73 Questions

I’m totally yanking this from other bloggers (and obviously from Vogue) but I thought it would be fun to go through 73 questions. Answering these took me back to the days of MySpace surveys 😉

1. What’s the best thing that happened to you this month so far?

It’s been a good month. Had a happy hour with my bestie last weekend that was pretty damn great.

2. What’s your favorite game?

Cards Against Humanity, or if I’m playing with a more “respectable” group of people, Apples to Apples.

3. When are you most inspired?

When I’m caffeinated 😉

4. If you could teach one subject in school, what would it be?

English.

5. What’s your favorite beverage?

Probably water, though I love a good mojito.

6. What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?

Not too long after our mom died, my brother told me I reminded him of her.

7. What is your favorite birthday cake?

I’m not much of a cake person. For my birthday growing up, I always requested strawberry shortcake.

8. What is one thing you still have from your childhood?

Oh, so many things. I still have the book my mom read to me every night (which I gave to our daughter) and the stuffed clown I slept with as a baby (which I gave to our son).

9. What is your favorite movie?

Some Like It Hot.

10. What is something you can’t do?

Run long distances. I’ve tried, but my rattly joints make it painful after a few miles.

11. Window or aisle seat?

Window.

12. What makes you laugh no matter what?

My husband. His sense of humor is ridiculous.

13. What does creativity mean to you?

Letting your imagination roam free.

14. What are you favorite lyrics of all time?

Not sure I’d call it my favorite, but it’s one that sticks with me, paints a picture, and moves me time and again. “When my time comes around/Lay me gently in the cold dark earth/No grave can hold my body down/I’ll crawl home to her” – Work Song, Hozier

15. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas.

16. What’s heavily played on your music playlist right now?

My Love Goes On (James Morrison feat. Joss Stone), bad guy (Billie Eilish) and Truth Hurts (Lizzo).

17. If you could raid one woman’s closet, who would it be?

Helena Glazer of Brooklyn Blonde, though let’s be honest—those clothes aren’t gonna fit this post-baby bod.

18. Must have purse item?

Glossier Cherry Balm Dot Com.

19. At age 12, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A lawyer… which is hilarious now because I hate confrontation and disagreement.

20. What is something you will not be doing in 10 years?

Changing diapers.

21. What is an important life lesson for someone to learn?

What’s most important. Often learned painfully after the loss of someone important.

22. How do you start your day?

I lay on my back for the first 5-10 minutes, thinking about my day, what I want to accomplish, and how I can make it good for everyone. As soon as I’m out of bed, I brush my teeth, wash my face, and go through a stretching routine.

23. Would you ever live anywhere besides Cincinnati?

It’s hard to imagine a scenario that would prompt us to leave. Our families are here, and my husband and I both work for companies that are headquartered here.

24. What’s your favorite dessert?

My mom’s heavenly chocolate cheesecake.

25. Is there a dessert you don’t like?

Honest to goodness, I can’t think of one.

26. It’s brunch! What do you eat?

We don’t go out for brunch very often, so I usually indulge when we do. My favorite brunch is from Incline Public House. I get the bananas foster French toast with sides of bacon and fruit, plus a mimosa.

27. Where was the best vacation you’ve ever taken?

Am I a dork if I say DisneyWorld with our kids?

28. Favorite Disney animal?

Abu from Aladdin.

29. What is a book you are planning on reading?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

30. What did you read most recently?

I’m in the middle of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Dreyer’s English, and How to Raise Successful People. If we’re talking about what I’ve finished most recently, that would be Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

31. Favorite solo artist?

Pete Yorn.

32. What is something you’re tired of?

I can’t answer this without getting political.

33. What’s a city you wish to visit?

Feels impossible to choose. If we’re daydreaming, maybe Rome. If we’re being more realistic (likely that I could visit there in the next 10 years), San Francisco.

34. Heels or flats?

At work or on a date, heels. All other times, flats.

35. Where does one go on a perfect road trip?

My husband and I drove to Asheville, NC for a wedding years ago and it was beautiful.

