I was born in Columbus, Ohio, at the old St Ann’s Hospital on March 20, 1956 (the first day of Spring). My parents were torn between two names but, apparently my father took the date of my birth as a sign and Robin I became.

As a young child, I became an avid reader and a great fan of mysteries and who-done-its and always enjoyed the challenge of trying to figure it out before the central character did. I always asked my parents to leave the light on in the hallway outside my room, then used that light to read by...until I got caught.

I was an enthusiastic sports fan and watched my father play softball on the church league in our town and cheered his team when he coached women’s softball. He took me to all kinds of sporting events, which served me well when I had a son who liked to play sports. One time when one of his team members bragged that his dad knew everything about baseball, my son replied, “I bet my mom knows more about baseball than your dad does.”

I survived multiple brain surgeries at age twenty-one and my parents were told I would probably never recover past the “vegetable stage.” I think I make a perfectly lovely rutabaga.

I was judged ineducable after the 10 months of surgeries and rehab but was determined to prove “they” were wrong. Therefore, I now hold seven degrees from Ohio Dominican and Columbus State combined but haven’t figured out what I want to be when I grow up. I am currently finishing the final required course for my degree in Early Childhood Development. Hopefully with some additional study I can renew my Social Work license in the near future.