Petawawa

Julie Martin

Let’s welcome our neighbour, Julie Martin

Tell us a bit about yourself. 

Hi everyone. I am Julie Martin, and I’m a teacher at a local high school. I teach English and visual arts. I’m also a nature enthusiast and a fitness junkie. I am happily married and have a beautiful family.

What three adjectives do you think your family and friends would use to describe you?

The three words my family and friends would use to describe me are creative, straightforward, and kind.

Do you have any phobias? What are they?

In some areas, I am very confident, such as being on and in the water. I love to swim and can feel at home on the many beaches and in the river close to where I live, but I do suffer from claustrophobia. It’s so severe, I can feel claustrophobic even when I’m outside. My son and I took a recent visit to Hugli’s Blueberry Farm to walk through the corn maze, and even though I could see the sky, I had to get out of the maze before I reached the end.

I also have to sit in the first 15 rows of an airplane because when people stand up, I feel lightheaded and panicky. Many years ago, I had an experience where I got stuck in an elevator, and I’m pretty sure if I didn’t have a cell phone, I wouldn’t have made it out. It sounds dramatic, but it’s absolutely true.

What strange food combination do you most enjoy?

I’m very picky about food. I like things super cold or scalding hot, and anything in between just won’t do. I’m always microwaving my coffee and putting ice in every cold drink. My favorite food is movie theatre, buttered popcorn, and if I had to combine it with something, it would probably be some kind of soup—maybe mushroom.

Who is the best-known celebrity you have ever seen in person?

I’m not somebody who gets swept away by movie stars, but I sure love rock stars, and one time when I was sitting in a restaurant in Mississauga, I met Gill Moore from Triumph. I recognized him because I used to love that band. My friend was in the bathroom the entire time, and of course, I didn’t think she would believe me when I told her about it after, but I did get his autograph! He left before she came out, but when I told her, we kept looking around for Rik Emmett!

Imagine that you must wear the same Halloween costume every day for the rest of your life. What will you dress up as?

If I had to wear the same Halloween costume every day for the rest of my life, it would definitely not be the Minion costume that I knitted. It’s a big giant headpiece, and I couldn’t see out of it because I forgot to put eye holes in it, but the rest of the staff at school were all dressed the same, so I had to walk around wearing this. Just hoping I didn’t bump into someone.

If you could be any animal, which one would you be? Why?

Two animals fascinate me. I don’t have any tattoos, but I have seriously thought about putting an orca and a horse somewhere on my body. The horse because that’s my favorite animal. I grew up riding horses and being around them, and the orca because I have a deep fear of them.

If you could pick your own name, what name would you choose?

I actually like my name, Julie Ann, but just recently, I figured out that I also like tomboy names for girls. My stepdaughter is having her first child (a girl) in the new year, and I have sent many suggestions to her, and a lot of the names are not very feminine: Cory, Kelly, Bradley, etc. I think I would choose something like this for myself.

If you could only shop at one store for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?

If I could only shop at one store for the rest of my life, it would be The Bay. My oldest girlfriend and I were crushed when it closed. It used to be an all-day outing for us. Nothing else compares.

If you could use a time machine to travel to any time, past or future, what era would you visit? Why?

If I could use a Time Machine to travel, I would go back to the 1970s. I still remember it well. Life seemed so easy and fun back then—plus, I could make a fortune knowing then what I know now. The world has changed so much, but I still love it.

Thank you so much for spending time with us, Julie.

If you enjoyed our chat with Julie Martin, you may want to subscribe below to meet a new neighbour from the Upper Ottawa Valley each week.

Next week, we will welcome Kevin Rabishaw