Hello, I’m Jodi Chromey and my hair only looks this cool about twice a year (the days I actually get it done). I’m a writer and supergenius who lives in Shakopee, Minnesota (I call it a small town 30 minutes south of Minneapolis, others call it a suburb). I live in a house I call Supergenius HQ with my needy cat Paco and more books than any single woman really needs.
I Will Dare was born July 31, 2000, mostly because I wanted to. There is no better explanation than that. Since then, I’ve updated this site nearly every day, became the mastermind behind the oft-neglected Paul Westerberg blog (dude needs to release a new album), the editor of the super rad Minnesota Reads book review blog, and a contributor to Book Riot. I was once called “bold and fearless” by Kathleen Turner in her memoir Send Yourself Roses.
Besides writing this blog, I also write fiction that is as yet unpublished and work as a freelance copywriter, blogger, and WordPress website creator. If you’re looking for a help with those kinds of things, I’m totally for hire.
When I first started writing About pages, I would just list a bunch of things about myself and base the number of things on my age. I got the idea from Paul Westerberg’s album title “14 Songs.” For instance, I think the first one was called 29 things. Since old habits die hard:
40 Things
- This list only had 37 things for the last three years. Nobody ever questioned it.
- At 6’5″ I’m unusually tall for a woman.
- No, I never played basketball.
- Yes, my parents are both tall (mom = 5’10″, biological father = 6’2″)
- My cat is named Paco. He’s very fancy. I had a cat named Madison after James Madison, but he died in 2012. It sucked. We had been together for sixteen years.
- No, my three younger sisters are not tall. I have a different father.
- The weather up here is swell.
- My truck is named Ruby, my iPod is named Eurydice, my iPhone is called Ziggy, my iPod is Beesus and my MacBook is called Enid.
- Though I am single and have no children I spend an awful lot of time with my niece Jaycie and my nephews Max, Cade, Nolan, and Liam.
- Sometimes I wish someone would make me a style guide that I could follow religiously because I just make it up as I go along and am incredibly inconsistent.
- I have a really good memory and often creep out my friends by remembering really arcane details they told me once.
- This makes me feel like a stalker. But I have a strict ‘only stalk people on my way home from work policy.’ It just makes good fiscal sense, what with the price of gas. Also, now, I work from home.
- I don’t care if you call me a nerd, because I totally am.
- I am on an eternal quest for the perfect headphones. . . over the ear, big ear cups, and not too tight to pinch my glasses between my ear and my head.
- I am picky about crap nobody else cares about.
- Things guaranteed to make me cry: national anthems, marching bands, standing ovations, beautiful writing, and that episode of Dawson’s Creek where Mitch Leery dies.
- I brush my teeth without my shirt on for fear of drooling on it.
- I collect books, wheat pennies, and burnt sienna crayons.
- When I started I Will Dare, I used to only write in lowercase letters.
- If I could I’d go back in time, I’d kick my own ass for being so annoying.
- James Madison is my favorite former president
- I was born 6.6.72 at 6:36 p.m.
- Six is my favorite number.
- I often say inflammatory and absurd things because it makes me laugh.
- Like, for instance, poetry is bullshit
- One of my favorite things to do on earth is argue.
- When I was younger I wanted to grow up to be a cowgal, a waitress, a ballerina, or a babysitter.
- I have a penchant for redheads, Diet Coke with lime, Pretzel M&Ms, and pens with blue ink.
- I am afraid of heights, being forgotten, and driving in the winter.
- When I was younger I would obsessively catalog my Sweet Valley High books.
- I often suffer from insomnia and have since I was a kid.
- I have six tattoos.
- Oftentimes I forget that I am capable of being loved
- I lied to Facebook so they would change my username.
- I told them that I got divorced and that Willdare was my married name and Chromey is my maiden name.
- I wear glasses most of time.
- I don’t wear a watch.
- Or makeup.
- My favorite color is orange
- For someone who has been blogging about the inane detail of my everyday life for over tweleve years, I’m sure having a tough time with this list.
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hi jodi i like to be your friend.
i like tall women but i felt women dont like guys who r small .i love ur comment people i like to be part of this group
Hi Jodi.
