For today’s Ask Stephany Anything post, I have a hodge-podge of random questions that you guys asked me! I got very wordy in my responses so, in an effort to not make this post exceedingly long, I am saving three questions for a follow-up post next month. So if you don’t see your question answered here, it’s likely in the last batch! 🙂 I really appreciate everyone who sent in a question (or questions!) I had a ton of fun answering them.
Leanne asks:
Hi Stephany! I was wondering what the Covid situation is currently like in your part of the world and what mandates are enforced or need to be followed. The province I live in (Alberta) recently enforced carrying around a vaccination passport which means you have to show proof that you are double vaccinated along with government issued ID to get in any place that is not an essential service. This is in place for those aged 12+ Or you can do a rapid test and use that as your ticket to get in for 48 hours. Is that similar for you? Masks are still required everywhere.
I live in Florida, which has consistently been terrible at enforcing strict Covid mandates. For example, we only had an official statewide mask mandate for a few weeks in April 2020 and then our stupid governor let it expire. Thankfully, we had county-wide mask mandates for my county and all of the ones surrounding me for most of 2020 (until our stupid governor signed an executive order to get rid of all mask mandates). Essentially, it has been business as usual here in Florida for 2020-2021. (Restaurants and bowling alleys and hair salons opened back up for in-person guests in May of 2020!) There are no vaccination passports required anywhere and most stores/restaurants only recommend wearing masks but do not require them nor enforce wearing them. Masks aren’t required in schools or even some healthcare settings. (Obviously, they are required for hospitals and most doctor’s offices, but when I went to the dentist in October, I was the only person in the waiting room of six people wearing a mask.) In some instances, showing proof of your vaccination status or a negative test (which would need to be the PCR Covid test; rapid tests don’t count) are required to get into some places, like if you’re going to see a show and the performer/group requires it.
Thankfully, Florida is doing okay with Covid these days—we’re one of the lone states in the moderate transmission category and cases/deaths have slowed down. But now that there’s a new crazy variant circling, I’m getting worried again about what’s to come in 2022!
Anyway, all this to say, Alberta > Florida with Covid protocols!
San asks…
I love that you’re so comfortable on your own and we should absolutely normalize this… but, I still want to know: do you have a list of “requirements” for a potential partner? What do you look for in a guy?
There are certainly qualities I’m looking for in a potential partner. Above all, I want to date someone I feel comfortable around and who is easy to open up to, as that is something I definitely struggle with in all of my relationships (romantic or not). It’s always really amazing to meet someone and want to open up to them. That doesn’t happen frequently! Aside from that, I’m also looking for a few specific qualities in a romantic partner:
- A sense of humor – I need someone who can make me laugh and who understands my sarcastic nature. Sarcasm and humor are my natural ways to connect with people, so if I don’t have that, it’s hard for me to form a lasting bond with someone.
- Kindness – As I get older, I find myself more and more drawn to people who are deeply and genuinely kind. I am someone with social anxiety and shyness, so certain situations are really difficult for me. I need someone who is going to understand my needs and make an effort to make me feel comfortable in situations that are deeply uncomfortable for me.
- Similar political views – Ah, yes. This is a must-have these days. I love talking politics and I could never date someone who either a) doesn’t care about politics or b) has vastly different views than me. It would just be really hard to date someone who is a Trump supporter!
- A love for cats – I mean, they must love my girls as if they are their own! That’s a non-negotiable.
I have a question: if you could go anywhere in the world for a vacation/ trip, where would it be and why? You mentioned Ireland was a bucket list, what other places are on that list?
Right now, there are three big places on my travel bucket list: Hawaii, Paris, and London. I’d really like to do a Paris/London trip either next year (depending on Covid) or the following year. And Hawaii has always been somewhere I’ve wanted to visit! I’d love to do a really long vacation there (10+ days) at some point in the future. I need to start saving!
Other places I want to visit: Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Iceland, Greece, and dozens of other countries I’m forgetting!
Lisa asks…
I know you are happy where you live, but if you were to live somewhere else, where would you choose?
