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If your future self could send you one sentence, what do you hope it would say?

You got this, home slice 😁

More practical advice would make sense, but how am I to know now what that would be?

What’s the best local dish you’ve ever eaten while traveling?

Dakkos on the island of Crete are made of familiar ingredients and yet the combination was such a revelation! Perfect treat for the beach or just a summer vibing day 🏖️

What’s a thing you wish schools actually taught?

There should be a lot more class on how to save, invest, and budget with long-term planning including retirement. Career preparedness and job shadowing should be encouraged for everyone and in many fields so we don’t graduate with just the plan of more school and no clue for career interest. Cooking as a nation is a lost skill and really should be cultivated as a mandatory class, from a young age onward. Knowledge is power to our health, career opportunities, and financial preparedness.

Do you think everything happens for a reason?

My brain says it’s just cause and effect, my heart says there’s more to it. Our responses to everything play a bigger role than just our circumstances.

I also believe in the power of prayer and faith, which I’ve experienced in many ways over the years.

What’s your home decoration style?

My home is earth tones: creamy to dark accent wood, green plants, and dark blue sofa and flower pots. My kitchen is “country cottage” vibe with prints of Irish country homes, colorful hand towels, and warm decor both international and local-artist cozy. I also enjoy nature and little rock placements.

What’s a promise you made to yourself that you’ve actually kept?

I make attempts (like challenges) for myself, not promises. Why create more pressure to perform?

One recent accomplishment has been daily Bible study in the morning before work.

If you could have dinner with any fictional character, who would it be?

Without much thought my brain goes to Kaladin from The Stormlight Archive. Not much for conversation perhaps, but maybe we could go for a flight together!

Are you a lifelong learner?

Yes.

And on an unrelated note, I got engaged today! 😁

What’s one habit that has improved your life the most?

I am constantly developing new habits and systems to try to maximize on my time and to make sure I have time for things that are important for me. I’m not sure if it is the habit that made the most difference, but for most of my life I’ve used an agenda so that I can schedule things out and make sure I don’t forget anything. They were useful for me for tracking finances as well, as I could write down what I bought everyday and then flip back later and see how much I spent each month in every area.

This year I finally switched to using digital by combining in onto my phone calendar. It’s been an adjustment but has many of the same benefits. I just miss how I could jot in the margins before 😏

What’s a chapter of your life you’d title “The Hard Years” — and what got you through it?

2024 would specifically be the hardest year. It was high busy from the get-go, then in April the situation hit a whole new level and it built up to the grand finale in November, causing medical issues and forcing me to reassess my life and boundaries. It took a long time to recover from the aftermath and PTSD. I remember at the end of December 2024 writing a prayer and thanking God for a new job and a partner, neither of which I had evidence for but full faith in God to deliver – and a couple weeks later I met the man, and by the end of the year I was training for the new career. Just been a lot of life in a short time.