

Well, how did I get here?


When I was in high school, I became aware that there were people walking among me known as “Deadheads.” These devoted fans of the Grateful Dead, easy to spot (when they weren’t wandering off to get high) with their tie-dyed shirts and long hair, included some friends of mine, but I tried not to hold that against them. To me they represented a kind of sheep mentality, since they followed music that clearly had to suck because so many people liked it (I thought this self-righteously as my radical self played Beatles and Led Zeppelin albums over and over again). I would occasionally hear Deadheads talk about “Jerry” and “bootlegs” and I would wonder why this band had such a hold on anyone. I had never even heard the Dead, but I was certain that I couldn’t possibly like their music.

Then one day I was going through my mother’s record collection and I found the album “American Beauty.” Whoa, who knew we were harboring Dead albums right there in our very own living room! Curious, I decided to put the album on, having absolutely no idea what they might sound like. Let me be clear: they could have sounded like Johnny Cash or A Flock of Seagulls. I had absolutely no idea what I was in for. Yet the minute I heard the first guitar strums of the first song a feeling of shock washed over me. This was a song I had been hearing since I was a little girl. It was a record my mother used to play all the time. Not only did I know the Grateful Dead but I liked them. I had liked them for years and years. I stood there and let the knowledge of this sink in. Everything I thought I knew I was totally, utterly wrong. My young mind was completely blown. Since that moment I have tried to avoid mistakes of this kind, but I can’t say that I’ve been successful.

Here are some things about me that may or may not be relevant to this blog:

I pretty much run everywhere.

1. I was born and raised in New York City and lived there until I was 30 years old, at which point I suddenly and unexpectedly could not live there for another second. And so, 12 years ago, I moved up to Columbia County (note: with a calculator you could at this point figure out my age) and have lived here ever since. I have not really looked back, though I do wish that when I ask for “a plain slice” local pizza counter people did not smirk and say, “You mean a cheese slice?” People, come on.

2. I have a literary crush on J.D. Salinger, which is almost entirely due to his brilliant use of italics.

3. I am a freelance writer, which means that sometimes I have a lot of work and sometimes I don’t. This is the trade off for getting to work in my skivvies.

4. When I was a kid, I once rode on the shoulders of a clown while he was riding a unicycle.

5. This.

6. I have two daughters, ages 8 and 11, and my secret selfish goal is to have one or both of them grow up to be graphic novelists.

If you stick with me, I promise a never-ending stream of collected stories, many from my own life, but not necessarily always. Also: I might end up using details from this at some point.

I welcome your comments, even though they secretly terrify me.

Go easy, step lightly, stay free.

Categories: General
Reyna Eisenstark

15 Responses

  1. keith says:

    Admit it, you was raised in da Bronx.

  2. bridgett says:

    An exciting development…I’ll look forward to reading your work more frequently.

  3. Leah Golby says:

    You are much more daring than I. I think the only person’s shoulders I was on as a kid was my dad’s. And only when his feet were flat on the ground. Great to see you on the TU blogsite, Reyna!

  4. Rose Brennan says:

    Hi Reyna,
    Glad to see you disciplined enough to do this. I love stories and I hope to be sharing mine someday! I enjoyed this one! True inspiration!

  5. Rose Brennan says:

    correction: “you’re” disciplined enough…

  6. trisha says:

    Yay, you! Had me with #5, of course. Can’t wait to hear about #4.

  7. Chuck Miller says:

    Reyna – welcome to the Times Union blog collective. Nice to have another story-teller in the place. Looking forward to reading your work.

  8. Reyna Eisenstark says:

    Thanks, everyone! I am much obliged.

  9. Greenguy says:

    I can’t wait to hear about Phineas Gage!

  10. CAK says:

    Awesome, looking forward to reading more!

  11. doodle says:

    Welcome, welcome!

    Looking forward to reading your writing!

  12. Apple says:

    It was your use of Velvet Underground lyrics that caught my eye. Great luck to you and I look forward to happy blog reading!

  13. Susan says:

    OK, that Woody Allen clip made me do a spit take. So excited about this blog. Thanks, Reyna and TU.

  14. Lubin Bisson says:

    Great choice of lyric from Lou Reed.

  15. Joel says:

    Love the blog, keep ‘em coming! Like so many other commenters, it was the lyrics from Sweet Jane that caught my eye.