Meet the Team: Lyd Lacey
This week in the SRNA Blog, we’re excited to introduce you to the newest member of our small but mighty team. For this series, get to know the people behind the Siegel Rare Neuroimmune Association!
Lyd joins the team this summer as Community Engagement Intern. Lyd has dedicated herself to advocacy for the rare neuroimmune community after she was diagnosed with AFM in 2014. She first started volunteering with SRNA as a freshman in high school, and it soon became a huge part of her life. Now a rising senior, Lyd is interning with SRNA over the summer. In her free time, Lyd enjoys reading and writing poetry, spending time in the Colorado Rockies, and hanging out with her rescue cat, Belle.
Get to know Lyd more by reading below!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
A close friend of mine once told me, “You don’t have to be good at something to enjoy it.” That phrase gave me the freedom to try new things and fail — and that’s okay, as long as I had a good time! Instead of putting the pressure on myself to have my hobbies be focused on developing skills over time with the goal of achieving mastery, I’ve been working to really enjoy the process and let go of my perfectionism.
What is something you’re really good at outside of work?
I like to think I’m pretty good at crossword puzzles — I play the New Yorker puzzles weekly and I’ve recently gotten really into playing the NYT mini crossword! My record time is 17 seconds, but I’m usually more in the 1 to 2 minute range.
When was the last time you did something for the first time?
I recently picked up scrapbooking for the first time to make birthday gifts for a couple friends (don’t tell them, it’s a surprise!). It’s been really fun experimenting with different textures, designs, and patterns — plus, I love an excuse to go to the craft store!
What’s something that has made you smile recently?
I have a seven-year-old rescue cat named Belle — not to brag, but she is absolutely adorable! She loves attention, and the other day she curled up on my lap and slept for three hours. Her cuteness is irresistible, and she makes me smile every day.
What energizes you?
One of my favorite things to do when I’m feeling tired or bored is to go for a drive on one of the many mountain passes near my home. I love to get in my car, put on my favorite CD (Stick Season by Noah Kahn), and go wherever the road takes me!
Three books, blogs, or podcasts you love:
One of my all-time favorite books is The Anthropocene Reviewed, by John Green. It’s an anthology of essays on our human centered world, and Green manages to make even the most random and seemingly unimportant topics into worlds of their own with nuance and complexity. Many of the essays are shorter reads, so it’s a great book to travel with and pick up when you can!
Recently, I’ve been loving This Podcast Will Kill You — ominous title aside, each episode explores the history and biology of a different disease, disorder, or health topic. It’s a super interesting show, and I’m hoping they do episodes on the rare neuroimmune disorders one day!
Lastly, one of my favorite novels is The Secret History by Donna Tartt. It’s a murder mystery novel, except that the opening scene tells you exactly who did it and how — the book then backtracks and tells the story of everything that led up to the murder and it becomes a philosophical and moral investigation into how a good person can do a bad thing. I love Tartt’s writing style — she draws from Greek and Roman tragedy while narrating with a distinctly lyrical and descriptive prose.
Any other thoughts or comments you’d like to share with the readers:
The SRNA community is so beautiful and diverse! I have loved becoming a part of it over the last few years, and there are so many ways to be involved. I encourage everyone to try something new, whether that be joining a support group or writing for the blog — you never know what your new favorite thing will be!
