Seven Questions...Keepin' It Real

If you have not yet met Celia and read her hilarious spin on life, you are completely missing out! Her blog is one of the first stops on my daily round. I've loved her from the beginning because:

Our husbands could be twins.

She is my same age (ancient among bloggers)!

Her writing is real and really really funny.

Celia is wildly blog-popular. I think the reason she has such a following is because, aside from being a great writer and spot-on social commentator, Celia is completely comfortable in her own skin. She hates decorating! She hates dieting! She doesn't try to cover up an unsightly blemish...she takes a photo and blogs about it! Everyone can relate to Celia and everyone wants to be her friend.


In a world full of phonies, an authentic woman is hard to find. Here are Celia's real thoughts on real life...

1. You have a talent for seeing the fun and funny in day-to-day reality...driving your kids to school, sitting through church meetings, eating at Panera bread. Is this a conscious choice or do you just think "real" life is fun?
A timely question. My friend, Brigitta, left a comment on one of my weekly journal posts. She said that she had spent much of the week with me but it seems much more amusing when I write about it. It's true. It was a boring week. So I guess the answer to that question is that finding the funny is a conscious choice. Blogging has really helped me have a positive attitude, though. I think all bloggers have had those moments when something crummy happens and they think, "Well, at least I can blog about it!"

2. Why do you think women so often put on a phony front? How do you find "real" friends?
I think people put on a phony front for a few reasons. First, maybe they don't know who they really are. Second, they are afraid that they will be known and not loved. Third, they aren't thinking, they are only doing. I can tell pretty quickly following a conversation who is going to be a "real" friend just by the things they say. It's funny, I'm wary of anyone who overshares at the beginning, but I am also bored with someone who can't talk about real life. There is a happy medium, and usually it takes a little work and a lot of trust to get there.

3. Is your husband really your bishop? Do you find it difficult to be your real self while he leads your entire congregation?
This is the easiest question. No, thankfully, my husband is not my bishop. He's in the bishopric. We're hoping his leadership run will soon be over for awhile, and I'm a little trunky. He hasn't sat with us in Sacrament meeting or been with us on Sunday morning since Max was seven. He's thirteen now. I'm over it and ready for some help.
It used to make me cringe that people thought I represented my husband. I'm pretty sure no one thinks that anymore. Everyone who knows us knows that we have very different personalities. He is a rule follower and has a lot of restraint, at least in public. I'm the opposite, obviously.

4. I love the fun relationships you seem to have with all of your sisters. They probably know the "real Celia" better than any of us. What secrets would your sisters tell us about you?
I'm wracking my brain for some secrets. It seems like my life is an open book. Maybe they would tell you I was bossy. Perhaps they would tell you that I tend to tell "apocryphal" stories, that is, stories with embellishments. I'm sure they would tell you I wear ugly shoes. I don't know if they could tell you how much I cherish the sister relationships I have because we don't talk like that in our family.

5. Name your real-and-true favorite...
Color: mostly blue with a little pink and green.
Food: Breakfast: plain Cheerios, sugar and milk.
Lunch: sandwich from Safeway Deli called the Chicago South Sider. Crusty roll, roast beef, onions, tomatoes, lettuce with horseradish sauce.. Yum.
Dinner: Something fancy that I can't make myself, like sushi or fish.
Dessert: flourless chocolate cake.
Vacation spot: My parents had a house on Kauai. Going there was idyllic and heavenly or crowded and expensive.
Novel: Must I choose one?

6. Who are the three women you admire most in your real life? What have you learned from them?
I had to think hard about this. The first woman is my old best friend, Shauna. She moved to Utah last year. She taught me how to face my problems directly instead of avoiding them. The second woman is a woman from my ward growing up, Shanna Parmley. She is married to a muckety-muck high up church guy but she isn't holier than thou. She is funny and friendly and clever without being offensive. I would be remiss if I didn't mention my own mother. She taught me how to enjoy my children and that being a stay at home mom is the best job ever.

7. As your daughters grow, what do you hope to teach them about becoming "real" women?
Watching my daughter, Claire, who is ten, approach adolescence is one of the hardest things I've had to do so far. It triggers many of my own emotions and I really don't want to project my experience onto hers. I guess I can help her be "real" by validating her experiences.

Thanks so much, Celia! You are a true friend...

Warning: Groundhog Day with Celia Fae is highly addictive, with dangerous side effects.

Do not click over unless your bladder is completely empty and you have at least an hour to spare.

p.s. Celia is such a "real friend"--she put on her own Gabtalk interview and asked yours truly a few probing questions.

They will be featured Monday, March 10th for my special Blogiversary Post! Tune in...