The Hot Seat with Beth Julian

Meet Curtis and Beth Julian, my neighbors. Check out Beth on the HOT SEAT this week! 1. What's a girl like you from Kingston, TN doing in North Augusta?

My first visit to the Augusta Area was with my parents in 1985 to visit someone in then-called “Humana” hospital. My first impression of the Augusta area was not favorable. Who would have guessed that five years later I would be marrying someone from my hometown and moving to the area where he had moved after college—North Augusta.

First impressions can be deceiving! I love North Augusta, would not ever want to move away. This is home!

2. I hear you drive a "hooptie". What exactly is a hooptie?

Hooptie (n.) - a car that gets you to and from work. It is not your family car but just a car that you can abuse and neglect. Hoopties are usually cars that were nice when new. A hooptie can still be a nice car but it is not your prized car.

A month ago I complained constantly about our van, our now hooptie, and couldn’t wait to replace it with a new car; however, since purchasing our new Yukon XL, our 2000 Ford Windstar is now the Julian’s beloved “hooptie.” Our Yukon stays parked because…well I’m not sure exactly why. But a month ago I couldn’t wait to get a new car to replace our falling apart, paid-for van. But I now drive the hooptie with a smile on my face knowing that I have a Yukon XL at home that is not paid for, taking up a lot of space in our garage, and too clean to allow the kids to even walk near. Weird isn’t it!!!

3. What does the phrase "it takes a village" mean to you?

I am proud to call myself a “village people.” The phrase “it takes a village” is spoken often in my neighborHOOD. This phrase means that I couldn’t survive without my neighbors and friends. I couldn’t cook, feed my family, do my taxes, pressurewash my house, transport my children everywhere, feed my dogs while on vacation, get to all the practices and appointments, get minute-to-minute information about current North Augusta events, feel loved, feel safe, or even have fun without my “village.”

I told someone the other day that you know you live in a great neighborhood if you can quickly name 6 neighbors who would be happy to give you a can of Cream of Chicken soup or a bottle of ketchup from their kitchen at a moment’s notice and not expect to be paid for it or it to be replaced. I love my “village.”

4. Tell me about your journey team.

Our J-Team gets it! We do life together. We are an awesome, diverse group who truly love each other. We are a family….not perfect…just a family. I know my J-Team members will be there for me for life. We are like a “well-oiled” machine that works and works well. I look forward to our Sunday meetings. It feels like home wherever we meet.

5. Do you consider yourself a Martha or a Mary?

Hello, my name is Beth Julian, and, yes, I am a “Martha.” I didn’t believe that I was a Martha, but since being told this over and over for the past two years, I’ve had to admit to myself that I must be a Martha. One way that I stay sane is by having the phone numbers of the true “Marys” in my life on speed dial. I couldn’t be a Martha without my Marys.