Okay, so. You’re here. So…  Hi! I’m Melissa. Or Lis. Or Lissa, Lika, Bean… Even, on occasion, “Escobar.” I’m warming up to “Mel,” but I still think it makes me sound like a plumber or a handyman or a mechanic, all of which I am not. And it’s a dangerous mistake to make — you don’t want me around your complex appliances, trust me.

I’ve been “blogging” here at Cloudwoven.com since October 4th, 1999, when “blogging” was simply called “writing.” I had hostees and we wrote poetry and talked about heartbreak and our love of Hanson, and despite all of the  high-school angst, it was really a lot of fun. So even though I feel a little bit out of place in a Blogosphere full of witty moms and super-interesting twenty-somethings, I keep on keepin’ on, for the love of my little domain and for the sake of history. ‘Cos WOW, it’s been a whole DECADE.

Cloudwoven’s seen me through many phases and jobs and locations, and right now, I am 26 and living back in the Southern New England town where I grew up (WHAT.), working both a retail job I’ve had for the past six years and completing a 10-month apprenticeship with Americorps’ Public Allies program. I fill my days with the Internet, books (and coffee!), music, my kitten, baking and volunteer work. I’m also pretty obsessed with Gilmore Girls, taking snapshots and all things BBC.

Life is BUSY, but I’m having fun. (I think.) We’ll see, won’t we? ;)