A Proper Introduction

The Basics: Call me Maci. When I’m not reading, writing, or attending class like a studious college student, I’m working on the ambulance. Saving lives, you could say.  I’m the second oldest of six, which means I come from a family of eight. While I’m doing most of the above things, I’m probably listening to the British-indie pop band, Bastille. Reader, I recommend you do the same.

True account: When one of my favorite teachers found out I have five biological siblings, he asked if my parents were Catholic. Seeing as how he already made The Favorites list, I forgave his comment.

I was born December 7th, 1999. I love rainstorms, coffee (specifically Biggby’s “Teddy Bear”), and I am a cat person. Not a crazy cat person, mind you. That title goes to my first sister below me, Daisy. My own cat, Nemo, is very old, very needy and kind of disowned me when I went to college, but it’s fine. He’ll come back to me.

On the weekdays, I live on campus at Kalamazoo College. On the weekends, I split my time between home, in Plainwell, and one of the three base stations Wayland EMS maintains.

The Books: Anyway, I’m not picky when it comes to literature– fiction, nonfiction, experimental, whatever. I like tragedies, specifically the ones that make you sick to your stomach afterward. Lauren Oliver’s Vanishing Girls had me reeling for days. Probably because I love my sister(s) so much, I can’t imagine their deaths without feeling like it’s already happened. I remember reading Cassandra Clare’s City of Heavenly Fire and thinking, “Huh, I can actually relate when Clary talks about watching someone die for the first time.” Strange how EMS does that to you.

F. Scott Fitzgerald is my all time favorite writer from the Roaring Twenties (and probably from the classics list). Thomas Hardy and Mary Shelley have a special place in my heart, too. And J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. Always.

The Words: I’ve written many short stories in the past, and won the English Department Award at my high school because of it. (Fun fact: I wrote my little brother a book for his birthday. However, video games got to him first, so he has yet to read it.) So including that book, I’ve written two. The Pretenders is my first-born, and I will see her birthed out into the real world before putting my soul into another character’s body. More news on that later…

My writing generally reflects magical realism, soft science fiction, young-adulting things. I’ve tried to write a full memoir at least five times, but recalling events became too emotionally draining, so I either a) quit the project or b) turned it into fiction by altering events to be more favorable. So, moral of the story, if you can write a novel-length memoir, I will respect you for all eternity.

The Job: When I tell people I’m an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician), they usually give me a second look. “Aren’t you a little young for that job?” Or, “So you see dead people??” And my response, “No, I’m eighteen, which is the threshold age. And yes. Yes, I’ve seen dead people.” Five, to be exact. They have all sorts of names for me at work because of it, but people like me (people who tend to attract death) are generally referred to as “Black Clouds.” At least where I work. Death Magnet, Angel of Death, and Grim Reaper are also possible pseudos when I’m in uniform. The Universe has a sense of humor.

But I love my job. Reader, if you work in the food industry, childcare, or something else repetitive and unfulfilling, then I suggest a change in employment. I’ve been there, done that, and EMS was the absolute last thing on my Steps to a Successful and Happy Life list. It was unplanned, but I am all the better because of it.

The Blog: I am not a particularly technologically savvy person so this will be interesting. But I want this to be a place to collect my own thoughts, ideas, as well as relate them to my audience. I could talk about books, writing, and EMS all day, so this is a way for me to manage these topics in doses.

I’ll give my opinion on books, what worked and what didn’t, as well as keep my readers updated on my own writing projects/what my writing process looks like. My Goodreads profile is linked to this blog in the Menu.

As far as my job goes… Well, I’ll keep it sanitary because this is the internet. Which means I will keep the guts and gore to myself and expound on other topics pertaining to EMS. For example, the ways in which my job affects my daily life, how our systems operate, etc., etc. This is not a platform for me to break patient confidentiality. This is a platform to create awareness for what EMS is and does.

Now, Reader, do you feel properly introduced?