1. What’s changed in your life, home, or community since your last birthday?

Geez, well, since I have three kids and I’m usually pretty busy, things are always always changing. But let’s pinpoint just a few. In my home, the yard is a mess in the back corner thanks to that hurricane. In my community, a local fruit and veggie market closed down and that made me sad. And in my life in general, getting back to running has lost me six pounds and gained me a lot of strength.

2. September is Classical Music Month. Do you like/listen to classical music? If so what’s a favorite piece and/or who is a favorite composer?

I am not a huge fan but there are certain pieces I care for. I really like Ravel’s Bolero and DeBussy’s Prelude to the afternoon of the fawn (or  Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune).

3. Besides The Bible, what’s a book that has positively changed your life, relationships, career, or perspective? How so?

Hmm, a lot of fiction has changed me but in terms of inspirational books, I’ll pick How to stop worrying and start living” by Dale Carnegie. I picked this one because I wasn’t interested in winning friends and influencing people. This book has some great information about how to manage your life, how to balance it, and how to just live abundantly. I remember small bits of it off the top of my head and one of those is taking short ten minute naps. Some of the smartest most successful people ever did this and I try to when I can.

4. I read (here) these ten hobbies will make you smarter…play a musical instrument, read voraciously, meditate regularly, work out your brain (puzzles, sudoku, board games, etc), exercise often, learn a new language, write your feelings down (blog, journal, just write), travel to new places, cook different kinds of meals, participate in sports actively

Are any on this list your current hobbies? Which hobby on the list would you be most inclined to try?

I do quite a few of these so here’s what I DON’T do: play an instrument and travel. I mean, we DO travel but not a lot. I always wanted to play an instrument and I did try drums briefly in high school. Some day I would like to make time to learn some guitar riffs.

5. What sports traditions does your family have?

Other than being Nole fans for life? LOL. Both my parents went to FSU and then I did and I have worked here forever. We’re big Nole fans and I feel like the longer I work here, the more involved in their football team we all become. Here’s a pic of my guys on the field last season.

6. In a few words, weigh in on the current football/National Anthem brouhaha. Keep it family friendly please.

Oh you mean a subpar quarterback trying to revive his career by doing something “controversial”? He can do what he wants but he won’t be a good qb in the near future so in my opinion, it’s a waste of time.

7. Where do you have loads of patience, and where do you most lack patience?

My ability to exercise patience varies day to day. I have never been a particularly patient person; it’s one of the things I vividly remember my mother telling me to do when I was young: be patient, calm down, wait. So really, I have very little patience at all times but I have to be super aware of losing it.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

September is even more tumultuous than August, I think. Things have settled in, in terms of the semester/school year but I am still sort of adjusting. I realized yesterday I was just going through the motions and not really enjoying anything. Well, aside from this lemon sorbet I bought. But I’m sure I will be back to living my life soon; I just have to ride the wave of the way life works. It’s always ebbing and flowing and we’re subject to that.