Nice to meet you!

So, I am stealing an idea from Tami of  Teacher Goes Back to School who stole an idea from Katy at the Non-Consumer Advocate.  And that is that we’re going to have a little mixer here.  Did you go to a mixer in college or at some other time?  Basically, a mixer is a party that allows you to meet lots of new people in one fell swoop.  And, well, I have lots of friends who come by this page and, yet, so few conversations.  And I want to have some conversations.  But I know it can be oh so hard to comment out of the blue on someone’s blog (trust me, I know, my little known fact- this will make sense to you when you read the mixer questions below- is that I am an introvert) and so we’re going to take away that out of the blue feeling by getting to know each other today!

I am Rosie. I live in a small town (seriously, it’s made up of 5 square miles) outside Charlotte, North Carolina with my 3 1/2 year old son and my husband.  In most of my every day life, I call my husband BF and my son Happy so that’s what I call them here, too.  I spend the fall and winter obsessing over NFL fantasy football and my cardigan collection and the spring and summer obsessing over my garden and pleasure reading.  I am a fair-weather runner, a crack of dawn weight-lifter, and dig yoga, Pilates, surfing, and stand up paddling. I came to any semblance of athleticism in adulthood.  I paint for pleasure, write for purpose, and parent with equal parts whimsy and panic, but I battle having enough time to do anything that I love outside of just getting the family fed and making sure our boy feels loved.  I am fairly certain every person alive can identify with that struggle.

I’ve got an eclectic professional set-up:  I teach Body Image classes at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, I do workshops and retreats for women and girls, I do some speaking around the country, I help run a non-profit that empowers young Latinas called Circle de Luz, and I write books and inspirational columns and blogs.  And while how I do what I do is eclectic, it all comes down to this:  my mission is to empower women to embrace their authentic selves so they can live their passion and purpose and give their gifts to the world.

I’m always looking for post ideas, so please don’t be shy about what you like and what you don’t. A friend recently suggested that I do Q&A blog posts which sounded really fun so if you have a question about what I do, how I do it, or anything else, just ask.  If I can answer it with any modicum of intelligence, I’ll try.

I am inspired by conversations– real ones and e-ones so I hope you’ll share your thoughts here and get me thinking even more (please don’t make me the crazy lady who only talks to herself in real life AND on the internet).

Now your turn!

  • Where do you live?
  • What’s a little known fact about you?
  • What brought you to this little corner of the internet?
  • Do you have a blog? If so, please tell me a little bit about it and include a link!
  • What posts do you like, and which ones bore you to tears?
  • Do you have a question that you’d love for me to try to answer?
  • Do you know me, if so how?
  • And anything else you wish to share.
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37 responses to “Nice to meet you!”

  1. Tami -- Teacher Goes Back to School

    Hi Rosie! So happy to get to know you better.

    Where do you live? Sacramento, CA. I grew up in the Bay Area, lived in Portland and DC and went to college at UCDavis.

    What’s a little known fact about you? I minored in African American Studies.

    What brought you to this little corner of the internet? We met on Twitter a year ago because I asked an adoption question and you were my Fairy God Mother of Adoption and magically appeared. PS – I LOVE Twitter for this reason – all the smarties are there. And all the porn bots. I could do without those, but really they are there.

    Do you have a blog? If so, please tell me a little bit about it and include a link! I do! You mentioned it above – Teacher Goes Back to School – http://www.teachergoesbacktoschool.wordpress.com. I started it to document my journey toward becoming a yoga teacher and discovered a whole new world of writing, friendship and connection. I post about yoga, teaching school, being a mama and everything in between.

    What posts do you like, and which ones bore you to tears? My favorites are adoption (duh), but I also really love your living with intention posts. You inspired my whole summer last year! I love the idea of how-to posts. It seems you’ve got some stuff figured out. Please share.

    Do you have a question that you’d love for me to try to answer?
    Can you talk about your attachment/bonding story with Happy? Fears you face in mothering? How you’ve dealt with parenting advice from non-adoption folks? Also I love all your fashion posts and organization posts.

    Do you know me, if so how?

    I hope to meet you some day in person. I feel like we are kindred spirits.

    And anything else you wish to share. I really wish my daughter would do to sleep right now.

