Look and Listen

Biography

spelling bee winner, former rifle team member, debater, daughter, sister, waitress, fraternity beauty queen (argh), wife, mother, foster mother, ex-wife, car dealer, county supervisor, alcohol and drug educator, executive director of domestic and sexual violence shelter, education and counseling center, co-leader women's consciousness raising groups, political party precinct chairwoman and state delegate, 17-year undergrad student=B.A., then law school, president of women's legal caucus and of legal fraternity, Realtor, mediator, trainer, designer and deliverer of workshops, expert alley, 2nd-hand store, consignment and antique shop crawler, dog, cat, bird, all critters lover

Inspiration

Everything. As 1 college history professor said to me, "Ms. Borum, you know more about more things about which many people don't give a damn than anyone I've ever met." I've also been told that I am the most curious person the speaker'd ever met. Though I stopped playing Trivial Pursuit, I do still love the esoteric factoid, the obscure quote, the long forgotten writer, speaker, picture. I've been in love with words, the language, since I can remember. If I live long enough, I'll probably study psycho-linguistics. I already adore all matters human and am endlessly interested in all the -ologies. After starting college majoring in English, minoring in journalism, I finally (17 years) managed undergrad degrees in psychology and history...both prompted by my great love of "...life, the Universe and everything." to quote that great text, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. My law degree later but added another way to ponder anything or everything, an added focus when that's what I wanted. My specific inspiration times include going to 2 wonderful gardens 1 of which is also a retreat center or walking the labyrinth at another retreat near my home...always with my journals and 2 colors of pens. 2 colors because much of my meditating, praying and listening flows out by asking in 1 color pen in 1 hand, hearing and recording with the other color pen in the other hand. Dreams, other writers, nature, galleries and museums, my beloved family, friends and colleagues, about anything and everything inspires me - for which I remain ever grateful, to which I am always open unless I'm scaring myself, and except when it happens gracefully, am reminding myself to surrender.