When I was a little girl, about 5 years old, I was completely obsessed with Native Americans. Only back then we called them Indians. It was before we were politically corrected. My brother and I used to play cowboys and Indians, and I was always an Indian princess. I was totally caught up in the romantic notion of sneaking quietly through the forest never making a sound. Hunting with my bow and arrow and generally being at one with nature. I had no concept of what a real female native Americans life entailed and pictured myself closer to an Indian brave. I imagined all sorts of scenerios where the animals were my friends and I lived off the land. But I never could imagine away my blonde hair, even though I tried. So eventually I settled on myself as a rare blonde Indian!
This obsession lasted all through my childhood. I used to wear moccasins until they had holes in the bottom and then I would beg for a new pair. I discovered the Little House books and lived in them for literally years. I loved the romantic notion if living off the land. And even now, knowing how hard a life that really is, I still find it romantic. I guess I always possessed an independent entrepreneurial spirit.
I always knew I was not a 9 to 5er, and that an office cubical might kill me.