  2. Lee McCracken

    I’m 50 years old, and I live in Denver, NC.
    I have an infant son, Kyle, in Heaven (died at 7 months) and a baby, Andrew, in Heaven (stillborn at 38 weeks). We adopted our 20-year-old daughter, Megan, when she was 3 days old and I was the labor/delivery coach for her birthmom.
    I live on Facebook! I’m a writer/editor, so it’s always up, and I enjoy encouraging and inspiring others. No, it’s crazy — I’m a writer, but I don’t have a blog.
    I enjoy blogs about authenticity, intentionality, purposeful living and keeping organized (so we CAN be purposeful!).
    Things I’ve learned: Parenting is a crazy, wild ride. Our children are gifts from Heaven and ours NOT to grip onto, but to steward the best we can so they can eventually soar on their own. Whether they turn out great or not so great, we can’t take all the credit or the blame. The key for mothers is not to lose yourself in the process of parenting … because one day they will leave the nest. BUT, re-discovering yourself in the second half of life is energizing, liberating and absolutely wonderful!

  3. Anita Tarlton

    Hi Rosie!

    Glad to “cyber-meet” you — hopefully one day we will meet in person!

    I live on the shores of beautiful Lake Wateree in South Carolina. I’ve been here a year; I spent most of my life in the small town of Peachland, North Carolina. I am married to David, we will celebrate our 5th anniversary this June.

    A little known fact about me…I *can* cook, a little bit. I just prefer not to, so I tend to poke fun at my disasters in the kitchen. Hey, my husband’s a great cook and I’m a pretty darn good dishwasher — so why mess up a good thing?

    What brought me to this corner of the internet? My husband gave me a copy of your book “Beautiful You,” which I’ve been reading and working through. He knows I wrestle with esteem issues and is a great “cheerleader” for me. From that I discovered you on Facebook (and realized you are not very far from me!). So – here I am!

    I have a blog at http://anitatarlton.blogspot.com. I have to admit I have been a little slack on posting the past few months, but one of my recent goals is to be more faithful at sharing my thoughts there. I believe that writing is a great outlet — and much less expensive than therapy!

    Rosie, I particularly enjoy your posts where you ask readers to share their thoughts about particular questions. I also like your “encouraging words” about body image/self-esteem. While there are some posts that I can relate to more than others, I enjoy your perspective and views.

    I have not met you yet, Rosie – but hope that our paths cross sometime.

    Anything else to share? I have a feeling I’m a bit older than your average reader. I am 55. But I guess that’s living proof that we need to learn to love ourselves no matter what our age!

  4. Alexis Yael

    I love this idea! How fun!

    I’m Alexis Yael (but I have a different last name on FB, which is my “real” last name. Yael is my Hebrew name and I’ve been using it as my online nom du plume since 1998). I live in northern New Jersey now, but I’m from Northern CA. My husband is an academic.

    I’m not sure there are any little known facts about me, but the strangest one is that I was held hostage in a robbery attempt when I worked at a Natural Foods Co-op. I was 21.

    I’m pretty sure I found your blog via Medicinal Marzipan, but I do a lot of blog surfing, so I’m not entirely sure.

    My blog is alexis-yael.com and I think the subtitle sums it up: this wabi sabi life. (Wabi Sabi is a Japanese aesthetic term, but I use it as my life motto: the beauty of imperfection.)

    The posts I love the most are the ones on self-love/ acceptance, but I also love the ones about your family. I can’t say any of them bore me.

    I’m not good with asking questions. LOL

    We don’t know each other in “real” life.

    Anything else to share? I have to confess I haven’t read your book yet, but I recommend it to everyone I know! Isn’t that odd?

  5. Mike Ferretti

    i live a split life between Charlotte and Dillon MT. At least I have the chance to see snow 12 months out of the year.

    A little known fact that I am not afraid to share is I love Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Old, formerly industrial towns that were early 20th century immigrant fueled are just exciting to me. They have a cultural vibe that I will say yes to every time I can. I am headed to Cleveland Friday.

    I skim your blogs on facebook and click through to read the whole thing more than half the time. What gets my attention in ANY blog is passion. If someone gets their heart into a topic enough to catch my eye, I am in. Life stories, dealing with challenges and problems, sports and food are blogs that I generally pay attention to. There are two business blogs I read as well but those aren’t close to what I read the most of. Any time someone I trust asks a question in a blog like this one has me. Not any question but a “let’s get to know each other” one. I LOVE reading how diverse blog communities are.

    I do have a blog. Sort of. I publish in this one every other Monday. http://blog.greatharvest.com/ Mine are pretty business focused but I get into life issues about once a quarter. All of the other bloggers are more food and life focused.

    We do know each other as do our wonderful spouses. I hope to meet Happy some day.

    I will read your material any day of the week if the hook tells me it is going to teach me more about dealing with life’s stresses with a smile on my face. And, most of yours do. I will also read anything on life journeys. I am still trying to figure mine out…

    peace and hugs.

