Joanna Ennis (![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} jo_ennis) wrote,@ 2009-07-02 01:02:00 |
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biography
Name: Joanna (Jo) Ennis
Concept: The Manhattan
Subjects Taught: World History, Government, Ethics
Age & DOB: Aged 39 - born 15th May, 1970
Never afraid of talking about those tough subjects, The Manhattan is very opinionated, which makes those government and world history classes she teaches pretty interesting. She loves debates and people willing to fight the system, so it's no wonder her favorite students are The Tulip and The Hare. Although usually level headed, The Champagne frustrates her so much that she often gets into screaming matches with the other woman.
Joanna Ennis's parents are useless hippies.
This has been a pretty defining factor in the way her life has gone. She was conceived at Woodstock, August 1969. Her mother, Rosie, was at an impromptu orgy in a VW Van at the time but positive of who the father (George) was only because she passed out without moving on to anyone else. Either way, Jo had inherited his nose and colouring, so he was a pretty safe bet. The three moved in together into Rosie's hippie commune in New York's Greenwich Village, where Jo spent her earliest two years being taken care of by a transient collection of well-meaning stoners, somehow surviving until her parents' stormy relationship ended with Rosie moving out into their own place, bought for her by her wealthy parents, who also had the tolerance and foresight to set her up with her own business, a small health food shop. The idea wasn't so common back then, and given the locale business boomed. Today Jo's mother, who at least inherited some business sense from her entrepreneurial father, still runs a successful health food chain, although these days mostly over the internet.
Jo, a curiously solemn and serious child given the circumstances of her early years of life, grew to appreciate her mother and (mostly absentee) father's politics, but never really bought into their approach. It seemed to her as though lighting up, chilling out and hoping nobody harshed on one's buzz wasn't exactly going to create world peace - for all that the original statement had been a significant one. What the world needed now, the young Jo thought, was a bit less pot and a bit more action.
And action she found. Jo was marching and protesting before she'd left high school, canvassing heavily for every cause that was dear to her - the environment, equal rights for women, anti-capitalism - she was there, waving a placard. Her mother was proud but slightly confused when she was told she "just didn't get it". By the time she went to university (Brown, BA History & Political Science followed by an MPP (Masters in Public Policy) from UC Berkeley) she was done protesting and had moved on to pressure groups and student counsels. Although she considered going into politics, she knew that she had at least inherited her parents integrity if nothing else, and would struggle to bite the ethical bullets that a political career would require.
Instead it was perhaps natural that she should end up in teaching. She completed a teaching qualification, and moved back north. She's taught at various schools, both public and private, for approaching fifteen years now, and she loves it. She's completely dedicated to her work - perhaps suspiciously so - not only teaching her full complement of classes and then some but sponsoring/coaching clubs, serving in support roles for students, and generally Being The Job. Students may love or hate her, but they will always know that she is giving their education her all.
The truth is, of course, that Jo is hopelessly lonely. Looking to her parents' relationship she knows that just Love isn't enough, and is a frightening perfectionist about relationships. She rarely gets past the first date (with either men or women, and she's attempted both), and never more than a few months in before they do something unforgivable, such as disrespecting her personal space, committing some cardinal hygiene sin, or expressing an opinion that sits at exact odds with her own (actually, just slightly off can be bad enough). That or she scares them off by being intense, serious, acerbic, mocking or just plain, y'know, scary. It's a real shame, because beneath it all she really is an idealist and has an enormous amount of affection to give. At least her students see the benefit of it, her energy and passion being poured into their education.
Naturally she's pretty sexually frustrated. She's working on it. Mostly she does a lot of running and cycling. She's thinking about getting a dog.
Physically, Jo is tallish (5'8.5'') with strong features, dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. She carries herself with confidence, striding most places, and can come across as a little confrontational ('cause she is). She usually wears (beautifully cut) suits and the like to class, and more casual jeans/tanks/shirts at home, but isn't afraid to 'doll up' for formals.
Concept: The Manhattan
Subjects Taught: World History, Government, Ethics
Age & DOB: Aged 39 - born 15th May, 1970
Never afraid of talking about those tough subjects, The Manhattan is very opinionated, which makes those government and world history classes she teaches pretty interesting. She loves debates and people willing to fight the system, so it's no wonder her favorite students are The Tulip and The Hare. Although usually level headed, The Champagne frustrates her so much that she often gets into screaming matches with the other woman.
Joanna Ennis's parents are useless hippies.
This has been a pretty defining factor in the way her life has gone. She was conceived at Woodstock, August 1969. Her mother, Rosie, was at an impromptu orgy in a VW Van at the time but positive of who the father (George) was only because she passed out without moving on to anyone else. Either way, Jo had inherited his nose and colouring, so he was a pretty safe bet. The three moved in together into Rosie's hippie commune in New York's Greenwich Village, where Jo spent her earliest two years being taken care of by a transient collection of well-meaning stoners, somehow surviving until her parents' stormy relationship ended with Rosie moving out into their own place, bought for her by her wealthy parents, who also had the tolerance and foresight to set her up with her own business, a small health food shop. The idea wasn't so common back then, and given the locale business boomed. Today Jo's mother, who at least inherited some business sense from her entrepreneurial father, still runs a successful health food chain, although these days mostly over the internet.
Jo, a curiously solemn and serious child given the circumstances of her early years of life, grew to appreciate her mother and (mostly absentee) father's politics, but never really bought into their approach. It seemed to her as though lighting up, chilling out and hoping nobody harshed on one's buzz wasn't exactly going to create world peace - for all that the original statement had been a significant one. What the world needed now, the young Jo thought, was a bit less pot and a bit more action.
And action she found. Jo was marching and protesting before she'd left high school, canvassing heavily for every cause that was dear to her - the environment, equal rights for women, anti-capitalism - she was there, waving a placard. Her mother was proud but slightly confused when she was told she "just didn't get it". By the time she went to university (Brown, BA History & Political Science followed by an MPP (Masters in Public Policy) from UC Berkeley) she was done protesting and had moved on to pressure groups and student counsels. Although she considered going into politics, she knew that she had at least inherited her parents integrity if nothing else, and would struggle to bite the ethical bullets that a political career would require.
Instead it was perhaps natural that she should end up in teaching. She completed a teaching qualification, and moved back north. She's taught at various schools, both public and private, for approaching fifteen years now, and she loves it. She's completely dedicated to her work - perhaps suspiciously so - not only teaching her full complement of classes and then some but sponsoring/coaching clubs, serving in support roles for students, and generally Being The Job. Students may love or hate her, but they will always know that she is giving their education her all.
The truth is, of course, that Jo is hopelessly lonely. Looking to her parents' relationship she knows that just Love isn't enough, and is a frightening perfectionist about relationships. She rarely gets past the first date (with either men or women, and she's attempted both), and never more than a few months in before they do something unforgivable, such as disrespecting her personal space, committing some cardinal hygiene sin, or expressing an opinion that sits at exact odds with her own (actually, just slightly off can be bad enough). That or she scares them off by being intense, serious, acerbic, mocking or just plain, y'know, scary. It's a real shame, because beneath it all she really is an idealist and has an enormous amount of affection to give. At least her students see the benefit of it, her energy and passion being poured into their education.
Naturally she's pretty sexually frustrated. She's working on it. Mostly she does a lot of running and cycling. She's thinking about getting a dog.
Physically, Jo is tallish (5'8.5'') with strong features, dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. She carries herself with confidence, striding most places, and can come across as a little confrontational ('cause she is). She usually wears (beautifully cut) suits and the like to class, and more casual jeans/tanks/shirts at home, but isn't afraid to 'doll up' for formals.