I write with a Loft query:
I want to take a workshop this summer. I’ve only had Vodo (just by schedule, not by aversion or attraction), and I met your little guy workshoping guy (is it Dale?), but neither are slated for this summer, whose workshop I’ve wanted to take. Without those possibilities, I’m considering Amanda Coplin, “Intermediate Fiction Workshop” (Mondays) or Benjamin Obler, “Literary Fiction: Everyday Drama.” The former is my preference by the topic and description, but I’m semi-wedded these days (a great gift) and Dave’s kid schedule makes the latter easier. (We have only Monday and Tuesday evenings sans kid.)
I write to ask if you have any dope about or experience of the classes or the teachers.
XO, Martin
Martin!
Congrats on the semi-weddedness. I vote you take a Tuesday class. I’m taking the short short fiction on Tuesday nights 6-8 with someone whose name I forgot but I can’t wait! If you take a Tuesday class we can go to Grumpy’s occasionally.
I pondered the Monday class with Amanda Coplin, but the Tuesday works better for me.
I’ve often wondered why there was no “Hurricane Jodi”. Nothing too serious, just some huge threatening circular cloud that would die out somewhere over the Bermuda Triangle finding Amelia Earhart and Jimmy Hoffa having cocktails. I read your list with some amusement. For my Goddaughter’s 18th B-Day I wrote her “18 Things About Being 18″ i.e. “Perky Breasts…Enjoy Them While You Can”;”You Make Middle-Aged Women Nervous”; “Soon You Won’t Need a GPS Because You’ll Be Able To Read The Lines On Your Face”, etc. I wrapped each note around a Bugs-Bunny-type carrot because every girl should have 18 carats on her 18th Birthday (I challenge you to find 18 “long-stemmed” carrots in December…in Oregon). Anyway, it made me wonder what my own list would be and I came up with two: (1) I was born on 3/30 @ 3:30 (2):I voted for Ronald Regan in my 1st Presidential Election. He was shot by John Hinkley (my initials are also J.H.) on my birthday, because of his obsession with a woman named Jodi(e).If you have any sightings of “Hurricane Jodi” on Lake Superior, be sure to give me a call. Should She be spotted on the Pacific Ocean next to Coos Bay, OR feel free to stop by, I’ll keep the blender warm. I cannot yet receive e-mail due to the antiquity of my computer. Oh well, there’s always the U.S. Post (P.O. Box 5679/Charleston, OR 97420) Send a post card….I get lonely. All Best, Jodi
We need a hurricane named “JODI”
IGOR? LISA? WTF!!! What Happened to HURRICANE JODI?
I am pissed that I have to wait another alphabet to
even be considered. I also pisses me off that men can
have hurricanes named after their dicks.
Do you design websites? If so, could you give a price range?
Thanks
gary
Hi Jodi, I like your list. Somewhere around line 8, I said to myself, “she has got to be a Gemini!!” And I was correct. I’m a Gemini also (b-day is 6/1/71). I am also 6’1 in height. I moved from San Diego, CA where there was quite a bit of ignorance about anyone who looked “different” than the status quo blonde/blue/5’7 look. I never had a problem meeting men, as I am divorced twice with 3 kids. Anyway, I live in Las Vegas for now and the ignorance is a lot less, but I have always wanted to move to either Alaska, Minnesota or NYC. Mainly for the cold weather and for other various reasons. I read somewhere that Norwegians are much taller and tend to live in Minnesota, so I’ve been hooked on going there ever since! I have no clue how I found your website, I’m having insomnia also right now. Ok, well just wanted to tell you I enjoyed reading about you. I will come back and visit your site again.
Hi Jodi,
I sent you an email and am commenting on your blog about ‘thinking about my biological father’; http://www.iwilldare.com/2001/03/14/thinking-about-my-biological-father/. One of the persons who commented on that blog (Edward Keith Smith) is actually my brother and I know where his father is. I knew about him since I was young but only recently got information from my deceased grandmother that gave me his mother’s name – and – his comment had both his/my father’s name, his mother’s name, and correct information about birth on your wedbsite. I would think he would want to reach me. Maybe you can send this email on to him so we can unite. Thank you so much. Your blog has gotten us closer.
Went to school with Paul Westerberg. Love your blog. Maybe we sat in the same Florida classroom for about 3 months.
