AN INTRODUCTION

About Me — Lisa S. Gerard

A quick meet and greet

Though my name is Lisa, it is slowly being overtaken by those who now call me Yaya.

I originally hail from southern New Jersey and have lived in Florida for 13 years now. I am 58 and have 3 adult children, 23, 26 & 28 years old. My 2 grandchildren are 5 years old, 2 1/2 years and one on the way.

The New Jersey I was raised in is nothing like the Real Housewives of New Jersey or The Jersey Shore show. We were a stone’s throw from Philadelphia and hours — lots of hours, from New York City.

I don’t fistfight, throw down, chew gum that you can see, throw drinks, punches, or host law-breaking parties. Nobody filmed us in our suburbs. We were standard fare.

I refer to myself as the “buy one, get one free” baby. My biological brother was adopted first and I followed him roughly a year later. That very fact alone I believe tortures him, so for fun, I send him my doctored picture on sibling day, every year, like clockwork.

As evidenced in the picture, I was a born smiler and just appreciate being alive. Laughter is a must; life is too short.

I am raising my grandson, Ian, who was placed in my care when he was 7 weeks old. When he was close to 2 years old, he named me Yaya when I couldn’t bring myself to settle on any of the classic grandmother names.

I felt too young to be a grandma.

I’m not.

Actually, he kept saying “ya ya ya ya ya ya” when he needed me to deliver him food, snacks, a toy, or his bottle. It stuck but, thankfully, was shortened.

My college years were at West Chester University in PA where my parents thought I would become a Secondary Education English Teacher. I thought I would regale the public as a famous movie star.

We were all wrong.

I’ve enjoyed the Hospitality Industry as a Restaurant Manager, Banquet Manager, Beverage Manager, and my all-time favorite, self-titled Hospitality Manager, where I was likened to Julie from The Love Boat TV series.

I would greet guests on land and miraculously appear on the 4th deck to greet them, again, before the gaming boat left the dock.

I was an elected official in local government for 11 years, a Church Elder for 6, and raised 3 children — one with a combination of diagnoses.

I was a member of NAMI NJ to learn how to best support her mental illness challenges mixed with PDD or Asperger’s Syndrome, NOS.

Mental Health Awareness is near and dear to me and I have been an advocate for the better part of 20 years. I started writing roughly 10 years ago and put the series, “She Is Not a Duck” aside as I prioritized family needs.

I just recently started publishing it through Illumination Book Chapters. The link is below if you’re interested.

I’ve seen, loved, suffered, been rewarded, and experienced a lot. I have scars and badges of honor.

I am a survivor and resilient.

This is very possibly why I love to write inspirational stories and mental health awareness, with support, and related articles. My lifelong message will remain, ‘You are Not Alone.’

I am Lisa S. Gerard: a Writer, a Mom, and a Yaya.

I am Complete.

Ready to join Medium and read endlessly?

My series in it’s working stages:

Quora | Substack Free Newsletter | Amazon Kindle Vella Anthologies:

Nonfiction Inspirational | Thrills and Chills Fiction | Mental Health