Who am I?

Nothing like starting out a New Year with your basics.

I am smart. "Smart" should be trademarked by the world's educational system, or re-defined in Webster's as describing a child belonging to the advanced track of education. I began my elementary education in a Mandarin-speaking country, which taught me much about diversity and culture, but did little for my English. So I became home-schooled, and continued to be so after several moves.

I also move a lot, because of my father's job. This has always been all right, because I love change.

Part of the "smart" thing was that I read. A lot. While in said Mandarin-speaking country, I read about 300-400 pages a day. I was gifted with speed-reading and a love of books, an excellent combination for any library-loving kid (I am.) This means that my SAT reading and math scores differed by 210 points (my math was lower.) I am not genius-smart. Just book-smart.

I write, too. I am the editor of a small-but-growing webzine for teen writers. I have been published lots of times, in magazines you might have heard of (or not.) I write unpublished books. I also have a knack for getting cameo parts in school musicals (always the cameo, never the lead.)

I love people. This is part of my undying love affair with stories, and part of my undoing as far as breaking-my-public-school-vow. I need time by myself (books) but I love parties, love getting dressed up, love talking. In a big family like mine, we're almost never quiet. If we are quiet... it's an ominous silence.

I'm also a Christian.

All of these things have contributed to my decision to leave the safety of my new(ish) home and venture several miles away, to a public institution of learning. But why, exactly?