1. A few months before starting this blog we had never painted brick, ripped up a carpet, upholstered a chair, made a headboard, caulked anything, changed out hardware, or completed many of the other projects we’ve since learned and shared on our How To page. We really are believers in learning as you go — most of our early tutorials came from first attempts, mistakes included. That perspective has shaped how we approach every new project: with curiosity, trial and error, and a willingness to share the process so others can learn from it too.
2. Our license plate says “Burgrr” (custom plates were only $10 where we live, so we couldn’t resist). It’s a small, playful bit of personality that always gets a laugh and sometimes starts conversations with strangers who appreciate the whimsy.
3. John’s middle name is Freeman in honor of his grandfather (his first name honors his other grandfather, who was also named John). Family names mean a lot to us — they’re little reminders of the people who helped shape who we are.
4. My first name is actually not Sherry, it’s Sherry-Beth. My mom thought it flowed nicely, like Elizabeth, but growing up the double name felt out of step with my peers. I started going by Sherry early on to avoid the awkwardness and the country-bumpkin comparisons, and it stuck.
5. The irony of my good ol’ girl name is that my mom’s side of the family is extremely Italian. My mother is Diana Teresa DeCesare LaPadula, and I have relatives with classic Italian names — Uncle Vito, Grandpa Carmen, Cousin Dominick. So the Southern-sounding Sherry-Beth was out of left field. My siblings and cousins, meanwhile, have very typical names: Daniel, David, Adam, Tim, and Jennifer.
6. John kissed me first — a fact that surprises many people who know us because he’s generally the shy one while I tend to be louder and more outgoing. For us, that first kiss is a sweet, private memory that marked the start of everything that followed.
7. John used to do improv comedy in college and in NYC after he graduated, but he stepped away from that life when he realized he preferred a normal sleep schedule and daytime work. Many people he performed with have gone on to wider recognition — he once knew a colleague from 30 Rock and a performer who later appeared on SNL — but for John, the choice to move into advertising led him to different opportunities, and that’s where we met.
8. I had a tumor in my airway (between my nose and my throat) in middle school. It was a scary time, and the jokes (“it’s not a tumor”) were inevitable. Fortunately, it was benign and two surgeries later I was fine. I also had teeth that developed toward the back of my throat and had to be gradually pulled forward through braces and wire adjustments — a long, uncomfortable process that ultimately gave me a normal smile worth the effort. I still joke with my mom about what she ate while pregnant that might explain all this, but she hasn’t given me an answer.
9. John doesn’t drink. Not a drop. He never has, and people at work quickly discovered that after a few happy hours together. He was always the life of the party without ever needing alcohol — never “that drunk guy” who needs a cab at the end of the night. His steady temperament and self-control were part of what drew me to him and remain qualities I admire. Update: We’re not Mormons — a surprisingly common rumor about us — which we’ve addressed elsewhere on the blog.
10. John and I tried out for The Amazing Race back when we were just friends on the verge of dating. Our pitch was that the trip would either make or break a possible relationship. We didn’t get a callback, which in hindsight was probably for the best: my terrible sense of direction and outspoken nature might have made us a weak team. Still, John would likely do very well on the show with the right partner — he’s great at reading maps, has a solid sense of direction, and can run when he needs to.
That was a fun little Friday detour into some of our lesser-known facts. Now we’d love to hear from you: what surprising or strange facts do you have that might blow us away? Did any of our revelations stand out to you — number 1, number 9, or number 10? Share your stories; we enjoy learning the quirky things that make our readers who they are.