Steven
HI Jodi,
I enjoyed reading your blog….In fact I enjoy reading a lot, mostly non-fiction but a good fiction mystery with historical significance is great too. I have always enjoyed the company of a tall woman. I once dated a woman who was 6-4 for about 1 year(I’m 5-9).
She enjoyed wearing boots with heels which made her about 10″ taller and enjoyed pointing that out to me, which I truly enjoyed. We would have married but there was a personality clash, too bad.
I see you live in the Twin Cities. I work in St.Paul and maybe we could meet for coffee sometime. I am not weird or ugly…actually people say I am quite handsome. Not that it is an issue. I would love to meet a quite intelligent person as you. What say?
Kevin
Your cute, and I like tall women. Just wanted you to know.
The PW site appears to be gone.
Accidental loss, I hope?
@scott, I’m switching servers. So things might be wonky for a bit.
jodi,
Hi. I’m 6’7 and i noticed you liked Wild Flag and Tallest Man (no pun intended). THough you might like my music. I’m sending you some links to a record/videos that I think you’ll enjoy based on what I’ve seen on your blog and bands you stand behind. This record was written by Ancient History, an ambient indie band out of Bushwick, Brooklyn. It’s called TRACKS. It was engineered by Jim Smith, who’s resume includes The National, Au Revoir Simone and Wilco, and was recorded in the French Kicks practice space in Dumbo. It was mixed by Paul Johnson and Kevin Blackler. Johnson mixed the Lon Gisland EP by Beirut and currently does their live sound. Donald Ducote, the singer/songwriter behind Ancient History was hired in early 2011 by Emma Gillespie (winner of the 2010 MUST BE THE MUSIC competition, a UK reality TV series hosted by DIzzy Rascal) to help her write/work on new material for her upcoming record for Polydor. He’s also worked with Leon Jackson (winner of 2007 X-Factor). The music doesn’t sound like anything you would hear on Reality TV.
To follow Ancient History on Twitter, to download the record, or to see Ancient History’s music videos:
ancienthistorybk.bandcamp.com
youtube.com/ancienthistorynyc
twitter.com/ancienthistory_
ancienthistoryBK@gmail.com
I have extreme like for very strong white women. I love to chat to them and buy them and email gift cards.
Reasons that I started reading your blog:
1. I’ve been checking out the blogs of the Book Riot writers
2. You wrote about Beverly Cleary, and what you said about your nieces and nephews made me want to cry. Why? Because I have an aunt with no children and she means the WORLD to me. I’ve never read Beezus and Ramona (inexcusable, I know), but when you recounted the aunt saving the day, that pretty much made my life. My aunt is my most important lifeline. SO THEN
3. Even though I’d forgotten that I decided to look at the blogs of the all the Book Riot writers, your post reminded me!
Reasons I will be checking out your blog again:
1. You talk about your cats
2. When I first began blogging (three months ago..) I had a difficult time using capital letters
3. My car is named Oliver, my phone is Jason, my computer is Brookly, my roommate’s phone is Addison, her computer is Manny, her car is Marshall, our friend’s car is Paul, our t.v. is Stevie (courtesy of the t.v. show Friends) our wii is Eva and our playstation is WallE. And the playstation remote is Mo.
4. I thought about Sweet Valley today, about why high school seems so much cooler when I read those books..(present tense because, yes, I still read those books)
>> 14. I am on an eternal quest for the perfect headphones. . . over the ear, big ear cups…
My quest has currently paused as I love my Grado 60i pair of cans, highly recommended.
http://www.headphone.com/headphones/grado-sr-60i.php
Dear Jodi Thank You for being 6’5″ tall There aren’t that many women of your height around Although I used to belong to a tall club in Pittsburgh Pa ( now in escro ) I saw a lot of women there around your height or more I miss the tall club If you were ever out with me I would encourage you to wear heels ( the taller the better- I appreciate a woman being real tall ) I am 6’7″ tall myself – Take Care -drop me a line – Don
Jodi,
I just stumbled across your blog and I love how you write. I love the facts about you and how they answer the questions you ask in your head as you go down the list. I am 5’11 and I thought that was tall. We should be friends
Justina