(wherein Jaime and her friends introduce themselves)
Jaime: Hi everyone! As you probably know, my name is Jennifer Amy, but you can call me Jaime. After all, that is my new name, and I love it! I also love Disney, romance novels, and ‘60s and ‘70s rock. I’m really just a big kid at heart! <3 Here’s a little questionnaire for each of us to fill out. I’ll start:
Show that I watch: E News
A place I'd rather be right now: Disney World
Something I am looking forward to this year: Thanksgiving
My favorite color: Robin’s egg blue
A favorite movie: Disney's The Fox and the Hound (but I seriously just chose a random one--I love them all!)
A favorite cereals/breakfast food: Does OJ count?
Hugs or kisses: Hugs
Summer or winter: Summer
Chocolate or vanilla: Chocolate
Donald: Hello there! I’m Donald Harper. I adore the English language. I don’t write much these days, but I am and always have been an absolute bibliophile. There are few things I enjoy more than deep discussions--the best kind are about human nature and the human condition...or pop culture. I love the stuff.
Show that I watch: I don’t watch much television, but I love a good documentary.
A place I'd rather be right now: With my family, always.
Something I am looking forward to this year: My birthday, but only because it means there’s a big family celebration.
My favorite color: Hmm, good question--burgundy, I’d say.
A favorite movie: Anything based on a good book!
A favorite cereal/breakfast food: Whatever Daisy makes!
Hugs or kisses: I’m happy to give and receive either, so...Both!
Summer or winter: Winter. There’s nothing like a cozy night in my study.
Chocolate or vanilla: Well...I know it’s a bit indulgent, but, if there’s ice cream involved, swirl!
Daisy: Hello, lovely friends! I’m Daisy--Dr. Daisy, veterinarian. I am fortunate enough to have my very own practice. My absolute favorite things--besides animals, of course!--are my family and friends. I am very grateful to be able to share the fruits of my labor with them. It appears our story is named after me, though I haven’t the slightest idea why; Jaime is the true heroine, an extremely brave young woman with great love and compassion.
Show that I watch: Anything on Animal Planet that has cats or dogs in it. (Yes, I take my work home with me--but I love it!)
A place I'd rather be right now: As much as I love New York, I miss London sometimes.
Something I am looking forward to this year: The therapy dogs Dean works with will officially complete their training!
My favorite color: Yellow
A favorite movie: Marley and Me
A favorite cereal/breakfast food: Danishes
Hugs or kisses: Kisses
Summer or winter: Summer, when all the neighborhood dogs can come outside!
Chocolate or vanilla: Vanilla
George: Hey, everyone! My name’s George. Me and my friends Mark, James, and Dan have a band called It’s About Time. We run all the business stuff ourselves, which is cool, but it’s a ton of work! What we love most about having a band is getting to jam together. I sing and play guitar--pretty basic stuff. But the guys--they can do that, and they know electric guitars, piano, drums, the works! They’re awesome! Really awesome, because they don’t mess with me for being the least-skilled musician of the lot. We do all kinds of ‘60s and ‘70s rock, but our favorite--alright, mostly my favorite--is the Beatles. They rock!
Show that I watch: I haven’t had much time for T.V. these days, but sometimes I watch E News with Jaime. She says it’s good industry research. :)
A place I'd rather be right now: I’m itching to get to the studio and play some licks.
Something I am looking forward to this year: The guys and I start recording our first album!
My favorite color: Black
A favorite movie: Any of Elvis’!
A favorite cereal/breakfast food: Froot Loops
Hugs or kisses: Kisses
Summer or winter: Summer
Chocolate or vanilla: Chocolate
Dean: Hiya, ladies and gents! I’m Dean Johns. Don Harper is my best friend in the world--what a guy! The whole package--looks, smarts, heart, and he even got the best girl!...But not much of a sense of humor though. Just kidding--the guy loves to laugh...but I still say he’s not as funny as me.
Show that I watch: I watch a bit of whatever reality show I happen to spot--most of them are funny, even without meaning to be!
A place I'd rather be right now: I’ve been in New York for years, and I still haven’t found a decent joke shop. If I could find one, I’d rather be there!
Something I am looking forward to this year: George has some big stuff happening; I keep telling him he and the band should have their own reality show. So far he’s not buying it, but who knows?! :)
My favorite color: Green
A favorite movie: Caddyshack
A favorite cereal/breakfast food: Sausage
Hugs or kisses: Kisses
Summer or winter: Summer
Chocolate or vanilla: Chocolate
Colleen and Holden: Hi; I’m Colleen. I’m 12 years old. I’m writing this about me and my little brother, Holden, because he doesn’t want to. He says he’s too shy...which is crazy, because he’s not. Not as much as me, anyway. He’s full of energy, always giving everybody hugs. He’s only 8, but he’s a really good listener, and he always makes me feel better about stuff.
