Belladonna Piranha is the blogging pseudonym I've used for the past few years as I've experimented with a variety of online writing.  Most folks I know on the web know me as Belle.

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I'm a sociologist by training and have taught courses for community colleges across three different states, in addition to holding a variety of jobs in social work and research.  I've lived all over the USA, currently calling the Pacific Northwest home.  I live in a small rural community in Oregon with my husband of 25 years.

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A self described "spiritual mutt",  I have explored a variety of world religions and have close friends from many different faiths.  I was born into the LDS church as the middle of five kids with convert parents, but it didn't really stick.  By the time I was 13 I was a Beehive drop-out, beginning a long stormy phase of rebellion that took me far away from all organized religion.  I married young to a non-member and had two sons by the time I was nineteen. Throughout my early adult years I considered the LDS faith "my mother's church" and believed it had absolutely nothing to do with me. 

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My first marriage ended in divorce when I was 24.  During the time I was a struggling single parent I began exploring issues of faith and spirituality once more.  I was initially attracted to Unitarian and Baha'i' congregations, although I visited a variety of churches and read some about eastern religions.  In 1981 I met and married my current husband, a "Utah Mormon" who grew up in a tiny farm community where even the chickens were LDS, or so it seemed. 

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We agreed from the start that I was under no obligation to pursue or practice his faith, but my observations of my beloved's unwavering belief sparked my curiosity.  Although I remained ambivalent about religion in general for some time, and had some specific doctrinal misgivings about the LDS faith, eventually I took missionary discussions and began reading from the History of the Church. Bit by bit my own testimony took hold.   My husband and I were sealed in the Washington DC temple in 1983.  We have been active in the church since that time.  

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We've moved around a lot chasing my husband's career, so I have had opportunities to serve in wards and branches in Ohio, Florida, Michigan, Washington and Oregon.  (Have been President and/or counselor in various ward Primary, Young Women and Relief Society and served as Counselor in one Stake Relief Society as well as teaching Seminary, Gospel Doctrine and Gospel Essentials.)

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I've done some sporadic freelance writing and am currently working on a collection of fiction short stories.

You can contact me at either e-mail:  belladonna (at) watersofmormon (dot) com or belladonnapiranha (at) yahoo (dot) com    If you care to take a look at my personal blog, you can find that at http://mind-muffins.blogspot.com/