Hi I thought it about time I introduce myself. I just celebrated my 50th birthday while a certain good friend was away on the MINT cruise partying in honor of my birthday. ;)

I'm the mother of two children, a teenage boy and an almost teenage girl, both of who give me joy daily.

From the time I graduated college in 1976 till 1985 I worked as a textile and wallpaper designer. In 1985, I opened my own wallpaper manufacturing company and put out three wallpaper collections.

A year after my son was born, I realized something would have to give, so sold the business to a colleague and worked for him part time and on a freelance basis till 1997.

At that time I decided it was time to "do my own thing" and started drawing, painting and doing other types of art. I've since settled into working in colored pencil and teaching workshops locally and around the country. My avatar is a cropped version of one of my paintings.

As for cruising? I went on one cruise back in 1982 on the Oceanic (anyone remember that ship) and LOVED it. But a year later I married a man who not only wasn't into dancing (something I love to do) but also had no desire to cruise. sigh. :mecry:

But now things are changing for the better, so hopefully I'll be joining you sometime late next year, or in 2006 for sure.