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Ok, so you own your own business, Hello!! something I have always wanted to do! How did you come up that idea for a business.

I came up with my business idea back in November 2005. I was making these little ornaments and gift toppers from candy, things like trains, air planes, snowmen and more all using candy. Someone remarked that I should sell them and that was what inspired me to buy a domain name and to start learning how to run a business.

How did you get your business off the ground?

I am a highly creative individual and my business idea stemmed from candy ornaments but I needed to expand my product line in order to reach people and allow my business to flourish year round. I just followed my gut feeling whenever I became inspired. It was super hard to keep my doubts under wraps. There were many times when I thought “what the heck am I doing?” or “am I crazy?”.. I felt the urge to quit many times and the “off the ground” part did not happen over night. Simply believing in yourself and trusting that your creative juices/ what inspires you is what you are meant to do keeps you going.

Looks like you like animals, did you grow up with animals? Did you have a favorite?

I do love animals very much! I currently have 7 zebra finches (5 are babies), a 10 gallon take of fish (that are also breeding), 4 cats, 1 bunny and a dog.. I love nature/ animals and everything. I had 1 dog as a child and it had puppies so I got to experience the miracles of new life at a young age. I also had cats as a child and would have to say my favorite one was my 1st kitty, Tiger.

When you 15 years old and thought about your future life, did is the life you are living now the life you thought you would have?

Oh, boy.. When I was 15 I wanted to be a singer/ performer. As a senior in high school I decided I wanted to teach vocal music, went to college as a music ed major and soon discovered the confines of school didn’t work for me. I have always yearned to do something that touched others and made an impact. Amazingly life has sort of shaped my experiences and has led me to work that I truly enjoy. I get to cross performance arts with “touching lives” and “making a difference”… I am a colorguard/ dance coach and choreographer now with my own business and I write in my free time. My jobs allow me to be creative everyday nothing is ever dull or confining and I grow everyday. I never imagined I would be where I am today and I am very thankful that I have been led in this direction because I love the life I am living.

When you are “blog surfing” what is something that keeps you coming back to certain blogs?

Honestly when blogger are interested in relating to their readers they are more likely to get return visits. It’s nice to build relationships with other bloggers via comments and posts. Blogger who’s topics interest me will entice me to leave comments, when bloggers respond to my comments or return the favor I will make it a point to return to their blogs so I can return the favor also. It’s all a give and take.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

I can be either but am mostly a night person these days since my partner is an anchor for the evening news.. We cross paths before work and after so that keeps me up later at night. I used to work grave yard shift at a hotel, then I was all messed up! I was an early evening person then…

What are some of your favorite TV shows?

TV shows are currently leaving me hanging. I really got into Army Wives, Dirt, Friends, Six Feet Under and X-Files. These days we record Lost, Grey’s Anatomy and the X-Files reruns.

Do you consider yourself to be a good friend? What was the greatest thing you ever did for a friend?
I think I am a good friend but I often feel the need to distance myself from people because I tend internalize their feelings and issues. Learning to love unconditionally is the greatest thing I have ever done and it was the hardest thing too! I have a best friend that has taken a path that I felt was not the best for her. It pains me to see her struggle and to know of the pain and struggles she faces as a result of her choices. I love her and value the friendship so I have learned to not force my views on to her and to allow her to express her thoughts and feelings without telling her what she should have done.

What quality do you dislike the most when you meet someone new?

I don’t like when people are fake. Superficial relationships and facades are my biggest annoyance. I would rather someone be brutally honest than to hide things or pretend that they are something they are not.

Take a photo of your favorite place in your house and tell me what it is your favorite place.

My favorite place in the house… Hmm I am moving to a new place in 18 days but in my current place I am drawn to my living room where I sit with my laptop, TV and on my worn couch with the space heater pointed at me. It’s comfy to me.

The post My interview by Janelle appeared first on Updates from Ryder Family Farm.

I see that you are a mother and a wife, both of which are full time jobs in themselves but besides your family what are you passionate about? I am passionate about blogging. That is lame, isn’t it? This season I have started writing a commentary for American Idol and the new Fox Show Moment of Truth. For as long as I can remember I have enjoyed reading commentaries/recaps of my favorite reality shows and I finally thought, “Hey I can do that too!” I am also passionate about my faith, politics and free healthcare for all Americans. More lame stuff, huh???

