Vogue 73 Questions Challenge – Laura’s Books and Blogs Edition

The Vogue 73 Questions challenge

I’m a fan of the Vogue 73 Questions challenge on YouTube where they interview celebrities by asking 73 questions while touring their home, office, or backyard. So, when I saw fellow bloggers starting to post their own versions of this series, I decided to jump on the bandwagon. Most of my questions below came from other blog posts that I’ve read. Different bloggers answered different questions. So, if you feel like participating, feel free to use these, or swap them out for questions that you’re more comfortable or willing to answer. Now, enjoy the answers to my Vogue 73 Questions!

Beauty and fashion

What are three things that are always in your purse?

My wallet, phone, and eyeglasses case.

What kind of foundation do you use?

Usually Cover Girl matte foundation.

Blow dry or air dry?

Air dry if it’s hot. Blow dry if it’s cold or I have to go somewhere. I find that air drying halfway and then blow drying it the rest of the way produces the best results, though.

Favorite fashion trend?

Converse shoes.

Who is your fashion icon?

Ernie from Sesame Street.

Books and writing

What does your work station look like?

It’s usually my desk in my bedroom, my couch in the living room in front of the TV, or my desk at work. All are clean with anything on the tables pushed to the side to make as much elbow room as possible. I usually write on my laptop, or if I have written something long hand, I’m balancing my notebook on my arm rest or have it on the table to the right of my keyboard. The less clutter and distraction, the better.

Favorite author?

Stephen King and Laura Ingalls Wilder always come to mind. 

Favorite book?

I always go with The Little House series, but there are tons of other books that I like equally as much.

What projects are you working on right now?

Right now, I’m writing my sixth book, trying to find a publisher or agent for my fourth book, blogging, guest posting, and freelancing.

Dream job?

I’d love to write screenplays for Hollywood, work at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, write movie reviews for a large print or online publication, own a book store or drive-in movie theater, teach Creative Writing to young children, make art, or work for a non-profit or an organization that helps with environmental, poverty, literacy or women’s causes.

What’s your favorite kind of blog post to write?

I like to write essays. They are the most fun, but I tend to ramble on in them so it’s hard to cut the fat in editing.

I also like to review movies, but I try to only write about movies that I liked. As a writer, I know how much work goes into these creative projects and how easy it is to judge their weaknesses and shortcomings. But bad reviews of creative projects rarely help anybody.

Which fictional character do you relate to the most?

Charlie Brown. I’m a blockhead who just does the best she can.

Favorite illustrator?

Norman Rockwell or Jim Lee.

If you could teach a college class, what would it be called?

Survey of American Comics or Creative Writing.

Childhood and school

Did you get good grades in school?

Yes. People ask me if I always got straight A’s in school. I don’t think it’s so much because they think I’m a genius as much as they think I’m a nerd. In elementary school I pretty much did get straight A’s, but from middle school on, my grade point average was in the low 3’s. I struggled in math, and our grading system was harder than it was before and after I was in school. Later, I graduated from high school and college with honors but never at the top of my class.

Played any sports?

I played one year of softball when I was 10. 

Do you have a degree?

I have a high school diploma and a B.A. in Creative Writing.

Entertainment

What is your favorite video game?

Having not played in years, my choices are going to be very dated. Super Mario World for Super Nintendo and Spider-Man 2 for Playstation 2 are two games that I played all the time.

Your favorite movie?

I hate to choose, especially when I get hooked on a particular movie or franchise which changes frequently, but I’d say that a movie that I never get sick of, have been watching my whole life, and can watch in any mood, time of day, or season is Beetlejuice.

Movie you laughed the hardest through?

Probably the first Austin Powers movie, especially during the first few times I watched it.

Best animated film?

It’s a tie between The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Mulan, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and 101 Dalmatians.

If you could play a historical figure in a movie, who would it be?

Maybe somebody who was on the Titanic. I don’t know if I could pull off Molly Brown, but I’ll even play a victim.

Favorite Hitchcock Film?

Psycho.

Favorite Disney character?

Quasimodo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I connect with his isolation, imagination, artistic side, kindness, and longing.

Favorite instrument?

The piano. I can’t really play it, but I have my great-grandmother’s in my dining room. I hope to get it tuned and then learn to play something decent on it one day. Pianos are awesome because you can play harmony and melody simultaneously. So, you can play a full-sounding song on your own or fill a room with music if you’re the only musician at a party. They can also be used in any type of music, from classical to rock. 

Best comic book character?

Batman.

Food and drink

What’s your usual Starbucks order?

A tall chai tea latte.

Favorite drink?

Raspberry tea.

Do you like muffins?

I do. All kinds.

Do you cook often?

Yes. I cook for myself almost every night, even if it’s just heating up leftovers or throwing frozen food into the oven.

What’s your favorite dessert?

Ice cream or cheese cake.

Is there a dessert you don’t like?

I’ll usually pass on lemon-flavored desserts. Bitter, man.

Cake or pie?

Cake, as long as it’s not from a bakery with all of that rich icing, but I like most pies as well.

What’s your least favorite food?

Salisbury steak. Once I moved out of my parents’ house, I resolved to never eat it again.

What’s your favorite condiment?

Ketchup I guess, unless you count melted cheese on nachos or soft pretzels.

It’s 4 am on a Saturday night. What would you eat?

Probably toast or cereal.

Guilty pleasure treat?

Ice cream or frozen yogurt from a fast food chain or ice cream shop.

All time favorite food?

You know when you go to a party, and there’s a buffet of fried chicken, rigatoni, a sandwich ring, and a bunch of sides and desserts? I love that variety of eating a little bit of everything. In day-to-day life, I love pizza and pasta, eggs, ice cream, and cereal. I can, and sometimes do, eat them everyday.

