Why do I have to look in the mirror in order to put my lipstick on? I know where my lips are; they haven’t moved since I got them. So why do I have to look in the mirror? If I don’t, I have to actually touch my lip with my finger first, like I’m directing the lipstick where to go. How weird is that?
These are the kinds of questions I ask myself when my mind wanders. I need to put a leash on that mind of mine, I know. At least the questions other people ask me are more intelligent, and today NJ is doing the asking.
NJ is the writer of A Cookie Before Dinner, and I would love her based on the name of her blog alone. I’m always up for a cookie before dinner, and not the icky ones I made for my sugar detox. But the meaning behind the name - a sweet life, well lived – is why I’m a loyal reader. NJ’s writing is funny, inspiring, heartfelt, and practical. There are stories of love, family, and encouragement. Every visit to her blog is time well spent. If you’re not a fan, please visit NJ and get to know her. And read her answers to the questions I asked her, which I think are much better than the random questions I ask myself.
1. Your kids are much older than mine. What is one thing that has surprised you about parenting preteens and teenagers?
How much I enjoy their company. Not all the time, but more than half. When they are in a good mood, they are fun to be around – witty, smart, and kind. I see glimpses of the grown-ups they will be, and I like what I see.
I asked them to hold hands for this photo
2. If you could only eat one ethnicity of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Italian. But that would not be the healthiest for me – lots of cheese and pasta. So I’m changing my answer to Mediterranean. Flavorful, full of variety, and great for the heart.
3. You’ve been published in two books and you write a blog. Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Not at all. When I was three, I wanted to be a truck driver or construction worker. I’ve always liked to write, but I never considered it as a career or even a hobby. I still don’t really consider myself a writer, but I love what I’m doing. I’ve always found it easier to convey my thoughts and feelings through writing rather than speaking, so blogging has been a great way to do that.
4. What is on your nightstand? Bonus points for picture.
A lamp, the phone, lotion (two kinds), tissues, the remote, an EOS lip balm (that’s the green egg thing), a candle, a lighter (for the candle), and a candle wick snipper thingy. I always thought that was a stupid thing to buy, but after consistently burning myself as I lit a tall candle that had burned low, I bought one. Here’s a photo; I even dusted before I took it:
5. What is the number one thing your kids fight about?
My kids don’t really fight much. There is occasional bickering about stupid things like James not replacing the toilet paper roll, or Gwen’s eight feet of hair getting stuck to all of James’ clothes, or one kid finishing the bag of pretzels when the other kid wanted some. My sister and I fought much more than my kids do; I don’t know if it’s a gender thing or if Amy and I were just pains in the ass.
Thank goodness for braces.
6. After an explosive start in 2013 for Kiss My List, what does 2014 look like?
Who knows? As someone who is a planner, I am surprisingly non-goal oriented when it comes to my blog. I’m just going to keep writing, and see what happens. That’s very go-with-the-flow of me, and that is NOT how I typically roll. It’s kind of freeing, actually. I might even take off my bra. Not on my blog, of course.
7. I know you love to read. What is one book you read over and over? I read A Tree Grows In Brooklyn at least twice a year.
I rarely read a book twice. The one exception is Diana Galbadon’s Outlander series, which I own and have read twice. The problem is that I have to invest months to read the entire series again, and there are so many other books just waiting for me to experience.
8. I stole this one from Rabia and it ended up turning into a really successful post for me, so I want to ask you too! What is the oldest unfinished draft in your blog folder? Why haven’t you finished it?
I have a folder called “Future Posts” in Evernote, and I start a note for each idea I have. So most of them are just a few phrases – the oldest dating back to May 2013. One that is a little meatier is “10 reasons why it’s great to have one child of each gender,” that I started in July of last year. I just can’t come up with ten reasons, and it’s not turning out the way I wanted.
9. How do you handle social media with your kids?
They can only join with our permission, and Matt and I get all the passwords and full access whenever we want. We do random checks, and take every opportunity to talk with them about the possible dangers. Privacy settings are at the maximum. Friends and family keep an eye on what they are posting or doing, so I have eyes everywhere. Social media is here to stay, and I want my kids to know how to use it responsibly.
10. If you could take a blogcation with 4 of your favorite bloggers, who would you take and where would you go?
I’ve been thinking about this question since you gave it to me, NJ. This is tough – I love so many and I hate to play favorites. It’s also difficult because although I feel like I know some bloggers so well from their writing, I don’t know how they are in person. Do they snore? Are they slobs? Are they relaxed on vacation, or does every second have to be planned? So I’m taking the cowardly way out and not answering this question, but if anyone owns a beach house and would like some company, I’m your gal! Call me.
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