If you’re wondering why on earth there is a zebra at the top of all of these pages, I don’t blame you; it makes very little sense, which if you know me, is something I hold near and dear.

My last name has been a topic of conversation for as long as I’ve been alive: the utter and complete “last-ness,” the pronunciation…and the spelling.

Firstly, yes, I am aware of just how close to the end of the alphabet my name is and when any school activity was organized according to the alphabet, unless it was a rare Opposites Day, I was always last. Second: said aloud, “Zwemer” sounds like “Zway-mer” or at least that’s the way we’ve said it (though I am still convinced its Scandinavian roots elicit a more European/German/Dutch pronunciation like “ZSVemer,” but what do I know). And lastly, the spelling. I could not begin to tell you the first time I remember hearing one of my parents spelling out our name over the phone or at the doctor’s office, but I can tell you the exact mnemonic phrasing that I, too, have now adopted: “‘Z’..like zebra, ‘W,’ ‘E,’ ‘M’..like Mary, ‘E,’ ‘R.’

Originally planning a cute little pencil, the zebra idea came from my husband and because he’s usually a creative genius (especially in those times when my ideas are not particularly interesting or noteworthy), I knew it was the right choice. Weird, seemingly random, memorable–need I say more?

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I received my graduate degree in Professional Creative Writing with an emphasis in nonfiction from The University of Denver in November of 2021. Passionate about stories and how connectivity and shared human experience has the power to transcend difference, my lifelong dream is to write a memoir; my hope to open my heart and mind to others as a way to universalize what often feels painfully personal and lonely. Currently, I am working remotely in the online digital marketing sphere – helping local home service businesses gain leads and traction to their websites and businesses.

I am also:
-a (quiet, don’t worry) vegan
-newly prosperous plant parent
-doting and obsessive dog mom
-struggling with ADHD while watching the very neurotypical world function in a way I know not
-a paranoid packrat hellbent on keeping every last glass jar/mildly useful container for “crafts!” (and also now plant propagations)
-attempting to quiet my ceaselessly overactive mind so I can actually slow down and enjoy the little things around me (any tips, tricks, or recommendations are always welcomed)