My friend Megan Fitzgerald recently tagged me in a blog tag, and I thought I’d be a good sport and play along! According to the rules, I now have to share 7 things about that you may otherwise not have known about me.
I’ll keep them short and sweet…
1. Let’s just start with a big zinger: I’m allergic to chocolate.
At the age of 27, I remember biting into some See’s chocolates and shortly thereafter got double vision, a throbbing headache and awful nausea. It was a migraine, something I’d never experienced before. Apparently something in chocolate triggers this in me and don’t ask me why it took 27 years to activate. Since then I cannot eat chocolate without suffering an endless migraine, some of which have lasted up to 4 days. That’s incentive enough to avoid the stuff.
2. I am also allergic to raw tomatoes!
Same thing.. age 27 the migraines started and in addition to chocolate, raw tomatoes trigger them. I found this out the summer I decided to grow tomatoes and ate them in excess. Too much of a good thing… sometimes I can eat salsa fresca, but i have to be really careful.
3. Out of high school I wanted to study Film, but something happened…
I got psyched out by someone who tapped into my insecurities and convinced me it was a bad idea. Took me a lot of years of self introspection to get a grip on that one. Now I am involved with online video so my dreams took a different path!
4. I’m the youngest of 6 kids.
You know what that means… bottom of the pecking order and perennial ass kicking from older siblings! Instilled a fierce sense of determination in me. And by the way, my sibs and I all grew up to be very close and loving to each other!
5. My first career was teaching
Fresh out of college, I became a bilingual teacher and worked with Spanish speaking 1st and 2nd graders. I stayed in teaching for close to 12 years teaching everything from 1st grade to high school. I always worked with students who were struggling, and to this day I champion the underdog and pay close attention to marginalized communities.
6. I grew up at a Flea Market
My dad had a variety store in our small town, then went on to open up a Flea Market after the store went out of business. I started working there when I was 13 or 14, slinging hot dogs and slushies in the snack bar. The “fleas” as we called them were an eclectic mix: Hells Angels, cholos, eccentrics, antique collectors, intellectuals, gourmands, refugees… you name it. Working there taught me not to pass judgment on anyone until you really get to know them and their story.
7. I feel naked without dangling earrings
I’ve had pierced ears since I was a little girl, and ever since then not a day goes by without me wearing dangling earrings. I have an amazing collection of hand beaded Native American jewelry, one pair of earrings actually reaches my shoulders. Without my earrings, I feel naked!
About Nancy Marmolejo
