Guilty Pleasure My husband’s holiday party mix

Vita 61; born in Providence, R.I.; bachelor’s and law degrees from Wake Forest University; married with two children, two grandchildren and a basset hound.

What she’d be if not a lawyer Probably a librarian, because I love to read.

Best advice received One of the senior partners at the firm once told me that the most important time you invest in a case is the time you spend staring out the window. He explained that you have to let your mind wander all over the facts and the law that applies to those facts in order to really analyze the various paths a case might take before deciding upon a strategy. I have found that “staring out the window” is useful not only in analyzing client issues, but also addressing life’s everyday challenges.

Favorite place Bald Head Island, because of its diverse ecosystem — beach, marsh and maritime forest all in one place. It is beautiful and relaxing with plenty of opportunities for biking, walking, swimming and just enjoying the outdoors.

Recent reading A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles. It might become one of my favorite books. It has an interesting plot and very witty observations of human nature.

Passions Cooking — I love to try new recipes, and I enjoy “reading” cookbooks to get new ideas. I am a huge fan of The New York Times cooking blog.

Don’t ask her to Give up and admit that a problem has no solution. There is a solution for every problem; some just take more time than others to figure out.