My Book of Me: What I do, Who I am, & My Many Names (Prompt 1)

I have decided to put more energy into writing now that most of my travels are over. And one of the stories that need to be told is my own personal story. I have mentioned how important this is many times. Therefore when a good friend shared with me the wonderful blogging prompt of "The Book of Me" I felt inspired to write just to get myself going again.

I have modified the image and the theme to fit the points that came to my mind as I elected to define myself. These are some of the words than came to mind. I have divided them into categories: What I Do; Who I am, and My Many Names.

What I Do:
These reflect the activities that occupy my time now as well as how I describe myself, and think of myself in a professional category. I have worked for more than 25 years in higher education and still wear several hats from that arena. And as one who explores family history and community history, I have several hats that I wear as I pursue a number of interests in those areas. And there becomes as a result a very thin line between my vocation and avocation.

Writer

Author

Genealogist

Educator

Blogger

Teacher

Mentor

Lecturer

Podcaster

Scrapbooker

Quilter

Collector

Who I Am:

We all have different roles that we have in life. Our relationships can vary as we walk from room to room, and from place to place. But all of them are part of who we are. I see these many categories overlapping each other, for in many instances, I am a friend to to persons with whom I share other kinds of relationships as well. But I embrace and claim all of these categories as they reflect who I consider myself to be, and they reflect those categories that I also am honored to have.

Wife

Friend

Aunt

Great Aunt

Daughter

Sister

Granddaughter

Gr. Granddaughter

My Many Names
Like relationships, we answer to people differently. Likewise the names that I am often called vary from person to person and situation to situation. I was always called by my middle name, Yvette in my childhood home. But once I went to school, the nuns called me Angela and that became my out-in-the-world name. But as our status in life changes, again we take on new identities. Some students and mentees will call me Miss Angela, while others will call me Mrs. Walton. (I always look around for my mother when they call me that.) And some among my husband's friends and colleagues will call me Mrs. Raji.

Having nieces and nephews in different countries and from different cultures, also changes my name. But they are all names that I feel good when I hear them, and they connect me to family, friends and to those whom I love.

Angela

Yvette

Dear

Sweetheart

Aunty Angela

Aunt Yvette

Miss Angela

Girlfriend

Ange

Professor

Mrs. Raji

Ms. Walton

Aunty

Mum

Cuz

Cut'n Angela

As I embark upon this journey to tell my own story I emphasize that these are only a few categories that describe the many things that describe me. I hope however to provide a small glimpse into who I am, beyond my blogs. I look forward to more of these prompts to bring forth my own story.

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