12:03 p.m. - 2005-05-31
Kelly rocks my casbah.
And now it is the time where everyone gets to meet Kelly Madewell Cooke. Her husband Matt must be pretty awesome to give up such a great last name as Madewell. Kelly is one of the smartest, funniest, most practical and level-headed people I know. She always has a simple, straightforward answer to the question "What should I do about (blank)?" Kelly is loyal and comfortable in her own skin. She is a thinker and utterly, fabulously dependable. And she gets me. Like REALLY gets me. On with the interview...Dear readers...THIS IS...Kelly.
How do you know me?
We met when we were both eighteen and in our first week of college. We were at a Navigators picnic at 3 Elliott Street in Athens and I thought you were a big fat liar because you told lots of improbable stories that all turned out to be true. I didn�t like you for awhile because I was impossibly introverted and judgmental and you were loud and show-offy. We�ve been inseparable ever since.
What does your life consist of right now?
Graduate school (social work). This is the next to the last week of my first year, so that�s my only answer. That is all I do. I have a graduate internship at a research facility, a field placement as a case manager at a drug and alcohol rehab place, and classes.
Who do you live with and where?
I live in the Eastside neighborhood of Athens, Ohio with my husband Matt. Gabe Preston and Kevin Jacobson live in our upstairs in exchange for making financial donations to our mortgage.
What would you most like to communicate to the thousands of people (millions, really..let's be honest) who read this blog?
Don�t waste your time being insecure about anything. There�s so little time, why waste it telling yourself you can�t? You�re getting older, you know. Be confident. Everyone loves a confident person, so why not be one? Everyone is insecure. Everyone. It�s silly, really. Think of what you can do! Have you ever failed? I saw the Avett Brothers (please do so yourself if you have a chance) recently and one of their song lyrics was, �never be embarrassed to sing.� On the surface, that�s a very corny thing to say. Looked at another way, that�s my philosophy in life.
Tell a story with me and you in it from back in the day:
Holy cow. There are many. Okay, forgotten home video: the camcorder is on. You are in a dramatic pose of some sort and there is moody dark music in the background. A flying stuffed dog sails through the air and hits you in the head. We record until it hits you square in the face and you don�t laugh. Then we switch, me, you, Amy Leafgren. And it is the funniest thing you�ve ever experienced, somehow.
Do you have any hobbies we should know about?
Hm. Hobbies. I like to play the guitar and sing really loud when there�s no one in the house, in contrast to Gabe, who likes to sing really loud when there are people in the house. I enjoy this. But my favorite thing to do is to cook, drink wine, and listen to NPR. By myself. Please don�t bother me.
Who is the most important person you've ever met?
I�ll ignore the obvious answers and say Tara, my supervisor in Seattle who has become a friend and mother to me. She convinced me that I can do things and showed me what it�s like to love people.
What is the worst name you've ever heard of someone naming their child?
I�ll narrow it down to my family members. These are actual names of people in my extended family: Brother, Sister (different side of the family), Fannie, Brownie, Dimple, Bertha, Fat-Ass. I made that last one up.
Greatest strength?
.
Calm in the storm.
Lamest weakness?
Thinking I know everything.
Favorite beverage (non-alcoholic)
Really good coffee with real cream
Favorite alcohol beverage
Fat Tire
Favorite dessert:
Chocolate cake
Most romantic moment of your life:
Well, that�s easy. One afternoon in August, 1999, Matt blindfolded me, drove me to the Ridges, walked me up a hill, and presented me with a candlelight dinner on the table I�m typing this on. The sun was setting, we sort of ate, and then he proposed and we cried a little because this was the first day of many wonderful days and then when we came down the hill a bunch of our friends who had conspired together to make things happen were there and we all were joyously young and in love.
Next vacation planned:
Seattle. We leave June 3rd for a week; Matt�s brother Andrew is getting married. I do love a wedding. Free drinks, dancing, what�s not to love?
Best thing to do on a night out in Athens:
Dinner at Casa with funny people and then on to see Southeast Engine somewhere that is not the Union.
One thing you know for sure is true:
I don�t know much of anything. I am learning this more everyday and I love it because it makes life new and easier.
