Just Jules and Me

Through the interviewing phenomenon that is sweeping Blogville, I have been introduced to some amazing blogs. Just Jules is one of them. Her interview with Tangobaby can be found here. Jules was also interviewed by julochka here. Struck by how candid, funny, and sincere she is, I asked her to interview me. Within a few hours, I received this email:

"Here are your 5 interview questions. Forgive me if they aren't up to snuff for Baba Wawa (Barbara) but I had 6 kids around today - not much time for thoughtfulness...."

How amazing is this lovely, mid-western woman? Those of you visiting from her blog, welcome and thank you <3

JJ: I see that you are just married. Congrats. What 3 things have surprised you about married life? (please post with this how long you have been married now)

B&B: Mr. B&B and I were married on April 21, 2007. We are exactly three months shy of our two year anniversary.
Three married life surprises:
1. There is still so much to learn about each other.
2. Even though we lived together before we were married, it felt different, good different, after we were married. There was a deeper commitment.
3. It is easy to fall into a rut, get mired down in the every day. It takes a little work and diligence to keep it interesting and continue growing, evolving together.

JJ: One of your posts mentioned working for Teen Voices Magazine. The website states "You are more than just a pretty face" Since I have a girl who is just inching over to the pre-teen side of her life, I love this idea. What else can you tell us about the platform of this magazine and how is the magazine surviving in this "body worship" world?

B&B: Teen Voices is written by and for teen girls. Really, it is girls talking to girls about issues that are relevant to them in a way they can all understand. All articles contain content written by the teen girls working for the magazine and submissions from teen girls around the globe. The most recent issue is the "Girl Stuff" issue and contains, among other things, articles on Manga, teen girls in extreme sports, and surviving sexual assault. Teen Voices tries to get teen girls to think and form their own opinions. Use the minds inside their bodies.

All of the art work is by teen girls and our "cover girls" are the un-airbrushed, beautiful inside and out, teen girls who work at the magazine wearing their own clothes, make up and accessories of their choice.

Advertising in the magazine is minimal and almost always relates to education and being informed. In the most recent 57 page issue there were 6 advertisements.

Teen Voices is surviving in this "'body worship' world" thanks to donors and volunteers and people who subscribe to the magazine. We circulate the magazine, free of charge, to schools in Boston and the surrounding communities. In order to reach teen girls around the world, we are focusing on expanding and revamping the Teen Voices website. Judging by all of the submissions we receive from all over the world, Teen Voices strikes a chord, fills a void. There is no magazine like Teen Voices.

The other part of all of this is that Teen Voices is a mentoring program for teen girls in Boston and the surrounding communities which I talked about in my interview with Tangobaby.

If you, or anyone else reading, would like a copy of the magazine, email me and I will send you a free copy!

JJ: In your profile you list your occupation as student. Are you still? What are you pursuing?

B&B: I am still a student working toward my BA. I am designing my own major in Publishing. This means lots of literature courses, writing courses, and internships relevant to publishing. I have edited a book for a small publisher in addition to my work at Teen Voices Magazine. Having been to two other colleges right out of high school before making the decision to go to work for five years, when I returned to school it was on my own terms. I have about six classes plus a thesis to complete and I am really trying to stick with it and power through. Gosh, it can be difficult sometimes. Sometimes all I wanna do is be a homemaker, become a parent, continue volunteering, and open an Etsy shop. Then I remind my self how many opportunities open up once that piece of paper is in hand and I keep going.

JJ: In your photo "Shedding Light On Many Subjects" the books appear to be mostly of a political nature. Are these your books or Mr B&B's (your hubby)? How do they reflect the owner?

B&B: The books are Mr. B&B's, but I have read 1984 and Utopia. I will read anything, but prefer fiction. When it comes to non-fiction, I tend to read books about places/travel and memoir.
One of my bookcases

A Shelf Up Close

As far as reflecting their owner, Mr. B&B loves history and politics. He keeps up with current events. He reads for the pleasure of learning. In Mr. B&B's own words: "I flip between light and fluffy books, often about sports, and the heavier reading material you see on the shelf. I love David Halberstam and the list of books he has written follow that switch." Case in point: Right now Mr. B&B is reading Slash's memoir.

JJ: I am new to blogging. Through blogging I have seen "twittering". Give me a super short explanation of this, AND how has twittering effected your life for the good-why should one twitter?

B&B:
super short explanation: Say anything you want in 140 characters or less.
good effects/why: Exposure to new people, new ideas, and more traffic to my blog.
More about Twitter: A Comprehensive Guide to Twitter
My Twitter: morningtonight

Thank you for making time to ask me such thoughtful questions, Jules!

If you would like to get in on the fun, these are "The Rules":

1. Leave me a comment saying: "Interview me."
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the questions.)
3. You will update your blog with the answers and link to my blog in your post.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed you will ask them five questions.

