Wednesday's With: Libby

Libby, 23

Brooklyn, New York

Drink: Gin and Tonic.

Whose writing is inspring you the most right now?: David Foster Wallace.

Follow any style advice: Black.

What makes you feel the most badass?  Wearing black -no haha- yeah - I feel badass so much of the time (laughs). This is sort of an intense answer, but I think living in a way that's expressed and solidly rooted and playful (more laughing).

Recent lesson learned: (in sing-songy tone) People are just people, you shouldn't get nervous.

Role Model/Mentor/Who you want to be in 10 years: Nancy Lublin mixed with my mom mixed with, I dont know, which is so interesting.

Scent: Perfume from Anthropology, don't remember the name, and my hair product, Kerastese.

What's something most people don't know about you? All the weird shit about me everyone knows, because I tell them all.  But I guess some people don't know how sensitive I am.

Coffee/Tea: Coffee

Introvert or Extrovert?: Extrovert.

Next Destination: Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Ideal job in 1-2 sentences: With three of my best friends, we run a smart socially imaginative, people-based, community-based, digitally alive company (lots of laughter).

# of Tattoos: 0

Last Text: "Thursday to Monday." To Kay Feker.

Last Meal you ate: Special K oats and honey; it's my roommates, I stole it.  I have to buy her a new box because I opened hers.

Go read this book: We the Animals, by Justin Torres.

Ask me a question: "What tradition (daily, weekly, yearly, bi-yearly) are you excited to establish in your adult life?  A tradition or a routine."  Hm. At one point I wanted to spend some amount of time every Sunday outside, on a little walk where I let myself think big things.  But I haven't committed to that.  One routine I am committed to, however, is to leave NYC at least once every 7 weeks.  I think it's not a bad habit for wherever you live.  Let yourself realize there's more world out there to see (even if it's just in upstate NY).

Go listen to this song when you're finished reading, just pick one: Be my Husband, by Nina Simone.

And go look at this website: www.cabinporn.com

(Grazi Libby! )

Wednesdays with: Erin Kelly

Erin, 25

Brooklyn, New York

Drink: beer, brown ales but sometimes IPAs too. 

Whose writing is inspring you the most right now?: mmm geez. (licking macaroni off her fingers) Cheryl Strayed. 

Follow any style advice:  You have to wear what you look comfortable in, or else you look stupid.

What makes you feel the most badass? This certain picture of me ice climbing. 

Recent lesson learned: Oh god, so many.  It's hard to learn to trust your gut sometimes, and if it's telling you something you don't like you fight it.  But at a certain point you just have to give in, and usually it's for the better. Hopefully it's for the better. 

Role Model/Mentor/Who you want to be in 10 years: Some of the biggest role models I've met were the women were running the micro-finance program I interned for.  They all had come up through the program, had their own businesses, were farmers, had kids, were running this program.  They were all so awesome, lifting up all these other women without a lot of resources. 

Scent: no, but if I did it would be called forgot-to-put-on-deodorant. Or unwashed clothes. 

What's something most people don't know about you? I love best and worst dressed things after award shows. I don't watch award shows, I just get really exciting when they're coming. 

Coffee/Tea: Coffee

Introvert or Extrovert?: My first impulse is extrovert, but I'm probably pretty evenly split between the two. 

Next Destination: Hopefully east Africa, if I can swing it.  

Ideal job in 1-2 sentences: Working for a social enterprise that provides job opportunities and education to refugee women and children. 

# of Tattoos: 1

Last Text: "I have bad service, let me try to again in a bit." To Avie. 

Last Meal you ate: Homemade mac and cheese with dijon mustard and hot peppers. 

Go read this book: Wherever you go, there you are by Jon Kabat-Zinn

Ask me a question: "When are you going to start QUIP?" When I can figure out what the card I hand out will say, and when I can find it a home (a lot of www.quip.com etcs exist) 

Go listen to this song when you're finished reading, just pick one: How I got over - Aretha Franklin

And go look at this website: http://awkwardblackgirl.com/

 (Gracias Erin! )

Mondays with Scotty

(Picking it back up) A few months later, here's Scotty.

Scotty

Watermill, New York

Drink: Greyhound (Grapefruit juice and vodka)

Whose writing is inspring you the most right now?: Dorothy Parker

Follow any style advice: Less is better. 

What makes you feel the most badass? My Rolodex. 

Recent lesson learned: No guilt.

Role Model/Mentor/Who you want to be in 10 years: Lauren Bacall+ ... another independent beautiful woman who had her own life.

Scent: "First", I've been wearing it since forever. 

What's something most people don't know about you? That I'm always sizing you up for a song.

Coffee/Tea: Coffee

Introvert or Extrovert?: Extrovert 

Next Destination: Capris, Italy

Ideal job in 1-2 sentences: An elementary school teacher, if I didn't want to make a living.

# of Tattoos: 0

Last Text: "It's cold and damp in Watermill..."

Last Meal you ate: Sushi 

Go read this book: "50 Shades of Gray", even though I haven't read it yet. 

Ask me a question: "Who would be your role model?" All my moms + Courtney Martin.

Go listen to this song when you're finished reading, just pick one: That's the toughest question in the world. "I believe in Love", Kenny Loggins

And go look at this website: Pinterest

 (Thanks Scotty, xo!)

Wednesdays With: Katherine

Apparently I have many Katherine/Catherine and Kat(y)ies in my life. On that note, Katherine....

Katherine, 21

Granville, OH

Drink: mmhh anything with whiskey. except manhattans. I can't muscle those yet.

Whose writing is inspring you the most right now?: Chuck Palahniuk, specifically Stranger Than Fiction : True Stories.

