73 Vogue Rapid Fire Questions
Before my website met its maker, one of my top posts was 73 Vogue Rapid Fire Questions. It’s a fun little questionnaire, and it takes me back to those good ‘ol MySpace and LiveJournal days when we were all about a good Q&A.
So here we go – 73 Vogue Rapid Fire Questions.
1. What’s your favorite time of day? I love early mornings, around 6AM, when most of the world is still asleep. It’s quiet and slow and I have a few minutes to sit in that quiet and center myself for the day ahead. I like to try to do a little writing during that time too.
2. What’s your biggest weakness? My belief that I can do everything and that the best way to do things is my way. I’m getting better at delegating, but it has been a struggle to learn to let go and let others help me. Hi, I’m the very definition of an enneagram 3.
3. What’s your biggest strength? My willingness to try things. I’ve never been afraid to try something new, even if I don’t know how it might end up. Sometimes I fall flat on my face, sometimes I thrive, but you never know if you don’t try, right?
4. What’s the biggest learning experience you’ve had? Leaving my small hometown in the mountains of Virginia to attend the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. That experience literally changed my life and opened my eyes to how much more was out there.
5. What’s your idea of a perfect date? Something active like a baseball or football game (maybe we ease into football… I can get pretty worked up…) or a hike or Topgolf followed by a meal. I feel like that’s how you get to know someone – by doing things together, not sitting in a movie theater where you can’t talk.
6. What’s one vice you wish you could give up? Caffeine. I love my morning coffee. But then I need an afternoon coffee and sometimes an evening coffee… Caffeine doesn’t keep me up at night – I can go right to sleep – but my system does not need that much caffeine.
7. What’s a cause that is important to you? Homelessness and poverty. The impact of poverty is wide-ranging and long-lasting. It’s multifaceted. I started working with the population in college and it’s work I’ve continued into my adult life and will likely always be involved with.
8. What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received? That I’m authentic. In a world where it’s so easy to slap a filter on things, that was a huge compliment.
9. When are you the most inspired? Early in the morning or late at night, after I’ve seen an incredible concert or television show, or after I’ve read a good book. And especially after I’ve been to a powerful church sermon.
10. Sweet or savory? Savory. I’m not a big sweets person despite loving to bake!
11. What song can you listen to on repeat? I’ve been listening to Anne Wilson’s “My Jesus” on repeat for months now, so I guess we’ll go with that one.
12. What makes you smile the most? My dogs. They find the damndest things to get into, but they can be so cute and so snuggly.
13. What’s one thing people don’t know about you? I originally went to school to be a nurse. I suppose some of the OG readers and Instagram followers know that, but when I tell people that in person, they are always so surprised given I’ve worked in marketing and as a writer for so long now.
14. Heels or flats or sneakers? Heels. I’m only 5’2” and I have always preferred heels. They give me confidence AND they help me reach things on tall shelves!
15. Vintage or new? New with the occasional vintage find. Unless it’s a Bronco. I want a vintage Bronco more than I want most things in my life.
16. What are the three things you can’t live without? Family, friends, and my dogs being obvious, I’ll say 1.) Coffee 2.) Writing and 3. ) Music.
17. Window or aisle seat? Window on shorter flights, aisle on longer.
18. What’s your current TV character obsession? I’ve been obsessed with The Bear on Hulu. So good!
19. Leather or lace? Leather.
20. What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve done in your life? I went to surf camp in Nicaragua. Had I ever surfed before? Absolutely not. But I went and I had the time of my life. Still have a scar to show for it.
21. How would you define yourself in three words? Determined. Authentic. Creative.
22. What’s your current favorite piece of clothing that you own? I have a ratty Harry Potter sweatshirt I bought from Primark in Edinburgh after my luggage was lost like six years ago. It’s so lived in and comfortable. I sleep in it almost every night during the winter.
23. What’s a must-have clothing item everyone should own? A great pair of shoes. Whether that’s a pair of boots or a pair of heels or a pair of sneakers, everyone needs one pair of shoes that make them feel like a million bucks.
24. What’s inspiring you in life right now? Life in general and the church sermons over the last few weeks. It’s wild to see myself living out some of my dreams – what can be more inspiring than that and a good word?
25. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received? Life bends for the courageous, so don’t be afraid to take a chance.
26. What’s your pet peeve? *Cracks knuckles because I have several* Slow drivers in the left lane, people who write checks at the grocery store (my grandma does this, but I still love her), poor grammar in texts, social media posts, emails… MEETINGS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AN EMAIL, meetings that don’t start on time and/or run over… So basically anything inefficient. Again, my enneagram 3 is showing.
27. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds. Never quite got the pearl gene southern women are supposed to have.
28. What’s something you notice about someone when you first meet them? The feeling I get about them. I’m very good at reading people and I generally know right away if I’m going to like someone, if they’re a good person, etc.
29. What’s your biggest regret? I don’t believe in regrets as I believe we learn from every choice made or not made, but I do wish I’d studied abroad in college!
30. What’s heavily played on your music playlist right now? Ooh… Mentioned the Anne Wilson “My Jesus” above, as well as several other songs by her. Also playing a lot of country music in general and found myself jamming out to Morgan Evans over the weekend. Also very into Kip Moore’s new songs, “Fire on Wheels,” and “If I Was Your Lover.”
31. What’s your favorite board game? I love board games! Scattegories and Bananagrams are personal favorites – love a good word game.
