Email: carol.robidoux@patch.com
Phone: 603-903-4958 Hometown: Levittown, Pa. Birthday: Nov. 27 Bio: Seasoned journalist, eternal optimist, professional skeptic, hopeless romantic, Sagittarius. Mother of four. Wife of a great guy named Jim. Pet lover. Chronic gardener-savant. Secret shame: I look forward to Friday night dance parties in my living room, heavy on the funk and 70s disco; and I truly like teenagers. Wholeheartedly believe that great journalism begins with great storytelling.  After a delayed reaction to career journalism during which I got married and had a few kids, I spent a dozen years at the Bucks County Courier Times in Levittown, Pa., writing features, news enterprise and a weekly column about the antics of my family juxtaposed against universal truths of life. Also launched a teen section called r e a l i t y, which persists 16 years later. Made the move to New Hampshire in 2001 to work for the New Hampshire Union Leader writing statewide news and features. Have learned to love snow. Beliefs At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible because human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal their beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. This disclosure is not a license for you to inject your beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that your beliefs are on the record will cause you to be ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you ever see evidence that we failed in this mission, please let us know. Politics I am always looking for candidates who talk more like statesmen and less like traditional politicians. I have found myself involuntarily fascinated over time by the rogue candidates, like Ralph Nader, Ross Perot, and Ron Paul, who seem like they come at politics not from a place of self-promotion, but rather from an issue-driven perspective. I say that I am registered in New Hampshire as an Independent, which seems to suit my personal philosophy, but continue to live with the reality that not picking sides makes me “Undeclared,” which feels a lot like “Indecisive.” I'm not. In most elections, I lean Democrat, but hidden voting booth cameras would reveal that I've voted for Republican and Libertarian candidates as the electoral spirit moves. Religion I was raised in a Presbyterian church by a spirit-filled Pentecostal mother and a Biblical art-painting unbaptized father, married a Catholic-born fundamental Baptist-dunked praying Christian husband with whom I continue to have lively discussions over how important it is to God that we regularly attend church. Neither of us know for sure what God really thinks, but my husband leans toward “very important” while I am still on the fence, and continue to pray for my mortal soul in the privacy of my own home, on Sundays and every day. Local Hot-Button Issues Nashua schools are a big topic of interest to many in the community, with the recent charter school proposal, and ongoing quality of education concerns. There is also great interest in the renaissance of the downtown, with the newly-formed www.visualizenashua.com group currently spearheading efforts. Maintaining downtown businesses and drawing locals into the downtown to support a vibrant nightlife and arts scene continues to be a challenge that many entrepreneurs are rising to, as they come together to cross promote – all of this is exciting to follow, and Nashua Patch will be along for the ride. Music Favs Radiohead; Prince; 70s funk and R&B; Sting; Soundgarden; Foo Fighters; Mozart. Cinema "It's a Wonderful Life," "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," "Donny Darko." Favorite Books "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams; "Skinny Legs and All," by Tom Robbins; "Cat's Cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut