Nonfiction Ryland

My dog, Luna, is a rambunctious ball of stress and chaos. She is an Australian cattle dog and feels the need to herd everyone in the house at all times (especially small children). She gets excited when she hears word like “ball” and “squirrel.” She barks constantly when she hears cars outside. She gets tired after only times chasing a ball during fetch. She will bump her head under you while you are in a hammock. She will only let you lay on her or hug her after 10 PM when she gets tired because she is too active before then. This is her personality at the surface level but there are many nuances that make her personality far deeper to me.  My family has prescribed a voice for Luna. It is a high pitched and somewhat raspy voice that we believe conveys the rambunctiousness of her dog personality. She can he dopey, she can be snarky, she can be excited. The voice we do is always based on whatever is happening in the moment but it is still what we want to see in her and what we want ...

My name is William Ryland Graham. I like my name though my first and last names are very common throughout the US and the world. My heritage is almost completely confined to the UK and my name reflects that which I like though that probably contributes to the generic sound. My name represents clan Graham of Scotland of which my great grandfather hailed from, and William, a name shared by many English rulers. Ryland is also an Irish name though there is not a specific meaning or intent behind that choice. Through my name and the choices that went into it, I am representing my heritage and family history. My name is a blend of Irish, Scottish and English which is the same as my own lineage and I feel that it accurately represents a part of my identity. I am proud of this heritage so I am also proud of my name.  The story of my actual naming is not a really thrilling one but it is interesting to me. My grandfather is William Robert Graham Sr. and my father William Robert Graham Jr. My...