I'm a full-time student, full-time waitress with a variety of interests and a cat. I'm intelligent, driven, open, curious, and a bit awkward.

When I die, and everybody is standing around my coffin talking, here's what I want them to say: "She was kind." "She was generous." "She helped a lot of people / made a lot of lives better." "She really supported her children." "She lived her life according to her values." "She truly demonstrated the right way to be." "We will miss her." "She was loved."

I'm trying to make sure that all of that comes true. Some of them are larger challenges than others!

I'm studying Dietetics (the food one, not the Scientology one), on the pre-med track; my goal is eventually to be an obstetrician/gynecologist, with my own practice. That’s quite a bit down the road, though, and I’m also drawn to reproductive endocrinology, so the options are still open.

I want to have a large family, some day, but I'm afraid I'm more drawn to the "breadwinner" type position! So that's a challenge.

I’m quite involved with my Quakers, but I understand that not everybody feels so fondly about religion.

Oooh, academics. I'm a rock star, academically! I'm also pretty good at my job, decent at reading people, awesome at knitting (although terribly at most other crafts), and decent in an emergency: when things go wrong, I get very, very focused.

I'm really short! I'm also almost always cheerful, and a bit loud.

I don't have one favorite of any of these. I know everybody says it, but I really like most everything! If you asked me to name one each of the many, many things I like, I would say... A Companion to Wolves, Invention of Lying, Music Man, the theme from Star Wars, and the absolutely delicious thing I just made with spaghetti squash, garlic, sun-dried tomato, and olive oil.

Oh good grief.

6. Coffee
5. Index fingers
4. Food
3. Books
2. Love
1. Challenge

Lately? Biochemistry.

At work. Waitress, remember?

There was a lot of emotional abuse in my house growing up... I'm still working through the dings and dents it put in my psyche. I am working through it, though!

Any of the above strikes a chord.