Category Archives: Social Media

All things internet! We’re in your blogs and on your Facebook and in your Tweets!

Social Media

An interview with a lady I don’t see often enough

4 Comments

Amy
There are few people more loyal than Amy, which helps explain why she’s been a bridesmaid 57 times. That number is probably inaccurate. But I know she has had legions of friends who couldn’t imagine spending their Big Day without her by their side, and it’s because she’s super. She’s funny and thoughtful, and she’s just as happy taking you out for a night on the town as she is curling up on the couch with you to watch some bad reality TV.

Amy and I met … well, she’ll tell you that story in a bit. I’ll tell you that from the time we met until the time Rockford and I left moved away, we were together all the time. It was like one of those sitcoms where the group of friends does everything together, and you wouldn’t believe that sort of thing actually happened if you hadn’t lived kind of the same thing except in Missouri instead of New York.

If they gave awards for being a great friend, Amy would win all of them. (Except for the Friend You Take Out for Sausage award, because she can hardly bring herself to say the word.)

Doc Brown has loaned you the DeLorean for a day. Where would you go, and what would you do once you got there?

This sounds pretty sad but my cousin, Lea passed away in 2008 just a few months after I got married and three days before Christmas at the age of 36. Although she had breast cancer, I don’t think, at that point in time, we were aware of the gravity of her situation. If I could, I would take the DeLorean to St. Louis and spend the day with her at the hospital. I regret not being there and not getting to tell her goodbye. She was loud, generous, fun and all together lovely and my family misses her dearly.
What’s in your purse right now?

This is an embarrassing question but it’s forcing me to clean out my purse right now. I have a lot of trash in my purse like gum wrappers, receipts and old shopping lists so essentially I am just carrying around a portable trash container. I also found a program from an event I attended on Sept 30 which is now promptly going in the trash along with old driving directions and church bulletins. Here’s what else I have in my purse: pens, Trident Bubble Gum (the best gum ever), gift certificates to Target and Starbucks for the upcoming bunco night I’m hosting, name badge for the hospital where I volunteer and do contract work, various business cards I have picked up, ticket stubs from both Esperanza Spalding and David Sedaris, checkbook, digital camera, Blackberry and wallet.

Who would star as you in the movie of your life? Who would play your significant other?

I have been told that I resemble Alyson Hannigan but she’s a tv actress so I would like to think either Kate Winslet or Julianne Moore. My husband would definitely be played by John Cusack.
Do you remember the first time we met?

Super Bowl XXXVIII on Feb 1, 2004. How’s that for a precise date? We were both invited to a mutual friend’s Super Bowl party (by the way, this same mutual friend also set me up with my husband) and immediately hit it off. By the end of the night we were building cheerleading pyramids in the kitchen. We bonded over music and the fact that we were more interested in hanging out in the kitchen than watching the Super Bowl. The rest is history. We’ve been BFFs ever since. The only crazy thing is that it actually seems like I’ve known you even longer.
What was your first job? How old were you, and how long did you work there? Did you like it?

My first job was working as a cashier at the local supermarket when I was 16. I actually loved it. I worked there for three and a half years as I stayed on while I was in college, too. I liked to refer to myself as “Super Checker” and had lots of sayings like, “I hate boys. Boys are stupid. Boys ruin everything.” Ahh, those were the days. The job was mostly a lot of fun because all of my friends worked there. We’d go there after school together, work for a few hours and hang out afterwards. One of my favorite memories from that job was leaving work with my friend, Amber. Once we got in my car we heard a muffled voice coming from the trunk saying, “Do exactly as I say and nobody will get hurt.” Yes, someone had crawled into my trunk and was hijacking us. We were terrified. In retrospect, we should have just driven straight to the police station but we saw our manager at the nearest gas station, jumped out of the car and frantically told him what was happening. I am not sure he really believed us but we were shaking. He popped the trunk and our friend, Sara jumped out. And this is how I learned to always lock my car doors.
National Blog Posting Month, Social Media

An interview with a former co-worker who is also my sister-in-law

3 Comments

Phoebe
Rockford’s sister Phoebe is intimidating. She’s an artist, a sculptor and an award-winning mixologist. (Her latest cocktail menu is based on a Tom Waits album.) Like the rest of Rockford’s family, she is very tall and has a commanding presence. If you have ever met me in person, you know that I am neither tall nor commanding. I found Phoebe a little (a lot) frightening for a number of years.

