Once upon a comment, my cousin, Leslie asked me if I would do an "Ask Julie" day once a week so that she could ask me questions about my life. Sounds too funny to be true, right? I am honestly not that interesting. Just because I use 700 words to describe a single moment in time doesn't mean it was 700 words of interesting to anyone but me. Yet in my wordiness I have somehow fooled a few into thinking that I have stories to tell. I guess I do have stories to tell, but I think we all do if we think about it. I think about it, over think according to some (myself included).
This week has been one where I just haven't felt like blogging. I don't think I would have posted at all if I hadn't wanted to share Alyssa's cute face with you. It is pretty rare that my brain is quiet, but it does happen. Usually I am thinking and telling stories in my head at all times. This week, I'm just thinking about working, and Christmas shopping, and dishes, and plunging toilets. This week I have opted to keep my thoughts concealed. Not because they were deep dark secrets (aw shucks), but because they have been utterly unexceptional, even to me.
You would think I would enjoy a moment of peace from my own insanity, but the quiet bugs me. I like when there are words in my brain. If I posted all the thoughts and stories that my brain usually delivers to me each day, I would never do anything but blog. I know some of you think that is all I do anyway, but truth be told most of my posts are typed and posted in well under 30 minutes. Most of them have already been asking my brain to write them down for hours and they spill out robotically. They are just my thoughts, exactly the way that I am thinking them at the moment. I am not comfortable when I don't have words swirling around in my mind competing to form sentences, either to be spoken or written.
So, since my words are being shy, this seems like the perfect moment to figuratively kick my brain in the stem. Why don't you tell me what I should be thinking about, or which stories I should be rambling in my head. What do you want to hear about? Maybe if you ask me, it will wake up my brain and words will start circulating again. You know how I love words. I so badly miss my words.
Here are the rules....
Ask me a question. Whatever you want. It can be a biographical inquiry, or a request for my opinion on a given topic, or just a query about what I like or dislike. Or if you already know me too well you can ask me to relate a story or experience that you already know. It can even be about you if you want to be talked about. (Valerie) Ask whatever you wonder about me, if you do wonder about me. I will answer, I promise. But, play nice because I will ask you a question in return and you will have to answer it on your blog, and then I will link to you so that your answer will be public to my friends and family, or if you prefer to maintain your anonymity you can just answer in comments.
I am not sure if I will answer all of your questions in one post. It depends on how many questions I get and how lengthy my responses are, but even if I don't answer them all at once, I will answer.
Alright, ready?
Here's your chance...Ask away!
*Leslie, please ask a question in case no one else does. Hee,hee!
Second Week of School
2 years ago
15 comments:
Hmm, I'm feeling pressure to be clever, but I'm not coming up with anything good. How about sharing something that worries you. Or a favorite Christmas tradition, or a favorite meal--one you ALWAYS have the ingredients for. Or all of the above! :o)
I feel like asking anonymous questions, just to avoid the pressure of having to answer my own question later. But, I'll try to be brave.
#1 Can you come over for dinner next week? I promise to make all your favorites, whatever they are.
#2 Tell me about your writing background. Did you have a teacher that encouraged you? Did you always enjoy it? Did you keep a journal when you were a little girl? Did you ever think your cousins were obnoxious and overbearing? Did you ever wish you could have a Dorothy Hammil like the Renouf girls? They were really sexy, in case you didn't remember. Have you been back to upstate NY? Where is Jeff? Does he ever comment? Do you ever do human fireworks shows like your Dad used to do in Yosemite? We still do them every year. What was plan B for you if you didn't end up being a wife and mother? Plan C? D, E, F G, now I know my ABCs? Ok, just a few to get you started. I'll go tape my mouth shut for a few hours now. But I'll still be thinking....
How bout will you always be in WI? Mike and I after being in Utah this weekend, wondered if we'd ever venture back to Utah (or CA for u) or if we'd die raising our family in ID?
I'm late for the Question and Answer Session.
My blog never shows a new posting until the post is a week old. I checked this morning to see who had new posts, but it said no one did.
Erin just called and told me about your post, so I immediately checked in so I could submit my questions.
Can I first just tell you one more time that I love your blog and I think you are so funny. I love your descriptions, and your observances. It was so funny and true to me when you described Great Grandma's house as being in the middle of gangsterville, and when you posted that picture of Seth holding that big fish in his hand and wrote, "Look at that fatso," it made me laugh!
Even if I don't get around to commenting know I am reading and laughing.
Now for the questions:
1. Will you please come to the next Family Reunion so we can laugh together? (Please make all of your siblings come, too.)
