This is the 8th installment of the regular feature on NP_BOS blog called November Project People (NPP). NP members interview other NP members, and we all get to know each other a bit better. #community
Interview of Diane Kaplan Broomell, by Abi Moldover.
I first met Diane shortly after I joined November Project, so about two and a half years ago. She was the first person I saw receive the Positivity Award.
I think she got it right before the Monday workout where we took over the BU bridge.
And I was just kind of like “I don’t know entirely what this oar handle is about, but she must be pretty awesome to get such a cool honor.” I officially met her at stadium the next week and said something super nerdy like “oh, you’re the one who got the PA last week” expecting her to be all excited and maybe even a little conceited like “yeah, I did, I’m awesome.” But she’s Diane, so that’s not what she did. Instead she was like “oh, yeah, I guess I did get that…”
Not because she didn’t care, but because Diane is awesome, and not because she cares what other people think of her.
We’ve hung out in groups a couple times since then (including sharing a yummy calzone at Sarah D’s pizza birthday party a could years ago), but then her life got crazy so she stopped showing up to NP as much.
But, because of Facebook, I knew she had a lot of exciting things happening like falling in love and moving to the suburbs and getting married and becoming a step-mom (omg, did you see her wedding photos? They’re unreal!)
Sooo, when we were asked to interview people who we didn’t really know that well, I saw it as an opportunity to reach out and see what exactly Diane has been up to in the past year or so. We went to dinner at Mead Hall, and spent some time answering the interview questions and some time just enjoying the yummy food and chatting about life in general, and then she insisted on paying for me since I had driven all the way to Cambridge (not really a hardship, I like Cambridge and I like yummy food).
Why do you come to November Project?
When I come, I think primarily for the workouts, but it’s so nice socially because I’m naturally kind of introverted and not great at coming out of my shell and it kind of forces some of that, and you end up in these, you know, conversations and meeting people who you probably wouldn’t otherwise, and it feels nice to connect that way.
Can you please tell me a little bit of your story from being born to when you started NP? What has shaped you?
Wow. That’s a large question. It’s hard to know how deep to get with that stuff. I have always loved being outside, and I have always loved moving around, and I have always been sort of a morning person. I think a lot of times I’m too much in my head and I overthink and I overworry, so when I’m doing something physical there’s no, like, that’s all there is, and that feels nice. Before I started November Project I’d been working out a lot and I’d actually gotten very fit and lean and I was looking for something harder because I actually got to a place where running felt very easy (it does not anymore), but I kept hearing raves from Josh Wilson and finally joined him one morning and it was just awesome and from there I just kept coming.
Can you talk more about who you are as a person? Where are you from? What’s your family like? Where do you work?
I’m local. For work I’m a software engineer. For fun I used to be way into swing dancing. I love music. Actually, November Project was the end of my dancing because waking up early means hitting a wall at night, but it’s totally fine, although now being in Arlington with a family it’s harder to schedule things. I think as a person I’m pretty domestic. I usually like small groups of friends and family.
How is your life most different since starting NP?
It’s hard to separate…I started November Project after moving to Cambridge and I think one kind of helped the other, like being so centrally located and then learning so many places from Monday workouts, my life, like I was walking everywhere, and exploring more, like taking a day and just wandering, where I never did that in Brighton because you needed a car- I mean, I guess you don’t, but there’s more to see- it definitely got me more into running, I never really liked running, I liked weight lifting.
When do people see you most at NP?
I think Mondays are my favorite, but Wednesday works with my schedule the easiest now.
5:30 or 6:30?
Oh, 6:30!
What always makes you laugh – or what makes you laugh the hardest?
In general? I mean, it won’t make any sense, but lately the kid does this thing intentionally cracking their voice like (demonsrates), every time, just every time I’m on the floor, but I think it’s their delivery. I don’t know, people in animal costumes.
What’s something you’re really proud of?
I did a lot of night classes and I switched careers. It was daunting but I did it and now I’m happy.
WE’RE GLAD YOU’RE HERE DIANE, (AND ABI TOO!)
announcements
The workout on Monday 2/10: And every monday in Feb. we’ll be holding #DestinationDeck workouts on the Esplanade. 2/10 at 6:29am meet right HERE.
February WOahMAN in the Winter Series: Feb 14th at 5am. Read more about WOahMAN right HERE.
Brooks #RunHappy Team: NP has a cool cool partnership with Brooks and they are accepting applications for this crew of humans who want to be on the Brooks Run Happy Team. This team is focused on connecting with local passionate runners around the USA who motivate the people around them to run and can show how Brooks products play a role in their running lives! Fill out an application HERE and do it asap…as in today, and no later than Friday, Feb 7th.
BUFFS! The buffs are in and if you ordered any, please come to a workout to get yours. Joev is literally wearing a backpack of buffs while doing his stadium workouts…until they all get picked up. Help him. Come get your buffs!
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