Greetings. Hello. Moo.

My name is Aviva (ah-vee-vah).

I'm the daughter of an introverted mathematician father and an extroverted gun-carrying mother, also known as Dave and Janice. I'm the sister of a very special miracle guy, also known as Jeremy. I'm the best friend of a kind-hearted rebel, also known as Aimee, and the auntie of her tie-dye enthusiast daughter, also known as Isis. I'm the owner of two mischievous furry felines, also known as Phoebe and Jupiter. There are many other important people in my life and I will of course discuss them at a later time.

I was born in Boston to Yankee parents who migrated south and raised me in Charlotte, North Carolina. After spending the majority of my life in the south, I opted to go to college in Cincinnati, Ohio after finding out about an amazing fashion design program at the University of Cincinnati. In 2010, I graduated with a degree in fashion design and product development along with a certificate in journalism.

Through my college's five year co-op program, I lived a nomadic college lifestyle that required me to move every three months. I completed eight internships in four states, yet none of the jobs ever truly felt right for me. After five years of college, I was exhausted.

After countless job applications and an unfortunately large amount of rejection letters, I finally found a job in Madison, Wisconsin as an assistant editor for a fashion website (a job that combines my loves of fashion and writing). I packed up my life into boxes, said goodbye to my family and friends, and moved to a city and state that I had never been to before. It was a major lifestyle change and very overwhelming, but also a thrilling and exciting start to my adult life.

I'm a 24-year-old college graduate, but now what?

I have dabbled with online journals, but despite numerous nudges and suggestions from friends, I never blogged. I suppose I never felt motivated to start one because I never believed that I had a worthy subject matter.

I don't want to write about fashion.
As much as I adore it, it's my career and I feel that I need a little break.

I don't want to write about figure skating.
I'm a competitor, performer, coach, judge, and die-hard fan. Do I need to add sports blogger to that list?

I don't want to write about the intimate aspects of my personal life.
Though I respect Carrie Bradshaw, I don't feel like sharing my romantic encounters with the world.

But alas, I finally feel that I have a reason to blog. I have a reason to share my thoughts and experiences regarding a particular subject matter with my friends, family, and anyone else who chooses to read. I have a reason to document my life through words and photographs and compile them into one place in cyber land. My reason is:

Wisconsin.

Welcome to Aviva In Dairyland, where the Mad Hatter drinks beer, the Cheshire Cat lives in a barn, and the White Rabbit has his watch set to Central Time. It may not be the East Coast, but it's my new stomping ground. This is my adventure.