Hey everybody. Good news, it is sunny outside for the very first time in I don't know how
long which is incredible. Also I have coffee and I've had a lot of it so let's get to your questions.
So first off I wanted to thank everybody for the overwhelming response on the first Ask
Cristen video in which I was like ask me questions. I assumed like maybe a handful on there. No!
I had to keep clicking show more comments because there were so many questions. It makes
this gal feel like one million dollars. No, not even one milli--one million Euro. Euros
are worth more than US dollars and I just realized that Euro the currency sounds a lot
like gyro the delicious lamb pita wrap. To start things off @StarryDreamer asks, 'How
did you meet Professor Boyfriend?' Long story short, we met in college a long, long time
ago. Didn't date but we had mutual friends and via those mutual friends we re-met when
we were both living here in Atlanta and a few years after that we locked eyes one night,
had that silent conversation that went something along the lines of, 'I want to see what it's
like to make out.' Isn't that romantic? @Hidayat Kamal asks, 'What's the story behind the anchor
tattoo on your left wrist?' I got it probably five or six years ago. All of my family at
the time was spread all over the globe, we were farther apart than we had, geographically,
than we had ever been and so I got this tattoo to remind myself that even though family might
be far away we are all anchored together through each other. And of the sea! Tatig07 asks,
'How did you get your start with the Stuff Mom Never Told You podcast?' Stuff Mom Never
Told You the audio podcast exists all thanks to HowStuffWorks.com where I started working
as a staffwriter in 2008 I believe. Soon after I started writing there Josh and Chuck of
Stuff You Should Know fame launched their now famous podcast Stuff You Should Know.
Me and the first co-host of Stuff Mom Never Told You Molly pitched a podcast about ladies
and lady things. It just came out of curiosity and I am oh so grateful to HowStuffWorks.
Katja P, 'What has been your favorite and least favorite thing about doing this show
on YouTube?' As far as my favorites go I've got two. First of all, having really, really
nice viewers who ask kind questions and leave kind comments. My other favorite thing about
it is the fact that I get to explore this kind of creative medium. Before this YouTube
show I hadn't done a ton of video stuff and now this part of my job. So that's awesome.
As far as my least favorite aspect of it goes, for me, it is scary to put my face and my
voice and my thoughts and my humor out on the internet for sometimes not so nice YouTube
commenters to pick apart. The potential downside of being on YouTube can also be an upside
because it can thicken your skin and critiques when they are constructive can be good because
you learn from them. @Vegangirly asks, 'Would you ever actually have your mom in a video?'
Yeah. I think she wants to be in a video. And I think my dad wants to be in a video.
I think my father is a little jealous that he is not more prominent in my videos but
it is nothing against my dad at all. He's a rad dude. @Diana Rojas asks, 'What were
your past relationships like? Do you have any advice on how to keep a good relationship
with somebody?' One way to develop positive and healthy relationships is to treat those
past relationships like learning experiences, when you walk away don't just walk away and
never look back, actually take some time to think about okay what wasn't working, what
was compelling me to stay in a relationship that might not have been the best thing for
me. In my current relationship I really try to put the past learnings into practice. For
instance communication to me is like the underlying foundation of a positive relationship. You
have to be able to have conversations both comfortable and fun and uncomfortable and
not fun. For me communication is one of the hardest things because it's vulnerability.
I think that communication number one and also establishing boundaries for yourself.
If I could tell my younger dating self anything it probably would have been to chill out.
Don't worry about being single. Because being single is radical in many ways. @Jezua aks,
'What's your background or what do you do? I smell some sciency background since I'm
a scientist myself.' I was a journalism major, I've always wanted to be a writer. I got my
job at HowStuffWorks as I mentioned as a staffwriter. That's really what fed all of the sciency
background that you see. I mean I've always been curious about science, current events,
history. Working at HowStuffWorks really tied all of that together because as a staffwriter
and then turning into a podcaster and now writer/podcaster/vlogger it allows me to be
creative with research. I do love the research process and finding out new information and
answering the whys of what we do and how things came to be as they are. I think that anybody
can be amateur scientist if you have curiosity and enjoy reading academic journals as I do
and can get down on some study methodology. Akasha Lavendar asks, 'Have you ever questioned
your sexuality?' The answer is no. I've always been mildly obsessed with boys. I do love
women and I understand how a woman would love another woman and how a man would love another
man. I think there's a lot more room these days for younger people especially to actually
think about whether or not they are in that heteronormative box and that's great. It's
so good that the sexual spectrum is more of a public conversation than being something
private and closeted. @Yomarcelojeje asks, 'Can I secretly be in love with you?' Yes
you can as long as you keep it a secret and don't cyberstalk me. @Steven Smith asks, 'What's
your favorite marijuana growing technique?' HowStuffWorks has a video series called Stuff
From the Future in which I talk about the future of marijuana and legalization so, you
know what maybe that would be something that you might be interested in watching. @Sara
Trejo asks, 'Is Professor Boyfriend always right?' No. And if he were here, I'd still
say no. Toni Matsuo asks, 'What is better this summer, bikini or one piece?' What's
best for a lady is what she feels most fabulous in. If you want to wear a bikini, go ahead.
If you want to wear a one piece, go ahead. But I do say if you're going to wear a one
piece don't do it because you're ashamed of your body, love your bodies ladies. Seriously
though one podcast listener posted this thing on her Facebook page that really made me happy.
If you have a body and you're in a bikini, you have a bikini body. @Ashley Bolling asks,
'So just wondering if Caroline will be joining in on more videos? I very much enjoy yours,
but the dynamic with you and Caroline is so great.' Caroline will be on more videos. For
people who are not acquainted with the audio podcast, I have an amazing co-host Caroline.
She's a busy lady and I'm a busy lady and we have to come across town to make it happen
and-- It will happen. I'm glad you asked because Caroline is awesome. @RequiemJayde asks, 'What
is your favorite book? All the cool kids like to read.' Favorites questions are always challenging.
Someone asks me, 'What's your favorite fill in the blank?' and it triggers like some neurons
to shut down in my favorites center. My most recent favorite book is 'Wild', a memoir by
Cheryl Strayed, that's S-T-R-A-Y-E-D. It's about her hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.
A good summer read if you are into that. The first book that I read that really made an
impression on me in terms of wanting to be able to do something amazing with words was
in I don't know, ninth or tenth grade, I read, 'A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius'
by David Eggers and I wanted to cry I loved it so much. Those are some questions and some
answers, I hope this was enjoyable. Really, y'all wanted to know a lot about ye olde tattoo.
Hmm. For the next episode of Ask Cristen why don't we make it themed on love, breakups,
relationships, meeting people, talking to women and talking to guys, anything at all
romance or heartbreak or modern dating related, leave it in the comments. And if you have
a suggestion for a good conversation them for upcoming Ask Cristens also leave it in
the comments. I'll always take random questions as well but just to give you a prompt. It's
a heart. And a symbol of my love for you. Oh and subscribe.