1:50 a.m. Thoughts

It is 1:50 a.m. and I can't sleep. Insomnia, a blessing or a curse? I'm not sure, but it visits me on occasion and if I charted it, it probably happens at least once every three months. This night/morning, thanks to insomnia I have discovered Shutter Sisters, visited twitter peeps nests, begun experimenting with watercolor pencils in my newly created art journal, got to wondering about a certain poet/artist I only sort of know and would like to know better, and began reading through this awesome cookbook. Maybe if I did not do things to energize my brain when I have insomnia, I would be better able to sleep, but laying in bed wide awake for 40 minutes is more than enough for me... I would rather be productive.

I have a feeling I am going to read this post some time much later today and quite possibly regret posting my ramblings.

Wii Fit is remarkable. When I asked for it for Christmas I wasn't sure if it would work or if I would stick with it, but I knew it was quite nippy here in New England and I no longer had the motivation to go next door and shoot hoops in the park. I also knew that if I joined a gym I would find every excuse not to go. So, I asked for Wii Fit and it was under the Christmas Tree. I have been using it for the past two days and have the compulsive urge to use it right now, but my husband who does not have insomnia would most likely not appreciate my running in place on our wood floors. Wii Fit is FUN! So fun that I have worked out for more than an hour each day. There are Yoga, Strength Training, Aerobic Exercises, and Balance Exercises. As you improve, you unlock additional exercises in each category. Sun salutations, alternating push-ups and side planks, Hula Hooping, tightrope walking all in my own living room! And it WORKS, just ask my abs, thighs, glutes, and upper arms. Still, in all of my soreness, I can't wait to hop on the balance board for the third day in a row and practice my warrior pose, rowing squats, advanced step-aerobics, and ski jumping. Who knew working out, trying to shed 25-30 pounds, could be so entertaining?

Digital Camera. I have woefully been without one for three days short of a year. We have received our refund, but it will not be put towards a camera. Why? Santa took care of that, too! I have been snapping away, but have not yet learned how to transfer photos from the camera to the computer. Easy Schemeasy I have no doubt, but still I must learn. Hopefully Mr. B&B will help me out when he wakes up today and I can get some holiday and other photos posted. Being without a camera for a year was difficult, but looking back there were positives as well. Instead of capturing the moments on film, I was able to be in the moment and capture the little moments in my heart. This year brought perspective into my life and taught me that as a photographer you need to not only capture moments on film, but in your heart and that you have to have heart to capture those moments on film. Can't wait to delve back in to photography and share that journey with all of you.

Pillow. In my 27 years, I have never had a brand new pillow. Instead, I inherited pillows from others. Like other families pass down hand-me-down clothing, our family passed down hand-me-down pillows. On Christmas morning, for the first time in my life, I received a brand new, still in the packaging, crisp white pillow. It is so comfortable and smells fresh and is already melding perfectly to my neck and head. It is the little things that bring joy, I'm telling you... Still, I have insomnia and am not sleeping on my pillow, but hugging it to my chest while I type. Odd.

Do you ever find yourself thinking and wondering about someone you didn't realize was on your mind? I do. Right now that person is a poet/artist I know, but don't really know and would like to know better. We've crossed paths on a few occasions and every time I have been blown away by this person's kindness, creative capabilities and ability to completely capture my attention in every way. This person is unflinchingly honest in all artistic pursuits and always seems to present an authentic self from clothing to conversation to art. To me that is just so beautiful.

If you are ever up at 1:50 in the morning and looking for some entertainment, check out Twitter. Talk about a cross-section of the world's population! Informative, entertaining, inspirational, laugh out loud funny, talented... Hours of mindless entertainment.

OK, enough rambling. If you stayed with me through this whole post, I am sure it cannot have been easy and I thank you. To not only spare me from my insomnia, but also spare you more of these early morning ramblings, please leave a comment detailing your sleep remedies. Many thanks! and Sweet Dreams <3

Rockin' Robin Tweet, Tweet, Tweet...

If Bobby Day only knew what "tweet" would come to mean when he wrote the song Rockin' Robin in 1958...

I am referring to Twitter where I began "tweeting" not a week ago. If you have not heard of Twitter, check it out here. I am still learning the lingo and protocol myself, but it is pretty fun and can be a bit addictive. Basically, it is a "mini-blog", but you are aloud only 140 words per "tweet" ("post" in the big blog world)to get your thoughts and point across. You can also reply to the tweets of others. It is a nice challenge and the Twitter community is a friendly and eclectic lot. If you'd like to follow me on Twitter, click on the link at the bottom of BeTwitterful in the column to the right below "Blog Archive" and above "Brainy and Beautiful Followers". If you would just like to visit my "nest" on Twitter, click here. If you would like to start tweeting, sign up here.

"Every little swallow, every chickadee
Every little bird in the tall oak tree
The wise old owl, the big black crow
Flapping them wings sayin' go bird go"
~ Bobby Day ~