If you know Audrey Graham, you just might have seen her “great big smile.” She has a lot to smile about – exploring slickrock, her family and her daily quarter cup of coffee. Read on to learn more about Audrey’s life, perspective and inability to travel too far from Moab’s red rock.
1) What initially brought you to Moab?
A family trip in 1974. I was 14 and when I saw Arches I said, “I’m going to live here someday.”
2) What do you love most about living in Moab?
Being surrounded by lands I’m free to explore, escape into, and absorb.
3) What do you dislike about living in Moab?
The rumor mill.
4) What is your occupation?
I am an Early Childhood Specialist, working with 0-3 year old children with delays or at-risk for delays. I am also on Grand County Council until January 2013 (we have term limits and I’ve reached mine!).
5) If you could have any job in the world, what would you most like to do?
If I wanted to do something else I would be doing it, but a close second would be a diesel train engineer on huge fast trains.
6) Describe a typical day in your life.
Tim brings me a quarter cup coffee (yes, really!) in the morning. Monday, Wednesday and Friday I bike to my early intervention job, visiting babies and parents in their homes. Tuesdays and Thursdays I attend county meetings, do computer work and make tons of phone calls for my elected position.
7) Some people have bumper stickers on their car that reads: I’d Rather Be Sailing. What would your bumper sticker read? I’d Rather Be…
…Napping
8) Tell us one thing people don’t usually know about you.
I love speed; roller blading, skiing, biking, parachuting, FAST trains and bumpy airplane rides.
9) In high school, you would have been considered the person most likely to…
…Go blind later in life when her cheeks lock in the ‘up’ position. Apparently, I’ve always had a big smile.
10) What is your favorite Moab activity?
Exploring slickrock.
11) Tell us your favorite non-Moab place to visit.
Needles District of Canyonlands. I don’t like to get far from red rock.
12) What do you consider your greatest achievement in life?
Surviving, and even enjoying, local elected office while staying married to the greatest guy and having two wonderful girls who just graduated from college.
13) If you were President, what’s the first think you’d do to make life better in America?
In one act, get rid of the two party system and abolish corporate personhood.
14) What superhero power would you most like to have?
Flight (fast, of course).
15) If you could be an animal, what would it be? Why?
A Canyon Wren. What could be better than flying through slot canyons, singing and eating bugs all day?
16) What is your all time favorite movie?
Toss up between “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “Thelma and Louise,” and “Harold and Maude.” All end in the main character’s death…hmmm.
17) And, your all time favorite book?
“Many Lives, Many Masters.” Changed my life.
18) If you were stranded on a desert island, which three CDs would you want to have with you?
I’d just want to have National Public Radio.
19) If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be? Why?
My mother-in-law, Betty Graham, gone too suddenly last January.
20) What is your life philosophy?
If you don’t like how something is going, change it. Or change your attitude.
