Who the hell am I? Background Info.
We all have a name. I was given Marissa (and I’ve hated it all my life, don’t ask me why; I can’t pinpoint a particular reason). The concept of naming is a pretty cool thing if you really think about it. Consider it: a human being is carried in the womb for about nine months and its parent(s), not knowing a damn thing about the kid decides one day “Hey, I’ll think I’ll name him/her [insert text here].” They are born a blank slate, their name being really their only identifier. I think this is why I’m such a stickler for giving your kid a name that is unique, yet not literally made-up or overused by the general population. Seriously, people; let’s stop it with the “Let’s throw these four syllables together. That sounds pretty cool.” Give your baby a name that means something, even if this meaning illustrates what you wish for them to have in their life.
So who the hell am I? Well, since I’ve already given you my general identifier; here’s some background information to help you gain a sense of who Marissa is and what makes her tick. I’m from Jasper County, Illinois; a very small, rural community. To put it simply; a lot of cornfields, gravel roads and cows. I was born on November 18, 1993 (that would make me 21 if you don’t want to do the math; and shit let’s face it, nobody likes to do math---and if you do, that amazes me) I literally came into the world screaming, and metaphorically-speaking: I haven’t stopped.
My parents are pretty fucking cool, if I do say so myself. My dad has busted his ass his entire life to make sure I’ve had everything I’ve needed and more than enough of what I’ve wanted. Sure, that’s what any responsible, loving parent would do; but truthfully, no parent HAS to do that so I’m eternally grateful. My mom is seriously like my best friend. You have no idea. Don’t get me wrong, she’s not one of those moms that are strictly like “hey, I can’t give my kid any kind of parental guidance because she might get pissed at me”. Rather, my mom is the type that has been both an amazingly guided parental figure while maintaining a super close friend-like relationship with me. I think I get my sense of humor mostly from her, although I think a touch of it comes from my dad as well. The goofiness? Definitely from mom. Paranoia? Dad. OCD? Dad. Nerdiness? I don’t know where the hell that comes from. I was the type of kid that watched more scientific and educational programming than cartoons and read books faster than my grandparents could send them. I have a 34 year old older half-brother who is pretty much my buddy. We’ve had typical sibling-fights in the past but he’s still awesome. I also have a 14 year old nephew who is a huge part of my world. Sure, we’ve grown up together; but he really is very much like one of my own offspring. It’s true what they say; an aunt is the only other one who can love you like a mom and still kick your ass when you need it.
I graduated from high school in 2012. Overall I can’t say that I necessarily had a bad high school experience; although I really hated school while I was enrolled---or at least most of the time anyway. Mostly it was due to the fact that I am the type of human being that gets notoriously bored with routine even though I can’t stand to NOT have a routine. If that doesn’t make sense to you, just nod your head and go with it. I was in chorus for a while and a band nerd (alto sax) throughout junior high and had tried to make it continue in the beginning of my high school career, but it didn’t work out for various reasons. The one thing I REALLY loved doing was participating on yearbook staff. Photography and Journalism is fucking magnificent, and to this day it is still one of my passions.
In August 2012 I started college as a Nursing major. And guess what? In July 2014 I graduated with an Associate’s Degree of Science and Fine Arts. It takes a special person to be a nurse, and I wasn’t special enough. Bahaha Let me explain: I’m an EXTREMELY empathetic person, and to be a nurse, sure; you have to be empathetic, but you have to be able to turn it down as needed to do your job efficiently. I couldn’t. I used to have full-on breakdowns in restrooms and storage closets after providing care. It was horrendous. Not to mention I am a pretty high strung person, so stressful and/or fast-paced career tracks are not a good suit for me. There was also one particular instructor during my LPN training that disliked me for various reasons, and therefore; she made my life a living hell.
Now that I’ve graduated with that degree, I am currently trying to make another move. I’m going through the motions to get enrolled in a mortuary science education program at an Indiana university, and I’m praying that shit goes my way because taking this semester off is killing me. I miss class soooooo bad. There are only so many episodes of ER, Ghost Adventures, and Monsters Inside Me that I can take before I’m chomping at the bit for something else to do. I think that’s one reason that has finally been that last big push to make myself jump back into writing, and my other loves that I’ve been neglecting for so long. So welcome to my blog, welcome to my life and welcome to my mind.
