The Random Interview Project: Michael

This installment of The Random Interview Project comes from Michael. He's been reading my blog for what seems like forever, and happens to be the King of Quizzes and Questionaires.

He posted the answers here as well.

1. If you could live in a movie, which movie would you choose and why?
It would be Die Hard II because I want to be a hero and save people from evil and kick some evil butt.

2. If you could do any other profession for one year (and have all the skills to do it), what profession would you choose and why?Be a missionary overseas. Because I would love to get paid for sharing Jesus with people.

3. Please share with us one fond memory from your teenage years.It would be my freshman year at Southwest Baptist University. People were nice to me for a change.

4. What country would you most like to visit in the future?
Australia

5. What is the farthest you have travelled from home, and what is one memory of that trip?
I have been to the country of India four times. Seeing over 1000 people come to Christ.

6. What is your favourite Bible verse?
Daniel 3:17-18

7. What is your favourite quote?
"...all Christians should stand up and tell it like they see it. Let the chips fall where they will. Don't worry if the public doesn't even agree with your most basic assumptions. Your job is not to win. Your job is not to control this society. Your job is to say what God wants said." - John Piper

8. What are three things you love about the town you live in now?
1. My church
2. The new restraunt coming (Applebee's)
3. The ministry potential.

9. Do you have any pets currently? If you were to get a new one, what kind would you get and why?
Cats. Some saltwater fish. Because they are intresting

10. If you had the opportunity to meet a male movie star, which one would you want to meet and why?
Mel Gibson because he made The Passion.

The Random Interview Project: Melanie

This interview in The Random Interview Project comes from Melanie.

I first met Melanie when we were 15, both being little delegates at The Students Commission National Youth Conference in Ottawa. We hung out all week, and also returned the next week. We kept in touch for a little while, and I even went to see her for a day in 1997. She was going to university and I was on my way home from college in Ontario for Christmas break.

After that we pretty much lost touch, until about a month ago a friend of hers found her name on my blog and let her know. She has now completed her Master of Music degree with a specialty in Opera, and travels the world.

We had a great time in Ottawa in high school, and it's been great to re-establish a friendship, she's a very fun person. :)

1. Describe your ideal job to us.
My ideal job is what I get to do, most of the time. Dressing up in glamourous ball gowns, travelling ll over the world to sing, and going to the recording studio. Last year there were 2 debutante balls and 6 different countries in one year. How could life be better? Ideally there would be less time between the fun, glamourous occasions. (For instance today I am doing office work) but the excitement makes up for it!

2. What is the most challenging thing you have ever done?
The most challenging thing would be climbing Mount Sinai in Sinai, Egypt. It takes the good part of a night to climb, as the sun is just too piercing during the day. I had spent all day Scuba Diving and the instructor said that if I climbed a mountain my heart would explode or something and I would die a horrible, messy death (something about the altitude, and I'm sure she was completely wrong, anyway). So, I was exhausted, worried about my imminent demise, and I had run out of money to buy water, as I had squandered it all on the Scuba Lessons and a huge wool rug (which I could have never afforded without the overly-friendly rug-seller copping a free feel) Yikes! I was 19 and I think I cried all the way up the mountain, but I didn't want to disappoint my travelling companions, and I ESPECIALLY did not want to sit at the base of a mountain in the Egyptian desert alone all night. But I did it! Huurah! After that experience what could be hard?

3. Of all the places you have visited in life, which locale was your favourite and why?
Israel. Definitely. The land is gorgeous, and it is the only country where I could always move and feel I belonged immediately. I was there around Xmas and it was so NICE not to have the holiday shoved in my face like it is in North America. And the ancient buildings, and the sea, and the FELAFEL, and the desert sun... I want to go back :) For the first time I wasn't an outsider in a (sorry, but it's true) predominantly Christian society. I didn't have to be served Pork and ask if there was shellfish in the food. It was just assumed that the food was Kosher. 6 times aren't enough, I want to go back!

4. If you could have tea with the Queen or with President Bush or with Paul Martin, who would you pick and why?
I would skip out on lunch and go skiing. They are all relatively boring. I wonder if the Queen would fancy a little SKI with me..?

5. Whom out of history would you like to meet?
1- One of my ancient relatives - I wonder if we would look alike at all?
2- Cleopatra. I bet that she was incredibly sexy. And she sounds really nteresting
3- A translator so I could *speak* to Cleopatra ;)
4- Some of the people who helped build Israel. It was an amazing time to be alive and I would have loved to be a part of it!

