Things I Don't Tell the Neighbors

I once did an artwork, with the same title as this post. These days, I don't really have neighbors, but I do tend to continue working with the larger communities.

As there are some topics to which I continually return via individual correspondence, I thought I might address them here.

These are things you might not know about me, but which influence the ways in which I work with and respond to everyone.

1. Monday through Thursday (and some Fridays), I am home alone with my two-year-old. I'm thus not able to be at the computer much, and I might well get behind on correspondence. Bear with me, please *s

2. Over the weekends, I rarely sleep. At all. I stay up and work feverishly. That's when you'll receive email from me at 3 a.m. It may not be the most lucid communication, but I'm trying.

3. I am epileptic, with absence seizures. That means my temporal and spatial relations are oddly affected by my differently-abled neurology. I still walk into tables I placed a year ago . . . sigh. I'm therefore not the person to ask about directions. Ask Pam. I also have trouble with calendars and dates. Ask Tina *s And I can't do much with most myspace pages, because they're largely over-stimulating for my poor brain. Sorry.

4. I have PTSD. I don't trust easily (see post below *s). My partner, Pam, is typically around for all photo sessions, although she might not be in the same room. I like the sense of protection, the idea that I can relax into work, and she'll take care of the rest.

5. Beyond the scope of this photo project, I'm also daily working with a number of other concerns. My two teen daughters email, call, and/or text message me each day. My son, who lives in NYC, is the easiest person I know *s My ex and best friend, co-parent to the children, calls every day. There are two other co-parents in our family, with whom I must coordinate scheduling and resolve parenting matters. Pam's mother provides us with childcare on Saturdays; that is my only child-free day.

6. I am the go to person for all family crises. I also have a very large community, to which I'm completely committed. Two of my closest friends are very ill. Several are dealing with births, deaths, or both. It's my job to be there for each of my community members, as they have been for me.

7. In another life, I'm a writer. I sometimes have deadlines for that.

8. I'm still researching grant funds for this photo project, and I continue working on additional photo projects. I also run my web site, and have to build all pages for that.

9. Once in a while, I actually spend a little time with my Butch *s

10. I'm relatively new to the East Coast, and am still learning to adapt to the modalities of speech and other mannerisms here. Most people find that I speak too quietly. I'm working on that (admittedly, without much success, as yet).

~Emmanuela