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Meet Your Challenge Hosts - UnderstandBlue (Lydia)
Hi!
My name is Lydia and I'm the Community Manager of Splitcoaststampers. There are three employees of Splitcoast at Internet Brands, and the rest of the site is run by our awesome volunteers. It is so much fun to have a job that intersects with one of my absolute passions - paper arts.
I was born in Buffalo, NY, and we moved to Texas on my 3rd birthday. I then proceeded to faint from the heat for about two years. Literally passed right the heck out every time I was outside! My parents had to have me wear gloves and hats for a few years before I acclimated.
My dad - who is a brilliant mathematician and cryptographer (he actually invented the secret sharing protocol that is used to safeguard the launch of nuclear weapons) - was a professor at A&M University, so I couldn't go to A&M obviously - so I headed BACK to upstate NY for my undergraduate work at the University of Rochester. This is the period of my life in which I swore off cold weather forever, and headed back to Texas for good.
I live in Austin with my husband and our two rescued kittens - Maddie and Splotchy (photos attached). My "Other", as I call him, is a Marine and is responsible for taking care of all spiders and scorpions. He loves animals, and is a fantastic cook. We enjoy heading to Santa Fe each year for vacation with the kitties to enjoy the peace of one of the most magical and peaceful places on earth.
If I had to pick five things you needed to know about me, I guess they would be:
I love animals. I am that crazy lady who stops her car on a freeway to catch a stray puppy or duck or whatever.
I don't believe in "rules" for art. I believe that creative people should create things that make them happy, and not worry about what anyone else thinks. Approval is a bonus, not a goal.
There's nothing better for your mind & heart & soul than being outside. Living in a warm climate, I spend 98% of the year outside, and I find so much peace hiking, walking in our greenbelts (photos attached) and just enjoying the sun & the blue sky. I think I would have loved Thoreau.
I'm an English major. I love words & books. A lot of my art is influenced by books.
I like to laugh. I think the world would be a better place if everyone stopped being so serious.
Random trivia:
I've met Grumpy Cat, Timothy Leary, G. Gordon Liddy, Rudy Giuliani, Pioneer Woman, Frank McCourt, Jackson Galaxy and Fabio Viviani.
I can write my name simultaneously backwards and forwards with both hands. Don't even ask how I figured this out.
I'm allergic to horseradish.
I was probably the last person on earth to hang out as a civilian in the cockpit of a 747 over the Pacific Ocean on Qantas when a steward saw that I was NOT enjoying the bumpy flight. This was in February of 2001.
I speak Russian & Czech
I'm terrified of monkeys. Those might be the only animals I don't love.
I don't dust.
Three things that are always on my desk: a cat, white acrylic paint, and a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol.
I'm a Guinness World Record Quality procrastinator.
My connection to this challenge is my sweet great Aunt Maureen - my dad's aunt, who died of breast cancer in 2010, after a long battle.
She was amazing. Also an artist and a person fascinated by language, we had a ton in common. You can read her story here.
I'm so happy we have this awesome event where we get to know you better every year and hear your stories. Thank you for being here.
My first reaction - "I didn't know that about your Dad!" And then I realized - why would I? I don't REALLY know Lydia LOL! Although I totally feel I do, between SCS and your blog. Thanks for sharing a little of your world.
My first reaction - "I didn't know that about your Dad!" And then I realized - why would I? I don't REALLY know Lydia LOL! Although I totally feel I do, between SCS and your blog. Thanks for sharing a little of your world.
My DS and I were just talking about Fabio the other day. We were living in VA when he came to open a roller coaster ride and got hit in the face by a goose! Not something you ever forget!
I love this chance to get to know the hosts better!
*Oops, just looked at your post and see we're talking about different Fabios. The one I was referring to was the model Fabio Lanzoni :oops:
__________________ Gail
Last edited by mamaxsix; 10-01-2014 at 09:25 AM..
Reason: wrong Fabio!
This is such a special cool thing about the challenges today - my favorite part - more than making cards - is reading about the amazing trio of women that I have come to admire and love through this fabulous place called SCS. XO
I love that you take your kitties on holiday. When I was growing up we used to bring the dogs and any of the cats who liked car travel. Mine didn't :-(.
Your aunt looks like such a beautiful person. So...animals run in the family.
Lydia, Thanks for the great article! We all know and admire you for what you do for all of us that enjoy SCS and it is nice to know a little of your personal life! Enjoy whatever you are doing! Thanks for what you do for us!
Lydia, I so enjoyed reading your story and the beautiful photos you shared of both your Aunt and the Texan landscape. My inspiration has always been my dear dad, who I lost when I was 19 and he 56, to a brain tumour. I cannot wait to join in with this month's challenges when I return from my holiday ;)
__________________ Sue
Fan Club Member QFTD143 FS420
How fun to read more about you! My favorite was that you can write your name backwards and forward with both hands... is that simultaneously? And that you speak Russian and Czech. What a great accomplishment. Now I want to go start a learn a new language course, but if I do I won't finish all the HYCCT cards. What a dilemma!! LOL!! Thanks for all you do for us on SCS!!
Now I know we're sisters from another mother. My husband was a cryptologist. I was fascinated to learn more about you, Lydia. And I really enjoyed the lovely photo's of your aunt. Your deep love for her came through loud and clear. Thank you for all you do for everyone here on SCS.
Thanks for sharing your story, Lydia! As a lover of all animals I appreciate your love for nature. And above all I appreciate you for your wonderful art and the amazing work you do for this awesome site! P.S. monkeys really are cute! LOL
__________________ MY GALLERY My BLOG
No card is complete without at least one cat hair
DT: Our Daily Bread designs
Happily a Fan Club Member Romans 6:23
What a wonderful writer you are, Lydia. How lucky we are to have you large and in charge on SCS. Thanks for all you do to support this card drive and what you do for us here every day.
How fun to read more about you! My favorite was that you can write your name backwards and forward with both hands... is that simultaneously? And that you speak Russian and Czech. What a great accomplishment. Now I want to go start a learn a new language course, but if I do I won't finish all the HYCCT cards. What a dilemma!! LOL!! Thanks for all you do for us on SCS!!
It's weird - I don't remember the first time I realized I could do it but I was very young.
What's weird is that I'm right-handed, but when I do this, I write my name backwards with my right hand, and forwards with my left hand!
Russian is easy once you get past the alphabet - it's phonetic and the grammar is simple and consistent. I always felt like an idiot speaking French - LOL
Lydia, nice to learn more about you!
Thank you so much for all you do for this site!!!!!! I love it here!
We really do have to meet IRL someday soon.
So is your dh (other) still a Marine? My youngest don is a Marine. He flies helicopters at cherry point.
AWESOME! Tell him I appreciate him! My hubby went inactive shortly after Desert Storm - which I spent lying on the floor in front of a small black & white TV when I was in grad school.
I actually was on TV during that conflict (I was in my Slavics Linguistics grad program at that time) ripping into a protester on the UT campus who said something derogatory about our troops. It was quite something
Thanks for sharing your story, Lydia! As a lover of all animals I appreciate your love for nature. And above all I appreciate you for your wonderful art and the amazing work you do for this awesome site! P.S. monkeys really are cute! LOL
HAHAH! I know - my friends keep trying to get me to like the little ones. No.
Meet Your Challenge Hosts - UnderstandBlue (Lydia)
