Welcome to Kitsgal.com !
Stories about a self-confessed shy and awkward girl trying to fit in with the beautiful people
A little bit about me...
My name is Maggie. Folks that know me would probably describe me as shy, awkward and over functioning. I tend to get anxious especially in important social situations. I grew up in a small town in the north, called Burns Lake. Burns Lake’s latest claim to fame is being the epicenter of the pine beetle outbreak which is threatening the forests of North America. I loved it there. It was small town living at its best – lots of snow, outdoor sports involving snow and more snow.
When I was older, we moved to the thriving Vancouver suburb of North Delta. My father brilliantly bought a house located downwind of the local sewer treatment plant. While living there, it smelt like someone was constantly breaking wind. Arriving from Burns Lake, I remember walking into my first class with a sense of dread – I could tell I was different from all the other kids in class. Besides carrying an extra layer of “hibernation fat”, I was also wearing olive green snow pants, red gum boots and a home made poncho that my grandma had proudly sewn for my first day in the big city school. The fact that she had used purple pillow tassels to trim the vibrantly orange poncho was an added bonus that the kids of my class hadn’t seen before. It was the 1980s. No one was wearing ponchos with pillow fringe any more – or really ever. Immediately, I stood apart from the rest – and not in one of those cool trend setting ways – more of an original “what not to wear” kind of way.
Throughout high school, when all the other kids were into fashion and trips to Mariposa, I spent time in the library. Or sitting in the hall watching the cool kids. Gym class was particularly hard, as my mom didn’t allow me to shave my legs. She said only prostitutes (she didn’t use that term – she called them Mariposa sales clerks) would shave their legs. It was hard hearing the other girls snickering at the full fur leggings that were covering my body. They always looked so smooth and put together. I always looked uncomfortable.
When I was much older, I developed a love of real estate. My grandma always said it was good for a girl to own land. She always feared another war. With land, she reasoned, you could grow your own potatoes and from that you could make your own vodka….which, in the event of World War III, would come in very handy. With some good luck and some patience, I ended up buying an old old old house in Kitsilano….one of Vancouver’s hip and happening neighbourhoods. Kits, as it is affectionately known by the locals, used to be the hangout of hippies, environmental activists and ‘60s intellectuals. This peaceful vibe has been replaced by the beautiful people…and yoga studios, 24 hour vegan restaurants, well dressed small dogs, Lululemon wear and a low percentage of body fat. I definitely do not fit in here.
This is a collection of my stories of days past and my observations of days present. Thank you for visiting my site.
Maggie :-)
To say hello: hellokitsgal@hotmail.com