This week, we have people coming over via Air America’s website. Sam Seder suggested I write something about myself.

In Philadelphia, it’s all about where you’re from - which translates to, “Who do you know that I might know?” I was born the fourth of five children to an Irish-German-Polish Catholic family in Southwest Philadelphia, and attended twelve years of Catholic school (Most Blessed Sacrament and West Catholic High School for Girls). Give me five minutes, and I can do six degrees of separation (or less) with almost any Philadelphia native.

I got married at 19 (what the fuck was I thinking?), attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts as a painting major but dropped out when they wouldn’t let me skip using lead-based paints while I was pregnant with my first child. I attempted nursing school, too, but when an instructor told me I was never to countermand a doctor’s order even if it meant the patient might die, I lost interest.

My then-husband (we owned an inner-city ice cream store) wanted to move to the suburbs and since I wanted a house (there was a housing bubble in University City and we couldn’t afford anything in our neighborhood), I agreed - on the condition that, after a year, I didn’t like it, we’d move back to the city. One year later, I said, “Okay, I want to go back now.” He said, “You’re kidding, right?”

After a year or two as an apprentice lay midwife, I stumbled into journalism. Despite having no degree, I beat out 250 j-school graduates for my first newspaper job. (Go figure. One of the few times talent won out over credentials.)

After 15 years in journalism, I made the decision to go into sales. For several years, I did very well, but constant mergers, a recession and the aftermath of 9/11 resulted in six layoffs in five years, during which time I became a blogger.

And here I am.