Mutualaide's Interview Questions

These questions are from Mutualaide at Life On Flamingo Row.  They were fun questions to answer.

FIRST: The rules because every game has got to have them, you know. Leave me a comment saying "interview me." The first five to leave a comment requesting to be participants will be interviewed. I will respond by asking you five questions via e-mail.  You will update your blog/site with the answers to the questions and a link to my site.   You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions. (Write your own questions or borrow some)  

Question # 1.  Has the creation of your journal helped you to 'write down what moves you to create'?  

It's beginning to.  It's a far difference between creating and explaining the act of creating.  The journal format is just right for this kind of exploration.  There is no pressure to organize the entries into a cohesive document.  It's okay to enter and exit topics at will.  Just the way my mind works, actually!   I have to say, I would not be doing this sort of writing in a paper journal.  Having readers creates a place for your thoughts to go.  That creates a spark that flies out from your heart to theirs.  It's very exciting.  

Question # 2.  You are a famous lecturer.  EVERYONE wants to attend your lectures.  You calendar is full and you are turning down speaking engagements.  What subject do you speak about?  

I think the same things I usually talk about in my journal.  I would talk about how important it is for people to find their center, from which their true writing emerges.  I would talk to them about how scary it can be to do that, but how important it is.  Mostly, I would want to continue to break down the barrier that seems to exist between writers and those-who-want-to-be-writers.   

Question # 3.  Having the opportunity to gather with 5 of your 'regular readers' who are they, where do you meet and what do you talk about?  

Okay.  The five regular readers are Vicky, Cynthia, Maisie (Marigolds), Judi, and Beth.  Sorry fellows, this is girls' night out.  First, we loosen things up a bit by going to a Tom Jones concert.  (You fellows didn't want to see Tom Jones anyway, did you?  Tell the truth!)   

At the concert, we laugh until we ache.  We stand on our feet and clap our hands.  We really can't believe Tom Jones can still move like that.  He is, after all, what, in his sixties?  We really do laugh uncontrollably because we feel like teenagers, only a lot smarter (we hope).  We scream a few times and sing along with the music. 

I can't help it, I buy myself a Tom Jones T-shirt, so everytime I wear it I can think about this energy.  

 And then we all go out to a nice restaurant and bar with live Blues music.  I have a beer, probably a Killians.  Beth has a light beer (that is what she usually orders when we go out).  Vicky has a glass of good wine.  I'm not sure about Judi, Maisie and Cynthia ("What's your poison?").  They might be teetotalers, but that's all right, we've all got a natural high going on. 

We say things like, "Can you believe that Tom Jones?"   

And "I can't believe it--we actually went to see Tom Jones."   

And "You aren't going to tell anybody else we actually went to see Tom Jones, are you?"  

 We will all swear an oath never to tell.  

I will say, "My friend Paula went to one of these concerts in Toledo.  That's what gave me the idea."  

Maisie will say, " _________________________."  (Maisie, fill in the blank in your comments)  

I will say, "Maisie, I used to fantasize about Tom Jones when I was 13 years old.  Did you, Vicky?"  

Vicky will say, "______________________." (Vicky, fill in the blank)  

Judi will say, "________________________."  (Judi, fill in the blank).  

Cynthia will say, "___________________________."  (Cynthia, fill in the blank.)  

Beth will say, "________________________."  (Beth, fill in the blank).  

We will then all go for an evening walk next to a river.  We will fold our arms against the cool breeze.  We will  sigh and ask where did all the years go.  It seems like yesterday Tom Jones and all of us were just young 'uns.   Then we will talk about the meaning of life and art. 

This story is to be continued.  But whenever I wear my Tom Jones T-shirt and somebody says, "You didn't really go to see Tom Jones, did you?"  I will say, "What?  Moi?  Are you kidding? No, I got this at Goodwill."  

Question # 4.  The readers know of your upcoming Ohio River trip.  Which Port 'O Call are you most looking forward to visiting?  

I'm looking forward to Big Bone Lick State Park.  Just the name itself has a certain appeal, does it not?  What is fascinating to me is how it got its name--it is where giant Mammoth bones were once found.  This area is a salt repository, and the animals were driven there by an aching need, only to be trapped there.  The park also has a nice lake stocked with fish.  Maybe we will take it easy and go fishing for a couple of days.  Cook us up some nice fresh fish dinners.  I wonder if Buddha likes fish?  

Question # 5.  You are driving home from the grocery store and up ahead you see an elderly woman carrying four bags of groceries.  They appear to be heavy and she is having difficulty maneuvering.  Do you stop and offer assistance?  What do you offer?  

This question is so open-ended, I'm having trouble with it!  It  makes me think a little of that scene in Thunderheart in which Val Kilmer gets out of his vehicle to help an old man carry two buckets of water, although Kilmer is supposed to be on a stake-out, incognito.  I believe what the question is asking is whether or not I'd be willing to change my routine in order to help another person.  My response is that I hope so.  But my honest reply is that I'm not sure I would.  Or maybe I would, and she would see me wearing my Tom Jones T-shirt.  And she would say, "Tom Jones, eh?"

And I would say to her, "Hey, don't knock it!  Did you ever see Tom Jones in concert?"

And she will say to me, "Did you?"

And I will say, "I'll never tell."

And she will say, "I'll never tell either.  No way.  No way in the world."