Person you wanna have coffee with?

Kevin Smith. I love his podcasts, and he’s a talker with a lot of interesting things to say. Though, I don’t think either of us like coffee so we’d probably drink something else. 

Fun

What’s your favorite color? 

Red, but it’s such a bold color that I usually choose teals or mint greens when I think red will be too much, such as choosing paint or clothing.

If you were a rapper, what would your rapper name be?

Lil’ Switzerland. My friends in middle school used to say I was “neutral like Switzerland” because I wouldn’t take sides during a fight. The Lil’ part is just a common rapper adjective for females.

If your life was a song, what would the title be?

I don’t know if this answers the particular question being asked but Simple Kind of Life by No Doubt always resonated with me.

Sorting house?

I know enough about Harry Potter to know what that is, but I don’t know enough to even guess at what I am. Plus, don’t most people want a house different from the one where they are ultimately assigned?

Kittens or puppies?

Kittens, though don’t ask me to hold either.

What’s your favorite animal?

I don’t like animals, but when I was a kid, I used to give the following answers: dinosaurs, killer whales, horses, and big cats at one time or another.

If you were an Olympic athlete, what would your event be?

Summer: gymnastics (floor routine would be my specialty). Winter: figure skating (women’s singles)

What do you like to collect?

Whenever somebody goes on a trip, I just ask for a magnet to hang on my refrigerator. So, I have a small collection of magnets.

I also have a small collection of teapots which decorate my kitchen. I also collect business cards. Not sure if this counts, but I also own hundreds of books and DVD’s.

As a kid I collected things like buttons and pins, rocks and marbles, certain McDonald’s toys, Perler Bead projects, action figures (played with), pogs, and sand art.

Holidays

Favorite season?

Summer. Life is just easier when the weather is nice, and I don’t mind the heat like most people.

Favorite holiday?

Halloween. For the trick-or-treating, the horror movies, the candy, and the atmosphere.

Personal and physical traits

Nationality?

I was born in the United States. My ancestry consists of mostly European heritage including Ireland, England, Wales, Switzerland, Germany, and France. I spent six months obsessively researching my genealogy on Ancestry.com, met a lot of long lost relatives, filled in the holes in my family history, and found new ones. You can really fall down the rabbit hole with that type of project.

Describe yourself in three words?

Loyal, pushover, workaholic.

How many tattoos do you have?

None. I can’t think of one image or word that I feel needs to be permanently displayed on my body, and though I’d never judge another person’s decision to get a tattoo, I secretly think the same thing about every tattoo I’ve ever seen, besides the eyebrows that people who can’t grow hair get tattooed onto their face.  I do joke that if I ever did get a tattoo, it would feature Charlie Brown.

Something you wish you were good at?

Talking to strangers, singing/dancing, or sports.

Philosophies

Best advice you’ve ever received?

Tell the truth.

What are you most grateful for this year?

I’m grateful that I survived last year, that my writing career is on the right track, and that my family is healthy and making big, positive changes in their lives.

What’s the best thing that’s happened to you this month?

I’d say getting another full manuscript request from an interested publisher.

What’s the best thing that’s happened to you today?

That these particular work pants felt less tight than they did the last time I wore them.

What’s the best thing ever?

Going to see a new movie or trick-or-treating.

Best way to decompress?

ASMR, reading, movies, funny YouTube videos, art.

What is your biggest regret?

Spending too much energy on my school work and not enough socializing and having meaningful experiences. It’s come back to haunt me later in life.

Relationships

What has a guy done or said to impress you?

Fixed something or helped me with something without being smug about it.

Best thing to do on a first date?

Go out to eat.

Worst thing to do on a first date?

Not show up.

Surprises

Do you like surprises?

Yes. As long as it’s spontaneous but not a “Get in the car. We’re going somewhere. It’s a surprise” type of situation.

What’s the biggest surprise you ever had?

This might sound mundane, but once when I was maybe six or seven, we picked my dad up from work, and instead of going home, they took my brother, sister and I to Chuck E Cheese for dinner and games. That was the one and only time we ever did anything where I didn’t know about it in advance.

What’s the surprise that made you cry?

My dad was discharged early from the hospital after a scary incident where he almost died. I must have thought that we were going to pick him up that night, but he was waiting at the playground with my mom when I got off the bus after school that day.

What’s the best surprise you’ve ever given someone?

My fifth grade class threw a baby shower for our pregnant homeroom teacher, and we were able to keep it a secret from her until the big reveal with help from another fifth grade teacher.

Technology

Twitter or Instagram?

Twitter. I’m new to Instagram, and even Twitter has been a recent change over from Facebook, but it’s where I get the most interaction, especially with other writers/bloggers.

Are you a desktop or laptop person?

Laptop. I like to be able to take it upstairs, downstairs, outside, to someone’s house, or to a library or restaurant where I can work in public.

Who was the last person you DM’d?

A fellow blogger about guest posting for their blog.

What’s on the top of your wish list right now?

On Amazon? I don’t keep a wish list. Most of the things I buy with my disposable income are books and movies. An all-time desired unnecessary item that I’ll probably never own is an Addams Family pinball machine. Every arcade or game room I’ve ever been to has had one, and it was always my go-to pinball machine.

Travel

What is the farthest you’ve been from home?

Las Vegas. 1,700 miles from my home town.

What’s the country you wish to visit?

I kind of want to see more of the United States first, but if I had to go overseas, I’d choose England or France.

Buy it!

Buy this Vogue Coloring Book here, and help support local bookstores! This is an affiliate link, and I will earn a commission on any sales.