Follow any style advice: Whatever is comfortable or whatever makes my butt look good. Also, anything my mom wears. Every time I wear an accessory of hers I get 10 compliments.

Role Model/Mentor/Who you want to be in 10 years: Definitely my godparents. I see so much of the person I should be in them. They are two of the most generous and loving people I know and the more I grow up, the more I can see why my parents chose them. My mom's sister has unconditional love for all things and my dad's brother-in-law is generous beyond belief. He also is one of the hardest workers I know. He has a wonderful life now and I know it's because of all of the hard work and sacarifices he and my aunt put into their early life together.

Scent: Flora by Gucci. This is my first new scent since I was 15. Before Christmas I couldn't make a break from "I love love" by Moschino but I'm happy with the change. I feel more like a woman now.

Coffee/Tea: Coffee...always and forever.

Next Destination: In a perfect world my next destination would be to visit Elizabeth Arendt in Morocco....after making a short stop in Freiburg, Germany.

Ideal job in 1-2 sentences: A job where I get to teach, have time for coaching, and I'm paid enough that it's o.k that I take extended periods of time off to go back to germany and travel other places without a research agenda. (Is that bad? It's awfully selfish but I'm in a selfish stage of my life.)

# of Tattoos: 0

Last Text: "sweet rocks? Yeah, Tommy really appreciates geology? haha" Sent to: Adam Frudden.

Last Meal you ate: A can of tuna with sriracha and two pieces of toast with cheddar melted on them....I need to go grocery shopping.

Go read this book: "Empire of the Summer Moon" by S.C. Gwynne. It's a historical novel about the Comanches and I feel like everyone needs to know how badass they were.

Ask me a question: "Will you send me a signed copy of all of your books for the rest of your career/our lives?"

*I will hand deliverrrr them.

Go listen to this song when you're finished reading:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG897lNXLcg

And go look at this website: http://whatshouldwecallme.tumblr.com/ (I die 90% of the time.)

And, last question, any random advice you like to dish out?: What's the worst that can happen? It will get done.

(Thanks Xena bebe!)

Wednesdays with: Katy!

Katy, 22

Cincinnati

Drink: Margarita on the rocks

Whose writing is inspiring you the most right now? : Heather Armstrong's http://dooce.com/.

Follow any style advice? : A pop of color.

Advice or life motto you follow/dish out? : You win some, you lose some.

Role model/ mentor/ who you want to be in x years? : Ellen Degeneres + Mindy Kaling + Eve Bolton.

Scent: Light Blue, Dolce and Gabanna

Something most people don't know about you: I've never had a snickers bar.

Coffee / Tea?: Tea.

Next Destination: My bed.

Ideal job in 1-2 sentences: Helping people from all walks of life acheive their potential by giving them tools to help them reach their dreams.

# of Tattoos?: 0

Last text: "You smell like ostrich breath" to Davie Thayer

Shampoo: Patene Pro-V

Last Meal you Ate: Turkey sandwich

Go Read this Book: A Snack Called Lunch by Katy Taylor (yet to be released)

Ask me a question you want to know: "Would you rather have fingers for teeth, or teeth for fingers?"

*Teeth for fingers. But both of those really freak me out.

Go listen to this song after reading this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOXG8wtxx_w

And, go to this website: http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/7-minutes-in-heaven-with-mike-obrien-amy-poehler/1346634

(delayed) Wednesdays With: Katie

Katie

24

New Brunswick, NJ

Drink: Bourbon & Ginger Ale

Whose writing is inspiring you the most right now? : recent texts from my mom

Follow any style advice? : Button it down

I feel badass when: I wear my aviators.

Advice or life motto you follow/dish out? : It's about the little things, enjoying patience and what makes you smile.

Role model/ mentor/ who you want to be in x years? : Majora Carter

Scent: Yves St. Laurent, wood spice

Something most people don't know about you: I love girly underwear

Coffee/tea: tea

Next destination: southeast Asia

Ideal job in 1-2 sentences: A photojournalist and youth organizer/ instructor.

Extrovert/Introvert: hybrid

# of tattoos: 0

Last text: "On my way" to Courtney

Last meal: Squash and carrot curry with brown rice

Go read this book: Zeitoun by Dave Eggers

Ask me a question you want to know:

*If you could be an animal, what would you be? : Blue whale

Go listen to this song after reading this: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x65esx_tilly-the-wall-beat-control_music

And, go read this website: http://dapperanddandy.tumblr.com/

wednesdays with : catherine

To commence this Wednesday series, we'll start with one of my two followers, Catherine.

Catherine

20

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Drink: 'nati lite. just kidding, I've been drinking a lot of pinot grigio lately.

Whose writing is inspiring you the most right now? : Jezebel

Follow any style advice? : Mix it up.

Advice or life motto you follow/dish out? : Write your grocery list with your coupons in your hand. And, do you.

Role model/ mentor/ who you want to be in x years? : Tina Fey + my professor Victoria Johnson + Katniss Everdeen

Scent: "Happy", Clinique

Something most people don't know about you: I don't follow any TV shows.

Coffee/tea: Lately, coffee.

Next destination: Chicago

Ideal job in 1-2 sentences: I'd be working for a company/ organization that is in charge of corporate social responsibility with an environmental focus.

# of tattoos: 0

Last text: "w00t w00t" to Kate McGoldrick

Last meal: PB and J sandwich, wheat thins and a banana

Go read this book: Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Ask me a question you want to know:

*How many writing utensils do you carry around? : On average, 3

Go listen to this song after reading this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeO1OJGFTlg

And, go read this website: www.good.is