Name: Rocky Petersen
Age: 39
Title: Designer at Neighborhood Ventures and In-house Design for Military Crashpad
Married/Single: I have to get home in time to hide the Amazon packages. Does that answer the question?
Kids: Too many to keep a car clean.
City you live in: Mesa, unless you count the number of hours I work, and then it’s Phoenix.
A typical day in my life includes…
shuttling 4 kids off to their respective places, working, scamming an hour or two for tennis in between said work and home, and then trying to impress my long suffering husband by having something in mind for dinner, even if it’s from many varied cans, poured into one large pot.
I was born…
as an unplanned pregnancy but turned out to be my parents’ favorite. It’s a burden but I carry it with dignity. My 5 siblings may feel otherwise but in my heart I know it’s true.
My favorite thing about Arizona…
the White Mountains. It’s where my family does our best work to cherish the summer and to beat our online dependency. Only in the pines do we all feel like we truly disconnect from the devices and connect with each other. This may sound trite until you’ve heard me swear at my husband on the golf course. Connecting isn’t all roses, folks. But the alternative is worse. I think. I’m 99% sure.
I’m listening to…
if I’m in the car with my 3 year old and she gets her way it’s Sunflower by Post Malone. Don’t judge. If I’m in the car with my 3 year old and she doesn’t get her way, I’m listening to her scream. And cry. And then Sunflower.
My family…
has no idea that I think of work as a vacation.
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be…
my siblings when we were young. I still love them, but, as a group, when I was about 14, and my littlest sister was 4. Omgosh. We were a circus and I’d love to go back to be with them that way.
One thing I cannot live without…
tennis time. It’s one of the few times that my off putting aggressiveness and subsequent nervous humor can play in my favor. Sorry, Mary, if you’re reading this, for hitting that ball, on purpose, at your groin.
When I was younger, I wanted to be…
a person with piercing blue eyes. Turns out God doesn’t actually answer all the prayers.
I’m inspired by…
Brene Brown. And also Sam Fox. Yes, the guy with the restaurants. I never claimed to be that deep.
The one person who motivates me is…
my husband. To get home before him to avoid explaining another Reformation package.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be…
see the question about when I was younger. Again, I’m a basic one.
The perfect day would be…
waking up my 3 year old for her signature hugs, picking the deadheads on my roses with my kids, playing tennis, fixing dinner and eating it with my family. Honestly, I do this a lot, but all this with the caveat that no one is a butthead and I don’t lose my cool as a person.
My first job was…
working the blender at Jamba Juice. Unless you count the hours and hours of unpaid babysitting between the age of 12-18. Not bitter. Just honest. (Mom, that is the side eye)
My favorite escape…
the White Mountains. Also, my closet that has a charging station.
My life…
no. This is not a prompt, this is a trick. Plus it makes me start thinking way too deep and my mind is like a bad neighborhood at night, I try to never go there alone.
I’m currently working on…
Venture on 66th Place for Neighborhood Ventures. And also evening out my farmer tan lines.
Always…
improve your vocabulary. It’s the only way to have new thoughts.
Never…
tell someone how they feel. Listen instead. And ask the good questions.
Favorite Quote…
“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” – Oscar Wilde
I’m sorry, I’ve got two favorite Wilde quotes but that one is so much nicer. My real favorite is “How can a woman be expected to be happy with a man who insists on treating her as if she were a perfectly normal human being. “ But I can’t say that’s my favorite because it makes me look like I think I deserve a lot more credit…
Biggest Dream…
to travel to Europe with my kids and husband and never once worry about money, think about calories or witness them being little shits to each other.
My Pet Peeve(s)…
milk left in my car. Slightly spilled. Out of sight. It happens more than you’d think.
