About Jacqueline Pansy

My living in the suburbs really didn't start until I was thirty three. Sure I grew up in the suburbs, somewhat, the first six years of my life was spent traveling with my parents as part of a small circus and yes my sister and I were incorporated into my fathers magic act and his strong man act. My mother was very shy and tried her best to stay out of the spot light. At age seven we moved to the suburbs because I was having trouble with my grades. I felt totally out of place. Where were the elephants and ponies? What do you mean your father can't do magic or flip you up in the air and catch you? I think it was hard adjusting for my parents also, we moved ALOT!! I went to eighteen different schools so needless to say I never formed any lasting friendships. I struggled just to pass every year. The fact that I have a hearing dissability and dyslexia certainly didn't help my struggles with school. My early suburb days were not very fun to say the least. Teachers told my parents I was a slow child and would never amount to anything except maybe being a maid. I did the maid thing later in life and it was not my cup of tea! I was lucky enough to get a teacher with a very loud voice in my hearing range in the fifth grade and I made the honor role that year. Talk about life altering, I was so happy to find out that I actually had a brain! I didn't go to college, I live with a dictionary in my lap because what I hear is not always the way it is spelled. School was not a very good experience for me. I adopted a learn as you go attitude. I enrolled in jazz dance and was promptly told by my teacher that my hearing interfered with my equillibrium and to give it up. I hate to be told I can't achieve something because of my hearing problem, I heard that all through school and failure was not an option. I worked sooo hard, talk about sweat, tears, and pain! But, it was worth it. I auditioned for "The Great American Revue" and landed a part. This was a revue that was for our troops over seas and it was and will always be one of my treasured memories. I felt honored to have said thank you to our troops by entertaining them. I danced all over the world for nine years, not, in the suburbs. My last dance job was in "The Moulin Rouge" at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel Casino. Now comes the part about the suburbs. I met and fell in love with a Chef, Loren, who worked at the Hilton. Delimma... dance and keep traveling... hang up my dancing shoes, get married have children...tick.. tick... tick. Thirty two years old and my chances of bearing children were getting less and less. I opted for an early retirement. As we were trying to get pregnant I went through so many different jobs, nothing was satisfying. I found I needed to be creative in an entertaining way. I love giving to people, I love seeing that smile. The suburbs once again were a source of frustration. After five years of fertillity treatments it was obvious that I was not meant to have children. Luckily both my husband and myself are from large families and are surrounded by 29 nieces and nephews with more on the way. Now comes the part of finding happiness in the suburbs. I am surrounded by my loving family and friends. I, for the first time in my life, have formed true friendships. It is the first time in my life that I have a group of best girl friends. Yes, my husband is my best friend but nothing can replace the girl friend connection. I never knew what having real friends felt like until now. They were there for me when I went through three miscarriages. They were there for me when I lost someone close to me. They were there when I discovered my passion in life which is writing and illustrating books, from the suburbs I might add. They have so much faith and belief in me and it doesn't matter one iota that I have a hearing problem, they don't mind speeking up or repeating themselves for me. One of the best things is I get to be there for them when they need me. I have no children of my own to love but I am surrounded by love in the suburbs. I now write and illustrate for all the children in the world from my modest and loving home in the sububrs of Las Vegas, NV. I contribute to www.more.com and am looking for other avenues of expression such as "Success In The Suburbs" Thank you Denise for inviting me to share my story, and thank you for voting yes on more.com story, "Fabulously Fabulous at 56." I would like to invite everyone who reads this to visit me at www.jacquelinepansy.weebly.com.

Jacqueline Pansy
Author Illustrator
http://jacquelinepansy.weebly.com/