In this episode we welcome author and artist Jaime Townzen. Jaime shares about her upbringing in Southern California, that included her parent’s divorce and subsequent remarriages that resulted in her babysitters becoming her step-sisters. Jaime reveals how the role of being a high achiever both aided her and at times sabotaged her as the weight of people’s expectations continued to pile on throughout most of her life. We touch on typical GenX topics that include lack of parental support when it came to extracurriculars as well as handling the college application process on our own. We learn about Jaime’s time at UCLA where she briefly considered pre-med before realizing the importance of pursuing her true passion of writing. A transfer to University of Redlands led to meeting her future husband as well as an amazing experience in Austria studying abroad. A move to Sacramento resulted in a stint teaching 4th grade, that included navigating the unique experience of being a teacher on 9/11. Shortly after marrying her husband, they moved to Pasadena where Jaime found a career in nonprofit marketing and advertising. Eventually she became a mother to two beautiful girls while at the same time unknowingly beginning a long journey of caretaking, loss and grief. The shutdown of the world in 2020 due to Covid offered a form of respite for Jaime where she was able to create a space for herself to use watercolor as a form of self-preservation and prioritization. Through her art, her creativity sparked, bloomed and grew to a place where her talent for writing could be honored. From that, her coming of age novel “Absorbed” was born. Set in the 90s, “Absorbed” promises to resonate with GenX and Millennials alike, but also with their children as well. Touching on such topics as consent and women’s reproductive rights intertwined with the teenage experience, “Absorbed” is sure to be a bridge between generations. Jaime also shares sage advice on setting boundaries as a form of self-care, as well as the importance of integrating some form of creativity into your daily life every single day. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Jaime and were enthralled not only with her story, but her amazing resilience and strength combined with immense creative wisdom. We encourage our readers to check out her book “Absorbed” and stop by her website to peruse her artwork. We look forward to having Jaime return to the studio when her next novel is released!
Check Out Jaime at:
Web Site: https://jaimetownzen.com
Shop: https://jaimetownzen.com/shop/
https://www.tiktok.com/@jaimegetscreative/
https://www.instagram.com/jaimegetscreative/
https://youtube.com/@jaimetownzen/
https://www.facebook.com/jaime.townzen/
Check Us Out at:
https://genxadultingpodcast.com
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:15 The Beauty of California
04:23 Family Background
20:57 Parent's Divorce and Remarriages
39:35 Becoming a High Achiever
42:35 Parental Support for GenX Kid's Extracurriculars
49:18 Going to UCLA
59:49 Going to University of Redlands and Meeting Husband
01:08:33 Studying Abroad in Austria
01:12:19 Moving to Sacramento and Teaching Through the 9/11 Experience
01:19:41 Moving to Pasadena and Finding a Career in Nonprofit Marketing and Advertising
01:21:59 Becoming a Mother and a Stay-At-Home Mom
01:23:13 A Journey of Caretaking, Loss and Grief
01:40:54 Watercolor as an Outlet to Self-Prioritize
01:46:51 Carrying the Weight of Responsibility for Entire Family
01:50:31 Setting Boundaries for Self-Care
02:05:47 Art as a Form of Self-Preservation
02:15:55 Honoring Your Creative Space Every Single Day
02:20:46 "Absorbed" by Author Jaime Townzen
02:27:55 How the Sexual Experience Has Changed
02:43:31 Me Too Movement and Consent
02:53:18 Writing and Publishing "Absorbed"
02:56:41 Parenting Daughters
03:02:14 Advice to Women Who Are Going Through Self-Discovery
03:07:14 Love of Music - Pop Punk of Southern California
03:19:27 5 Year Vision
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