What’s your name?

Kathy

Where do you live? Where have you lived?

Currently, I am living in Oakland, California which, incidentally, is where I was born. I lived here until I was 11, and never thought I would return! I the interim years I have lived in Los Angeles, CA, Boston, MA, Menlo Park, CA, Santa Barbara, CA, Portland Oregon and Paris, France.

Tell us about yourself!

After I retired in 2010, I spent 6 years in France helping my daughter and her husband care for their 2 children. It was absolute magic (most of the time!). We all moved back to the States in 2016, and I continue to help with childcare. I also volunteer extensively at the Oakland Zoo as a Docent, and at St. John’s Episcopal Church as a little bit of everything!

What do you consider your personal superpower?

Bringing laughter to whatever I am involved with.

What are two things you’re looking forward to in the next 6 months?

A trip to NYC and Ireland in June!

Favorite books?

Prince of Tides, Little Women, Prince of Peace (by James Carroll – probably the best fiction about the Vietnam War I’ve ever encountered), Gone with the Wind and The Women’s Room

What does your day to day schedule look like? Morning routine?

Check in on Snug (ps – thanks for the reminders!), Volunteering at the Zoo or at St. John’s until about 2, then carpool for kids, ferrying them to after school activities.

How do you judge success for the day? Any guiding principles?

If I fulfilled my obligations, made someone’s life a little easier, avoided sugar and had fun.

What are your favorite activities?

Travel, movies, Docenting at the Zoo

A bear at the Oakland Zoo where Kathy is a docent

Where are your favorite places to travel to? Big or small, all fine.

Love traveling in Europe, but I am up for just about any place where the weather is not too warm. Gramma does not do heat! I’m as happy with a road trip close to home as a trip to another country.

Favorite Quotes?

“Wherever you go, there you are!”, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened” and “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

Kathy’s facebook post when she left France!

Any tip or practice you personally recommend for someone who lives alone?

Find someone to be your SNUG buddy so you don’t end up on the floor all alone for days, get out of the house. Volunteer. Help someone who needs it. If you give of yourself to others, you will be repaid a hundredfold.

Anything else we should include that would either help the community, or let people learn more about what makes you, “you?”

I find it hard to believe I am actually 73…but I am. My joints are getting creaky, my brain is often cranky and sometimes I just want to curl up with a chocolate bar and a movie on TV. But then I remember that if I get up and get out, I will feel better and maybe do some good in the world. This does not prevent me from yelling at bad drivers, being impatient waiting in line or losing my temper at whatever. But it does help!