A fun little Q&A

What do you miss most about being a child?

We used to live in the woods in a house that had a barn. We’d play there and in the trees for hours. And at nap time, while mom was watching Days of our Lives and folding laundry we’d play “school” on the stairs with the blocks our dad made us. When he came home he’d smell like cedar and his beard would tickle our heads when he kissed us. At night we’d all climb into bed with every single stuffed animal we owned and Mom would read to us from “chapter books”…Bridge to Terabithia, the Chronicles of Narnia, Anne of Green Gables…

What’s on your bedside table?

Four novels of which I’m in the middle of ALL of (for the record, two are total fluff and the other two are pretty heavy), a hot pink water bottle (probably the only hot pink thing I own!), a tiny jewelry box that Kyle’s mom brought me from Italy that holds all my most precious jewelry, a mirror my dad made me, my 1/2 marathon medals, my phone charger, Japanese Cherry Blossom lotion, green sticky notes and a pen (for those middle of the night have-to-jot-it-down-or-it-will-keep-me-awake-all-night thoughts).

When was the last time you were giddy with happiness, lost in one of those can’t-hold-back-a-smile kinda moments?

I was sitting in the passenger seat with the door open. Kyle was kneeling in a puddle in the rain asking me to be his wife. I can’t even describe the giddiness in that moment.

What are you most looking forward to in the next 6 months?

I’m getting married!!!!!! To my most amazing, supportive, affectionate, adorable, loving, silly Kyle. July 16th! After 7 years! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What’s your hell like?

I’m freezing cold but can’t find a blanket anywhere and there are jumping spiders all around me. I’m all by myself and there is no music. All there is to eat is blue cheese and raw onions and there is no coffee. All the chairs are hard and too small for my butt. I have to wear high heels all the time. I never get to sleep but there is nothing to do while I’m awake. There is no time so it goes on like this forever.

What’s your heaven like?

I can snap my fingers and travel anywhere in the world and all I have to do to take someone with me is hold their hand. I travel all the time, but always sleep in my own bed (which feels like the bed I slept in at that hotel in Palm Springs). There is clean ocean to swim in, clean air to breathe, and clean land to explore. I have a dog and plenty of land for her to run on. My friends and family are all nearby. There is live music all the time and art and culture. My friends and I stay up late into the night having meaningful conversations, drinking wine, and eating amazing food and never have a hangover or gain a pound. There is no time so it goes on like this forever.

What’s the biggest lesson you’re taking away from the past 6 months with Stratejoy? (Or in my case, the last 3 weeks of exploring the Stratejoy blogs and working on my Joy Plan)

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that I don’t have to settle for anything. Period.

What song lyrics fit your life, right now, at the beginning of this brand new year?

"Be here now
No other place to be
All the doubts that linger
Just set them free
And let good things happen
And let the future come
Into each moment
Like a rising sun"
-Mason Jennings "Be Here Now"

If you had a time machine, what place and time would you travel to and why?

Hmm…I know it is kind of weird, but I’ve never really dreamt of time travel. I guess I might like to go back to when my grandfather was coherent. I’d ask him to tell me about his life and just listen.

That and I’d maybe go see the Beatles in concert.

What is something not a lot of people know about you that you wish more people could know?

For the most part I think show a pretty honest self to the people around me. I do wish more people knew that I’m creative. In my every day life I don’t give myself the opportunity to use my creativity as much as I should. I wish more people knew how obsessed I am with colors and words and designs.

What surprised you most about 2010?

Hmm…that I actually finished a half marathon! (Two actually.) The last time I really ran was in high school and I was a sprinter. It took me months to work up to 2 miles and I actually completed 13.1 without keeling over and dying! I felt very empowered and stronger than I’ve ever felt before. Who knew my little self could do something that big?

What’s the best present you’ve ever received?

I’ve gotten lots of great gifts in my life…but I can’t put my finger on just one. How lame is that? I can tell you what my best present WOULD be…well between two anyway: a vacation with my family to somewhere we’ve never been or a dog. Yep. Those would be the best. :)

Imagine your life was being made into a movie. What would the title be? Who would you pick to play you? What would the theme song be? How about the little trailer blurb for the advertisement?

Natalie Portman is swinging on a tire swing overlooking the ocean. Her hair is blowing in the wind and she closes her eyes and smiles. “The old adage is true: no matter where you go… There you are. Join Hannah on her trip around the world, and into herself.” Mason Jennings, Bright Eyes, Gomez, Ray Lamontagne, Counting Crows and Rilo Kiley make up the soundtrack.

Dream job? Dream home? Dream vacation?

Dream job: I travel for a month at a time photographing women and learning about their strengths and power. When I’m home I write and edit photos and share those women’s stories with the world. One or two evenings a week I lead empowerment groups for young women. I have created an online resource encouraging women to create and live in a sisterhood, building one another up rather than tearing each other down. (I also get lots of vacation time :))

Dream home: I live on a lake and have some land. The house has an open floor plan and lots of natural light. It is warm and inviting. I have my own office/studio with a whole wall of bookshelves full of books I’ve read. There’s a big deck where I can host outdoor dinner parties.

Dream vacation: Anything near the ocean, with my guy. Sometimes my dream vacation is one where I lay by the water and don’t move a muscle except to get another book or margarita…sometimes I want to zipline and snowmobile and scuba dive…ask me when I can afford a vacation. :)

I’m pretty much obsessed with Stratejoy this month. I’m looking at my life in a whole new way and having so much fun! Take a look for yourself. Here’s Molly’s Q&A on the bloggity blog. I’d love to blog for her someday, but alas, I am aging too rapidly…30 in 28 days. Eek!