ABSTRACT
For myself and my readers, I need to make very clear at the outset that what I am recounting here is my own personal, unique story. Iterating this seemingly obvious fact frees me up and gives me latitude not to have to be representative, "correct," or anything else externally constructed or imposed. It gives me the space to delve into myself and my history and honestly present what I find. Until recently, I wished that mine was a different narrative, one which more closely adhered to the prevailing meta-stories and added greater glory to these valorized texts.