6. How did you decide upon a career?
In grade 4 we had to make posters about what we wanted to be. Of COURSE, since everyone made one poster I had to make 2. One was of a teacher, and the other was of a Singer. So, I guess that is when I called the singing career. Ever since it has just sort of happened (with bushels of hard work on my part)

7. What do you remember about me from our Students Commission days?
We were the bad kids.. remember, everyone else was drafting that resolution, and we were running through the halls and having fun.. I still have all the pictures! I remember the hypnotist, and how we plotted how we would be picked, and how we had SO much fun :)

8. Please share one of your favourite family memories.
Yikes, but there are so MANY... How about when my family was driving around in Israel (heading from Jerusalem to Eilat). For some reason they let me be the navigator. Pity us all! We took one of many infamous short cuts and ended up in disputed territory (Nablus). Suddenly there were no more Israeli license plates and the people we passed were looking angry. We were in a rented car with Israeli plates and we certainly look Israeli, but we had to turn around and to do that we had to stop first. This is in the mountanous, rocky desert, where there are plenty 'o' places to hide behind a rock and snipe at the car. We had a Canadian flag, but it was in the trunk, and getting out and opening the trunk was probably not a prime idea either. So, we all sort of ducked and the stopped the car and turned and sped back to the main road. It is a favourite memory because we did not die. Also it makes a good story :)

9. If you could only eat from one food group for the rest of your life, which one would you choose and why?
Probably legumes.. is that a food group? Then I would get peanuts and soy.. that isn't a fair question - can't make Peanut Jam or Soy-Taters ;)

10. Pretend for a moment that you are 8 feet tall. What would be the best thing about being this tall, and what would be the worst?
8 feet TALL! Well, the worst is that I would never be cast for anything. 5 feet is nifty - I am shorter than any short Tenor (and they are always short!). If I was 8 feet tall I could eat ANYTHING, think of all that extra bone-age to maintain. And I could reach the top shelves in the kitchen, and change a lightbulb. Sigh.. a girl can dream :)

The Random Interview Project: Dave

This episode of The Random Interview Project comes from Dave of the blog funkypancake, who resides in jolly old England. I can't remember how I originally found his site, but I've enjoyed his photos for a year or two now. It's fun to see another part of the world through someone else's eyes and camera lens. He's definitely the funniest photoblogger I know.

"answers below. sorry they aren't particularly humourous or anything, but my brain does seem to have given up that way of thinking for the last 6 months or so. generally since i got really busy at work in fact. ho hum.

thanks for your lovely blogging

dave"

1. What is the best thing about living where you live?
It's rural with urban connections. and very handy for church ie it's great for the family during the day for niceness and handy for me commuting in to london every day.

2. If you could have been best friends with a rock star, which rock star would you have wanted it to be and why?
i don't know about rock, but i did have a pet stone once called 'Roger'. he was quite big and i used to take him everywhere.

otherwise, it'd probably be Julian Cope (we'd have to sort out the religion bit) or Beck.

3. Please list all foods you are not particularly fond of.
it's much easier to list the food i do like. which is mostly potatoes (in most formats).

4. What are some of the perks about having children that you've noted so far?
children are all about perks and parks. the main perks are you have an excuse to do silly things and go silly places and generally be silly. i didn't really need an excuse, but it's nice to have one anyway.

and of course they look at the world with fresh eyes and ask so many fundamental questions about how things work and why things are as they are. as grown-ups its good to be reminded of the 'magic' of everything.

5. If you were to rename your blog, what would you call it, and why?

bert's big corner cafe. because i just thought of that phrase. i once did a variety act called the 'wax work brocolli hedgetrimmer experience' and i did a radio show called 'the seven lampstands groovy wireless show' under the pseudoname Spoonchicken. so maybe i'd use a varient of one of those.

6. What is your favourite kind of art, and why?
i'm not very good at 'art' and i get very bored by looking at old pictures, even if they are meant to be fantastic. i 'spose i like the modern stuff best, especially when it's something really mundane viewed in a different way.

7. What was the best thing to come out of the 1980s?
The 1990s possibly.

is this a culture question ? the 80s for me were all about the early days of computers entering our homes. so that was good fun.

8. If you could meet with anyone for an hour, who would you want to meet with and what would you discuss?
I guess i'd have to say the big JC. i wouldn't know what to say and would be totally humbled. The weird thing is, as a Christian, i'll have to stand before him at the end of life anyway (and get to live with him), but i think it would be useful to have a chat whilst i'm still alive. i'm sure it would turn my life around. of course this is a bit of a cop-out since you can meet Him through reading the Bible too whilst we are alive too.

so perhaps i should think of someone who is alive instead ...

9. What are your three favourite songs?

Rasputin by Boney M. We had that as our first dance at our wedding !

otherwise i love so many songs it's difficult to nail it down to three. Alpha Beta Gaga by Air is quite jolly as is anything by Faust.

i'm loving Napster's subscription service, especially Napster to Go which allows you to sync any of their albums/tracks with your MP3 player so you can listen to any stuff on the go. my only dissapointment is my brain can only cope with listening to one track at a time ! otherwise i'd listen to everything all at once and make a lovely noise.

10. If you had to brush your teeth with ketchup for the rest of your life, would you still brush your teeth as regularly as you do now?
In this scenario I would simply give up brushing my teeth forever (although i would occasionally swap my toothbrush for a chip).

You can read Dave's previous interview here.

