Kimberlee K.

After watching this video on GQ’s YouTube channel, which asks famous personalities to list “10 things they can’t live without”, my sister and I decided to sit down and figure out what our 10 would be.

To let the conversation flow, I hit record on my phone and we just talked freely—which, listening back, was both the greatest and worst decision I ever made. It’s hard listening to your own voice. So hard at times that you are forced to wonder, people listen to me on a daily basis? But it was also hilarious to hear us go from on topic, to sitting in complete silence, to discussing something completely random, to getting back on track seamlessly. I think we’re practically podcasters now.

Before I get into the answers we came up with, Natalee wanted me to include the following disclaimer: “If it was appropriate, my dog would be #1-10.”

Shout out to Laycee, who made her debut as a writer in this post.

Now, onto the answers.

*recording starts with me making a passionate statement about why I can’t delete a particular app on my iPhone* 

“Yeah,” Natalee says right before both of us start eating chips, making the recording sound like an accidental dive into ASMR.  

“Okay,” I say, “what do you think your essentials would be?”

10 Things Natalee Can’t Live Without

1) Salt & vinegar chips

They’re just the perfect snack. You can overeat them but you won’t hate yourself unless you burn your mouth, and you can find them in other countries. For example, it was my snack of choice and I ate it for many meals when we were in Europe.

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2) My planner

This is for two reasons: 1) I would never remember anything because there are way too many things in my brain all the time, and 2) There is nothing better than crossing something off when you’ve done it.

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3) Glasses/Sunglasses

I mean, I’m a blind bitch without them.

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4) An extra large crewneck sweatshirt.

Simple answer. You gotta have something that lets you live in it.

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5) Gum

One minty flavor and one fruity flavor for—depending on what you need at the moment. Is it fresh breath or pretending you’re not starving?

6) Chapstick

I put that shit on all day, every day.

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7) Chipotle (with Cholula)

How can I even explain this bond? I just…no one feels the way I feel about Chipotle, and almost nothing can’t be made better by Cholula. So when they come together it’s hard to have a bad day.

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8) White Converse

Me: You have those slip-on kind, I’ve never seen anyone else wear those.

Natalee: (smugly) I’m different.

Me: (singing) I’m different, yeah, I’m different.

Natalee: Let’s talk about my shoe journey, though. It started with white shoes, the color changing ones that turned baby blue in the sun—wow, the sun could be one of my essentials.

Me: The sun is everyone’s essential, it keeps all of us alive.

Natalee: Not more than me…but anyway back to the shoe journey. After those shoes I wore Vans slip-ons that Ad drew on. (Check out our friend Ad Allegretti’s art) and then I got to high school, found white converse and never went back.

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9) A scrunchie

You need your hair out of your face 99% of the time, and there’s no better way to do it than looking like Cher from Clueless.

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10) Coffee

It’s the Lord’s drink. He gave it to us, so we can survive our time on Earth before we join Him in Heaven.

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10 Things I Can’t Live Without

1) My Hydroflask

Me: I’m trying to think if there’s a snack for me. The only thing I can think of is…water.

Natalee: Yeah, one of yours would be your Hydroflask.

Me: (and this killed me to listen back to) Yeah, cuz like it’s like literally on my hip all the time.

Me while editing: We get it, Kim. You’re from the valley.

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2) My notebook (with a good pen)

This is where I take down all my notes, ideas, lyrics I like, things I want to try, or basically anything I want to remember.

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3) Headphones

Me: (being minorly dramatic) I honestly don’t think I’d survive the workday, a workout, or any kind of traveling without headphones.

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4) A jacket

Me: I mean, I guess I could technically say this jacket (which was a maroon zip up hoodie that I wear almost everyday at work) but it would really just be a jacket of any kind.

Natalee: Yeah, mine is specifically a giant sweatshirt.

Me: Mine is whatever I can find, even if it’s not mine.

Me while editing: Wow, fellow jacket owners beware.

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5) Google

Me: (laughs with a little bit of shame) I mean…I need to know stuff.

Natalee: I can’t even address how many windows you have open all the time.

Me: Yeah, I looked today and even I was a little bit alarmed.

Natalee: There are too many. There is such thing as too many.

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6) My rings

Unless I am at work, I am always wearing two rings. One on my left middle finger with my birthstone that my mom gave me, and one on my right ring finger that used to belong to my Aunt Evelyn (who I wrote about here.)

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7) My necklace

Me: Does this count though? I hardly ever take it off so it’s not like I’m choosing to wear it.

Natalee: Well you choose not to take it off.

Me: True…

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8) Oil wipes

Low key embarrassing but true.

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9) “Mary Poppins” purse

I make it a habit to always fill my purse with things that could help out anyone in (almost) any situation. Thus, I’m always packing hand lotion, Chapstick, Advil, a first aid kid, etc.

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10) Flavor of the month

Me: (at the beginning of this whole conversation) Do I have a go-to snack?

Me: (10 minutes in) What is a snack that I can’t live without?!

Me: (20 minutes in) Oh my gosh, I don’t have a go-to snack. What is my go-to snack? This is a part of my identity that I need to know.

Natalee: I feel like you’re a snack cycler.

Me: (floored by this) Oh my gosh, I-I go through snack phases.

*Natalee lists four of my recent snack phases*

Me: Yeah, wow, yeah.

Natalee: Honestly, this part of you could be a whole other blog post.

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So, there you have it.

If you ever wanted to know me and my sister on a survival level, this is us.

I encourage you to think about what your 10 would be. It’s actually harder than you might think.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to find my new snack phase.