32. What’s your guilty pleasure? Jet’s four corner pizza. Garlic seasoned crust, extra pepperoni, side of Jet’s bread. I can’t have it very often at all because it’s not gluten-free, but sometimes you just do not care.
33. What book did you most recently finish? The Hawthorne Legacy, book two in the The Inheritance Games trilogy. I read The Inheritance Games, couldn’t put it down, and immediately went to the bookstore for book two. The last book in the series, The Final Gambit, just came out and is sitting on my nightstand to be read.
34. What are you currently reading? Looking for Lovely by Annie F. Downs.
35. How do you start your day? A quick pup walk and then I sit on my couch, read my devotional, and have a few minutes of prayer. Depending on the time, I might write for a bit or just chill for a few before getting ready for work. On the weekends, I either open up the laptop and start writing or I go to a workout class after quiet time.
36. What’s your favorite holiday? Christmas, followed closely by Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July.
37. If you could raid one woman’s closet who would it be? Ooh. I would say Carrie Underwood or Kelsea Ballerini’s.
38. If you could switch lives with one person for a day who would it be? Khloe Kardashian. Might surprise folks, but I love her and her no nonsense approach. I’d also take the opportunity to tell Tristan what I think of him.
39. What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to try but you’ve been too scared to do? Surf on the outside. I got pretty good at standing up on my surfboard on the “inside,” which is where the waves break, but I haven’t gotten up the nerve to go on the outside. I’m not *that* strong of a swimmer and getting over/under the waves to get there intimidates me.
40. What’s the one thing you wish you knew at age 19? That life hadn’t even gotten started yet and that broken heart was going to be a stepping stone to much bigger things outside of my small hometown.
41. Besides your phone or wallet, what’s a couple of must-have purse items? Chapstick, ibuprofen, and a snack.
42. If you were not doing your current job, what would you be doing? Hmm… Probably an entertainment reporter!
43. What’s something you can’t do? Sing. And drive. Not a great driver over here.
44. Where was the best vacation you’ve ever taken? Nicaragua, hands down. Always Nicaragua.
45. What’s one city you’ve always dreamed of traveling to? So many. Prague, Budapest, and Bulcherst are very high on my list though.
46. What’s something you always travel with? My Kindle, airpods, my journal, and a notebook and pen – you never know when inspiration will hit.
47. Favorite food? Peanut butter and fruit.
48. Favorite dessert? Strawberry Shortcake
49. Favorite snack? Currently a big fan of the snack plate – a good excuse to put several things I want to eat on one plate and call it a snack.
50. What’s a movie that made you cry? Steel Magnolias. I’ve seen it a million times, just watched it again this weekend, and I cry every.single.time. Then laugh hysterically. It’s the perfect movie.
51. What’s your favorite movie of the last five years? I don’t watch a lot of movies, but The Greatest Showman was fantastic.
52. What’s the one talent you wish you had? I wish I could play piano. I could learn, sure, but my Grandma Myrtle plays by ear and it’s the most incredible thing. I did not inherit that talent from her despite the many ways I’m like her.
53. What’s your favorite exercise? Strength training and barre.
54. What’s your favorite band? I don’t really have a favorite, but Dawes and The Cadillac 3 are bands I saw live that put on shows so good they’re in my top five of best concerts I’ve ever been to.
55. What’s your favorite fast food order? I eat very little fast food, but Chick-Fil-A is my drug of choice. A southwest salad when I’m feeling healthy. Nuggets and waffle fries when I’m not. Maybe the occasional grilled chicken sandwich. Or sometimes I go rogue and get a Bojangles box of chicken tenders and fries.
56. What’s something you don’t want to be doing in 10 years? Working for someone else. I LOVE my job, but I know I want to be my own boss someday.
57. What’s the cutest thing on planet earth? Babies and puppies. Name me a better duo.
58. What’s the best thing that happened this year? Moving back to my beloved Nashville.
59. What’s your favorite cocktail? An old fashioned.
60. Which movie makes you laugh the hardest? Also Steel Magnolias. It’s the perfect movie.
61. What do you usually eat for dinner? I keep it simple. A protein and veggies usually.
62. What do you usually eat for lunch? Some form of a salad most often. Greens, a protein, and then I mix up the toppings.
63. What do you usually eat for breakfast? Again, simple – eggs with veggies and cheese scrambled and sometimes a protein like turkey or bacon. .
64. What’s your favorite thing in the world? A day with no plans and the ability to do whatever I want with whomever I want.
65. What’s your favorite color? Pink, green, and blue.
66. What color clothing do you wear most? Hmm… Neutrals?
67. What are three words to describe living in Nashville? Creative. Musical. Community.
68. Do you like surprises? Yes and no. I love them – and love being a part of planning them – but I also love a good plan and surprises meant for me like to mess with that plan, ha!
69. What’s one thing you had to learn the hard way? There are things in life I can’t just white knuckle into being, no matter how much I’d like to. Sometimes I have to take my hands off the wheel and let God work.
70. What’s something you’re tired of? The entitlement of social media – the way people are oh so comfortable behind their keyboards and don’t have any qualms about letting their feelings and opinions be known or demanding you speak out on whatever we’re upset about this week. Can’t we all be kind?
71. Who do you turn to when you’re sad? My friends and my dad.
72. What’s a trend you would like to see disappear forever? Crocks and the 90s grunge look that’s made a comeback. Oh, and Target’s prairie dresses.
73. What did you want to do with your life at age 12? I believe age 12 was my large animal vet phase.