On Superheroes

I'm a huge believer in superheroes. Ever since I could imagine and long before I'd heard the word I had enlisted several of my own. Originally, since I was a girlie-girl I had several fairies.

I also had my own personal Fairy Godmother.

A Good Witch

And my own personal pack of wolves.

Consequently, my childhood was 5-dimensional and filled with magic and beauty and marvelous color and wishes granted! And even though I never had to sic the wolves on anybody, I always knew they had my back.

I spent a lot of time in other worlds and as I did so my imagination grew and grew. Sometimes I felt like I could imagine almost anything! After I read about Dr Doolittle I was suddenly able to talk to the animals! After I saw a movie suddenly I was Sister Moon and my best friend was Brother Sun. After I learned to play the guitar and memorized all the songs from The Sound of Music I was suddenly just like Julie Andrews and was constantly babysitting kids!

Later, as was age appropriate, I exchanged those silly and fanciful and totally so immature imaginary friends for new ones, characters from books. Ponyboy was a particular favorite. All the time everybody was getting abandoned or betrayed, beat up or dying on him Ponyboy Curtis always stayed gold.

When I wasn't memorizing entire musicals word for word and note for note, practicing with my protest-song band, rapidly ascending the Girl Scouts of America hierarchy via badges, teaching dogs to talk and dreaming up ways to appease Hot August Afternoon With Nothing To Do children, I was writing and producing puppet shows. I had maybe a dozen of each - finger and hand puppets - and when in a set-changing pinch I'd scrawl "Stagehand" on my palm in felt pen and flash it to my audience while arranging props, switching out a backdrop or adjusting a spotlight.

Interesting (perhaps only to me) note: My first published story (The Raven Chronicles, '94) included a reference to Ponyboy and staying gold.

I was one of the first women admitted to IATSE, Local 28, Portland's stagehand union.

For some time I was a caretaker of wolves.

What about this story I've told here? There are plenty of facts and through them you learn a number of things about my childhood. Obviously I had a big imagination and was able to tap into creativity. But what about the stuff that isn't factual? Helen Botham Carter couldn't have really been my fairy godmother - she wasn't even born yet. So did my real fairy godmother resemble her? In reality the entire premise can be seen as outrageous. But does any of that matter?

What's most important is what my story says about me, how I coped with my present and how I was shaping my future. The same holds true for the stories I tell today, how I choose to frame them, who the players are, who I give recognition, attention and credence to as well as who and what I leave out.

Superheroes can help you over rough patches and assist you in navigating unknown terrain. If you need help rewriting a story where it seems nearly impossible to catapult yourself into the hero role, get yourself some superheroes of your own!

Here are some I've kept around lately:

Elastigirl. Great for bouncing the stuff meanies hurl at you right back on them.

Newcomer Jessica Jones. No nonsense and determined. While being able to handle her liquor like a man she's also able to levitate cars. Which can come in very handy.

Tank Girl. For when you just need some really fast talkin shit done.
 With style.

And Beatrix Kiddo. When you seriously need 
some totally serious shit done. 
Immediately. 
And with precision.

Who are your superheroes?

C'mon. Don't be shy.