A conversation came up this week about this topic. Not just ‘Who am I?’ but who is anyone? I have to say I was stumped to come up with an answer! Of course I’m Val Robus but Val was the name I was given and Robus is the name I married into. So who am I?
I could say a photographer or a writer but aren’t those things that I’ve learnt along the way? I could say I’m a wife and a mum but again that doesn’t really answer the question. Perhaps it should be more of who do I think I am. When I strip away the mask and layers and look beneath the surface what do I see?
I like to think I’m kind and caring. I think I’m vulnerable and insecure. At times I think I’m opinionated and other times I think I’m quiet. I like to think I’m dependable and strong for other people but quite weak when it comes to me. I think I’m generous and adventurous.
I can’t really think of anything else, mind you that’s not too bad for a start considering that earlier this year I wouldn’t have been able to write anything positive. So who are you?
My mid-life crisis is rumbling on. I’ve decided it is a mid-life crisis. Lately my hair is really getting on my nerves, you might have read earlier in the week that I tried bleaching it with domestos – it didn’t work. I tried bleaching part of it again this weekend, this time with hair bleach. I’ve always wanted blue streaks so I had to lighten part of my hair for the blue to take. The blue, in fact, turned out to be purple. My hair did lighten (a bit) but with the ‘blue’ on top it had hints of green, ginger and purple.
So there I was again back at my hair with a purple hair colour….it doesn’t look any different…arrgh! Except I didn’t scrub my scalp enough so it now looks like a giant purple bird has crapped on my head. I’m now tempted to shave all my hair off – Britney Spears eat your heart out.
To make up for the lack of blue hair I have painted my nails bright blue – at least my nails do what they are meant to even if my hair doesn’t!
Magnumlady Blog 
Hey Val, blue hair is not easy to do yourself. Needs to be bleached very white and the blue dye washes out really quickly. It might be worth trying to get it done at some funky hair salon initially and then you can maintain it yourself!! I am also in the middle of a hair crisis so I feel your pain 🙂 I
Never mind who you are! Who is the giant purple bird!!??
Ach i ndáiríre!
Who am I? Who is anyone? I would add to that why am I? Why is anyone? Why must I die and what happens when I do?
We are are all facing these questions – it’s just that very few of us have the courage to face them within our minds – even fewer of us talk about it out loud! So bravo! It takes courage to render yourself vulnerable by opening yourself up – indicates a strength of character that I’m not sure that I have anyway!
And courage is what it’s all about! – to ask the question and to deal with the answer!
Bottom line – you are not alone – do not be afraid!!!
Oh for gawd’s sake woman, stop the messin’ and go the the hairdressers!!
Ha, ha, a modern culture issue I try to cover with storytelling. Ask ‘Who am I?’ and it becomes like a shopping list of ‘things’. I believe a better question is ‘How do I live?’. The names we carry these days are like registered ID and each accompanied with registration numbers. In ancient times people were called according to how they lived, how others saw how they lived and there was no registration, only memories of the Bards.
Applying that ‘How do I live?’ concept, first that comes up is ‘Bard Of Sligo’ because however you express, words, photos, sketches, video, singing etc., most of it is on the theme of promoting Sligo and letting Sligo people know what’s around, and what’s happening.
Oh, as for learning things on the way, of course a ‘bard’ will try out new mediums to express as soon as they become available … but these are merely more tools to help flow what is there within you always. Facebook around 10 years or so. What I post there is no different to what I posted in fanzines, my sydicated article contract years ago, and writing my journal to share when I could. Different tools, same ‘me’.