Interview originally published in 2014. Details are as they were at the time.
Angie is one of the mothers from a working moms group I joined a number of years ago. Read her story and meet one of the amazing women in my life.
Getting to know women who are out there on the front lines every day matters. Not everyone is a celebrity. All of us are worth knowing.
The interview
Do you stay at home, work at home, or work outside the home?
I work outside the home.
How many kids do you have?
I have one son.
What’s your go-to dinner during the week?
We’re a gluten-free household, so if time is short it’s either tacos from a kit, or gluten-free chicken nuggets. There are some decent frozen ones now.
What are your best tips for staying sane?
Make sure to have time to yourself to do something you like. To me that’s more important than a super clean, orderly house.
What are your favourite tools for time and household management?
I keep a daily to-do list in the notes app on my phone. I also schedule things in my phone calendar.
Do you have pets?
Yes. Two dogs, Cheeto and Sam. Two rabbits, Burt and Stewart. Two parakeets, Perd and Kevin. A turtle called Theo. A water dragon called Drogon. A tarantula called Emma. A white rat called Cuddles. A one-winged paper wasp called Z. And a praying mantis called Jonathan.
I like critters.
What are your hobbies?
Taking care of our pets, playing the piano, drawing, knitting, doing puzzles, reading, being with my family and being outdoors.
What’s on your bucket list?
I want to go kayaking. I’d also love to take a holiday where we just hike all day and stop for the night to camp when we get tired. And I’d love to live in the country and have horses, goats and sheep.
What do you do, and how did you decide on it?
I’m an intake coordinator for a behavioural health practice. I was laid off from my office job with a construction company when the economy tanked. I applied to all sorts of places and found my current company. It must have been fate, because I love it.
What’s the most rewarding part of your career?
Helping people. A lot of the time I’m talking with parents who are worried about their child and have no idea where to start or how to get the care they need. It feels good to get them set up with services that will help their whole family in the long run.
If you could choose any career, what would it be?
To run an animal rescue. Maybe someday.
If you could tell your younger self something, what would it be?
Don’t chase the money. Chase what you love to do.
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