Before you meet Mary Raymond, we ask that you first watch this short and SFWeet video as a primer. Come on – we’ll even watch it with you.
OK, thanks. Or, wait a minute, maybe it should be you thanking us! Isn’t your day just a little bit better now? Well, that’s basically what we experience here at the BuzzFarmers office every time Mary walks through the door. Like that classic scene’s trilling birds and woodland creatures, co-workers happily converge on her, wanting to be closer, craving her attention. When she opens her mouth, it’s almost as if no words come out, but rather “A Smile and a Song.” And, much like Snow White, Mary is a brunette who sometimes wears dresses.
Mary is also a master organizer, communicator, and networker, which makes her the ideal business and office manager. She hopscotches around social media with childlike – one might call it infectious – enthusiasm, while keeping everyone entertained and on task. Somehow, she also lends a hand with content and SEO. How BuzzFarmers actually accomplished stuff prior to her association with the company is anyone’s guess.
Put simply, she’s the ideal employee. Indeed, the only thing we worry about with Mary is whether she’ll leave us in 2016 to run for president, but we respect her wishes to keep mum on the subject. This is just speculation, but if she does run, she’ll win, and Air Force One, along with other forms of presidential transportation, will likely be replaced by a fleet of giraffes wearing saddles. Why? Because Mary has loved giraffes since her infancy, that’s why.
Currently, Mary resides in Western Massachusetts and makes a treacherous commute to the Hope Artiste Village, but we’re holding out hope that she’ll relocate to Rhode Island in the near future. The Providence area and its extraordinary cuisine would be a perfect match for her, because one thing you must know about Mary is that she’s a gourmand of the highest order. To hear her wax poetically about food trucks and personal recipes is what it must have been like to gather at the feet of Rumi and listen to him tenderly recite the Masnavi in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
One time, we told her she should consider moonlighting as a restaurant critic, and, after gazing wistfully into the distance, her eyes refocused, and she replied that she could never sully her pure love of eating with the stain of commerce.
Earlier this week, we sat down with Mary to ask her some questions over an aperitif while we waited on our reindeer sweetbreads, truffled fugu, and casu marzu at a hot new gastropub that was waiting to open until after Mary had the chance to approve its menu.
BuzzFarmers: It smells so delicious in here. Intoxicating.
Mary Raymond: I agree – divine.
BF: Where are you from, Mary?
MR: I grew up in a small town called Palmer in Western Massachusetts. Or, for people who know the Mass Pike, Exit 8.
BF: What were you like as a child?
MR: Every mother’s dream! [laughs] I loved to be the center of attention. Always dancing, singing, and trying to help my mom take care of my brother and sister.
BF: Who are your heroes?
MR: I don’t have a specific hero, but anyone who has gone through extreme hardships and has come out on top has the utmost respect from me.
BF: Please don’t dodge the questions. Can you describe your work experience?
MR: Besides ice cream scooper extraordinaire? I spent several years as the case manager for a group home and for the past few years I’ve played customer service manager.
BF: Why did you want to work at BuzzFarmers?
MR: You seemed like a company who knows how to have fun and get the job done at the same time. I admire how far you’ve come and what you continue to do every day.
BF: Aw, thanks, Mary. What are your goals here?
MR: I want to make everything easier for everyone in the BuzzFarmers office. Let me take care of the paperwork while you take care of awesome content and SEO action.
BF: What are your hobbies?
MR: I enjoy preparing meals and coming up with new recipes. You can also find me playing online RPGs from time to time.
BF: What’s your favorite TV show and why?
MR: Right now, I’m really into The Walking Dead. Such a crazy show and gets my blood pumping. I also really enjoy Bizarre Foods – makes me hungry every time, and I really love learning about all of the different cultures.
BF: Tell me a quick story that encapsulates what kind of person you are.
MR: We would be here all day if I told a story. I love to talk to people and share embarrassing things about myself. I’m a lover of people and enjoy putting smiles on the faces of those whom I care about.
BF: Favorite dish you’ve ever had at a restaurant?
MF: This dish brings me to tears. Every. Single. Time. The Scallop and Tomato Tart Tatin at Judie’s in Amherst. To describe this dish, I will quote what’s on their menu, because just thinking about it has left me dumbfounded: “Pan-seared Sea Scallops served with an individual Tomato Tart Tatin where the baked half tomatoes create a delicious caramel that becomes a topping when it’s inverted on puff pastry, sprinkled with goat cheese, drizzled with basil vinaigrette and reduced aged balsamic.” In other words, perfection.
BF: Wow. You really are crying. Would you like a tissue?
MR: No, thanks.
BF: OK. Are you a mountain person or water person?
MR: I love the water! Now, don’t get me wrong, the mountains are nice, too, but there is just something about the water that brings such a beautiful calm over me. It’s truly where I feel my best.
BF: What’s your favorite feature of yourself?
MR: Well, if you’re talking about a physical feature, then I like my smile. Personality wise, my ability to make people laugh and feel comfortable.
BF: How tall are you?
MR: I’m about 5’8. My doctor told me in high school that I was 5’10, but I’ve shrunk since then.
BF: Very sorry to hear that. Who do you like better, Pat or Amanda?
MR: I like them both equally. OK, maybe Amanda a teeny bit more. [laughs] They’re both amazing people and have wonderful life stories and live passionately. I truly look up to them and their accomplishments.
BF: What is your favorite form of transportation?
MR: Nothing like a moped on Block Island with your best friend.
BF: Not giraffes? I told them giraffes.
MR: OK, giraffes, too.
WELCOME, MARY!
In all seriousness, Mary has been a fantastic addition to our little team and without her, our days wouldn’t be as bright!