36. What do you do on a rainy day?

Clean, read, exercise and play with the kiddos. Basically the same things I’d do on a sunny day, ha.

37. What’s your favorite exercise?

As I’ve mentioned in approximately 50% of all blog posts this year, I love The Be.come Project. I also just like some good old-fashioned weightlifting. I like my muscles to be sore the next day.

38. What was your worst subject in school?

All sciences.

39. Plans for the weekend?

Parish festival, Taste of Cincinnati, dinner with friends.

40. What do you usually eat for breakfast?

Half of a modified Fitnessista protein muffin, fruit, water and coffee.

41. What do you usually eat for dinner?

It changes daily but a current favorite is this chicken bruschetta from Skinnytaste.

42. Cooking or baking?

Cooking.

43. Favorite baked good?

These cookies.

44. What is something you wish you could be good at?

Many, many things, but I’d probably choose singing.

45. Skiing or surfing?

I’ve only been skiing once and I’ve never surfed. Surfing sounds more fun though.

46. First celebrity crush?

It’s hard to think back that far. Maybe Jonathan Taylor Thomas? Or Brad Renfro?

47. Most recent celebrity crush?

Adam Scott (the actor, not the golfer) and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

48. What color was your prom dress?

I went to three proms over the years. I wore a yellow dress to my first prom, pale pink (shocker) the next year, and white for my senior year.

49. How do you manage stress?

Ha I’ll let you know when I find something that works.

50. What do you do to relax?

This isn’t groundbreaking, but I take a shower and lay on the couch while watching reruns of Friends.

51. Age when you were first kissed?

I was 14.

52. Place you were first kissed?

In his room after a day with his family at Tall Stacks. (Any other Cincinnatians remember Tall Stacks?)

53. Favorite fashion trend of all time?

I’m definitely not a trendy person! As much as I wanted to hate them for a long, long time, I’ve come to love leggings (for athleisure; I can’t pull them off in a more dressy outfit).

54. Best fashion advice you’ve ever received?

Wear what makes you feel good.

55. What is your current favorite piece of clothing you own?

I just got the Madewell Courtyard Floral Ruffle Hem Top. Kicking myself for not trying it sooner. I assumed it wouldn’t be flattering on my body type, but it totally is and now the other colors are sold out in my size.

56. Shoes or bags?

I stick to the same few bags all the time and take more risks with shoes.

57. How do you know if you’re in love?

In my case, I knew it when I realized that all my daydreams about the future included him. It wasn’t a conscious thing… he was just there and imagining anything without him felt sad, upsetting and wrong.

58. Television show you’ve binged on recently?

I usually have one show that I binge with T and one without. We just finished Parks & Rec and have moved on to Schitt’s Creek. For myself, I just finished Grace & Frankie and now am working on Dead to Me.

59. Who do you turn to when you’re sad?

T for sure, and my best girlfriends.

60. Leather or lace?

Depends on the season.

61. Vintage or new?

Depends on what I’m buying.

62. What is your kryptonite?

Dessert.

63. What are you most enchanted by?

My kids. I am mesmerized by them.

64. What is your biggest strength?

My empathy. If you’re feeling something, let me know and I’ll feel it with you.

65. What is your biggest weakness?

Self doubt. There was a time I was more confident, but it was a long time ago.

66. What is your favorite flower?

Hydrangeas.

67. Cutest thing on planet earth?

My kiddos.

68. Favorite color?

I could find something good to say about most of them.

69. Best first date idea?

It’s been 15 years since I’ve been on a first date, and the first dates of a college student are very different from those of a 33-year-old! It’s cliché, but I’d say meet for a drink and then go to a movie. If conversation during drinks was good, have dinner after the movie. If it was bad, you can close out the date after the movie.

70. Favorite time of day?

I’m not a morning person, but once I’m up, I love them.

71. What do you notice first about someone when you meet them?

Their smile and teeth.

72. What’s your guilty pleasure?

Long showers while listening to a podcast.

73. Favorite band?

Foo Fighters.