#WeAreArity Wednesday: Kate Sebby

You can only eat one food again for the rest of your life. What is it?

Macaroni and cheese. I prefer my mom’s, but I love a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese. I know it’s horrible for you, so I don’t eat as much as I would like to. My mom uses a béchamel sauce – you know, the real stuff – from scratch.

Did you eat any for Thanksgiving last week?

I actually didn’t—and now that I reflect on it, it makes me sad! But it’s not one of my family’s traditional Thanksgiving dishes.

Are you more productive in the morning or at night?

I’m more productive in the morning. I am able to focus and get a lot of stuff done in the morning before meetings. On the weekends, I like to stay up late and be a night owl so those hours are pushed back a little but you are more likely to see me running errands earlier in the day.

If you could live in any country, which country would you pick?

Almost always, when I answer this question, my initial response is always based upon the last place that I visited. So, in this case, it would be Spain – I loved it. But overall, when I think of all the places that I’ve been, it’s probably Belgium. The vibe there is really relaxed, and I love being surrounded by the history and old buildings.

When did you go there?

Maybe seven years ago. We stayed in a town called Ghent. It’s a college town, and it was just very walkable. That’s the other thing I love about the places I could see myself living – everything’s walkable.

Who is the most famous person you have ever met? 

The Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden. I used to work at the Library of Congress, and she had recently become the Librarian and was doing tours of the different departments. We had heard she might be coming to my team’s area, but I thought “eh, she’s not going to come” – and then she walked in my office!

What was your first job?

I’m not counting babysitting because I hated it, and I think I lasted two attempts. So, I was a grocery bagger in high school. It was for L&L Food Center. At the time, it was my town’s biggest grocery store. Now there is a Meijer.

Did you grow up in a smaller town?

It was a suburb of Lansing, Michigan. I don’t know exactly what the population is, but Olympic gymnast, Jordyn Wieber, is one of my town’s claims to fame.

What is your hobby?

I make soap, and I also garden a lot. Around ten years ago, a friend in Virginia was like “I found this woman who teaches soap making classes. Do you want to go?” And I was like “Sure, why not!” It was fun, and I fell in love with it. It’s basically like baking. You follow a recipe, and you get something usable out of it.

What is an easy way to do something nice for someone?

Just showing up, whether that’s showing up and listening when they need to talk or showing up and supporting them when they need you there.

What is your favorite way to practice self-care?

For me, it’s quiet time. I’m an introvert, and I need quiet to re-energize myself. That’s just sitting on the couch with no social interaction. I don’t mind inputs – like reading or going on social media, but I need to not put anything out for a bit.