Count the seconds between a clap of thunder and a flash of lightening and you’ll know how far away it is, legend has it. Thunder: that which comes out of nowhere, booming into an ordinary rainy day to run its tingly fingers up my spine. Also apparently portentous.

But of what, aside from coming lightening? Thunderstorms are a canvas for the good and bad alike, and choosing the proper paintbrush is largely matter of perspective. You could sit on the covered porch with grandma and a bowl of popcorn telling stories, or you could whine and cry in the pantry with the dog. You could nervously jump at every boom, or you could sit back and enjoy it with a mug of hot chocolate and a good novel.

Thunderstorms Highly Likely is a chronicle of my journey dealing with the rains, the forecasts, and the occasional cracks and booms life hands out. It’s my struggle to figure out what it all means. Welcome aboard.

As for me, here’s the abbreviated dossier:

Legal name: We’ll just leave it at “magda” for now, shall we?

E-mail: magdathunder@gmail.com. I sure love letters, so write me if you feel so inclined.

Profession: Writer (for real!), which is kind of amazing, as that’s always what I’ve secretly wanted to be. My REAL secret profession is a spy, however. I’d be such a kick-ass undercover agent. But then again … maybe that IS my real profession. Muah ha ha. I’ll never tell.

Age: Shockingly closer to “late twenties” than “early twenties” anymore. A reality I am shunning. Also contemplating using my spy skills to alter the birth year in my passport. Tempting.

Interests: Exploring DC; soaking up the culture of all the fascinating museums and enriching opportunities of the city.

Lies: See above. Okay, yes, ideally I’d be out exploring and being a good DC resident. But I’m too easily distracted. I think about it a lot, I really do, and more than once I’ve gone downtown with friends for the express purpose of seeing a museum and getting culture. And where do we end up? Out to lunch. At a wine bar. Looking at shoe shops. Ah well. The thought is there, right?

Boyfriends: One, J, who is fantabulous. He’s my everything, and the one-day father of my children. ONE DAY. Not too soon.

Other: Outlandishly curly hair that may one day drive me INSANE. A compulsive organizer who likes everything in its place, and who crosses things off her to-do lists with a ruler (not too proud of that one). Conquering a bit of jealousy harbored against my perfect sister who is a brilliant biochemist with an adoring husband. Oh, and did I mention? She’s my LITTLE sister. Absolutely love to bake, but have tapered off a bit as J, being a serious healthy-eating style person, will have like one sliver of a pie slice, and, um, I will eat the rest.

And lots more. Will be updated periodically, I imagine.