Ms. Dianne's Whimsies

I’m a big ball of love and light, that’s who I am.

I grew up on a hobby farm in Ohio, running barefoot alongside horses and chickens and trees. My imagination blossomed, making magical stories out of everyday moments.

Friends have often told me that meeting my parents explained me perfectly. I was raised on stories and compassion, traveling the world with my big-city-turned-country-folk parents. My Mom, a nurse, was a pioneer in the field of implantable pain management for cancer patients. She grew up in Fall River, Massachusetts. My Dad, a Naval academy graduate, worked as a civilian professor for the Department of Defense. He grew up on Staten Island, in New York.

The two of them met in Ohio and settled down in a little village called Cedarville, far from the madding crowds.

As I was growing up, one of Mom’s frequently spoken quote became one of my life mantras: “The freedom to extend my fist is limited by the proximity of my neighbor’s nose.”

I often thought about how my actions could impact those around me, and I tried to model my parents’ way of walking the world. I look for connections in every human being. I try not to judge, unless someone’s actions directly hurt others. I know there’s far more I don’t understand than I can even imagine, and that’s OK. Dad likes to say, “There are no perfect humans. Well, there was one, and we killed him.” I grew up knowing I’m far from perfect, but that I’m the only one with my unique combination of experiences, talents, visions, and passions. It’s my duty to use these to help my community.

So, I offer help when and how I can. For me, that’s been reporting stories of local democracy, teaching the mechanics of political science in an emotion-less way, caring for children, and teaching art.

And, as I like to tell the kiddos I care for, “Of course I believe in magic; it’s called science.” Preferably when I’m wearing my Gandalf shirt. You know, Ga Nd Al F: Gallium, Neodymium, Aluminum, and Fluorine. Science is magic, after all. One of my passions is bringing science to kids in a fun way, not unlike The Magic Schoolbus‘s Miss Frizzle.

As she would say, “Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy.”

And enjoy every moment, especially with your loved ones.