Who/What is pearl-de-lis?

Hi there. I’m Janis. She/her, if you please.

Professionally, I’m an educator. As of June 2025, I’ve completed 19 years of working in public schools. So yeah, I have crow’s feet and am a recovering caffeine addict.

Personally, I’m a neurodivergent weirdo that lives with constant anxiety, is perpetually socially awkward, and doesn’t understand why people can’t be more verbally intimate.

I’ve had brain surgery, once. It was a doozy.

I’m married to the smartest woman I’ve ever met. I am the stepmother to a very cool young man. We all live together in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the nicest dog house to ever be conceived by man. Life definitely doesn’t suck all the time.

I like to write. I come from generations of storytellers, both musical and prosaic. pearl-de-lis: a blog is my attempt to keep my ancestors away from a botched legacy.

I write a blog at least once a week in an attempt to tell some stories. I want to hear your stories, too. Also look for my “Hit List” and “Shit List".”

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Add your pearls!

There’s a lot of pearls in this Substack ocean. Y’all need to crack some oysters together. Also, I want to read the stories you have, the connections you make, and the opportunities to tell more memoir-ish stories. Use the comment section! I want to read your stories as much as I want to tell them!

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