Do you have any regrets or things you wish you could do over? How would things be different today if you had a do over? What wouldn’t I do over is more of the question! I have many regrets, yet I know that with every mistake it took me down the path that I was suppose to go down- something like that anyways. Well, my husband and I went to the same high school and I wish I took the time to know him better back then. If I could do things over- knowing then what I know now- I would have gone to college to be an engineer and not just work for one. I would have married my husband much sooner in life.

When you were a kid what was your childhood dream? Have you fulfilled that dream, if not what is stopping you? My childhood dream was to own my own hotel & to be a singer. I did go to college and got my degree in business management and accounting so that I would know how to run my own business and the singing thing, well, I just can’t sing. I have tried many times to start my own business but never have the money to advertise and that is what is holding me back from fulfilling my real dream. And I want to direct music video, but I haven’t a clue how to even go about fulfilling that dreams AND I always wanted to be a DJ, but I don’t think they make enough money unless you are like on the level of Ryan Seacrest- something that I am sure takes years to do and something you should start doing long before you are 31 years old (FYI- I’m 31 years old).

Why do you enjoy blogging? I enjoy blogging because one day I want my kids to read my blogs and learn more about me as a person and not just know me as “mom.” I want them to see my flaws but more importantly I hope they see how I handled my flaws and shortcomings with humor.

Where did you come up with the blog name “junk food for the soul”? I was watching Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO last season and he said that in reference to all the tabloid stuff out there. Well, I am a HUGE tabloid junkie and I liked the name. I had been blogging in my MySpace blog for a long time, but when I heard those words, I knew I wanted my own blog with that name because it just sounded cool.

Are you a democrat or republican, are you pro choice or pro life and why? Good question! My grandparents are die hard republicans and my mom is a die hard democrat. I grew up knowing my grandpa always had money in his pocket and my mom was always broke so it only made sense to me that if I wanted to be rich I needed to be republican. However, now that I am a working girl and have see more of how things really work, I have become more democratic in my views though I won’t come out of the closet just yet, I don’t want to be the reason I give my grandpa a heart attack and kill him. Though through this election season I have made comments that I am sure he has picked up on. But the big major news is that my grandpa told me that if he had to vote right now he would vote for Obama- you could have picked my mouth up from the floor! I guess we are both learning more about ourselves this election season.

One topic I will never waver on, pro choice! I feel that when a woman has to make that choice it is the hardest choice she will probably ever have to make. It is something she will have to live with the rest of her life and who are we to tell her what she should and shouldn’t do. I have not walked a mile in her shoes for me to make that choice for her. I think that is a decision that a woman makes between herself and God. I know that there are a few women out there that use abortion as a means of birth control, but this is one topic where the squeaky wheel should not get the grease.

What are your best personal qualities? and the worst? My best personal qualities, I will listen to anyone about anything. I do not judge your life and wish the same in return. I really take what you say and listen to it, I may leave the table not agreeing with a word you said, but I will give you my attention. My worst quality- I can be the laziest person in the world! I love to lay around and do nothing but stay in my big comfy bed all day. And I never ever cook dinner. My husband works nights and I work days so in order for us to be able to eat together as a family, he has to cook…well I guess there would be enough time for me to cook sometimes, but I let him do it. And I never put clothes away. Sure I do laundry and fold the clothes, but they make a nice little home on my dinning room table- we eat dinners that my husbad cooks at the kitchen table. I am not the best housewife.

What is the strangest food you have ever had in bed? I don’t normally eat in bed because I can’t stand for there to be crumbs in bed. Actually, I just ate in bed this morning- I ate fruity pebbles because my husband was watching a super bowl recap out in the living room and I have enough of football till next season.

Take a photo of a scar you have, send it to me and then tell us all about how you got it… Ok, the main reason I have taken so long to get this interview back to you was getting a photo of my scar! Who knew it would be so hard? Well, I have a scar on my left wrist that makes a perfect “8” I got that scar when I was a kid and I was letting my dog outside. I was wrapped up in a big ‘ol blanket because it was the dead of winter and we had those wall heaters. I was letting the dog out and I tripped on my blanket, feel down and my wrist landed right on the wall heater. I remember the scab lasted forever- it was so gross! Now you can hardly see it, but I promise, it’s there!

The post Interview Time- Meet Janelle appeared first on Updates from Ryder Family Farm.