Behind the Screen

Hello readers!  It is with great excitement and a wee bit of nervousness that I welcome you to my blog.  This blog has been a long time coming.  The height in which my stack of personal journals stands has mounted to the likes of wind turbines and high dive platforms; so I am incredibly eager to publicize some of those stories and thoughts on this page. Seeing that you will soon be reading about everything from my Tamagotchi obsession as a kid to my Kafka book reviews, I want to take a moment to first introduce myself and share a glimpse into my world!

My name is McKenzie Reitmayer and I am a 17 year old student/basketball player/rower/reader/writer/feminist/too many more to name.  I was born and raised as an Illinois suburbanite, even though if you asked almost any other Illinois suburbanite they would- without doubt, hesitation, or a mere bat of an eye- say they were from Chicago. Growing up in and near the vibrant communities of my own neighborhood and the city have left an indelible mark on my storytelling.  My household is composed of my mom (who’s career as a lawyer has inspired me to hopefully pursue law school in the future), my sister (who- fingers crossed- may also be authoring some posts on this page), and my dog, Moose (who despite his name is a 15 pound Wheaten Terrier Poodle mix). 

From a young age, I discovered solace and inspiration in the world of books.  Lying in my moms bed in first grade whilst reading The Magic Tree House Series allowed me to transform into a ninja, traverse the depths of the sea, and stand eye to eye with Saber-tooth lions.  Lounging in my beanbag every Saturday morning in elementary school meant I could solve mysteries alongside Nancy Drew, and now in high school it means that I can engage in the town gossip of any Jane Austen novel or live the fabulous and careless lives of the East Eggers in The Great Gatsby. The power of words, the vibrancy of characters, and the ability to transport readers to different worlds fascinates me. And it is in that fascination that my own desire to create stories has flourished.   

Writing, for me, is not just a hobby or a passing phase- it is an integral part of who I am. It was Young Author competitions as an elementary schooler, where I wrote about everything from our solar system to ice cream trips, that served as an annual benchmark to look forward to.  It was- in retrospect a quite embarrassing- Tiktok poetry account that served as a creative outlet for me during quarantine.  Writing is powerful.  Writing is freeing.  And, as my philosophy obsessed freshman self had memorized: “Writing is the painting of the voice” – Voltaire. 

Now back to the real reason we are here: my blog!  Within these digital pages, you will find a celebration of my passions.  From the arts to adventure, literature to travel, and virtually anything else simultaneously plaguing and flourishing in my thoughts, I am committed to sharing my unwavering love for these diverse realms and their influence on my daily existence.  Buckle up for the missing tracks, broken seat belt, code violation, limbs hanging off kind of ride that will be this blog’s exploration of my thoughts and contemplations. 

As I embark on this blogging adventure, I am incredibly eager to share my stories and insights with you.  I am talking Taylor Swift Eras Tickets, white water rafting, your favorite team winning the NBA finals kind of excitement. Even as I sit down to write this, I cannot seem to step away from the hypnotization that I feel simply writing for myself and for my own enjoyment.  This blog is a space where my thoughts and passions can roam freely, where I can pour my heart onto these virtual pages, and where I connect with incredible individuals like you. So with that, I would like to conclude with this: my extreme gratitude for your presence here. It fills me with immense joy to embark on this journey with you. Together, let’s delve into the vast ocean of ideas, inspiration, and possibilities that populate our world!  Thank you for joining me on this introductory blog post, and I can’t wait to see where it takes us. 

With heartfelt appreciation, 

McKenzie Reitmayer