harp. I graduated with a BA in British History with concentrations in Music History and Harp.
I became interested in costuming during graduate school at the University of Oklahoma. I learned to sew and was soon working for a local costume shop. I was an "Artist-in-Residence" for the State Arts Council of Oklahoma. I met my husband Brad at a local SF Convention. We have a son who was born on the day the Murrah Building in OKC was bombed.
Southwest Airlines is the best company anyone could work for. I have worked in Reservations for the past 12 years. I was chosen to be "Star of the Month" in the company's May 2005 magazine "Sprint". For a whole month my mug was on all the airplanes. I wonder is anybody doodled a mustache and horns on the picture.
Living with my disease has had its ups and downs. They say that everyone has "their 15 minutes of fame". I've been blessed with more time in the limelight. I was chosen by the National Arthritis Foundation a Hero Overcoming Arthritis. This was a program for the Foundation's 50th Anniversary. Out of about 3000 nominations from across the USA, only 50 people were selected. Six of the nominees had their stories told in a report that was submitted to Congress. My story was included. That year I was also interviewed by Family Circle and a magazine in Great Britain. I did a lot of public speaking about living with RA. In 2000, I ran the Los Angeles Marathon.
The newest art challenge in my life is learning how to manipulate glass. I am trying lamp working and glass fusing. I will be adding a section about it.
Pointing my name out on SWA's "Triple Crown One".
Promo shot with my Camac blue harp