I haven’t been to a ton of U.S. cities, but if I were to live somewhere other than Florida, I would probably stick to the south. I need mild winters! But I’d love to live in a place that actually cycled through all four seasons. The two cities I’d most want to live in would either be Savannah, GA, or Asheville, NC. I’ve visited both of those cities and fell completely in love with them! I think I could be happy living in either one of those cities.
If you could live in a different place, where would you live?
If I could live anywhere, I would definitely live in a city. I LOVED living in Minneapolis and would live there in a heartbeat. Maybe Montreal, Denver, or Pittsburgh. I would like to stay in northern climes, but have a bit of culture. Tough question, to be honest!
I live in NYC and have for over a decade, but I think I’d also be happy in Boston or maybe Chicago or Toronto. I like being in a big, walkable city that’s politically/socially liberal, diverse, and full of culture and options and seasonal weather changes.
Also: hello from a new reader! I found your blog via Swistle, I think, or else someone who commented on Swistle’s blog. I went down some rabbit holes yesterday and added a bunch of great writers to my Feedly. I don’t have a blog, but I love reading them.
I actually spent the first 18 years of my life in Tampa and had many friends and adventures in St. Pete. (That Dalí museum!!)
I’ve been happy up here for the past ~15 years, but I appreciate your love for west-central FL. NGL, I do miss Publix (my first job in high school was in a Publix deli!), Busch Gardens, the Strawberry Festival (in Plant City, I think), and the beach at night.
Anyway, I’m enjoying reading your blog! You seem awesome!
Oooh, thanks for answering my question!
I’m actually going to be living in a different place in a couple of years, which is strange to me, having grown up and lived here all my life. I definitely would like a warmer climate, shorter winters, more predictable weather. That’s what I’m going to get, in a few years! But for now, I’ll bloom where I’m planted 🙂
Ah, well as a fellow Floridian I also need mild winters. Both those cities you mentioned would be great- if I ever do move away from Florida I have my eye on Georgia. It’s becoming more and more progressive (depending on where in Georgie you are, of course) and there would be a little more natural beauty- aside from the beach, Florida is pretty blah. And the winters would be a little cold (for me) but not too bad.
For a place to visit, I would pick Utah. I’m tired of the beach- I want mountains!
Thank you for answering my question – I think your requirements are “spot-on”. 🙂
If I could live somewhere else, it would probably be Boston. I love that city.
Well, or closer to family, you know.
Thanks for answering my question! I love both of the cities you would consider living in, but Asheville is handsdown my fave of the 2 and one of my fave cities in the US. I think about this question often because I would prefer to NOT retire in Minneapolis. Our winters are just so God awful! If money was no object, I think I’d pick Santa Barbara, CA. It’s close to the ocean and the mountains and it’s nice year-round.
Phil and I have talked about how being on different sides of the political spectrum is different now v the past. When we met in 2012, I considered myself a Republican and he has always been a dem. So we voted for different candidates for that election, but it wasn’t an issue in our relationship because being a Trump republican means something very different than supporting Mitt Romney you know? Now I would say I am a moderate. I’m certainly not a republican anymore and I can’t see how the party could get back to what it was in 2012. Phil and I both said we didn’t know if our relationship could survive one of us voting for Trump… But we both loathed him and see eye to eye on most political issues.
I’ve never been to Asheville, but I’ve heard good things. And Savannah is so cool! I don’t think I could ever live anywhere with super-hot summers, though, so I’ll probably be a Northerner forever, haha. I love when you do these Q&A posts!
These posts are so fun – I love getting to know people better. It’s so helpful to read your thoughts on finding a partner – I agree with San, you are so comfortable with yourself (or, at least you appear that way) that if/when you do find a partner, I know that you will be in it for the long haul.
Asheville is lovely but I can’t live that far south, even. At least not where it’s humid! If I could live anywhere else it would be the PNW – between northern CA and Washington state. I lived there for a time in my mid-20s and loved it with all my heart. It’s the only place outside of the midwest I’d live!
Be careful with Covid down there… your governor… sigh.