I'm So Jersey, I was the Governor of New Jersey Girls State

Yup, that's me taking the oath of office in 1991 to become Governor of New Jersey Girls State sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary of New Jersey. I feel like I need to establish some street cred as a Jersey Girl as I launch this blog, website and related social media. Need more proof? Here's some press coverage. 

I'm so Jersey that when I was sworn in, Gov. Jim Florio attended the ceremony which was the first time a sitting Governor had come to Girls State. Let's just say the next few years proved rocky for him as his plan to ban assault weapons was the driving force behind his election loss in 1993 - he was ahead of his time. 

See? Me and Gov. Florio becoming best buds...not really. I reminded him of this at a New Jersey League of Municipalities event a few years ago and he looked at me like I might be a crazy person. It's all good, you made 17-year-old me happy. Also, I would sell my soul to be this thin again, I don't know why I'm wearing a large brown belt with a black and white skirt and clearly I tamed my Jersey hair for my meeting with Florio. But I did use an overly large hair accessory to pull it back, so there you go. 

Now that my Jersey Girl status is confirmed you're likely wondering what the hell a hammock has to do with anything - you can thank my friend Sophia. In the spring and fall, hanging in my backyard hammock is my jam. Sometimes my dog joins me, sometimes I'm on my own. Every time I'm in the hammock, though, my mind wanders and I wind up posting my thoughts to Facebook like any other 48-year-old suburban mom would do because it's the law. After one post, Sophia commented that "hammock thoughts" would make a great blog. So if you have complaints, please direct them to her since it was her idea. 

So why am I creating this platform? Frankly, there aren't enough bloggers and content creators so I'm hoping to fill the void. I kid, I kid. I've had blogs in the past but it has been awhile - I'm a writer by trade and being creative fell by the wayside due to a demanding job. Well, I made the tough decision to quit that job earlier this week so it seemed like the right time to jump back in the deep end of the creativity pool. 

In addition to this blog, I will also share all things Jersey in my Dirty Jersey section, recommendations for books I've read, recipes, favorite foods and kitchen tools as well as commentary on pop culture and lifestyle trends and travel experiences. 

I hope you enjoy A Jersey Girl's Hammock Thoughts - come back and visit often!