2. I'm dying to know about your siblings. Can I ask you if Jeff is still shy? You don't seem shy to me at all, so I am wondering if Jeff grew out of it, too.
3. Does Valerie live in Temecula, or is that Kristen? Where is Kelly?
4. How many years apart are you and Val?
5. What was your major in college?
6. How did you become interested in writing? Have you ever tried to get anything published? I think you should try.
7.Where did Seth grow up? Is he from Utah?
8.What kind of board games do you stay up late playing?
9.Do you remember a girl named Sharon Russell Freebarin? I think she used to babysit you at your Dad's house. I knew her and we were amazed when we made this connection.
10. (Like Erin) Did you think we were the most obnoxious, loud and ridiculous cousins you ever knew? Did you dread our family parties?
Did you like Matt, Brian and Noelle better than us?
All right, that's 10 questions I just rattled off easily. Can we have a monthly question and answer session?
Can I ask 2 more before I go?
Did your mother ever tell you I told her I was going to shoot her tongue off? (I was little.)
And, Can I ask how your Dad is?
He was one of my favorites when I was little. Your Dad could get me to put my sweater on when no one else could.
All right, I hope I didn't over do it, but I can't wait to read your answers.
I already asked this once but I'll ask again. Will you please post a current picture of your dad? All I got to see what the really dated one. I want to see a new one since you said he still rocks the mullet.
Who is your favorite sister-in-law? I mean other than Liz or Sarah...
What is your favorite Girls Weekend memory?
I love hearing stories about people's testimonies and I know you have shared your testimony MANY times (which i LOVE and it always brings me such joyous tears).... But I know you said you weren't super active before your mission and I wanted to hear what the "change of heart" moment was in your life? Sorry if you have said it before, or this is too personal. I just LOVE hearing your testimony and EVERYTHING else too ;)
Rats, I'm always late....I've been caught up in the world of ear infections, diapers, gymnastics, and finding matching shoes....
Anyway, I owe you a 'Happy Birthday'! We all discussed our birthday-twin cousin Julie as we were blowing out our candles...(did I mention that my daughter and Mary Kate's daughter share a birthday exactly and I love having a daughter with the same pattern I had)...
I hope you had a nice birthday. Here is a my first question...what did you do on your birthday?
I think I'd also like to hear your how you decided to go on a mission story.
Number three...I'll ask with Leslie how your Dad is? Tell him Hi from the crazy side of the family.
Alright I think you are going to need ten seperate posts for everyone's "Ask Julie"s.
Good Luck and I hope all is well with your family.
Heidi
ps...I loved the picture of Alyssa, too. I love pictures that capture a personality in a glance.
I have a few questions but I think they've already been asked.
1. What's your favorite thing to make for dinner?
2. What did you do for your birthday?
3. How did you decide to go on a mission?
4. How is your Dad?
That line about me is a little worrisome. I hope you aren't implying that I inherited the "all about me" gene because that would be sad!
Anyway, I think I know everything about you. What I need to know is will the Johnsons EVER be back on this side of the country???
Oh and also, who is your favorite sister? JUST KIDDING!!
Valerie, I was just kidding with my comment to you. You are actually very good at listening to other peoples stories and being genuinely interested in their lives. Every time I get off the phone with you I think, I should have asked her more about her and shut my own mouth. I was just teasing you because I know you don't mind being in the spotlight, and I knew that you already know ALL my stories so you wouldn't have a question to ask, and because you know all of my best stories and I thought you could think of a good one to share...and because you are in lots of my stories....lucky me!
Adding my vote to the Team Ryan comment. Please.....
Ask Julie - Oh boy! Here is my question, Are you going to give me anymore grandkids? I seriously need some more, although it's fun to only have 4 so I can totally spoil them at Christmas. Oops wait, this comment looks like it's all about me and I didn't think that was my dominant gene Valerie was referring to. Oh, here's another question, "What do you want for Christmas?" Doesn't matter because I already bought for you and I feel I was more creative than usual. Hope you like it.
I'm very late to the questions but I've had so much fun reading your responses I thought I'd try to think of some.
One thing I'm really curious about is what it was like growing up with divorced parents, step parents, and step brothers and sisters. I know you have said before that your siblings are all brothers and sisters without the step.. or something like that. I love how close you seem to all of your family and would love to know how it worked out that way.
Also, even though are tastes in books differ a lot I love it when others seem to love reading as much as I do. When did your love of reading begin? Did you have a book read to you or that you read as a child that turned you into a reader?
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