Birthday: 12-14-1984
1. Where are your family roots from? All over the place. Spain, Cuba, Greece, the Canary Islands...Apparently, we're Sephardic or "Spanish Jews" too.
2. How have your parents/guardian influenced you? My parents certainly march to their own beat and childhood was what lifetime movies are made of--but for all the crazy stuff we've been through, my interactions with my parents have taught me a lot about love. Love that tried to control, love that sacrificed, love that roared in protection, love that hurt, and love that doesn't quit. If, for example, I ate heroin for breakfast, had 22 abortions and tattooed a pentagram on my face--they'd still love me. They also taught me a lot about giving and volunteering time to help people. I'm really grateful for that.
4. Is there something in your life that you feel very passionate about? Right now, bento lunch boxes.
5. If you could be any animal, what animal would that be? plant? and insect? why? A wild elephant; matriarchal order, vegetarian, so smart and powerful. It sucks they can't lay down though. If I were a plant, I'd hope to be something medicinal. An insect: an ant. They work hard and have quite a little community going on. It'd also be neat to see the world from a tiny ant's perspective.
6. What is it about working at Citizens Co-op in Gainesville, FL that keeps you satisfied? I love working at the co-op. It's fairly new, community-owned, democratically run and still taking shape. Making decisions as a group is challenging at times but I love that everyone's voices and opinions are valued and we're never just doing what we're told. Everyone is pretty empowered to make their job what they want it to be. The part that's most satisfying though, is simply connecting with people connecting with food. While there's a handful of issues/problems in the world that I want to work toward changing, food--to me, is at the heart of everything. While I might not have control over oil spills, income inequality, or violence in the world, I do have a choice on what goes onto my plate and into my body. I like knowing where my food comes from, high-fiving the farmers that grew it, and working in the heart of a local food renaissance.
7. What are the qualities that draw you to people that you can base a friendship on? I suppose I'm drawn to people who try to live mindfully, are kind and excited about what they're doing.
8. Can you tell us something that you just learned that intrigued you? I saw an article online earlier today about a 4th grade teacher having students practice meditation after recess in a public school. The teacher claimed they've experienced a decline in playground fights and test anxiety, and the kids seem to really enjoy it.
9. What is your perception of how people see you? I don't really know. I am what I am. I've admittedly spent chunks of time worrying about what people think of me, and while feeling misunderstood is one of my least favorite feelings, I try really hard not to focus on assuming what others think. If someone feels strongly about something one way or the other, I trust they'd tell me or make it really obvious.
10. What are you listening to these days? It's funny. Since becoming a parent, I barely listen to music anymore. When I do, it's usually something melancholy. Arthur Russel, Nick Drake and Damien Jurado are my most over-played.
11. What's the best and worst decision you ever made? Becoming a parent. I feel like it's taboo in our culture to be real about how hard parenting is, or say things like "I wish I didn't have a kid" but it really is this bittersweet thing. I probably should have finished school, backpacked through Europe, started a career, or waited a few more years before deciding to become a parent but I didn't and there's no going back. The sweet part is: parenting has broadened my capacity to love, brought out strengths I didn't know I had and has added some of the most tender, heart piercing moments to my experience on this earth that couldn't be matched with anything else. I miss being able to take a nap after work, having time to myself, or hell, even using the bathroom without a toddler unraveling the toilet paper but that old life is over. Now, my job, for the next million years is to help shape and nurture the growth of another little human. That's pretty cool.
12. Can you narrate to me your proudest moment? Maybe the first time I put on a sold out concert. I started booking shows for a non-profit in St. Pete when I was about 14. I had no idea what I was doing, but I went with it. I can't really remember what the line up was, but the first time I booked a show that maxed out the State Theater was a pretty proud moment. And this was all before the advent of social media. It also felt good to know that the money raised was going to help homeless families, addicts and street kids.
13. What do you find most ridiculous about life? I find it ridiculous that there's no way to know the future and that at any moment we could die and....poof! You're gone.
14. Can you share a topic that causes your blood to boil? The fact that it's perfectly legal for big corporations like Apple and Starbucks to avoid paying billions of dollars in taxes makes me really angry. Our taxes fund public schools, libraries, the fire department, pell grants, etc. Why can corporations get away with not chipping in? That's our healthcare, that's my kid's college tuition. It breaks my heart that most folks (myself included) are too busy and comfortable enough not to demand a stinking revolution.
15. If you could take a peek in your future (say 10 years from now), what would it look like? Ten years...hopefully Jon and I would own a house by then and our relationship would be rich like a dusty bottle of fine wine. Micah would be 13 and I'd be 38. I imagine life would be coolers filled with orange slices for soccer teams, pizza parties and badass family vacations. I really have no idea but I wouldn't mind if the scenery included mountains, a cabin of some sort and a wicked treehouse. And a total side note: in 2023, there better be hoverboards!
Thank you, Julie!!
All Photos except ^ last photo - were used from Julie's Facebook photo albums
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