An open letter to anyone who reads me

Dear reader - I love learning new words. As soon as I hear someone say a word that I don't recognize, I immediately text it to myself (guessing on spelling). When I have a minute, I Google the word and read all about its origin and meaning (I used to pull out the dictionary, remember those?).Time passes, but I never forget the words I learn.It's a cool and fun personal challenge and opportunity for me to find a way to use the words I learn. This is not to word-drop just for the sake of it, but rather because it's now part of my [self-taught] education.There is no greater feeling than hearing myself articulate on a level that I never thought possible.Today, I looked up two words I overheard listening to two separate interviews: cacophony and magnanimous (thank you, Carrie Brownstein and Howard Stern).There was a time when I used to be intimidated by "smarties" - the book worms in school; the women who actually went to college while I was snorting lines, popping pills and working the [stripper] pole.When I was in school, my dyslexia and ADD paralyzed me; brainwashed me into believing I wasn't smart enough to be taken seriously. In my twenties, the longer I spiraled into the underbelly of drugs and stripping, the less confident I became. It's ironic because I began working at the clubs at 19 because it gave me a sense of beauty and control. Ultimately, it's what ended up stripping them away.I will be 47 on November 9. The nightlife is a distant shadow in my rear view mirror and all I have to do with that world now are my words. But as long as I keep teaching myself, I will continue to expand my mind, strengthen my confidence, and craft the story I cannot wait to share.Thank you for staying with me through this journey as I find the words to finish this book. The fact that anyone is inspired and interested bathes me with surprise and wraps me with love and gratitude. To articulate just how much, I fear, there are no words. But maybe I just haven't learned them yet.