The Great Interview Experiement - Barbetti Interviews The Loud Corral

Remember this? Well, it’s my turn to be the interviewer, again as part of Neil’s Great Interview Experience. I interviewed Laura from The Loud Corral and I have to say, she was most patient with me. Being the procrastinator I am, I promised her my questions within a few days, but it actually took me over a week. I emailed her many “I’m sorry!” emails, but she was so reassuring with me; she didn’t hate me after all. (Remember Numbers 85 & 87? Yeah, I don’t handle being late on anything very well.)

The following is my email interview with her.
(My commentary to her answers will look like this.)

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You seem pretty open on your blog. What is one thing the internet does not know about you?

Hmm, That is a toughy! Well, I was very open in my blog about my dislike of High school and how ready I was to leave. But, near the end of my senior year I was pretty close to maybe not graduating. I had a solid F in math. But, my teacher liked me so much and I worked really hard, so I got a C. I hate math. I also cut a lot and got, like, four truancy letters in two years. But, hey! I made it to college!

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What have been your best and worst experiences in college?

My worst experience thus far was the beginning of the first semester. I lived in a triple, which means three girls in one room. They were awful, awful girls. I was so homesick and lonely and scared. Not a good time.

I have to say my best experience was moving. I live on a floor now with ONE roommate, and all of my friends. I also met a girl on my floor that has become my best friend here. We are so alike, that we are able to keep each other in line. Some of my best times have been us just sitting on my bed, laughing uncontrollably because someone else burped or something.
*I had horrific visions of my paltry wardrobe being stolen because girls are so mean- this is why I lived at home for college!

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Speaking of college, why Chico?

Why Chico. Good question! It definitely was not my first choice. My first choice was San Diego State. I did not really have a back up plan, but I did apply to eight schools, so I had my choices. Well, I did not get in and had to re think my whole plan. I was so set on being in southern California, but I realized that maybe that might be a little too far for me.

Chico is three hours, 177 miles away from my home. It is far enough away so that I feel independent. I feel far away, I am not in the bay area. But it is close enough for a weekend home. I panic easily, I think being in Socal would be too far. The thing about Chico, too, is that it feels SO different than the bay area. I am used to living with wonderful, busy cities around me. Chico is surrounded by farm lands. It was a hard adjustment, but it is great for college life. It is a small college town, with an adorable downtown. Not to mention, great parties…
*That last part sold me. Make room for me!

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All your talk of cupcakes makes me hungry. Any favorite recipes?

CUPCAKES! The love of my life! Well first off, my secret is to always start a cupcake recipe with a box cake mix. But the frosting is always homemade. I can’t stand store bought frosting.

My two favorite recipes are german chocolate cake with my creamy vanilla frosting. The frosting is a Magnolia bakery recipe. It is creamier than buttercream and not as sweet. My second favorite is chocolate raspberry cupcakes with raspberry buttercream made with real raspberries. The real raspberries give the buttercream a fresh finish. Oh how I miss having a kitchen.
*Mmm. Cupcakes.

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I was born just outside of San Fransciso, but only lived there for a couple years. Can you enlighten me to what makes San Fran so flipping fantastic?

Oh my gosh. I grew up in a small town fifteen minutes from the city. So, while many of my peers were isolated from the city, my mom made sure I grew up with it in my life. By the age of ten I could take BART and the ferry by myself.

The city just feels so alive to me. Granted, I have never been to NYC, but it just feels so vibrant and diverse. I also love the ocean. I am a big ocean person, it is so soothing to me. So I feel like the city has the best of both worlds. You can go to dinner and a show and be in a packed downtown, but a short ten minute drive to the marina and you are surrounded by water.

I also got to know the city, because I nanny there sometimes in the summer. After I was done, I would just drive around different areas of the city.

I definitely think it is the diversity that makes it so great. Me and my mom can go to the mission district for my favorite tacos, or to China Town for the best chinese food. It doesn’t hurt that my favorite hotel is located there either..The St. Regis. I highly recommend it! Oh, the shopping too..oh the shopping…

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I read in one of your posts that you’re a Journalism major. Why did you choose Journalism (and Public Relations)?

