The first time I saw Amy, I thought, “Oh, that girl is trouble. I need to meet her.” We worked together, so meeting her was easy. Making friends was even easier.
I was right. Amy is trouble. She’s beautiful, she’s smart, she’s funny, and I have had men drop doors shut on me in their haste to follow her out of them. She is devilishly delightful, wickedly witty, and when I needed to summon all of my energy and focus it into action, it was Amy I channeled to get the job done. This is a woman who knows how to get the job done.
Amy works as an analyst in the fashion industry, living the glamorous life of a working mom in Manhattan, is teaching herself to play guitar, and is perfectly suited to Jane Austen novels. Amy is my Lobster, so I could go on and on telling my version of her story, but I want you to meet her personally, so let’s see what she has to say for herself.
Who are you?
I’m the woman who gets side-eyed a lot. I’m the mother who had kids so
young she had to grow up with them. I’m the occasional wife. I’m the
financial analyst who is most comfortable in jeans and bare feet doing
something earthy. I’m the eclectic chick who pays attention to the
phases of the moon and grows her own vegetables.
Describe your family:
My family consists of my 12-year-old, my 4-year-old, my boyfriend, and our cat. We are a team. We laugh together and cry together and get cranky with each other. We are wildly different in personality but we try to use that to our advantage and avoid stepping on toes as much as possible.
What does the first hour of your day look like?
The first hour of my day is often the best. I’m a morning person. I love
to stretch and sprawl across the bed and snuggle the boyfriend for a good 15 minutes before climbing down (loft bed, wood ladder, surprisingly easy to fall at 6 am). I shower (or not), futz around, make up, futz around, put dinner in the crock pot (or not), write in my journal, futz around, hop on the subway and about 90 minutes from my alarm’s first chime, I’m walking into work.
The last hour?
The last hour gets sloppy. I’m not a night person. I’m usually reading,
with a glass of wine in hand; if not I’m chatting online with a friend,
with a glass of wine in hand.
What makes you feel successful?
Mastering something. When I can truly wrap my mind around something, take it in and digest it, explain it to someone else without having to reference another source, I feel like I’ve accomplished something.
What brings you joy?
Obvious things bring me joy: my children laughing, flowers, fall leaves,
unexpected gifts, good music. Absurd things also bring me joy: when my daughter calls her elbow her “elmo,” street performers who have no
talent but a lot of heart, witty sarcasm well delivered, getting lost
while on vacation, the word godzundheit.
What women do you admire?
I admire women who have the courage to do what they feel is right for
them. I admire Eleanor Roosevelt (but that’s a boring answer because
everybody admires Eleanor). I admire Walladah al-Mustakfi, 11th century Spanish poet who lived life her own way and stared down the critics. I admire my sister Heidi who managed full-time nursing school with a full time job and two kids at home because she had the courage to face down 2 really hard years in order to enjoy the rest. I admire my BFF because she stood for her principles when they were unpopular and held her head high no matter how they tried to humble her.
What advice would you give boys about girls?
I would tell a boy that a girl can seem tricky when she’s changing her
mood or laughing when she’s sad and crying when she’s happy but that’s
the beauty of women. Don’t criticize the differences, embrace them.
How do you overcome adversity?
I overcome adversity by glaring at it until it wilts and if that doesn’t
work I charge at it until it swerves first and if that doesn’t work I
tear it to the ground one piece at a time. I’m not exactly suave.
How do you want to be remembered?
I want to be remembered as… the woman who gets side-eyed a lot, the
mother who had kids so young she had to grow up with them, the
occasional wife, the financial analyst who is most comfortable in jeans
and bare feet doing something earthy, the eclectic chick who pays
attention to the phases of the moon and grows her own vegetables.
The Outside Lane 