Lisa Bryant still hasn’t found a downside to living in Moab. She loves her job. She loves the night skies. And when she’s not busy at work or spending time with her sweetie, she’s shaking it up Bollywood style.
1) What initially brought you to Moab?
I came for my job with the Bureau of Land Management. Plus I learned early on in my marriage, that its critical to my husband’s happiness (and thus mine) to make sure he gets at least one red rock fix a year. Now he can just step outside our door.
2) What do you love most about living in Moab?
I love the clear air and star light, our night skies here are amazing!
3) What do you dislike about living in Moab?
I’m still looking for the downside, haven’t found it yet.
4) What is your occupation?
I’m the Assistant Field Manager for the Moab Field Office of Bureau of Land Management. What’s that mean? I get to lead a terrific team of experts in range science, archaeology, minerals, land law and realty, hydrology, wildlife, and paleontology who all care about natural resources as much as I do. My background is as a soil scientist, watershed, and weed specialist. I took a step into management with this job and am enjoying the challenges.
5) If you could have any job in the world, what would you most like to do?
I love what I’m doing now, I just often wish there just wasn’t so much of it to do!
6) Describe a typical day in your life.
Up about 6:15 AM, off to work, crazy busy all day; I try to fit in a bike ride or work out at the pool or gym at least a few times a week; home around 8 p.m. and make dinner, or if I’m home early I get to hang out in my hammock on the back patio with my sweetie; check my email, relax, get ready for the next day or event, bed around 11 p.m. Sweet dreams.
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…
Snorkeling in warm tropical waters.
8) Tell us one thing people don’t usually know about you.
I have an alter ego as a radio DJ and world music festival MC, where I get to dress up in evening gowns, high heels, and lots of bling.
9) In high school, you would have been considered the person most likely to…
“Get away with stuff”. I wasn’t sneaky, just had a goody two shoe reputation that served as excellent cover for practical jokes and mischief.
10) What is your favorite Moab activity?
Lately it’s dancing with the Bollywood Moab dancers – what a terrific group of women and great way to exercise and share a love of dance and music.
11) Tell us your favorite non-Moab place to visit.
Belize – The atolls and reefs are absolutely amazing.
12) What do you consider your greatest achievement in life?
I found the most amazing partner in the world and he’s still hanging with me.
13) If you were President, what’s the first thing you’d do to make life better in America?
Bring back the role of citizenship and personal responsibility – it’s our job to make life better in America, not the President’s. If I were president, I’d find ways to better reward teamwork, people contributing to the greater good and bridging divides – true problem solving, not just trading rhetoric.
14) What superhero power would you most like to have?
The ability to instantly heal or take away pain.
15) If you could be an animal, what would it be? Why?
An adult giant sea turtle. It would mean that I fought against some pretty significant odds to survive and I’d get to snorkel every day.
16) What is your all time favorite movie?
“A Fish Called Wanda”.
17) And, your all time favorite book?
“Knee Deep in Thunder” by Sheila Moon. I think I was in fifth grade when I read it, I probably loved the title more than anything, but I’ve never forgotten it, it is one of the reasons I fell in love with reading.
18) If you were stranded on a desert island, which three CDs would you want to have with you?
It was probably all my CDs that sunk the boat. The Waifs’ “Up All Night”; Kristen BratenBerg, “From Senegal to Setesdal”; a live recording of Maura O’Connel. I only get three? That’s so not fair!
19) If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be? Why?
The Dalai Lama – just to be in the presence of someone who is such a great leader and motivated by peace and compassion would be amazing, plus I hear he is a great story teller.
20) What is your life philosophy?
Be happy, if you can’t change your circumstance, change your attitude; practice gratitude.
