name: Chel (pronounced "Shell")

age: 33

current location: SW Florida, USA

born and raised: Long Island, NY

education: Emory University, Atlanta GA (BA in Art History, MA in Film Studies)
high school: The Stony Brook School in NY (no comment...)

profession: jewelry designer; stay-at-home-mom; volunteer/advocate for a local cat rescue organization

family: only child and very close to my mom & dad
married to Tom (November 6th, 2004)
fun fact: my husband changed his last name to mine :)

children: daughter, Grace.
Born October, 2005 in Danang, Vietnam.
Adopted in summer, 2006.
Incredibly cute, funny, smart, and sassy.

obsessions: my family's cats (Delilah, Chester, Ginger, and Knuckles), the cat shelter I work at, rubber stamps and patterned paper, museums, reading, music, craft/art supplies, swimming (I swim two miles every day and have been doing so for the past 13 years. I rarely skip a day and bitterly complain when I am forced to).

favorite time of the day: early morning when the house is quiet; when the mail comes

hobbies: being creative, scrapbooking, reading, beading, polymer clay, making jewelry, rubber stamping, going to museums, hanging out at the cat shelter.

things I collect & covet: rubber stamps, patterned paper, clay cutters & molds, beads, art books

magazines on my coffee table: Oprah, Body & Soul, Creating Keepsakes, Scrapbooks Etc., Art in America

health: born with a mild case of Spina Bifida and struggle with both physical and emotional balance as a result

politics: democrat, but not *too* liberal. While I think an individual's right to choose/marry is very important, it must be done RESPONSIBLY and with good intent. Freedom of choice doesn't mean an irrational decision out of fear or an "I can't be bothered" attitude, it means taking the time to think things out and make a decision based on both heart *and* soul. All committed, loving couples should be able to benefit from the declaration of marriage. I am firmly pro-choice, and believe abortion is a personal decision for EVERY woman, based on HER personal core beliefs, not by the beliefs of the government at the time.

issues: I have no tolerance for animal cruelty and think those who are guilty of hurting an animal should be punished to the full extent of the law, if not beyond. This is the one thing that I get blood-boiling angry about. However, I'm not a fan of PETA and similar organizations, though- I think if they spent half the money they waste on ridiculous publicity stunts and used it instead to send legal teams into parts of the country (and the world) to challenge the current VERY LAX laws on animal cruelty, they would be much more successful. I'd rather spend my energy and money on no-kill shelters and rescue organizations.

I have been a vegetarian for 17 years. I do believe that all animals have souls and personalities, and cannot bear the thought of eating them. I do realize this is a personal decision and don't think it's perfect for everyone.

religion/beliefs: Unitarian Universalist who believes in God (more about that here)

art: John Singer Sargent, Dale Chihuly, Maxfield Parrish, Georgia O'Keeffe, Gustave Caillebotte, John William Waterhouse, Alphonse Mucha, American and French Impressionism

comfort foods: Kalamata Olives (I munch on these all day), Cream of Wheat, Pastina, super-fresh & authentic Hummus & Pita

authors/poets: Elizabeth Berg, Alexander McCall Smith, Muriel Rukeyser, Mary Oliver, T.S. Eliot, Ann Tyler, Rainer Maria Rilke, Maeve Binchy, Barbara Kingsolver, Sue Monk Kidd, Anne Lamott

favorite CDs of all time: (in no particular order)

Rio - Duran Duran
King - Belly
The Magazine- Rickie Lee Jones
Primitive Man - Icehouse
Real Ramona - Throwing Muses
Birds of my Neighborhood - Innocence Mission
Our Time in Eden - 10,000 Maniacs
When the Pawn... - Fiona Apple
WhiteChocolateSpaceEgg - Liz Phair
Fox Confessor Brings the Flood - Neko Case
Kiss Me, Kiss me, Kiss Me - The Cure
Lost Songs - David Gray
Ghost of a Dog - Edie Brickell and New Bohemians
Listen without Predjudice - George Michael
Blue- Joni Mitchell

Things I adore: chocolate covered pretzels, The Office and House MD, international adoption, vanilla tea, reading before bed, the color blue, cold days in Florida, making new friends, Christmas, Cate Blanchett, needlepoint, snails, mobiles & windchimes, aquariums,  Quickutz, open windows with a breeze, shopping at craft stores, TiVo, NY bagels, craft magazines, backyard swings, Greek food, stray cats, Cranium

Things I despise: cold/dirty pools, ignorance, Britney Spears and her ilk, scratchy pens, lightning, "no talent ass clown", people who talk to me *while* I am swimming, crowds, not being able to go outside, ants, lack of sleep, temper tantrums, traveling, the social life in Southwest Florida, bad hygiene, itchy arms, talking on the phone, people who talk at the movies, cruelty, bad drivers, late mail, things piling up.

really old photos: (click to make larger)

 

 

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