Everyone has a story and everyone is entitled to tell theirs. Here's mine:
My name is Alison and I am originally from Canton, Ohio. Many of you might have heard of Canton, afterall it is football headquarters, USA. It's a decent sized city, located in Northeast Ohio, about an hour away from Cleveland. Parts of it are filled with lavish, huge houses, while other parts are not quite as well off.
I am from neither a ritzy, nor a classy background. My family is what can be considered working middle class. When I was growing up, my mom worked many jobs. She started off as a radio jockey for WHBC. She also held such lofty titles as editor for the Matrix Essentials hair product Business Builder and web designer. She has a very strong personality. I am like her in a lot of ways. I have her drive and her energy. Emotionally, I am like my father. My father is very meek, compassionate, and humble. I think he keeps my Mom in check. When I was young, my father worked as a cartographer. In 1998, he retired and went back to school to study graphic design.
As many of you know, I have a younger brother named Zach. Growing up, Zach was always my rock. He litterally brought out attributes in me that I never thought I possessed. He made me realize that I shouldn't care what anyone thought. When I was younger I was always so concerned with other people and Zach made me realize that other people didn't matter. He brought me out of my shell. He is the reason I am a fiery pistol and a go getter. in 2001, he met a girl and she started to control his mind. She even tricked him into getting her pregnant. Manipulative bitch. The one silver lining in that cloud is that I have a beautiful neice named Elizabeth. She just turned three and she's as smart as a whip. My brother's girlfriend/fiance/whatever she is, uses her to manipulate my brother. He doesn't see it. I wish he'd open his eyes. I wish there was something I can say. Does anyone know any hot 20 something girl to introduce to my brother???
Growing up, I thought I wanted to be like my mother and write for a living. I would sit in my room and just write story after story. I even won awards for my writings. I also acceled at music. I played the (French) horn in the band and sang in the choir. My mother convinced me that I could get a scholarship with ease if I went into music instead of journalism. Since I am not incredibly book smart, music became my outlet. My senior year I sat up in my room and practiced that horn for hours on end. I ended up attending Kent State University on a scholarship and studied music performance.
Since I am an artist, I tend to wear my emotions on my sleeve. I always look for love and acceptance. Sometimes I feel like I am not good enough for the people in my life. I am always trying to impress. I am always striving to be the best. I am a competitor. I don't know if it's the thrill of the chase, or the prize at the end. I like to stand up for what I believe for.
I have been in love twice. The first time was in 1998 with a guy I met by chance at a festival back in Canton. The relationship wasn't really supposed to happen. I don't even know if it can be classified as real love, but it was something. I spent every day with this guy. We learned so much from eachother. I thought that he was the one and we'd be together forever. It would only be forever if forever can be defined as a few months. He ditched me and never returned my calls. I was left with no explaination. To this day I don't even know why he left. It's no wonder I have such self esteem issues.
For a while I swore off love and relationships. I put more time into practicing my horn. I played in every ensemble at school. I met him that year in orchestra. I left my pencil on a stand and began to look for it. It was sitting on his stand. When he handed it back to me, I looked him straight in the eye. I felt an odd connection with him. He had a gruff look on his face and I didn't know if I should be afraid of him. After rehearsal that day, I ended up introducing myself to him. His name was Hardin and he was the new trumpet grad assistant. Even though I knew he was out of my league, I was still intrigued. I wanted to get to know him. One evening I took a chance. I asked him if he wanted to hang out. We went back to his place and it's history from there.
Hardin graduated from Kent in 2003. The plan was that we would finish together and move out of state. That spring, the plan was cut short when I decided to add my education degree on. Hardin ended up staying in Kent another year. He taught a few classes and went on Doctoral auditions. He ended up getting an assistantship to study music at Stony Brook University out on Long Island. He was going to go off that fall while I finished my student teaching. When I was finished with my degree, I planned on moving out there to be with him.
In August of 2004, when we were both out in NY searching for an apartment for him to live in, he proposed to me in NYC. I accepted and we were married on December 18, 2004. I moved out to NY. Hardin is still studying music at Stony Brook, while he frequently gigs with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. I am currently teaching middle school band, chorus, and general music.
If there is one thing I've learned it is that life is full of change. It's what happens to you while you are busy making other plans. Mine isn't perfect, but I wouldn't trade it in for the world.