Happy Single:
Angie Ford
Zodiac Sign - Leo
Where were you born?
I was born and raised in Panama City, Panama, and came to the USA on a full
basketball scholarship. I played for and graduated from Xavier University of
Louisiana.
I know that you
travel a lot for you job. What do you do
for a living? I am a Sr. Program Manager. I started my career as a Software
Engineer and now I am in management. I
have been at my company for 25 years and my job allows me to travel and live
abroad. I have worked or lived in Chile, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Dominican
Republic, India, Thailand, and Japan.
That’s impressive.
How are you able to work in so many countries? I speak several languages - Spanish, English
and Portuguese – which allow me to get project assignments in many different
regions of the world. And, I am willing to travel. I enjoy seeing different
places.
Your favorite country and why? Chile, because I have made great
friends there and the work was a big milestone for me. I was able to meet
important political people and I had an opportunity to visit many of the
natural and beautiful places in this country.
I visited the Patagonia Region, saw and climbed the glaciers and had an
experience of a lifetime. I describe my
experiences in my photo journal website listed below. After you read it, you will see exactly why I
LOVE Chile.
You are also an
artist. Yes, I am also the owner of
Foto Magia Photography, LLC Studios, an in home photography studio. I developed a passion for photography while
in college, and I worked for my college yearbook. My travels allow me to capture some great
photos too, which I love sharing with family and friends. Taking pictures lets
them feel my experiences and lets them see the blessings that my eyes have been able to see. I also
document my travels in short journals, which I post on websites along with the
photos. For example:
http:\\lapatagonia2012.shutterfly.com
What a wonderful hobby! I have seen some of your work and you are extremely gifted. Do you have other hobbies? I like to cycle, cook, play basketball and salsa dancing. I love being outdoors and enjoying nature.
Angie, you are a wonderful combination of
beauty and brains. If I asked 10 friends
to describe you, what would they say and why? My friends would say that I am extremely
giving because I am always thinking about the next person. I got that from my
mom. She was always thinking about and helping the neighbors. She always made
sure that everybody had food and what they needed. My friends have
nicknamed me the “philanthropist” J.
I know we all desire
a healthy relationship but what has being single taught you about yourself and about
love? I have learned that I need to
be open and ready for anything to allow my destiny to fulfill itself. It has
also taught me to be patient with myself and others . I have learned that love should be easy and
not forced. When love is to be, it will just flow. Just like dancing with the right partner, no
toes are stepped on and you just glide with the music and in synch. Although,
you won't always agree while in love, you will know when to concede.
You mentioned
destiny. What’s your destiny? My destiny
is to make sure that I see the world, to see everything that is natural and
beautiful. Seeing the 7 Wonders of the World is on my bucket list – I have 3 down, and I have 4 more go.
What do you love
about being in relationship? I love having that sounding board to bounce
things off of and I love sharing my experiences. I love sharing my family
because I have an awesome family who loves me. I also love having my own family
unit because family is everything for me.
I love kids and have gravitated towards people with children. I love the holidays and being in a
relationship during the holidays for me is the best feeling.
What do you find
difficult? My traveling for work has made it difficult to be in a
relationship. It is hard to find someone
willing to support my extended absences. My travel schedule is not fixed and I
have to be flexible and available to hit the road at any moment when duty calls
because all of my projects are abroad. Therefore, I need someone who can
understand that and willing to accompany me whenever possible. Seeing the world with a "special
one" would be great too because there is a lot out there to see. But, it requires that I have a solid
relationship that is built on trust for it to work.
I understand. I
travel weekly for work too. Many women say that they can handle the traveling,
but about month 3 or 4 it gets hard. What type of women do you feel may best
handle the demands of your job and your travel schedule? I am looking for someone confident in who they
are and what they want in a partnership.
Someone that is able and willing to communicate even when things are
difficult. A woman, who is open-minded,
likes or wants to travel, family oriented, and loves the holidays. I want her
to be loving and committed for the long run.
How are you or how
have you prepared yourself emotionally, spiritually and physically for a
partner? I have taken the time to analyze previous relationships and why
they have ended, what worked and what didn’t.
I have also learned what I really want from a relationship and I have
learned to compromise. I have become a
lot more patient with myself and others. After my last partnership ended, I
decided to go to counseling to better understand me. I also turned to God for guidance and read
“Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren. I started reading a lot more from Joel
Osteen and establishing a strong connection with God. A connection that has lead me daily and has
allowed me to take one day at a time living in peace knowing that He has my
back.