I first met Phoebe when I was 15 or so. I am sure she does not remember this, because it was a very brief meeting. She was in a production of “Guys & Dolls,” and I went because I love musical theater. And also because I had a big crush on Rockford, and I knew he would be there. He spotted me after the show, and he introduced me to his sister and his parents. (They might tell you that the first time I met them was at a Chinese restaurant, where I ate nothing but rice and Jell-O. But they would be mistaken. About the First Meeting, but not about the rice & gelatin. I tell you: They scared me.)

A few years later, I worked at our college newspaper with Phoebe, and a few years after that I married her brother. And then a few years after that, she wasn’t quite as terrifying any more.

These days Phoebe lives in Philadelphia with her fiance, Christian, and Pockets the cat.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

That changes on a daily basis.

I haven’t spent a lot of time outside the US, so pretty much anywhere would do. Sometimes anywhere other than here sounds divine. Now that it’s fall, almost Thanksgiving, I’d really like to be in some mountains. NC preferably, but the northern end of the Appalachain range, up around Cooperstown would do nicely. Why? Autumn and spring are my favorite seasons in the mountains. Obviously if I were in the NC mountains there would be the added benefit of being with my family. I have, in the past few years, not been able to get home as much as I would have liked, which is to say almost never.

There’s this tiny little town in NY state, near Cooperstown, called Roseboom. The reasons I was there the first time were sad, but the place itself reminded me a lot of home at a point in time when I was particularly missing it. It also has an amazing name. I’d like to revisit there.

What’s your favorite sandwich?

This is going to turn your stomach Nichole: Tomato, onion, mayo, salt, pepper on some sort of squishy wheat-based bread. One of the best things about summer.
Who would star as you in the movie of your life?

Someone with a lot of patience. Um … I have no idea. Christian says a cross between Ingrid Bergman and Tilda Swinton.
Who would play your significant other?

Jeffrey Wright
What is the worst advice you’ve ever been given?

I can’t publish it. Suffice it to say it was life-alteringly bad advice.
What was your first job? How old were you, and how long did you work there? Did you like it

I started working in my parents’ antiques business when I was 12 years old. I continued to work with/for them until I started college. And then again after I was in college until I moved away for grad school. Yes I liked it. I love my folks and I love antiques. It’s a real gift to be able to work with your partner and your family. I hope someday to run an antiques business with Christian.
National Blog Posting Month, Social Media

An interview with someone who makes killer cheesecakes

1 Comment

My sister-in-law Carrie is lovely inside and out. I would like her even if she didn’t spoil my kids rotten. She does spoil them, though, which makes her even more lovable.

A few facts about Carrie:

  • She is a hardcore Spartan.
  • She spent several summers following the Dave Matthews Band. I don’t know how many of their shows she’s seen, but I’ll bet she’ll tell us in the comments if we ask her nicely.
  • I wouldn’t blog nearly as often if she didn’t ask me why I’m not blogging when it’s quiet here.
  • She’s an amazing bowler. Seriously. She bowled for Michigan State.

    • I think my brother would agree that one of his smartest moves ever was marrying Carrie. I always wanted a little sister, and he picked a great one for me.

    Who would star as you in the movie of your life? Who would play your significant other?

    Claire Forlani, because I’ve been told by lots of people she looks like me. This was before I hacked off all my hair. Jake Gyllenhaal for Perry Mason.

    What’s in your purse right now?

    Keys, Cell Phone, Wallet, Christmas Shopping List, Inhaler, “got2B Powder’ful Volumizing Powder”, sunglasses, tissues, lip gloss.
    What was your first job? How old were you, and how long did you work there? Did you like it?

    My first job was working at a Hallmark store. It would have been the summer before college, so 17. I worked there for the summer, and then again during Christmas break. I loved it, I loved setting up the displays and figuring out how they all went together. (And now I work for a company that MAKES those displays…odd.) I had fun with the visual merchandising, but my boss didn’t seem to like my work because it would always be torn down and redone the next time I came in. It made me so mad, b/c I was clearly better at it then her. =)
    What is the worst advice you’ve ever been given?

    That milk will help wash the peas down. I still blame my parents for the pea hating.
    What was the last book you read? Was it worth reading?

    “A Game of Thrones” by George R R Martin. It is fantastic, and I am currently reading the 2nd book. It took about 200 pages to really get into but if you can push through those you won’t put it down.