A Day In The Life: Rebecca Waggoner

Depositphotos_70440109_original21

Name: Rebecca Waggoner

Age: 48 years old…ugh. It’s hard to see that in print.

Where did you grow up? Mount Vernon, Arkansas. A town of 150 people, one combination gas station/feed store, and several churches.

Where do you live? Minneapolis.

Who do you live with? My beautiful fiancé Kay, a greyhound named Atom, two cats named Henry Thoreau and Oscar Wilde, and my sons, Joshua and Benjamin (when he’s home from college). Kay is clamoring for a baby goat or chickens. I remain unconvinced.

What is your occupation? Agent for Good according to my taxes. I actually have the best job in the world! I’m the Executive Director of Quorum, the Twin Cities LGBTQ and Allied Chamber of Commerce.

When did you come out? To myself—sometime in my late teens. To the world—my early 20s…and then again in my 30s.

How’d that go? It has been a journey. I have to admit that it was a shock for some. I heard, “You certainly don’t LOOK like a lesbian…” a lot.

When do you wake up? About 4:00 a.m. to stress about anything and everything. And then it’s back to sleep for a few more hours. My first alarm is set for 6:00 a.m. My backup alarms are set for 6:15 a.m., 6:30 a.m., 6:45 a.m., and 7:00 a.m. I am generally fully awake by 7:30 a.m.

Phone alarm or old school alarm? Phone, although I am on the hunt for one of those old school alarm clocks with the bell on top and Mickey Mouse on the clock face.

What’s the first thing you do in the morning? After repeatedly hitting snooze, I check my calendar and then my email. It’s weird. I know.

Breakfast? Sometimes. I usually reserve breakfast for the weekends. However, I think I would attend brunch with friends every day if that were an option.

Coffee? Coffee is life.

Cream or no? Yes. Absolutely.

How do you spend your commute: Creating to do lists. Phone calls. Planning world domination. Singing in the car.

If your job were like a yearbook, what would you be voted? Is Best in Show an option? After all, we are the Rising Star Chamber [of Commerce] in the country!

What inspires you? Everything. I am a child of wonder. The world is an incredible place filled with opportunity, love, and joy. However, sometimes you have to search for it.

Do you eat your lunch while working or take a break? Lunch is a moving target. If it happens, it’s either at my desk while I scroll through emails and cute puppy videos or in my car on the way to a meeting.

Is your work space tidy or a hot mess? It should be noted that messy work spaces are a sign of great intelligence. And…I can find everything very quickly.

What’s been your favorite job? My favorite jobs have been ones where I have made a difference in the lives of people around me. Quorum is certainly at the top of the list!

Who are your heroes? I have so many. I am constantly and continually inspired by the people around me. My friends, my family, my children. I am incredibly lucky to have so many real life heroes to influence me as I grow and thrive.

Favorite weeknight meal: Depends on how long the day was. When home, I am a cook who loves to experiment with new recipes (with varying degrees of success) and my family has been forced to consume said experiments with alarming frequency. However, I definitely appreciate the Bite Squad person who appears at my doorstep at least once per week.

Most embarrassing moment: That one time when…

What are you most proud of? My children…hands down.

On a usual weeknight, you are doing what? On Wednesdays, I bowl. Other than that, I love binge-watching generally cringe-worthy shows. I wanted to say that I create art or some other lofty activity. However, it’s simply not true.

Bedtime: 11:00 p.m. With all the usual exceptions for fun and work.

Favorite weekend activity: Visiting flea markets and thrift stores; taking photography adventures; traveling to new places…however, I usually end up just doing laundry.

Words of wisdom to share: “What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us,” by Henry David Thoreau. We have the power to change the world within and around us even in the midst of our darkest moments. Be the light. Dream. Do something. Just don’t give up.

Lavender Magazine Logo White

5100 Eden Ave, Suite 107 • Edina, MN 55436
©2024 Lavender Media, Inc.