Debbie Sosin

Photo by Shannon Power

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My passion: Singing in the Zamir Chorale of Boston, Orpheus Singers, the shower, the car, wherever

I love: Writing about everything from vacuuming to the existential meaning of life to the existential meaning of vacuuming

My favorite possession: My overstuffed box of diaries that I’ve kept since I was ten

My best bargain find: A free hand-me-down ergonomically friendly computer desk

My hometown: Rye, N.Y., and Munich, Germany (from ages 12 to 16)

I’m thinking about: What I’m thinking about. It’s very annoying. Then I think about that.

Words I live by: It’s never too late.

I can’t live without: Jon Stewart and Jeopardy!

I am most proud of: Reading from my teenage diaries in the comedy show Mortified; finishing a book proposal for Where Is Luv? A Teenager’s Diary of Hope, Passion, and Total Confusion

I’m inspired by: Olympic athletes, for their drive and commitment

What keeps me awake at night: Writing essays in my head

One thing I never want to do again: Carry a beeper for 24-hour emergency room psychiatric coverage

If I could be totally wild, I would: Bag the day job idea and move to Big Sur, or maybe Tuscany

I am guilty of: Watching Spring Awakening videos on YouTube after midnight

Right now I’m reading: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (again)

The one item that has changed my life: Extra-fine Pilot Precise V5 rolling ball pens

Favorite website: Allmyfaves.com, a catalog of dozens of other websites

Last major purchase: A big, thick down coat

The nickname I wish I had: Sassy (except it doesn’t work with my last name)

My theme song: Where Is Love? from the musical Oliver

If I could do it all over again: I’d be a Broadway lyricist or documentary filmmaker, married with children

My favorite body part: Eyes

The food I could eat every day: Fruit and yogurt (and I do)

The food I never want to eat again: Baby food (when I had my tonsils out last year. Blecch!)

My blog: http://skirt.com/blog/10853

The most important thing I ever lost: My fear of flying

The best thing I ever won: A free drink at a Grub Street writers’ event, for sharing my "secret confession" that I tape Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

My best friend says I am: Groovilicious

I still can’t get the hang of: Cooking

I wish I’d known: Control is overrated. Letting go is the answer.

The world would be a better place, if only: People meditated and did laughter yoga

I’d like to learn to: Swim

Something most people don’t know about me: I’m a politics junkie.

My mother always said: The morning is wiser than the evening.

The worst idea I’ve ever had: Calling in an original parody song to WEEI sports radio during the 2007 Red Sox playoffs and getting blasted off the air after ten seconds

The smartest woman I know: Ellen Bass, poet, author, writing guru

My first job: Scooping ice cream at Baskin Robbins and getting $1.70/hour and one huge bicep

What are you most vain about? Doing the New York Times Sunday crossword in ink

Whose diary would you most like to read? the Dalai Lama

What do you fear the most? Dying alone

Early bird or night owl?: Night owl, I hate alarm clocks

Favorite color and why?: Red, because it’s hot and fiery

I feel strongest when: I’m being honest and authentic

When I grow up, I want to be: On the New York Times bestseller list

At the end of a long day, the first thing I want to do is: Hug my cats and watch Jeopardy!

Always... Honor yourself

Never... Put the reds in with the whites unless you want a pink wardrobe

I wish… I could live in Europe again and travel for a few years.