Hi, my name is Emily and I like to write stuff.

Hello, and welcome to my little piece ‘o the internet. My name is Emily, although you can also call me Em if you’re a close friend of mine or just happen to have a strong desire to be smacked in the face. I’m what you might call a typical 18-year-old college girl: stressing about exams and failing at choosing a decent career. I live at home with my parents, my certifiably insane little sister, and our herd of six cats.

I am, for the most part, quiet, intelligent, and marginally less crazy than the rest of my family. Only marginally, of course. I’m not always eloquent, but I consider myself to be opinionated and I do my best to show it- at least in writing over the internet, where my ideas seem to work out a little better.

I’ve got just a couple of hobbies that occupy what remains of my time when I’ve finished with work and school (Read: very little. Very, very little.) My favorite pastimes include perusing antique malls so I can add to my collection of old books, riding horses, and playing the violin. Oh, and designing and maintaining this website. How could I forget that?

Musically, I prefer rock and some pop music, which is kind of a broad description. Honestly, I’ll listen to just about everything that isn’t country. Yes, I even listen to “classical” music, but I think that I’m slightly biased in that case: you can’t play the violin for ten years and not develop a taste for at least some classical music! And I don’t think I could imagine my life without the violin. I feel like it’s been attached to my shoulder if not for the past ten years, then at least for the past five when I started taking private lessons. It probably takes up the biggest part of my life after college.

In regards to sports, I’m kind of weird- I don’t like them. As in, at all. In high school, I was proud of the fact that I had not attended a single football game during my entire four years. I can’t watch sports on TV- I fall asleep, and the only things that keep me watching during the Super Bowl are the commercials. But there is one sport I’m passionate about: horseback riding. (English style, hunt-seat, if you don’t mind.) I’m on my college’s equestrian team, and am a member of the IHSA (Intercollegiate Horse Show Association). So far, I’m really loving it, although I do miss my old barn, and I hope I can continue later in my college career!

When I have the time, I devour books at the rate that a polar bear eats baby seals (bad metaphor?) My room is currently shaping up to be a pretty nice personal library. I try to read a bit of everything, but I really enjoy what most people would label the “classics.” My favorite book is Jane Eyre, which I read every year at Christmas time- although I’m not sure why. I also love Harry Potter- when I was around 8 years old, I refused to read it because it was what everyone else was doing (apparently I was a bit of a nonconformist third grader?), but, in the fourth grade, when my dad finally convinced me to pick it up, I became obsessed, and from then on, Harry Potter pretty much defined my childhood.

Oh, you’re in college? What are you majoring in? I have to be honest- I kind of hate this question, mostly because I kind of don’t have a good answer. I am what colleges politely call “undeclared,” and what some people less politely call “a waste of time.” Fortunately, my self-esteem isn’t low enough to actually believe the second group of people. I’m only a first-year student- not only am I not required to choose a major yet, I don’t want to. I want to get to know my options and make sure that I pick what’s best for me. I hope that’s not too much of a crime. (But if you’re really intent on knowing what I’m considering, right now, it’s chemistry or pre-vet.)

For anyone who’s interested, my political philosophy is left-leaning, and I’m not too shy about admitting it. I believe in equal rights for everyone- black, white, Asian, Mexican, Martian, gay, straight, or none of the above- you get the idea. I am personally against abortion, but I would never even consider denying another woman the right to have one. I’m anti-racism and anti-faith-ism. I’m a pacifist. I’m willing to listen to and have a friendly debate over just about every topic- and as long as you respect my beliefs, I promise I’ll respect yours. Above all else, I believe in peace and love, and that about sums up my outlook on life.

In summary, I am a pretty awesome, albeit nerdy sort of person, and you should definitely read my blog if you don’t already. Also, I collect zebras.

Need to contact me?

email: Emily@ispirata.net
AIM: equestrianchica8