1: I'm the only oldest (old-ER, even) child in my entire immediate family– my mom, dad, brother, and all four grandparents are the youngest children in their families. Call me indecisive, call me a walking contradiction, but growing up as an Oldest surrounded by Youngests has given me a weird set of ways.
2: Most of the time, I'm walking the fuzzy line that separates a lot of things: homebody/socializer, independent/needy, afraid/confident, friendly/awkward, thinker/doer. And a lot more. I took an enneagram personality test once (I'm a type Six) that summed it up perfectly: No matter what is said about a Six, the opposite is often true.
3: Moms. My favorite thing about mine is that I didn't even realize until I left for college that a lot of the words she uses aren't… common? The first time I referred to a pilling sweater as "nubby," it was obvious my family's vocabulary didn't match most people's. My grandma used to call our cat a "britzer," which is not a thing, so I know where my mom gets it from. It's very endearing.
4: Small towns can be so charming! They have a story, a past, and their inhabitants are there to tell you about it. Antique store owners, volunteer firefighters, things like the annual Strawberry Festival, that cat that's always around– they're the heart and soul of the place.
5: I've been working for a fair trade clothing company for two years now, but I'll admit that before I started, I easily forgot that humans make clothing. Hands made what you're wearing right now. Fingers pushed that seam through a sewing machine, and with International Women's Day right around the corner, wouldn't you like to know that those fingers belong to a woman who's paid fairly and works in a safe environment? And can in turn provide for her family? The fair trade community is the small town of the garment industry– search for Mata Traders and you'll see what I mean.
But enough about me: if you want to tell me 1 or, hey, even 2 of the following things, email me at [email protected].
I want to know:
1: Your favorite small towns (and why). I grew up in one and I want to visit more– international small towns appreciated, as long as they'll welcome me.
2: Your favorite thing about your mom. Also accepted: a specific story OR over-arching great-thing about your mom OR grandma, aunt, friend, doesn't matter. I like focusing on the good parts of people and I'd love to hear what you have to say about a lady in your life.
Thanks for listening.
Katie G.
Chicago, IL
[email protected]
P.S. My blog/work site is called Blueberry English. You know how Google works, so go for it.