About Me

I was born in Princeton, Minnesota on a snowy day in December in the mid 1970s. I only remember growing up in Northern Minnesota although I am told I lived in Minneapolis / St. Paul and Missouri briefly. I can neither confirm nor deny this. I was joined in my family by my beautiful sister five years after my arrival.

I attended Creative Corners Daycare in Bemidji and I still see my day caretaker, although, I don't remember her. I went to Horace May elementary school and then to Bemidji High School. My HS years were pretty uneventful - I have no activities listed after my name in the yearbook. I was a good student (and still am) and did enjoy school to some degree. I was very shy in my teenage years and I find it difficult to convince people of this fact at this time in my life.

I attended Bemidji State University for one year and took a year off while I sorted some things out. I came out of the closet and packed up and moved three hours east to Duluth Minnesota to attend the University of Minnesota Duluth. I attended. I didn't graduate.

My ex and I decided to move to the loverly state of Vermont and after a few years of planning. We took the plunge. We broke up and I've been here for the last five years.

Friends have come and gone. I've left them, they've left me. Always unintentional. I hope that they'll stumble upon this site and reconnect. I have always stayed close to family and I also hope this site brings them closer to me.

I currently have many great and wonderful friends that I surround myself with. I don't know who said it, but they said it best: Friends are the family we choose. I love to cook, eat, read, watch movies, laugh and giggle, be silly, and work hard.

I've met a wonderful man and we are getting married in 2006. We live together in Hinesburg, Vermont and have a little kitty named Saffie.

Please drop me a line: chris@ilstrup.com

UPDATED 3/2006:

Here's some pictures from my younger years.