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A memoir and life-writing blog
She of Three Is A Life-Writing Blog
I’m Danielle Gabriel (yes, it rhymes).
With a name like mine, perhaps I should’ve pursued poetry. While I dabble in poetry and the title of my blog is “She of Three,” which is also a nifty rhyme, my preferred style is in long-form narrative nonfiction, specifically, life writing.
On She of Three, you’ll read excerpts from my upcoming memoir (more on that later), along with essays, poetry, and microstories.
My passion for writing runs deep. I started young and have earned my living as a writer, of sorts — I’m not the writer I dreamed I’d be.
Writing has saved me more times than I can count (another reason I’m a writer and not, say, an accountant). Now, I’m hoping it will rescue me from mediocrity. Empower me to do something special. Be brave.
She of Three is my springboard from “wannabe” to “am.”
I'm Writing A Memoir
My memoir chronicles the experience of being my mother’s caretaker while she had terminal cancer. That we were best friends who shared everything, including a bed, made the act of changing her diapers less awkward, though not by much. It was an agonizing experience, the suffering and fear, the anger, frustration, and anguish. But it was beautiful, too. We were a team, Kathi and I. There’s nothing I wouldn’t have done for her.
Including the memoir, which was her idea. She asked me to write it during what would be one of our last coherent conversations. I shrugged it off as nonsense then, but her voice hasn’t stopped pulsing in the back of my head, a thumping bass line that pushes me to keep going. I’m writing it for her, because she asked me to. But I’m also doing it for myself, to prove that I can.
Music and Other Passions
My other lifeline is music. I’m an avid listener across genres and eras. In other words, I'm not a snob. Except at concerts; I refuse to settle for a seat beyond the third row. My favorite band knows who I am. I wrote about my lifelong love affair with Def Leppard here.
I’m an animal lover. Pets are family, the only true soulmates. I rescued my two cats, Luci and Jimmi (named after my hero, Lucille Ball, and Jimmy Fallon, respectively), from my garden after their earth landings. Lambeau, a golden retriever, and Summer, a chocolate lab, round out our pack.
I live a plant-based lifestyle. Animals are not food (nor shoes, clothing, accessories, home goods, etc).
A few other details about me:
I enjoy reading, painting, cooking, gardening, interior decorating, and refinishing vintage and antique furniture. I Love Lucy is my favorite show (Gilmore Girls, a close second).
I was raised on Duke basketball. #letsgoduke
I’m a sucker for hibiscus blooms and roses. Gothic architecture makes me weak in the knees. Mixing prints doesn't frighten me – leopard, houndstooth, chevron, polka dot – bring it.
I collect seashells. And, if I’m being honest, and I always am, clothes and shoes, too, the way a hoarder amasses newspapers and other ephemera. But it’s cool – I never pay retail. In fact, I’m a bargain junkie; growing up poor and with a Depression-era grandmother will do that to a person. If I’m not at the beach, you can find me scouring thrift stores, estate sales, and flea markets, or at ShopRite during the can-can sale.
I love to learn and laugh. And wish I were a better singer but sing to my heart's content anyway (especially in the garden).
I’m always in the middle of several projects simultaneously, including this one. Sometimes they linger. I'm working on that.
Three Is Key
The number three is very important to me. Its symbolism and mythology have been discussed ad nauseam; I won’t attempt to add to that here. I’ll just say that three, for me, represents symmetry and balance. A complete story, the perfect book.
Beginning, middle, end. Past, present, future. Birth, life, death.
In its roman form, a strong figure in the middle, flanked by two equally strong pillars on each side. Divisible only by one and itself. I can relate, as I am one of three. And I just happened to be born in the third month. #piscespersonified
Welcome to She of Three.
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