Jessie loves to read. That’s works well, because Jessie also works at the library and loves to help people find just the right book. She can lift heavy books because in her youth she bucked heavy bales. And like so many heroines in so many novels, she has found true love.
1) What initially brought you to Moab?
I came through Moab on a crazy road trip in 2000. Then I met this nice fellow who lives here.
2) What do you love most about living in Moab?
Splendor and solitude five minutes from my front door. The community in Moab is so great: a high concentration of intelligent, creative and passionately caring people.
3) What do you dislike about living in Moab?
It’s so far away from the ocean!
4) What is your occupation?
I work at our fabulous library. My favorite part is helping patrons to find just the right book and I get to purchase all the books and films for the adult section and I help to organize our monthly film series.
4) If you could have any job in the world, what would you most like to do?
I’m doing it already, unless I could get paid to frolic with dolphins or something.
5) Describe a typical day in your life.
Get up early enough to have book time on the couch for at least an hour, take my dog for a walk, check on the garden, work all day the library and then home to my wonderful husband. Another walk and then books or an old-time radio play for bedtime stories.
6) 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…
I’d almost always rather be reading.
7) Tell us one thing people don’t usually know about you.
I grew up on a small farm in southwestern Washington, milking cows, bucking hay bales, riding horses and climbing trees.
8) In high school, you would have been considered the person most likely to…
Join a bohemian artist colony.
9) What is your favorite Moab activity?
Hiking with my dog
10) Tell us your favorite non-Moab place to visit.
The Oregon coast.
11) What do you consider your greatest achievement in life?
Finding true love (sappy, I know!) I’m also very proud that I went skydiving a couple of years ago.
12) If you were President, what’s the first thing you’d do to make life better in America?
I’d switch things around so politicians and law makers would have the salaries and health care of their poorest constituents.
13) What superhero power would you most like to have?
Flight!
14) If you could be an animal, what would it be? Why?
A sea otter or dolphin because they live so playfully!
15) What is your all time favorite movie?
Anything by the Coen Brothers, particularly “Blood Simple” or “Fargo”.
16) And, your all time favorite book?
You’re asking a librarian to pick just one book? Ha! The Aubrey/Maturin Series by Patrick O’Brian and “Pilgrim at Tinker Creek” by Annie Dillard.
17) If you were stranded on a desert island, which three CDs would you want to have with you?
Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, “Exile on Main Street” by the Rolling Stones and Best of Billie Holiday
18) If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be? Why?
Poet Kenneth Patchen: what a soul, what imagination! Or Leonard Cohen: his poetry and music never fail to move me. But I have a lot of questions for Jesus, too. Hmmm.
19) What is your life philosophy?
Keep your sense of humor, be joyful and be kind.
