Alliteration just happens to be my favorite literary device. It's relatively simple, but fun word play. You just repeat the same consonant as much as possible in the same sentence like the nine words that start with the letter "P" in the headline of this blog. But just when I think I'm getting crafty with my writing, along comes a snappy email, blog post or Facebook update from my favorite pen pal, Pamme Boutselis (Peeblet is her nickname) to put me in my place. You see, "Peeblet" is a gifted, speedy and prolific writer, researcher, PR person, artist, poet and all around great "girl" cheerleader for people in general. (I just happened to luck out and meet her.)
It was a chilly November day in New Hampshire. Actually. I was sitting at my computer in Loganville, GA when a note from a perfect stranger in New England landed in my Outlook Express. This person had an impressive title: Director of Programs and Content. She worked for a credible social network known as Trackahead that helps people further themselves in their education and career. And she was asking little old me for permission to reprint one of my articles on her Trackahead.com blog.
Since that day almost a year ago, Peeblet and I have become steadfast pen pals. If we used the same writing tools that Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin did, we'd have gone through gallons of ink and a few feather pens by now. Thank goodness for the internet that's helped PB and I save a few trees. Both Sagittarians', about the same age, Celtics fans (Pamme was born in Boston (one of my all-time favorite towns), both artsy and writer types, lovers of animals and on an on and on. Although, I must say, Pamme has full-grown kids and a tat and I have neither. What can I say. She's always full of great surprises (the tat--not the kids) and stories to boot...Just what a pen pal should be, right?
In fact, the more I've gotten to know Pamme, (pronounced Pam, but spelled with flair!), the more I appreciate having her support and editorial advice. How great to have a former B&N Community Relations manager as my part-time publicist to help me fix Chloe Pink press releases and plan-out my book launch at the Decatur Book Festival...to help me fine tune the name of my first book. IE: If you like the title, The Chloe Pink Doodle & Dream Book, versus The Chloe Pink Dream & Doodle Book, you have only Peeblet to thank. And if anyone can find a typo in the sentence, "See Jane run," it's Pamme. Pamme is virtually the female George Plimpton. If that name is familiar and George was before your time, he was a man who could do everything and did. Just like Pamme with a career that includes Marketing and PR to owning her own wine store. And while, her family is nearly all grown-up, Pamme is a Big Sister to Hannah. With so much going on, I never understand where that girls finds the time. Yet, she sat down with me recently for a Q&A. Me in the deep south and she, in the upper northeast. Go Sox!
Q: So Peeblet, tell me about your work with Trackahead?
PB: Hmm. . .you could say that I am the Director of Programs and Content at TrackAhead.com, and as such, I work with contributors, nonprofit organizations, potential collaborators and write original content as well. I particularly like the interaction with TA members and working with contributors and collaborators. What I like best about Track Ahead is the opportunity to help others develop their talents and work toward positive life goals.
Q: What else do you do?
PB: As for the rest of my work life, I'm a marketing and PR consultant as well as a writer. I've also been a community volunteer for the past 20 years or so. My past jobs included marketing director for a NH restaurant chain, community relations manager for BN and VP of Sales for a consumer products company that worked with inventors to bring new products to market. I also owned two businesses, a wine shop and a children's theme party service.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your Little Sister, Hannah.
PB: Do you mean Big Brothers Big Sisters? BBBS? I've been a Big Sister for over 2 years to an extraordinary 8 year old named Hannah and the experience has been fulfilling in so many ways. The real bonus is that I get to do all kinds of fun things that 8 year olds especially enjoy, many of which I haven't done in a while. BBBS is such a great organization, and it has made such a difference in so many lives, for both Bigs and Littles.
Q: And what about the rest of your family?
PB: Well, there's Sean, 28, Marissa, 25 (did I ever tell you that her name is Marissa Skye, which I particularly love?), Michael, 22, and Andrew, 17. Then there's Becky, Sean's long time girlfriend, who I consider to be another of my children at this point as well as Justin, Marissa's husband, who I think of as a fourth son. The summary of us: We are extremely close and genuinely like each other and enjoy hanging out together (hence the full-family vacation!) and my mom, of course, too. She's 82 and an integral part of the gang. We're currently planning a family trip to DC in the fall and possibly Mexico early next year.
A little bit about them --- Sean is a field engineer for a company called Office Environments of New England, and Marissa works for the same company but in the Manchester, NH office (Sean's in Massachusetts) as a sales coordinator in their furniture division. Sean works for the audio-visual division (AV). Michael is a brand new English teacher at Campbell High School here in Litchfield, where Andrew is a senior this year. They are kind of excited because they never had an opportunity to go to school together so now they are! Michael taught history for summer school throughout July at Bedford High School (a neighboring town), where he student taught and also was a permanent sub for the remainder of the school year.
Q: Um..aren't you forgetting someone?
PB: Of course, there's also Gus, our 9 year old standard red smooth-haired dachshund and Sophie, a five year old silver dapple miniature dachshund as well as our three cats, Puffy, Bella and Muffin.
Thank you, Peeblet for taking the time to sit down and chat and for sharing an appreciation of the written word with me. And now, if you'll excuse me, I need to proof this blog post before you find all the typos!
Reprinted from an email sent to me
ReplyDeleteDear Ms. Fulton:
My friend Pamme Boutselis thoughtfully sent me the link to your August 5, 2010, interview with her, one of the best interviews I've read. Actually, she is usually the one doing the interviewing, so I smiled when I read YOU interviewing HER.
I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your very witty "Pen Pal, Peeblet and Chloe Pink's Perfect Part-Time Pro Bono Publicist" (if I have that right), starting, not surprisingly, with alliteration.
Pamme gave you a fine description of herself plus a summary of some of her many enterprises and the work she does. She has been a terrific Mom to Sean, Marissa Skye, Michael and Andrew. She mentions her own Mom (much-to-be-admired), and, of course, the canine and feline members of her family. She's also a marvelous Big Sister to Hannah (great photo). But she does much, much more: She is involved in almost every community activity you can think of. I met her at a poetry-posting Website several years ago. She reached out to me with her warmth and genuine interest. She has been a caring warm friend to me (and to my ailing sister as well). You couldn't have picked a better individual to write about! Thank you!
Pamme is a lady of many talents, to be sure. She's a gifted writer (and proofreader, as you say) -- both in prose and poetry. She's helped and encouraged me tremendously.
Thanks for writing such a brilliant article about a brilliant -- and good -- person!
Sincerely,
Rita J Traub