Show that I watch: Girl Meets World for me; Hol is SpongeBob-mad!
A place I'd rather be right now: I’m supposed to meet my friends soon, but Mum says I can’t until I finish this. And...Hol already got bored and ran off to play in his room.
Something I am looking forward to this year: Our birthdays!
My favorite color: Mine’s red; Hol likes silver.
A favorite movie: Space Jam--we watch that together.
A favorite cereal/breakfast food: Doughnuts! We fight over them!
Hugs or kisses: We’re huggers. :)
Summer or winter: SUMMER! It’s the school holiday!
Chocolate or vanilla: Chocolate for me, vanilla for Hol.
Grandma Rosemary: Hi, there! I’m Jaime’s Grandma Rosemary, but it seems like everybody calls me that! I don’t mind, though. In fact, it’s nice that way; it makes me feel like a part of the friends/extended family group that Jaime loves so much. Her friends are terrific, and she’s come such a long way; I’m very proud of her.
Show that I watch: Gilligan’s Island
A place I'd rather be right now: I’m still looking to move into one of those glitzy retirement communities in Florida--Sunshine, here I come!
Something I am looking forward to this year: Hopefully finding that home sweet home!
My favorite color: Something pink-ish--rose, I suppose. :)
A favorite movie: Anything with Robin Williams in it! He was terrific!
A favorite cereal/breakfast food: Any kind of fruit-filled pastry
Hugs or kisses: Grandmothers never pick a favorite! :)
Summer or winter: Summer! One of a few reasons why I picked Florida. :)
Chocolate or vanilla: Chocolate
Blake and Maggie: What’s up? I’m Blake; let me tell you all about myself and my little sister Maggie. She’s Holden’s age, which might explain why she doesn’t want to try this out herself. But, it also might not--you never know with her...timid one minute and bouncy the next. She and I can kind of relate to Jaime’s parental situation; George was all we had--but, lucky for us, George was all we needed. He’s the greatest. I don’t know what I’d do without him, or Mags...she’s my little red-haired firecracker.
Show that I watch: There’s not much good stuff on T.V. these days. But I like anything I can watch with my sister.
A place I'd rather be right now: The beach for me, Disney World for Mags.
Something I am looking forward to this year: Both of us love Christmas.
My favorite color: I go for navy blue; Mags likes hot pink.
A favorite movie: Anything Disney, because...it’s the same as with telly. :)
A favorite cereal/breakfast food: I’m a bacon-and-eggs kinda guy; Mags goes for Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
Hugs or kisses: Hugs for me, kisses for Mags.
Summer or winter: Winter. We’re big on snowball fights.
Chocolate or vanilla: Chocolate for both of us!
Donald’s Friends: Hello again; Donald here. It occurred to me that I ought to tell you about two other dear friends of mine; we all have our different groups in different social situations, and these two are often by my side when I’m not relishing the hustle and bustle that is Jaime’s clan.
Rocky is, by all appearances, a hulking, tough-talking mobster. But he’s really a sweet, gentle soul. Flo is, in some ways, his opposite; she calls everyone ‘sugar’, but she’s tougher than she looks...still, as a bartender, she always lends an ear and a shoulder to cry on. Recently, I was able to chat with each of them for a bit. They responded as follows:
Rocky
Show that I watch: Glee. I love me some musicals.
A place I'd rather be right now: Nowheres! Sittin’ at the pub with my pal Donnie? That’s the best!
Something I am looking forward to this year: Football season.
My favorite color: I dunno--but yellow’s neat.
A favorite movie: Grease
A favorite cereal/breakfast food: Bagels
Hugs or kisses: Hugs--an’ sometimes a friendly slap on the back for good measure.
Summer or winter: Winter. Gotta love New Yoik in winter.
Chocolate or vanilla: Are you kiddin’?! That’s too easy--chocolate!
Flo
Show that I watch: Oh, sugar, I don’t have time for that! Besides, what do I need it for?! There’s always so much goin’ on ‘round here.
A place I'd rather be right now: On the other side of this bar; you fellas are havin’ too much fun over there!
Something I am looking forward to this year: Beats me. You been around as long as I have, you learn to take it day by day.
My favorite color: A nice, deep pink is prettiest.
A favorite movie: Some Like It Hot
A favorite cereal/breakfast food: Blueberry pancakes, with all the fixins.
Hugs or kisses: Kisses
Summer or winter: Summer
Chocolate or vanilla: Vanilla. I’ve been known to put vanilla ice cream on my pancakes--man, that’s good!