  6. Jamie English

    I like this idea so much! It helps to feel more of a community, something I need more of both online and in real life!!!

    1. Where do you live? Texas–the Dallas/Ft. Worth area
    2. What’s a little known fact about you? Here’s a post that has a few things about me: http://penguinsandladybugs-allrolledintoone.blogspot.com/2011/06/when-i-did-this-post-i-ran-across-this.html
    3. What brought you to this little corner of the internet? I found you somehow when I was beginning my paradigm shift into body love and acceptance
    4. Do you have a blog? If so, please tell me a little bit about it and include a link! Just recently gave up blogging because I got so frustrated when I changed from Blogger to WordPress….I may start again one day. I left up both the Blogger and WordPress sites, just decided not to blog anymore….at least not right now…
    5. What posts do you like, and which ones bore you to tears? I love the ones that are practical and about self-care (like the sunshine project)
    6. Do you have a question that you’d love for me to try to answer? I don’t have anything that is burning right now…
    7. Do you know me, if so how? Not yet….not in person, at least!
    8. And anything else you wish to share. I love “lurking” on your blog…always stop to read your posts (or star till later if I’m super pressed for time) when I am going through Google Reader!

  7. Audrey

    Hi Rosie, we have recently had a dialogue concerning body image and if you have to accept your body to help others accept theirs because I am 10 months recovered from bulimia and starting back to school for a dance therapy degree. I am slowly working my way through your book and would love to meet you some day. I live in metrowest Mass. I am sick of hearing about how to stop the behaviors involved with eating disorders and desperately want to learn how to live life after bulimia when the DBT doesn’t work, depression and anxiety sets in and even gets worse in therapy, thoughts don’t ever stop, emotions are completely overwhelming and I am empty at the same time. Somethings nobody knows about me is that I like fireballs, breezes, curling up in the sunshine with my dog, anything at the beach, cloud watching, music, hot yoga and Nia.

  8. Raquel

    Hi Rosie!
    Where do you live? Norfolk, VA (near Virginia Beach, about an hour an a half south of Richmond)

    What’s a little known fact about you? I had my son when I was 18 and he’s graduating from high school next week. Apparently, I look about 25, so this often shocks people and they make (usually tasteless) comments.

    What brought you to this little corner of the internet? I met you through an online book club with Amber Karnes, and after that I started reading your blog (and Twitter, and Facebook!)

    Do you have a blog? If so, please tell me a little bit about it and include a link! Not yet, but I’m thinking about starting one one day! My father and I are interpreters and have the site http://www.perezlopez.net, which is where the blog is all ready to start living, once I catch my breath!

    What posts do you like, and which ones bore you to tears? I don’t think any of your posts have bored me. Since I don’t have a small child, I’m in a different place with my son, but I love how much you love being a mom. I enjoy hearing about your students and how they react to your class topics. I especially remember your fashion posts about trying to find something different to wear other than cardigans.

    Do you have a question that you’d love for me to try to answer? Do you have any book deals or projects in the making (that you can talk about)? What do you think the political future is for latinas in the U.S.?

    Do you know me, if so how? We haven’t met in person, but maybe someday? I can’t make it to the equine retreat, but I want to try to come to one in the future.

    And anything else you wish to share. You always seem so positive. I look forward to reading your posts. When I see you have a new post in my reader, I dig in and cuddle up for a good read.

  9. Mike Ferretti

    Last week when I came home I got up to 25 degrees and hit 90ish changing planes in Atlanta. It is hard to hit a swing that big in the winter because if it is 40 here, that means 15 to 20 below. It happens but rarely.. I am working on a store closer to you. Nothing definite but close….I grew up in Bluefield, WV, which in those days was a small version of what I describe. I spent a lot of time in Pittsburgh as a kid and lived in Cleveland for a while in the early 1980’s…

  10. Ann Becker-Schutte

    Rosie,

    What a fun concept. It fits right in with my own goals for becoming more connected this year.

    1. Where do you live? — I live in a suburb of Kansas City, MO. I identify myself as from Kansas City because I am resisting the suburbs (no Indian or Thai food out there), and because I grew up in midtown KC.

    2. What’s a little known fact about you? — While I’m not an extreme adventure person, I have been scuba diving with sharks. 🙂 They’re astonishingly beautiful.

    3. What brought you to this little corner of the internet? — I think that I was originally pulled in by Beautiful You, and stayed when I realized that you were another mom by adoption.

    4. Do you have a blog? If so, please tell me a little bit about it and include a link! — I do have a blog, at http://www.healthybalancedlife.com I blog about self-care, coping with illness, grief, and anything else that catches my fancy. The blog is part of the work that I do as a psychologist, and at least one of my clients has referred to it as her “Ann on demand,” which means that I’m getting some of my voice across, I hope.

