Who is @katdish

Recognize this face?  If you don’t than you might not be connected with the right folks on Twitter.  Kathy Richards is one of those folks I find incredibly funny.  She has always brought a smile to my face as well as make me LOL (something she dislikes strongly).

I have always had the feeling if I was ever to meet her in person she would be just as real as she is online.  I don’t think there is anything she would do or say that she doesn’t when we aren’t around.

Today I get the pleasure of having her answer some of the questions I had wanted to know the answers to when it came to her and I hopefully as I am you will be pleasantly surprised by her responses.

Tell us about your family?

Oh, you mean the people I co-exist with in the non-virtual world? I know everyone has a different philosophy about this, and I do write about my family on my blog, but to some extent, I like to keep my family guarded from my public, online ramblings. This is why I don’t share my kid’s names on my blog. When I started my blog, I chose to share my life, of which they are obviously a huge part of, but I respect their privacy–especially my husband’s, who would no more have a Twitter account or a Facebook profile than he would bungee jump off the Statue of Liberty. I will share that we live in a growing community just west of Houston. My husband works as a senior project manager in the oil and gas industry and is way smarter than me. We have a 14-year-old son and a 10-year-old daughter. They’re both smart like their dad and sort of goofy like their mom.

How long have you been married?

I will have been married 16 years come February 10 of next year. I chose this date reasoning that neither of us would forget an anniversary date so close to Valentine’s Day. It’s worked out well, because I sort of hate Valentine’s Day. Celebrating an anniversary the week everyone else is celebrating a V-Day is my way of thumbing my nose at the commercialization of love.

What is the one thing you love most about your spouse?

As I’ve already said, he’s way smarter than me, but he never makes me feel dumb. But I think what I love most about him is his faith—in God, in our marriage, and in our family.

What would your husband say is the thing he loves most about you?

What would he say? I suppose you’d have to ask him that question. I’d like to think he would say my sense of humor, but that’s probably just my wishful thinking. Maybe he’d say my smoking hotness—again, wishful thinking. Okay, for real? He’d probably say my desire to help people—my heart.

What do you believe has been the key/success to your marriage?

I think the key to any successful marriage is the firm belief that, despite what the world tries to tell you, marriage is not a temporary situation. That it really is for better or for worse. In short: keep your marriage vows.

What is one of your favorite things about being a parent?

Even though I know my kids are unique individuals, I’ll admit I get a kick out of those times when I see traits or interests arise that I identify as coming from me. Conversely, these times can also be the most terrifying.

Other than being an awesome Mom, what other jobs you’ve had?  What was your very first job and what was a lesson you learned? 

Until the birth of my first child, I worked since I was 15 years old. My first “real” job (aside from being a horrible babysitter) was a Christmas gift wrapper at a local clothing store. The most important lesson I learned from that job was that a sexy nightgown and a flannel bathrobe look pretty much the same when wrapped in a shirt box, and that it’s best you not mix up the tags.

I’ve also been a sales person, a secretary, a production analyst, a stay at home mom, a painter and more recently, an online personal assistant to author and classy redneck Billy Coffey. (link: http://billycoffey.com)

Of all the jobs you’ve had, which job have you enjoyed the most?

That’s hard to say. I enjoy what I’m doing now very much. I love dealing with (most) people and I get to do that (albeit in a virtual sense rather than face to face) on a daily basis. But I’m also a creative type, so I love painting, too. I’m semi-retired from that, but I still take on the occasional small project here and there.

What do you do to relax?

Read mostly.Readingrelaxes me so much that it’s almost a nightly ritual for my husband to remove the kindle from my hands after I’ve fallen asleep.

What hobbies/interests do you enjoy?

Hobbies? Who has time for hobbies? I’m part of a small but growing church plant, have 2 kids in school and work part-time. I suppose laundry and cooking would be considered hobbies, neither of which I enjoy very much.

What music songs are you shuffling around on your Ipod/Itunes or Spotify?

You may find this hard to believe, but I don’t even know what Spotify is. Is that like Pandora? How about if I share what stations I have on my Pandora app?:

Sara Bareilles, Rob Thomas, Queen, Jonathan Butler, Bonnie Raitt, John Mayer, Seal, Heart, Peter Gabriel, Genesis, and a couple of others which I’m going to have to have a talk with my son about later. He must have put them on there when I wasn’t looking.

What books are sitting on your nightstand?

Muir House by Mary Demuth, Paper Angels by Billy Coffey (which I’ve read about 10 times, just never in its final draft), Demon by Tosca Lee, My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, The Old Man and the Sea by Hemmingway, and a couple of WIPs from some writerly friends of mine.

How are you connected and involved in your community?

I’m a core group member of Convergence Christian Church (C3), which is a small but growing church plant. This keeps me pretty connected. I just joined the YMCA. Does that count?

What things are you most passionate about?

I’m passionate about truth. Both the big “T” and small “t” variety. And as much as I loathe using Christian buzz words, I’m passionate about authenticity. I’m also passionate about abolishing emoticons from online conversations. Use your words, people!

Not to put you in a box, but what words would define you as a person?

Non-boxy and smart-alecky.

When it comes to social media, what is your purpose for using it?  What are the positives and negatives you have found using it?

I suppose everyone uses social media for different reasons. I use it primarily to engage in and begin conversations. I consider myself what Malcolm Gladwell calls a “connector”. I like to connect good people and good ideas that might not have come together without my involvement. Sort of like the Kevin Bacon of the interwebs. Positives and negatives? Lots of both, but that would take at least another blog post, maybe even a series of posts.

What do you find humorous?

Oh, wow. I find LOTS of things humorous. “Laugh and the world laughs with you”, right? Mostly I find my own ridiculousness humorous. I crack myself up.

Who in history do you admire the most?

I’m supposed to say Jesus, right? For real—Jesus. He didn’t care about being popular. He didn’t care about his image. He cared (and cares) about our hearts. He loves us despite ourselves.

What is something that moves you to tears?

Okay, don’t tell anyone, but I’m pretty sentimental. Those old AT&T commercials? Yeah, I cried. I sing on our church’s worship team. Most Sundays I fight back tears when I’m singing. Being reminded of God’s depth of love for us moves me to tears.

Do you feel like you are living out your calling?

Some days more than others. I’m not sure God has called me to do big things. Maybe. Maybe not. But I’m fairly confident he has called me to be an encourager of others, and I strive to do that.

When you look in the mirror what do you see?

Currently? Gray roots that need to be touched up. I don’t look in the mirror much.

How has God transformed you the most?

My favorite scripture is 2 Corinthians 12:9: “My grace is sufficient for you; for my power is made perfect in weakness.” I think understanding that on a heart level—that God is not waiting for me to be as I should be, because I’m never going to be as I should be—has allowed me more than anything to live out my faith.

What values have you tried to instill you kids?  Do you feel like you have lived those out and they see it from day-to-day? 

To love God by loving people, that being honorable and doing the right thing is rarely the easiest or most convenient path, and to fight for those who needing fighting for.

Honestly? My kids, like me, are far from perfect, but I do think they mostly live out these values, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.

Name two things on your bucket list?

Rock hard abs and buns of steel. (Ha! Kidding.)

Australia and New Zealand. I’d like to see both before I die.

In the end, what do you hope to be remembered for?

I think we’re all pretty selfish by nature, but I’d like to be remembered as someone who put the needs of others before my own. At least more times than not.

Anything else you want to share or let people know?

Nah, I think people have had about enough of me at this point.

If you haven’t done so yet, check out her blog - Katdish.net - http://katdish.net  –  ”The creative spirit cannot be enslaved by the oppressive chains and reason and logical thinking.”