Reader of the Week: Meet Honeybeenicki

There was such an overwhelming response when I asked readers to introduce themselves on a weekend open thread that I decided to give you all a weekly column to do just that. I’ve always said this site wouldn’t be what it is without the engagement and participation of its readers and this column is the place to learn more about who you are what makes you tick. After the jump, let’s meet Honeybeenicki.

 

 

1. What’s your name, age and whereabouts?

I am honeybeenicki, also known as just Nicki. I am 25 and from the wonderful city of Madison, Wisconsin. I included a picture, but since I hate having my picture taken, it’s not the best.

2. What’s your relationship status?

I have been married for about 2 1/2 years, but have been with my husband for about 5 1/2 years.

3. How do you spend your weekdays?

I mostly spend my weekends working. I work for the state government doing a job that isn’t even close to my chosen field of work, but it pays the bills. I mostly work with employment statistics and while the job isn’t quite my cup of tea, I do enjoy it most days and I love working with my coworkers.

4. How do you spend your free time?

I was a student straight through until December of 2010, so I never really had “free time” because I spent all of it studying or preparing for classes. Apparently, graduate school was a lot more work than I thought it would be. But now that I have free time, I mostly spend it reading and hanging out with my animals. I have two awesome (although a little strange) cats named Ares and Rayne, a hedgehog named Sophie, a bearded dragon named Mushu, two rats named Jiminy and Merlin and two fantastic English bulldogs named Emma and Justy.

I love to read and spend quite a bit of time doing that. I love true crime books and have recently taken a liking to certain sections of “fantasy” – pretty much anything by Charlaine Harris, Patricia Briggs, and Laurel K. Hamiliton keeps me going. I’m also a huge V.C. Andrews junky as well as J.D. Robb.

When I’m not caring for my menagerie or reading, I enjoy watching random television shows. If anyone were to look at my DVR, they would probably conclude that I’m a very strange person.

I also spend time volunteering with my favorite organizations, such as Planned Parenthood, NARAL, the Humane Society and various political organizations. And when I have the time (and money), I love getting tattoos or watching other people get them. I have spent many hours going with friends as moral support for their first ones.

And finally, I love live music. I love to go to club shows and big concerts and love to listen to new music. I am more inclined toward rock and metal, but I’m pretty willing to listen to whatever.

5. What are your top likes and dislikes?

Likes: Music, animals, Halloween (LOVE it), politics, horror moviestattoos, family, Italian food, education.

Dislikes: People who take things for granted, mean people, most Asian foods, abusers (anyone who abuses their spouse, children, animals, etc), chick flicks.

6. What’s the best relationship advice you’ve ever been given?

When I was a teenager, my mom told me something that I wish I would have listened to earlier: It is better to be alone and happy than in a relationship and unhappy because you are never truly alone. She taught me (eventually when I was smart enough to listen) that I didn’t need to be with someone to make me whole. When I finally embraced that, I was open to anything and my husband just kind of fell into my life.

7. What’s the best relationship lesson you’ve ever learned?

My motto is “You can’t fool fate.” Basically, if it is meant to be, then it is meant to be and you can’t force something to happen (or not to happen). It was a tough lesson to learn, but I’m happy to have learned it.

8. Besides DearWendy.com, what are some of your favorite websites?

I love perusing many different funny websites, like www.icanhascheezburger.com (and all of its affiliates, www.passiveaggressivenotes.com, and www.damnyouautocorrect.com. I am also a news junky, so I spend a lot of time on www.CNN.com and various other news websites.

*If you’d like to be a Reader of the Week, shoot me an email at [email protected] with “Reader of the Week” in the subject line and I’ll send you some questions to answer.