Erin Wasson

The older I get, I'm definitely getting pulled towards the West Coast, because it's a different quality of life. New York is great when you're in your early 20s and you're running around and it's really fun, but it's a place for me to get things done.

The best way to get a sense of what kinds of emergencies might present themselves in your community is by contacting local chapters of the American Red Cross or offices of emergency management in the region or state. Most large cities will have their own offices of emergency management.

I am often asked the question: 'What is your favorite type of food?' Although I always answer Japanese, the real response should be and is pierogi, the delectable Polish dumplings that my mother, Big Martha, made so well in many incarnations: potato, sweet cabbage, blueberry, peach, plum, and apricot.