Okay, so I figured it was time for an update to this bio. Things have changed in my life, and no one on here would even know it. Shame on me!

Still living in Texas, but I've since graduated with my Masters and moved away from oh-so-charming Waco, to the glorious high life of Houston. Well, sort of. I live in Spring.

Still the same height and weight and all that good stuff. The horse riding is great for keeping fit, and horses are still my true passion. OR one of them, anyway. I own two horses (Prophet and Carbon), and I compete in Three Day Eventing with my Thoroughbred (that'd be the tall skinny chestnut in the photos). I love riding both English and Western, and I'm a real junkie for jumping. I've also been known to ride all the crazy horses than no one else can stay on. I think it's an addiction to thrillseeking.

I still love to laugh and find myself in ridiculously improbably situations, in which I think to myself "this is really going to be a story once it's over." But my life has kind of slowed into some semblance of domesticity (ugh) since getting a job as a Market Analyst for an environmentally progressive Subsea Construction company. So no, I am not working for The Man. If anything, The Man is working for Me. haha!

I'm a pretty outgoing person and I can chat with just about anyone, which has served me well in so many aspects of my life. That's not to say I need people around me all the time, in fact I rather cherish my time alone. Mostly you can find me either hanging out with horse people or gamer guys, which means I've become immune to all sorts of ribbing. And hell if I don't give as good as I get!

Despite being out of school, I'm still seeking to expand my knowledge of the world around me, and I have particular interest in marginalized cultures and civil rights, as well as environmental studies. I'm driven by a personal sense of justice and fairness obligated to the world, but tempered by an open mind that doesn't prescribe to a single orthodoxy of beliefs. Somehow, someway, I want to make a difference.

I'm also a writer, a former musician, and a painter. Some of these passions have fallen victim to neglect during my work as a historian in grad school, but I'm currently trying to revive them in my life. I have a real love for music, ranging in a broad spectrum from Operatic and Showtunes to Oldies and Alternative. I love artistic expression in any form really, be it movies, literature, traditional and contemporary art, and digital art. I'm also a major geek over computers and computer games, Video Games, Comic Books, and tabletop gaming. Yes, oh my god, it's true.

Buddhism and Native American Spirituality are topics of great interest to me, as is the concept of a universal connection with all beings at the most rudimentary level. I tend to pride myself in being hyper aware of my environment, and noticing small gem-like moments that others tend to miss. I hoarde and cherish these small moments, knowing that while other dismiss them, they are tiny miracles in and of themselves, something intensely personal that I feel perhaps only I can see and appreciate in the half second that it occurs. That may be a poor explanation, but I feel it is a sort of self-awareness for one's own immediate being that is difficult for some people to achieve. When something happens that makes me stop and think, "I am in this moment, and no other moment will be as amazing in the same way as this one is, ever again," then I know I am actually living.

Oh, also? I have a rescue Dog named Ziggy who is awesome and fun. She's my little shadow, and she's totally copacetic.

As of August 2008, I completed my M.A. in American Public Studies. My was in American Indian Affairs, and my thesis discussed American Indian stereotypes in early western literature and how that has affected popular opinion of Indians in contemporary culture. If you actually care, it's being published soon.

Since then, I have moved here to Spring, TX and have taken a job as a Market Analyst for an environmentally progressive Subsea Construction company that not only improves the situation of Oil & Gas internationally, but also researches alternative types of energy solutions. Such as Tidal power, Wind power, and Hydrate Power. It is awesomeness, we are the future.

I've taken a brreak from teaching horse riding lessons, but I'm still training a couple horses on the side, plus my own horse. I've been riding for 18 years, and I received my CHA Master Instructor certification about 2 years ago. Honestly, it seems a shame to waste it, but I don't really have the time.

My last paragraph in this box bordered on arrogant, ick. I Do tend to succeed at anything I put my mind to, but the list of things I have a natural proclivity towards is probably alot shorter. Let's see.

I think being a Horse Rider is a given. I've bene riding for as long as I can remember (records books claim I started when I was six, had been asking for horses since I was 4), and so I've had alot of time to get good at it by now. It helps that I also love it like a fat kid loves cake.

Also, if you haven't noticed, I'm a writer at heart. I love words, I love writing, and I love readng. In the past I've had a book os poetry and short stories published, as well as a children's novel (which is no longer available for purchase, meh). The other side of this coin is that I'm one heck of a public speaker, and how awesome is that?

I'm also moderately well known amongst my friends for knowing all the words to all the songs on ever radio station within an a three state radius. This is because I'm obsessive about music and I love it, and I always always listen to the meaning of the lyrics. No passive listener am I.

Typically, people first notice my physical appearance. I'm a pretty confident girl, and I know I have at least a moderately fit figure, so I'm not afraid to be self assured. I also am pretty outgoing, and don't have a problem talking to complete strangers. My friends sometimes tell me that I have this mutant power that makes people want to tell me their life stories. ha!

People also seem to notice my freckles, which makes sense, because I have alot!

Oh god, the "Favorites" section. This part is always really hard for me because I like so many things!

Books: historical novels, fantasy novels (Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind, etc), fiction, short stories. A favorite book by name is "Wicked" by Gregory Maguire. That book is not only an amazing retelling of the Wicked Witch of the West, but also a huge metaphor filled with social commentary about prejudices and religious beliefs in our own society. I also love books about American Indian affairs, like "Black Elk Speaks," by John Neidhart Jr, "Dwellings" by Linda Hogan, and pretty much ANYthing written by Sherman Alexie.

Movies: I love all kinds of movies! I'm willing to give anything a try, also. some of my favs are the X-Men movies, the LOTR movies, the Pirates movies, any musical ever made, RENT, Spiderman movies, Stranger than Fiction, Seabiscuit, all the great 80s flicks, classic films with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra.

Music: I'm into all kinds of music as well. I even like some rap, though its not my favorite. I was raised on Oldies and country, but I also love alternative, rock, classic rock, melodic rock, eighties, metal, showtunes, etc

Food: Mmm, food. I love to eat, and I love all different kinds of food. My favorites are oriental food, good southern cooking, and anything kind of exotic.

Minimalism, I like it.

1. My constant companions, the horses and the dog.
2. computer & internet, for my geeky habits
3. good, honest friends and family
4. some form of creative outlet
5. The freedom of thought and expression
6. a connection to the natural world

Obviously, since my Masters was on American Indians, I spend alot of time thinking about Native American Rights. All civil rights, really. I'm fascinated by the injustices committed by our government throughout history. And by fascinated, I mean disgusted, usually. The more I learn about the world, the more universally I understand the shortcomings of narrowminded man. Lately, I've also been highly distracted with environmental issues, and this burning need inside me to change the fate of an already failing planet. Lofty, unrealistic goals.

In addition to all that passionate thinking, I also do alot of brainstorming for stories I'm writing. I'm a writer by heart (I have a B.A. Creative Writing), and eventually I'd like o start producing regularly again.

Hanging with the boys, playing some sort of video game or computer game. The typical choice lately has been the Champions Online Beta, which needs work, honestly. I need to go pick up Left 4 Dead to make me feel better.

I know that sounds terribly low-key, but I'm not huge on going out and getting plastered every weekend. However, when I do go out, I make sure to have Fun!

hm... well, I guess something that most people don't notice about me is that for all my vivacity and outgoing behavior, I'm really a very vulnerable person who can be easily hurt by insensitive actions from others. People tend to think that nothing bothers me, but really, I care very much about other's opinions.

you're an honest, confident person who wants to share not only a relationship, but also a friendship with another person.