Name: Jill …and various nicknames including (in my family) Iowa Jill :)
Age: 24
Where I live: Des Plaines, IL — NW of Chicago
Where I call “home”: a tiny town in southern IL. I think Iowa City will always feel like home to me too.
Why I blog: ”It is a great way to stay in touch with my fellow nerdgirls.” Ditto, Jen.
What part of BEDA I’m most excited about: Hearing from my nerdgirls so frequently. Sometimes we all get busy and don’t blog for awhile – except Jen, who’s fabulous at blogging a lot – so I’m excited to get to stay in touch and find out what they’re all up to when I don’t get to see them so often.
Why I’m doing BEDA: ”Because Lindsay is making me 
” Haha, ditto that too. Lindsay, this is a great idea! I’m loving it so far!
How I first discovered Maureen Johnson/BEDA: Lindsay “introduced” me and said her books were fabulous. Then I started following MJ on twitter. Then she agreed to Skype with my library. woo!
Something other BEDA people might not know about me: One of my favorite things about living where I live is that I’m so close to O’Hare Airport. I love seeing the planes coming in close for a landing or getting higher after take off. It’s exciting. :)
Another blog I follow: jobonga!!!
A writer (of any kind) who inspires me: 
I’m very sorry to go with the obvious, but I’m picking Meg Cabot. Reading PD #9 (Princess Mia) especially was therapeutic and inspirational. And Allie Finkle #3 (Best Friends & Drama Queens) was therapeutic and inspirational for the 11-year-old in me who remembers the crappy friends I used to have.
A YouTube channel I love: I don’t spend too much time on YouTube. I’m not a big fan of watching videos on my computer. BUT if I am watching a video on YouTube, it’s probably by the vlogbrothers.
A favorite quote: “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; That is where they should be. Now put foundations under them.” – Henry David Thoreau, Walden
I totally like watching planes take off and come in too!
That is awesome that you are so close to the airplanes. I hope that you are close enough to see them, but not close enough to hear them.
Just finished Allie Finkle #3 today. It was a great read.
@Jen – I am close enough to hear them, but I typically don’t mind. Unless my balcony door is open and I’m trying to watch a Buffy episode. Then I get slightly annoyed and turn up the volume.
@Diana – I’m glad you liked it! Allie Finkle #4 was really good too. I don’t remember what that one was, but I think I liked it just as much as #3.
#4 is Stage Fright, about the play Allie’s class is putting on. I love all the kids in the book. Rosemary cracks me up.