Interviewed by RA

I was recently interviewed by RA. Here is our Q&A. She asked some pretty good questions.

If you'd like me to interview you, leave the request in the comments and I'll send you an email.

1. Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging after reading several blogs and thinking "hey, I could do that!" I've always liked writing, and have been told on occasion that I write pretty well.

When my marriage began crumbling, it became an outlet for my feelings, especially since no one really knew about it. After my daughters died, it became more important to me to share my stories and my life. Blogging really got me through a lot during the first few months after they died. Even just writing about organizing my junk drawer helped, because it was a sense of normalcy. Not everyone can identify with losing a loved one but a junk drawer is pretty universal.

2. What's the best thing about where you live? The worst?

The best thing about where I live is that it's got a small town feel, but we have the amenities of the big city, like a 24-hour Wal-Mart. I'm also 15 minutes from St. Louis, for baseball games, the Zoo, and cultural activities like The Muny and The Fox Theatre.

The downside of my city is that parts of it are getting a bit rough. And those rough sections seem to be growing in size. I'm not so naive to believe that just because we're not a major metropolitan area doesn't mean we don't have drugs and crime, but it worries me that the perpetrators of those crimes seem to be getting younger. I just hope that I can educate Maddy, and keep the lines of communication open with her, and hope and pray that I'm raising her to make the right choices.

3. What would your teenage self think of the person you are now?

My teenage self would be impressed with me, I hope. She might also be disappointed in me, in that we didn't become a famous writer (but I'm still working on it!) The teenage me would also be surprised that our parents knew what they were talking about when they lectured us on manners, respect, and the importance of clean underwear. She might also be shocked that we make our bed every morning after swearing once we moved out we'd never make our beds again!

4. If you could hire a personal servant, who would you choose?

I think I'd like a secretary, to keep my correspondence and calendar organized. I envision a capable young woman, like in the movies from the 40s, dressed in a pencil skirt, crisp white blouse and kickin' round toe pumps, coming to me in the morning with her steno pad and reminding me of my daily engagements, letters to be sent, and invitations which need replies. Perhaps I should also stop watching so many Bette Davis movies.

5. What skill do you wish you had?

I wish I was able to crochet or knit. I don't think I have the patience or hand-eye coordination. I admire people who can take a ball of yarn and turn it into a sweater, or scarf, and not have it look like it was done by a 6-year old at camp.