Who am I?

Yes, I am a millionaire. But not a super-duper rich one. I'm worth about, oh, ten million dollars, more or less, including the value of my primary residence. I know this makes me a very fortunate person, and I'm indeed grateful that this country (the U.S.A.) has given me the opportunity to achieve this level of security. Because, you see, I wasn't born rich. I was born solidly middle class, the daughter of a social worker and a restaurant cook, and it was only relatively late in life (in my mid-forties) when I began to earn a hefty income. How? you may ask.

I can't really tell you, because I'd like to stay anonymous.

Suffice it to say that no worker was exploited, no gimmicks were involved, and no, I don't work on Wall Street. I earned my living through my own creative endeavors, and my creations seem to be popular around the world. My own imagination has been the source of my wealth. Last year my income was three million dollars.

But I'm not writing this blog to gloat. I'm writing it because I think there are a certain number of people out there, just like me, who suddenly find themselves wealthy and don't know how to adapt. Or they're slightly embarrassed by it. Or they think they don't deserve it. Or they find out that it results in changes in their lives or their friendships or their relationships, and they're distressed by these changes.

I'm dealing with this myself, and I'm hoping that I can find other people who can relate.

First off, I want to get something straight. I don't want anyone to think of me as an "asshole rich person." I try to be generous because I remember what it was like to worry about paying my bills. I am a Democrat. I pay my taxes (the maximum tax bracket -- I simply don't have that many business deductions) and I don't begrudge my checks to the I.R.S. I think it's the price one pays to live in a well-ordered society. I am a social liberal and a fiscal conservative, and I think that every American should have health coverage.

But I know I am rich and I know that people will make assumptions about me because of this.

Anyway, that's who I am. And I hope that others out there -- people who are dealing with the issues I and my family are dealing with -- will find my thoughts valuable.