Asked & Answered: Valencia County community development director Nancy Jo Gonzales

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 “As much as I love ‘Parks and Recreation,’ government employees are neither inefficient nor lazy. We have to work within the confines of a lot of rules and regulations, which can make our processes seem slow, but I am happy to say I am surrounded by hard-working and well-intentioned colleagues at Valencia County.

“There’s a lot of great, passionate people at the county. Although, it is true that we do love waffles.”

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“High school was a lot of fun for me, especially after I got my braces off. I played guitar and sang at all the talent shows and open mic nights. I enjoyed having a diverse group of friends, going to football games, and hanging out at Frontier restaurant.

“I was voted Homecoming Queen and played at the Homecoming bonfire concert, so I like to think that I made the most of my four years at St. Pius X.”

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“I can’t remember the context, but I once heard the saying that ‘Worse things have happened to better people.’ It wasn’t so much advice as it was a nugget of perspective that has really stuck with me.

“I’ve learned that life isn’t always fair, and that’s helped to remind me that we never really know that battles others are facing, so we ought to be kind to one another.”

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“I wanted to be Michelle Branch — go on tour, play music, write love songs on my guitar. When that didn’t work out, I wanted to be a broadcast or print journalist.

“I’ve always enjoyed reading and watching the news and thought it would be an interesting career. I studied journalism in college, but ended up going a different route.”

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“When I worked at the Belen Senior Center, I was consistently inspired by the wisdom and sense of humor of the seniors of Valencia County. Many of those folks have experienced tremendous loss and the hardships of life, that they take such pleasure in the little things — spending time with family, coffee with friends, and simply waking up in the morning.

“I aspire to be more like them and appreciate the little things. Honorable mention goes to my mother, Nancy, who has always instilled a strong work ethic and compassion towards others that I strive to emulate.”

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“I would love to be a long-haul truck driver. I always tell my fianceé that when I retire, I am going to become a truck driver and hit the open road with a lazy hound dog and a good oldies playlist. I could listen to podcasts for hours, belt Beatles songs at the top of my lungs and explore the country in my rig.”

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“I am a crossword puzzle fanatic. I grew up doing crossword puzzles on Sundays with my Nana — and they are always done in pen, because that’s how she always did it.

“I also enjoy running on the ditch banks or bosque trails with our dogs. Most weekends, you can find me listening to true crime podcasts while doing yard work.”

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“I love to cook. I spent many years working in restaurants with some incredibly talented chefs, including a James Beard award winner, Tim Byres, in Dallas, Texas. I picked up some tricks of the trade and like to fine tune my skills as often as possible. A bonus fun fact is that I can speak ‘backwards’ — phonetically in reverse. Still trying to monetize that skill somehow.”

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“Anything by David Sedaris, because I quite literally laugh out loud when I read his books. If I had to pick one of his books, it would be ‘When You are Engulfed in Flames.’ David Whyte’s collection of poems in ‘Everything is Waiting for You’ is a favorite. Lastly, ‘The Stranger Beside Me’ by Ann Rule is an essential true crime book that I could read several times over.”

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“First, I would revisit my best childhood memories and take my entire family to Disneyland. Second, I’d open a rescue sanctuary for stray and senior dogs. Last, but not least, I would throw a huge dance day for the seniors of Valencia County.”

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“Please don’t tell my other dogs, but our golden retriever, Ringo, is my best pal these days. He is my early morning running buddy and is convinced I hung the moon. I am also really close with all of my siblings. I am lucky to call them all my best friends, especially as we have gotten older.”

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“I love singing Patsy Cline’s version of ‘Crazy,’ or making sure I still know all the lyrics to Boyz II Men’s ‘Thank You.’ Either way, I have fun with both of those songs, and I think it’s best I do that when I am alone.”

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“We love to take our dogs hiking in the mountains. The Windsor Trail to Nambe Lake is a long, difficult hike, but it is easily one of my favorite places to go. The serene lake at the end of the trail is worth every bit of the effort.”

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“I volunteered with VITAS Healthcare, a hospice provider in Dallas, Texas. As a respite volunteer, I would spend time with elderly hospice patients to allow their caregivers time to run errands and such. The time I spent with the hospice patients was eye-opening and rewarding all at the same time.

“I found myself emotionally moved by the patients and realized that I wanted to pursue a career in service. That was my ‘lightbulb’ experience when I found something that fulfilled and gave me a better sense of purpose.”

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“I’ve had so many wonderful teachers throughout the years that it is hard to pick just one. My college journalism professor,

“Jena Heath, gave me so much positive reinforcement that I had something valuable to offer and was instrumental in helping me decide to pursue graduate school. I value that relationship, as both an instructor and friend, beyond measure.”

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“When Marla Hooch performs ‘It Had to Be You’ at the Suds Bucket in ‘A League of Their Own.’ You get to witness this shy, homely character explode out of her shell and woo her future husband, Nelson. You feel so bad for Marla in the movie up until this point. It’s just an iconic scene, so much so that the movie wouldn’t be the same without it.”

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“That would have to be the legendary George Carlin. I would love to hear his take on things nowadays over some never-ending salad and bread sticks at the Olive Garden. I still remember the first time I saw one of his comedy specials (which I was probably too young to be watching at the time) and was fascinated with his quick wit and comedic delivery.”

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“My siblings consistently make me proud to be their sister. From my older brother, Rico, becoming a successful attorney, to my younger brother, Tino, displaying his amazing art installations in the San Francisco Bay Area, to my sister, Gina, working tirelessly on urban health in New York City, and my youngest sister, Cristina, taking over the marketing world in Denver. I am lucky to call all of them my siblings.”

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“I would like to be remembered as someone who was always happy and ready to help others. I am most fulfilled when I am of service to others, and that is how I hope to leave my mark.”