Well, my mom is a big influence in my life. She is a journalist, and I admire her so much. She is such a hard worker. She is so good at her job and is just so smart. Sometimes I think of her as a walking fact book.

Journalism has always interested me. I am a naturally curious person. Just last night a fire alarm was going off at the dorm across the way. My roommate could care less, but I was turning off the lights and opening the windows so I could see what the commotion was. I ended up going outside to ask some of the RA’s if there was a fire. There was not, much to my disappointment.

I think I chose public relations to go into the opposite end of my mom. To tell you the truth, I am not quite sure why I picked it. It has always interested me. I am pretty good at BSing, and I think that is a big part of it. I also like to write, so maybe those two talents combined will be helpful!

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Will California float away from mainland U.S.A. as it’s own island one day?

Well, If California did float away, I think we would be just fine. So long as our governor is NOT the Terminator. I mean, we have Hollywood and Disneyland. What more does a state need?! I kid, I kid. But I really can’t see myself living anywhere besides California.
*What?! Who doesn’t love Ahhhhhnold?

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I noticed that you often quote full song lyrics on your blog. Are there any lyrics that inspire you right now?

Ah, music. Music keeps me going. I love music. Well the song that kept me going when my boyfriend left for college was “Heard em’ Say” by Kanye West.
“And I heard ‘em say, nothin ever promised tomorrow today.
They say people in your life are seasons,
And anything that happen is for a reason”
Those words aren’t very deep or anything, but when I heard them they just kind of clicked. I just kept repeating them in my head, because I had to believe them.

The song I am currently listening to over and over is
“So here we are” by Bloc Party.
This is the part that keeps sticking with me:
“I really tried to do what you wanted
It all went wrong again”

Just because everything has gone south with my dad. We were starting to develop a relationship again and I was talking and opening up to him more, but he decided to vanish. So. There you go.

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Have you always been so close to your mom?

Oh, mommy. Our start was a rocky one. I was an incredibly difficult child. To the point that people who knew me then say it is a miracle I am so normal now. So, as a child, we did not get along. I did not really like her all that much. I needed her and loved her, but really struggled with her.

When I was around thirteen, though we got really close. Truth be told I don’t know how it happened, but it did. She just gets me and gets everything. I can go to her for anything, whether it be friends or anything. While she is a parent, she is also a friend. I know she has my best interest in mind, so I can trust what she tells me.

She is an amazing woman. She raised two kids on her own, and has a career. She is so strong. I only hope to be as fierce as her. I call her my mamabear, because she would kill for her babies.
*I can relate, after referring to my mama as “Hurricane Candy” while Shane and I lived with her (her name is Candy, and we laugh about it now).

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Who was your prom date?

Ah, prom. I was not going to go to senior ball. Then my friend convinced me to go. Then I was going to go dateless. Then she wanted her friend Sam to go, but he needed a date, because he didn’t go to our school. So I said fine, whatever. Then he decided not to go. So I went dateless, which is what I wanted in the first place! It was so fun, I am glad I went alone.

Junior year I went with a friend. He was lame, and got mad at me, because I did not stick with him THE WHOLE NIGHT. I danced with him some, so I don’t know what his problem was..

Freshman year I went with my then boyfriend to his prom. That was my favorite, because my dress was so beautiful and I got it for twenty nine dollars.

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If you could talk to one person from your past that you’ve lost contact with, who would you talk to and what would you say?

I would like to catch up with eighth grade english and history teacher. He was so great. He was so fun and different. I remember he got even the most apathetic students working. He and his friend were the teachers that Bill O’Reilly bashed, because of their slave project. He had students simulate what slaves went through when they were transported to America. It was totally safe, but very eye opening. Apparently O’Reilly thought what they did was wrong or something, but the school stuck by them. I would love to talk to him again.

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Thanks Laura!

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