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Today's Featured Biography

Maria Szabo Gilson

Over the years, my parents have received some inquiries about my whereabouts, which they dutifully passed on to me, and which I set aside with all good intentions of answering, but then completely forgot about. So for those curious, this is what happened to me.

Upon graduation from L.D. Bell in 1984, I moved to Austin to attend the University of Texas, where I majored in History, with a minor in Middle-Eastern Studies and Classics. I also worked a lot of part-time jobs to keep me in funds and had very little of a social life.

In 1989, I moved back to the D/FW area for a few years, living at first in Irving and then Euless. True to the spirit of Liberal Arts, my degree was pretty much useless, so I worked for a short time in retail and then did clerical work at a mortgage company.

After a serious illness in 1992, I moved up to Louisville, Kentucky to be closer to my parents. My father had accepted a transfer up there while I was at University. I lived in and around the northern Kentucky/southern Indiana area for the next six years. I mainly temped doing clerical work at juncture, although I did spend about 2 years as the Clerk/Treasurer of a small town. I also went back to school, picking up a paralegal degree from the University of Louisville.

I met my husband in 1996 at a science-fiction convention. Those of you who know me will not be surprised by this fact. We married in 1998 and moved to Des Moines, Iowa at that time because of his job. I worked in the accounting department of an insurance company during this time.

In 2001, my husband took a job with the Federal Government and we moved to northeastern Iowa, where we now live. I worked part-time for a store that sells DVDs (great job, terrible pay) but it went out of business. Due to poor health, I'm not working at the moment. (No, it's not cancer and as far as I know, I'm not dying!)

I did have the opportunity to go to an intensive summer language program at Beloit College (in Wisconsin) a few years back and learn some Japanese, which I continue to study on my own. It is a great dream of mine to be able to continue my studies (perhaps even go to graduate school), but it may be some time before I achieve that.

Honestly, Iowa is not one of the places I actually expected to end up in, but that's how things go. It's okay, though. The town we live in is quiet, with little crime and not much traffic. It's very historic and scenic, sitting on bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. It gets horrifically cold here in the winter, but the rest of the year is pleasant. We own a rather ramshackle old house that sucks up our spare money, where we live with our three cats. We have no children but are fine with that.

The culture here is very different from Texas--it's almost like living in another country. The people here think I talk funny because of my slight Texan accent. No, I'm not kidding. I get asked about it at least once a week. My husband is originally from Iowa so he blends more.

We live quietly. I like to read, study and take walks when I'm feeling well, and watch TV or DVDs when I'm not. I write short stories and poetry. We attend the local Catholic church and sing in the choir there.

For those who knew my brother Jeff, he moved to San Antonio in 1991. He's a high-school teacher (physics and math). In 2003, he married a lovely girl named Christie and they have two daughters now.

My parents also settled in San Antonio after they retired. They like to roam around in their Airstream RV and play cards.

So that's it. That's what happened to me. Not the exciting life I'd hoped for by any means. No exotic job, no foreign travel, no fame. I got old and fat and cut my hair short. I sold my saxophone to help pay for college, but still play the piano. I'm still a bit odd and I still dress weird, but I've mellowed somewhat.

Sorry ya'll, can't make it down to the reunion. Have a good time!

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