Many friends call me "M.G." for short. My husband Alan  our chocolate labrador retriever Maddie,  and I live in Chicago, Illinois, in the U.S. Here's a picture of us:

    Family : I am the oldest daughter, the panganay, in my family. My paternal grandfather, lolo sa Tatay, changed his name from Vertulfo to Bertulfo, leap-frogging from the end of the alphabet to the front, and forever altering our family name. My father's side of the family is from Quezon and my mother's side from Pangasinan on the island of Luzon. Though my family orginates from and still lives in the Philippines, we have settled all over the world : the United States, Canada, Scotland, and Italy.

    Travel : The world is a beautiful, interesting, awe-inspiring place! I'd like to see as much of it as I can, meeting people from every culture and all walks of life and eating good food. So far, I have traveled to the Philippines, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and about 37 out of the 50 United States. Hopefully this is just the beginning.

    Music : My deep orange classical guitar is named Gabriela, after General Gabriela Silang --a Filipina woman who fought for freedom against Spanish conquerors during the eighteenth century. Brazilian, Afro-cuban, and sweet oldschool jazz are among my favorite kinds of music. Alan and I love Bob Marley, Rita Marley, and Judy Mowatt. Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Santana, and Natalie Merchant are stereo staples.Of course, there's Skankin' Pickle, Lauryn Hill, and Poi Dog Pondering, too.

    Movement : I think better and am much happier when I'm moving around! So, often, you'll find me hiking up big mountains (when I can find them), taking long walks, dancing, singing, and riding trains, planes, and cars.

    Education : I studied Asian American Studies and Women's Studies as an undergraduate at UCLA, although my BA is in Cultural Anthropology. I have an M.A. in Anthro from U.C. Berkeley.

    Art : I write stories for children and adults based on my family experiences, Filipino heritage, and any wild thing in the cosmos that catches my attention.. You can find out more about my work by going to my Writing page.