Over the years, how
has dating changed for our community? With the introduction of social media
and the internet, dating has become a game.
You can say it has its advantages and disadvantages because you can
easily connect with a wide range of people in a matter of seconds (by creating
a profile on a dating service) versus having to go somewhere physically to meet
people. You can have conversations to discover each other, which is great. But, at the same time, it can deceitful
because people are not honest with the information they post.
So what’s your advice
about dating via the internet? You just have to be mindful and careful
while
What are your deal
breakers? Infidelity is my deal breaker.
I don’t understand the reason why people are unfaithful. If you are no longer interested in the
relationship, you should be able to communicate about it and make decisions to
part. Don’t part emotionally prior to
doing it physically because being unfaithful leaves others with so many
questions. Questions that most likely are never really answered, and that is
not fair. I can openly say that I have
never been unfaithful to anyone. I know
when to say it is not working for me anymore, and then work out a transition
regardless of how difficult it may be for both.
Treating someone who I claim to love and respect is a must until the
end.
What did you have to
“give up” to be in relationship? Some friendships, because they weren't
understanding that my priorities had changed, and that I was evolving and
forming a family unit. When children are involved, my time is very limited,
especially, with my travel schedule.
When I was home, it was all about my partner and my family, and all the
hanging out took a back seat. Eventually, those folks recognized what I was
doing and we were able to reconnect.
But, in a different way, which is good too!
What do you believe
you have to give up or be willing to compromise to be in a relationship now? I would have to give up always being the
“decision-maker” and allow the other person to take the lead. This is something that I am well aware of and
willing to do.
How important is
spirituality? Spirituality is the foundation of a great relationship.
Having a relationship with God is very important to me. It is not about denomination, but about
believing in a higher being. I grew up
Catholic and my mother is a die-hard Catholic, as well as my sisters. I have opted for a Christian church with a
strong bible base. I also love Joel
Osteen and would love to visit his church in Houston (that is on my bucket
list). I start my day reading Joel's daily prayer and my daily devotional
"Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young.
This sets the tone for my day.
You do a lot for the
community work. How did you start Screen on the Green and how did you get
involved with DOWAP? I try to be in tuned with my community, no matter
where I live. I strongly believe in
giving back because someone gave to me for me to get to where I am today. Therefore, I created DOWAP (Dining Out With A Purpose), a dining club
that meets bi-monthly. We dine together and the restaurant gives 20% of what is
spent to the charity organization assigned for that month. Thus far, every event has been successful and
we continue to grow. We have a Facebook
page, T-Shirts and a solid following. I
would like to see this grow into a national initiative because it is an
effortless way to give back to the community.
We already go out to eat, so why not do it with a purpose?
Also on my 40th
birthday I decided to give back to my family and friends by having a movie
under the stars in the backyard. It was
such a fun event that I have continued to do it every Spring for the past six
years. All you have to do is bring a
lawn chair, snack and something to drink.
I also try to promote independent films during the Screen On The Green
season. It is also a great way for us to
stay connected, as friends and family.
What do you most
admire about yourself and why? I admire my quick thinking ability because
it keeps me going to the next challenge, and I love a challenge. I am very expressive and have no problems
showing my emotions. I love that about myself because you know exactly what you
get with me. I love my smile because I know it is contagious and there’s
nothing better than making someone else smile with you. I also love the fact
that I am a good teacher. I love sharing information with others and providing
training (part of my professional responsibilities) because the moment you can
clearly see that the knowledge transfer is working is very fulfilling.
What words best
describes you and why? “Thoughtful” is the one word that I think describes
me. I always thinking about someone else
and how to support or help them. I get
that from my parents. They were both
always taking care of other people and supporting them. Another word would be
“Smart”. I think outside the box and I am a problem solver by nature. I thank my Mom for helping me develop my
analytical skills by buying me a set of Legos when they first came out. I would spend hours building things,
measuring, connecting wires (getting shocked too) to come up with a
creation.
Angie Ford (Interview conducted by SharRon Jamison)
Thank you for sharing your happiness with us at Create Love for Women Who Love Women! We wish you continued to success in your journey to Create Love.
Imani Evans and SharRon Jamison ~ Create Love Founders
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