    5. What posts do you like, and which ones bore you to tears? — I appreciate the posts that challenge me to stop and think, whether it’s about my priorities or about the adoption process, or about my self-talk.

    6. Do you have a question that you’d love for me to try to answer? — Not one that’s jumping to mind right now.

    7. Do you know me, if so how? — Aside from one lovely phone conversation and reading your words, no I don’t. But the conversation did connect us, and I’ve appreciated your thoughts–and keep sending mine.

    Warmly,
    Ann

  11. Ashley Brand

    I live in Charlotte, North Carolina with my fiancee with our 2 dogs (Charlie and Ginger). YES I AM ENGAGED!! 😀
    I am an avid reader and lover of Disney and sparkly things. I am almost always distracted by babies! I cannot wait to be a mom but I am holding that off til later as I am in school at UNCC.
    You were my Body Image professor at UNCC and I have frequently checked your blog because your class changed my life in so many positive ways and you give the greatest advice. I do not currently have a blog as I am not the type of person to remember to keep up with one.
    What is the greatest accomplishment you think you have made so far?

  12. Kat Anderson

    Hey Rosie,
    I loving this idea!

    I live in Adelaide, South Australia. With a tiny populations that tends to hover around a millions we’re often seen as a more backward capital city than the fancy eastern states- we also tend to lose a lot of our talented people to these states as there are more job prospects!

    A little known fact would be my absolute fear of public speaking. I do it, especially when I have to, but I don’t love it. Thankfully I can usually pretend my way through it and people don’t see…

    I found your blog Ayer finding your book Beautiful You. It was a much needed text in a bad time of my life, and one I return to constantly.

    I do blog, over at krjourno.blogspot.com – I’m roughly three credits short of my Bachelor of Communications, majoring in journalism, and I have a fear of writing/publishing in the public sphere!!!! I think I’m so concernced with what everyone would think of me and it holds me back. I also worry about hurting others with more personal writing, but I’m toying with opening a new blog for that form of writing. I love to write, sometimes I think I actually can, and then it all falls over!

    I love the body image posts, but also the ones about your family – see above, I can’t write personal parts of my life, so I’m trying to learn to in a way that’s not so… Overly dramatic and flowery, I guess.

    Again, I love this Rosie, thanks!

    Kat

  13. Kim Shaw-Calvo

    – Where do you live?
    Forest Acres, SC ( a not so huge suburb of Columbia , SC)
    – What’s a little known fact about you?
    I became an Estranged Widow and mother of an Autistic son all in one week.
    – What brought you to this little corner of the internet?
    Link to your blog from FB.
    – Do you have a blog?
    No, but I have thought about it as an outlet. I would want it to be just silly and funny.
    – What posts do you like, and which ones bore you to tears?
    I like the posts where you discuss your family and upbringing. I cannot say any bore me to tears , although I read the body image ones and think why does that info just not click naturally in my head?
    – Do you have a question that you’d love for me to try to answer?
    What blog post that you have written has meant the most to you ?
    – Do you know me, if so how?
    Yes – Our brothers became friends and then our famiies did too . In fact I remember the 1st time I met you at your b-day party when the 1st Space Shuttle took off.
    – And anything else you wish to share.
    I still suffer from the clog / cardigan/ jeans wardrobe, this past winter, in what I considered a bold move, instead of a new pair of black clogs I bought 2 pairs of Keen Mary Janes ( who am I kidding they are just clogs in disguise).

  14. Colleen Durham

    •Where do you live? Del Rio Texas – 140 miles due west of San Antonio, on the Texas-Mexico Border. Would you like to see “The Fence”?
    •What’s a little known fact about you? I am an excellent speller.
    •What brought you to this little corner of the internet? Saw your blogs posted on somebody’s Facebook page. YOur body image mission dovetails nicely with the Girl Scout mission, and my mission as a Physical Education teacher on the border. Also, I helped raise 3 kids I did not give birth to, but I dare anyone to tell me I am not their Mom!
    •Do you have a blog? If so, please tell me a little bit about it and include a link!
    •What posts do you like, and which ones bore you to tears? Haven’t read any boring ones; loved the Birthmother Day post. Sent it to my kids. They are sometimes conflicted on Mother’s Day – loyalty issues.
    •Do you have a question that you’d love for me to try to answer?
    •Do you know me, if so how?
    •And anything else you wish to share.
    Somehow, you and Anna Maria Chavez need to meet!

