Everything’s always changing.
Something a very good friend told me after I quit my latest job. It’s kind of funny because I was thinking of how I would do this “About Me” thing since I’m never good at them. I’m surprisingly not as solipsistic as most of my generation can be. About me, me, ME. The first thing I thought to do was look for a copy of my resume. Which is a smart & dumb idea all at the same time. Think about it. Whenever you meet someone for the first time the question is, “So what do you do?” But it’s dumb because is that who we really are? Our jobs? Our careers? Even if we had our dream job is that who we are? Maybe.
I have worked in customer service for quite a while so far. From grocery stores to hotels to little restaurants. Despite some of the difficult people you can come across while bagging their groceries or taking their order, I could never work in an office. I want to be where the people are. I’ve had some pretty amazing gigs as well from covering Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival for Jane Magazine, photographing some bands, and doing some photo shows here in my hometown of Ol’ San Antonio.
I like to volunteer and get involved in movements although it’s been a while since I have. I have participated in city clean-ups, been a docent at art & cultural museums, door knocked for Obama out in New Mexico, and did a bit of work for hotel union workers. I still go to events surrounding that. My mom is a nurse and I never had the stomach for it but I always knew I wanted my own way of helping people. I really need to get back into that.
I went to school for a while. High school, I was a Theater Magnet with some AP classes under my belt. In Community College, I was a Business Management major. Between those two, I went to a summer program at Yale University called Explo where my favorite class was Creative Writing. I’m sort of an art school dropout with my study in Photography. I try to take classes from time to time.
My interest is mainly Travel & Concert Photography but I haven’t made it a total job yet nor am I sure I want to. I mean, I’d like to but the whole thought of it makes me nervous to give all my time to a thing that I love. Would that make me not love it anymore? I work with a Mamiya and a Nikon D40. I like disposable cameras too. I also like writing and drawing and overall just love to create. It doesn’t mean that I’m good at any of the above things but it makes me feel good. I actually haven’t found what I’m particularly good at.
I play piano terribly as well and really enjoy music. From Country to Indie to R&B to Pop to Rock to Jazz to Dance to Classical. I listen to it all. I can’t say I really have any favorites but I love Stevie Wonder, MUTEMATH, Billie Holiday, Lily Allen, and Lauryn Hill. Although I love my last.fm, it doesn’t get as close to describing my musical tastes. I try to stay on the prowl for what’s catchy & what’s good. I have a pretty good vinyl collection too.
I do describe myself as a Christian although I question all things. This sometimes is conflicting but I always want to be the most understanding and loving person I can be. I am always intrigued by other people’s beliefs not because I don’t believe in them but because I am enamored by their faith. I’m quite tolerant and am always wanting to know more. I don’t know if this makes me a Universalist, I just know the path that I chose is right for me. I always try to be a light in this world and if anyone finds that inspiring, I always tell them the truth. It’s kind of like seeing a person with glowing skin, healthy body, and great energy. I’ll ask how they look so great and they’ll say vegetarianism. They would tell me the truth of how it’s helped them and that might make me want to follow suit. I hope to do the same with my own life. I have had many Atheist friends and sometimes their excuse is that Christianity or any religion is like a crutch. I respect how they feel but this life is hard so why not have something or someone holding me up. I’m not afraid to say that I can be a weak person.
Other things I enjoy are books. There aren’t many favorite authors yet because sometimes I feel a writer will be on a roll, then I’ll pick out another book by them and not be excited by it. Finding a good author has been hard but to be honest, I haven’t really been looking at the classics. There’s not a whole lot of Vonnegut and Faulkner in my collections. I know I should try them but I just haven’t. I can say that Shel Silverstein is an absolute favorite because as I child I wanted to be a children’s book illustrator. I doesn’t hurt that he wrote really sweet and sometimes heart-wrenching poetry either. Simple doodles, real talk. Loved him dearly.
To top that all off, I like the company of people. I’m a really good listener because I like to see the character grow as they tell me their life story so far. 
Travel is a very, VERY big deal to me. It helps me appreciate my hometown and it’s good to know that no matter where you are, people are all the same. I don’t want to say I don’t watch TV like all the cool kids do but I’ve easily gone without it for months & years before. I like comedies like It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, dramas like Law & Order: SVU, classics like Seinfeld and guilty pleasures like Judge Judy and Real Housewives. No I don’t have Showtime or HBO, so stop recommending shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm or Dexter or Sopranos. I’m sure you get what you pay for with quality shows like that but I’m not shelling out money for extra channels that for the rest of the week won’t show anything good. Maybe I’ll find the shows on DVD at the library but until then, no thanks. I don’t know what they’re about and I couldn’t care less.
I shouldn’t say I’m a complete neo-luddite. I think the internet & technology can be good but it’s just being used terribly. Sucking creativity out of folks. Taking away time too. I have an HP computer that I love. I have an iPhone which is useful. This is as far as it goes. I ride my bike around a not-very-bike-friendly city. Being in photography the big thing to know is Photoshop. I know it but I hate. Others use it very well and I may like their work. But it is of no use to me and what I’m trying to achieve. I can’t be bothered with new fads in technology. Twitter? LOL? Meme? What’s that? I’m usually late in all these things. My parents still own the same Sharp TV from when I was born. In 1987.
I don’t know if any of this was enlightening. Maybe a little for me since I’ve never really seen myself in written form. Overall, MorningRailway is about the process that is my life. Business start-ups, travels, inspiring things. Blah, blah, blah. We’ll see where it goes. All I know is everything’s always changing and about me may not be so about me this time next year.
email me: mirandaATmorningrailwayDOTCOM
