That’s the eternal question isn’t it? Who am I? WHO AM I? It should be whispered when twilight descends upon the city and shouted to the crisp blue sky in the country. It’s a question that never really has a satisfying answer.

Perhaps that’s the satisfying part about life – we are never finished creating ourselves. We aren’t allowed a true grip on our souls because they shift and change so much each day that it would be impossible to catch them.

To label oneself, is a practice which limits what one is to oneself. In layman’s terms – to label is to limit and to wonder is to discover. However, despite never actually being able to pinpoint who exactly one is I acknowledge that there are certain facts that contribute to my identity.

I reside in Ottawa, my nation’s capital, and I have never found my city to be boring. In fact, it’s pretty magical in my opinion.

I have a love for travel and I’ve visited several different countries including Italy and England. New York City is one of my favourite places in the world. Its energy is infectious and it’s on my bucket list to live there at some point in my life.

I grew up around books, old movies, and a plethora of music genres. My parents instilled in me a great passion for reading – to this day I feel completely at peace surrounded by literature. I am not panicked by the thought of eventually having a house full of books, in fact I’m excitedly anticipating that day. I’ve been writing for almost as long as I have been reading. I need to write – it’s that simple.

My parents are older than some and younger than others, meaning that I was exposed to a variety of cultural influences that many people my age have potentially never encountered. I enjoy the theatre, musicals, ballet, and opera; I attended my first full operatic performance in 2014.

I study the Great Books because I think understanding humanity as it is now begins with a comprehension of where we came from and how we reached this point. I believe in the power of art, love, truth, optimism, and beauty all while embracing that I am a self-confessed cynic of sorts. I am a practicing Catholic who believes in love and acceptance above all else; kindness and compassion are the keys to happiness.

I will read, write, and listen to almost anything because to me everything has merit, everything burns with a passion to be heard, understood, and appreciated. I reserve my personal opinions on the arts, politics, and other subjects until I know all of the facts.

Influences and inspirations for my life and writing include, but are not limited to, the following people (both real and fictional): Robespierre, Napoleon, Aaron Burr, Queen Elizabeth I, Anne Boleyn, Thomas More, Rachel Joy Scott, Lin Manuel Miranda, Thomas Aquinas, Joan Girardi, Frank Turner, Jack Layton, Emma Watson, J.K. Rowling, Tamora Pierce, Hermione Granger, Jack Kerouac, and Professor McGonagall.

Do you feel as if you know me a little better now? To be honest, I think people are too complicated to be summed up in a minute “About” section. This blog is one medium of self-expression and reading my entries will allow you more access to who I am than this one page ever could. So, if you’ve read this entire entry, thank you, and I hope you enjoy your time on my blog.