  15. Trish Pierson

    Where do you live?
    I live in Butte, MT (but grew up near Omaha, NE)
    What’s a little known fact about you?
    Bumble bees absolutely freak me out, and will turn me into a squealing child (even though I can and have dealt with all manners of spiders, snakes, bats, animals, etc)
    What brought you to this little corner of the internet?
    I’ve been actively working on body image/self-esteem, and found your blog through Already Pretty.
    Do you have a blog?
    I have a personal blog at http://journeyofthemagpie.blogspot.com/, where I write about many different things. I have a website at http://patriciapierson.com/, which has a blog I use for more professional type posts.
    What posts do you like, and which ones bore you to tears?
    I don’t think any of them are boring. I connect more with the ones that deal with body image and living life with intention.
    Do you have a question that you’d love for me to try to answer?
    No
    Do you know me, if so how?
    No
    And anything else you wish to share.
    I won a copy of your book, Beautiful You, from your blog when I first started following (one of the few things I’ve ever won!). I’ve been steadily going through it and it has been extremely helpful. Thanks!

  16. Barrie Glenn

    Ok, so I’m definitely late to the party here, but better late than never 🙂

    Hi Rosie, I’m Barrie. I live in Waxhaw, NC and I’m originally from Brooklyn, NY. I’ve been here since 2005. A little known fact about me is that I think there is an athlete inside of me screaming to get out. It came out once and stayed around long enough for me to run 5K’s, 5 mile races and one 15K (during the dead of winter and through which I thought I was going to die), though has since disappeared and is looking for a way out again. I also have a very strong passion to write and to one day collaborate with my daughter on a book.

    I made my way to this little corner of the internet through my daughter Samantha who just completed your Body Image course at UNC Charlotte.

    I have a blog, Life Stories from the Corner Cafe, http://coffeeshoptales.wordpress.com/
    I write about the things that are going on in my life, and that I’ve started to realize that others may be going through as well. I’ve been through a lot since 2008 and the blog has been therapeutic for me. My goal is to write more frequently. People who have read my blog tell me that I have a gift and need to find a way to write for a living. I currently work at a job that I hate and that causes me immense stress. It would be my goal to find a way to further what is not only my dream, but probably the one thing that I was always meant to do – write.

    I’ve only been reading your posts for the past 4 weeks and I’m feverishly reading from present to past. I love them all, everything that you write about means something to me. I think the ones surrounding body image are my favorites though because it is something that I have struggled with my entire life.

    As for a question to answer, I guess for me it would be how do you find your path to happiness when so much else rides on it (i.e. making a living). Wow… that was a loaded question, wasn’t it?

    Other than all of the above, I have 2 amazing kids, Sam who you know and Andrew who is turning 15 and is a rock star baseball player. I’ve been married to my husband Alan since 1989. My family means everything to me and they come before everything else. I’m a giving person and truly wish that I had more free time to do things that I love and to make a difference in people’s lives more than I do today.

  17. pencilfox

    greetings, rosie.
    happened upon your site after seeing your name mentioned in natural health magazine.
    i am well into my 50s and continue to struggle with self-image because of past injuries to my spirit. therefore: i purchased your book “beautiful you” and just received it, started reading it as soon as i unwrapped the parcel.
    thank you, bless you, for your openness and honesty, your willingness to help women grow and blossom!
    * love * ~ marie

  18. Julie D

    my name is Julie, I am a mediator and live in north central British Columbia, Canada on a tiny little reservation with my husband of 24 years and our youngest 3 children, the older 2 are living in bigger towns to go to university and college. I grew up in the area, and my husband and I lived in the biggest city in our province for about a decade, which I miss terribly. I am not really a small town/rural living kind of person.

    Little known facts: I had my children via home birth, and the second is that I have a secret desire to act, and can cry on demand!

    I am very interested in body image and self-esteem and probably found you through Medicinal Marzipan, and i check out body image/fashion blogs regularly.

    I do not have a blog, yet, it is something I am contemplating and planning with a friend, to discuss parenting, especially as a minority, as a First Nations woman, there are lots of negative stereotypes and a lack of positive role models and sources of information that are relevant to culture.

    I really enjoy the blogs about your teaching and interaction with students, because, I also teach part-time at a community college, different subject area but similar in that part of the course is have students examine their own values and beliefs.

    I do have a question, what kind of students take your course? I am interested in how many students you have per class and how often you teach, and how the college responds to your material?

    I haven’t met you in person, and haven’t written a comment, (as best I can remember) as in real life, I am very extroverted, but in the cyber world, I am a lurker!

    Thanks for the invitation to introduce ourselves and connect!

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