29 Things to Know About Me
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Last week I celebrated my 29th birthday and, while it’s not a milestone year, I wanted to take a second to let you learn a little bit more about me. I love when bloggers give a behind the scenes look and share interesting facts about themselves. It makes them seem so much more relatable. I can’t believe, in my five years of blogging, I’ve yet to share more about myself. So, without further ado, here are 29 things to know about me for my (belated) 29th birthday.
The Basics
I am born and raised Floridian. Although so many love to call Florida home, actually being from here is rarer than you think. The vast majority of my friends are from elsewhere, but I’d like to think I’m an ideal representative for my home state.
In my 9 to 5 life, I’m an elementary school teacher. Currently, I teach 4th grade, but I’ve worked in every grade from K through 5. While I really love working with kids, I’ve also been exploring a career in social media and copywriting.
I’ve been married to my husband, David, for two years. He is a software developer and one of the hardest working people I know. I’m unashamed to share that we met on Bumble five years ago. We’re definitely a dating app success story.
I talk to my parents almost every day. They live 45 minutes away in Palm Harbor. It’s a great distance because we can drive for family dinner almost every week, at least before Corona.
I have a younger brother, Andy, who is five years younger than me. He’s a firefighter for Alachua County in Florida. So, if you live in Gainesville, there’s a chance you may just run into him.
We moved back to St. Pete after living in Manhattan for almost two years. Nicknamed the Sunshine City, it’s priming itself to be the next cool American city. I love sharing where I live and hope I can inspire some of you to come to visit!
Even though he doesn’t need an introduction, I am the proud mom to a 90 pound Basset Hound named Tripp. I’ve had him since college and he sometimes feels as demanding as an actual kid. I’m not joking, he will practically yell at me if he wants something. Even though he’s the most stubborn thing you’ll ever find, I love him more than anything.
Food and Drink
This is a controversial statement, but I love pineapple on my pizza. It’s actually my preferred topping. Honestly, you haven’t lived until you’ve tried a bacon and pineapple pizza, my signature. Disclaimer, I just wouldn’t order this in Italy.
While we’re on the subject of food, my favorite is anything from my dad’s kitchen but especially his jambalaya. He comes from a long line of great cooks and everything he makes is simply incredible. I’m nowhere near as talented as him, but I still know my way around the kitchen.
My number one choice in a cocktail is the classic daiquiri, a la Ernest Hemingway. They’re simple, refreshing, and very easy to make. Try one for yourself with this recipe from The Spruce Eats.
Instead of a birthday cake, every year I have a key lime pie. Not to brag, but I think I’ve mastered this quintessential Floridian dessert and make it at home often.
My coffee order is as simple as you can get… Black. I switch between hot and iced, but it can take me all day to finish either.
I detest mushrooms! While I’m open-minded to try almost anything, the thought of eating mushrooms makes my stomach turn. It’s the taste, the texture, and I have an incredible talent of eating around them at all costs.
My favorite flavor of anything is watermelon. I could easily eat a bag of Sour Patch Watermelon in one sitting.
I use jerk sauce like it’s ketchup. I put a little drizzle on almost everything. Yes, I’ve even tried it over vanilla ice cream. Surprisingly delicious!
Travel
I’ve been to six countries and counting: Italy, Sweden, France, Switzerland, and Bermuda. Before David and I start a family, we want to go to Greece, Ireland, Peru, and wherever else we can get to.
My favorite city in the country is hands down New Orleans. We go at least twice a year, but I’m still able to discover something new. If you get past the bars on Bourbon Street, you can see what a beautiful, historic city it is.
Before I travel abroad, I always brush up on the home language of the country I’m visiting. I have an ear for language and can pick them up pretty quickly. DuoLingo is my app of choice.
I think Lake Como in Italy is the prettiest destination I’ve ever been to. It was our first stop on our honeymoon. We were there for a week, but I could have easily stayed for longer. Sometimes, I like to daydream about having a vacation home there.
David was born and raised in Vermont. His family is all still up there and it gives us a great reason to visit the Green Mountain State. They live next to one of the best ski towns in the country and are just a stone’s throw from Quebec, Canada.
We were supposed to go to Peru in June and were scheduled to go to Ecuador in September, but both have been canceled. As soon as we have the green light, we’ll be rebooking those trips, plus a hopeful trip to Europe at Christmas.
Odds and Ends
My forever movie is Casablanca. I could watch it every day and never get bored with it. Even though it’s an extremely old one, I’m talking 1942, the story is timeless.
The monogrammed signet ring that used to belong to my grandma is my most prized possession. My mom wore it for several years and I coveted it daily. On my 27th birthday, right before my wedding, it was finally passed down to me.
Binge watching 30 Rock on Amazon prime is my guilty pleasure. I’ve seen every episode at least a dozen times but always get a laugh. I also have a weakness for crime shows like Criminal Minds, Law and Order: SVU, and most recently, Hannibal.
Katie is short for Katherine. I was named after my great-grandma and love to be connected with her, even though we never met. After my wedding, I change my middle name to my maiden name. Now, I’m officially Katherine Coleman Kennedy.
I competitively swam for thirteen years and was actually pretty good! I qualified for Olympic Trials, won several state championships, and was a varsity athlete at Florida State.
I may be the most introverted extrovert out there. I love talking with strangers and meeting new people but hate being the center of attention.
I’m most productive when listening to Motown music. If David secretly wants me to get chores done around the house, he’ll put on some Sam Cooke or Stevie Wonder.
I’m a hardcore procrastinator but know it’s only because I do my best work, on anything when I’m feeling the pressure of a time crunch. Sadly, it’s the number one quality I wish I could change about myself.
I think that was 29 things, right? It was oddly hard to come up with a list, but I hope you enjoyed getting to know me a little bit more. I’m an open book and if you have any questions, all you have to do is ask!
Love from Florida,
Katie
Thanks for stopping by! To keep up with all things about the Sunshine State, be sure to visit my exclusive Florida page, here.
