A Little Bit About Me

Remember the scene in Forrest Gump when Principal Hancock says to Forrest's mother, "Your boy's....different, Miz Gump"?

I first became aware that I was "different" when my mother told me that my third grade teacher said I had a problem with "day dreaming."  I had no idea what she was talking about.  I had a rough understanding of what day dreaming was, but I could not imagine why engaging in that activity would be a problem.  I just thought I was "thinking".  Thinking (one of my favorite things to do), without accompanying action, it turns out, is not valued by our society - and for good reason, I must admit.

Other indications that I differed from my school peers came from my parents' unhappy discoveries that I was always the last girl out of the locker room after track practice and that I was always the last one ready when it was time to go somewhere.  This became such an identifying feature of my being that my family created a jingle, "Who are we waiting on?", which they said every time they were waiting on me.  To get the full effect, you have to say it in a sing-songy voice and glide up the scale from the beginning of the phrase to the highest note on the word "waiting" and then drop down a note on the word "on" and hold that note for just one beat longer than the other words.  That jingle exists to this day - although my family knows they will raise my ire if they use that on me now.

Despite my physical slowness in everyday tasks, I was literally fast when it came to running, and I became a successful athlete in high school track and cross-country.  That athleticism is something I enjoy still today.  And, even though I had to stay up late into the nights to complete my school assignments, I managed to persevere through college and graduate school to earn my PhD in pharmaceutical chemistry.

It wasn't until I hit real-world corporate America, working for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company, that my snail-like pace became a real liability.  I fight the clock every single day.  But, through thoughtful strategy, focused determination, and faith in God, I am finding ways to succeed.  It is my hope that I can share some of the insights I've gained along the way and help other snails out there find their paths to success.

Keep moving forward, snails!