The Random Interview Project: Neely

This installment of The Random Interview Project comes from Neely. She's someone I've never had the joy of meeting in real life, but happened to stumble upon my blog I think sometime around two springs ago. Since then, it's been fun to get to know her through blogging, exchanging comments, and even a few pieces of real tangible mail every once in awhile. She currently attends a Bible school at home in Alberta.

1. What have you learned about yourself since you began blogging?
Hmm, I've learned that it's still difficult to talk about myself, which is why this response won't be too profound!

2. What have you learned about others since you began reading blogs?
I've learned so much about the story of God's work in people, and the daily adventures that He brings them into. It's a joy to read about how His glory has been unfolding in the lives of people who are faithful to Him, day in and day out.

3. If you could hang out with three people off the internet, whom you have never actually met, who would you want to hang out with and why?
Michelle of mikao's world
Tracy Jeffries of i like shiny things
Alyssa Nuske of Alyssa's Ramblings

4. What are three of your city's best kept secrets?
This is a tough one, even though I was born and am still living in Calgary, Alberta!
- One of them would be the gorgeous view you can get on the number 3 bus route heading down south. Once you get past city centre and into Mount Royal and Brittania, the streets are surrounded by cascading trees and picturesque houses. Actually the whole SW (southwest) tucked right under downtown is a great place to walk around and to explore.
- Another is definitely Peter's Drive In, which is an independently-owned burger joint that has decided not to franchise, one of the reasons for its big success. They have the best burgers and fries in the city, along with milkshakes that have as many flavours as you can think of. Traffic signs forbidding certain turns have even been put up around this drive-in on 16th Avenue!
- And last, I would have to say the amazing amount of work that inner-city organizations have put in to helping the homeless people of Calgary. Apart from the work of the Mustard Seed Street Ministry, the Salvation Army's Centre of Hope, and the Drop-In Centre, there are also a number of other organizations that do so much in the areas of compassionate ministry, housing needs, and counselling. Calgary also has the highest amount of volunteers in Canada, helping a lot of these centres to continue running.

5. What has been your favourite aspect of post-secondary education to date?
The wonderfully and Christ-like professors, administration and students that I have gotten to know at my Bible college. Really, it's the people that has made school what it has been for me, and the community that I have been a part of.

6. If you were to start a store, what kind of store would it be and where would you have it?
I would love to open up a used books and chocolate store either in Calgary or in Montreal. Not quite sure how it will work or what it will be called, but imagine having hot chocolate as you browse through books, and after you've found that one rare edition you've been looking for and finishing your hot chocolate at the same time, you celebrate with a maple-filled white chocolate sample, of which you'll have to get a box for your family! Ignoring the run-on sentence, it could be plausible one day :)

7. Describe your perfect kind of day.
I would be flying to Montreal early Sunday morning with my missions team, and we'd all hang out with the friends we made there. We'd attend church together, and after having a filling lunch at one of the restaurants out there, we'd fly back. (Of course, in the perfect kind of day, flights would only take an hour or less, so as to capitalize on time, not that I dislike flights themselves). Then after a quick drive to the Rockies in the afternoon and a hike to a waterfall, I'd head to church and meet up with my friends. We'd hang out after the service and have some cheesecake, all while the sun was still up during the late evening.

8. Imagine for a moment that you are given one hundred thousand dollars, no strings attached. What would you do with it all?
Not getting into specific numbers here since my math skills have pretty much depleted, I'd first tithe to my church. Then I would give to missions organizations around the world. I'd also give to cancer research, along with other health organizations looking for a cure, such as AIDS. I guess by that point, I'm either running out or have just a tiny bit left. I suppose by then I would use the rest as some financial support if I'm in missions long-term. I'm somewhat glad this hasn't happened yet; I'm pretty bad at divying up such a large sum!

9. What five movies have you found most interesting, and why?
- Pride and Prejudice. It's always refreshing to find that after you've read a book, you've been able to watch a movie that follows pretty closely. Granted, no movie will ever duplicate the experience of a book, but I think this is the most faithful rendition I have seen.
- Strictly Ballroom. This is just a fun movie, with catchy music and enjoyable characters. Everything is heightened for effect, and even if you know nothing about ballroom dancing, it's intriguing enough that at the end, you will want to.
- Amelie. After watching it for the first time with somebody who helped make sense of some parts (apart from the language), I loved the story that was told through the life of somebody who wanted to make the world a little brighter for everyone else. Its stunning imagery and whimsical music brought to life a bit of what an ideal France would look like.
- Henry V. Out of all of Kenneth Branagh's Shakespearean roles, I would have to say this is my personal favourite. This was also the only movie I've watched where I followed the movie along with the Shakespearean text itself, and could see how the adaptation brought the words from the page to the screen, with that St. Crispin's Day speech being my favourite scene.
- Gattaca. Loved that this movie was about genetics (even the title!) and the concept of a world where DNA was the code by which society was governed. It was creepy to see its implications but the verse about "Who can straighten what he has made crooked?" really set the tone for the whole movie. I think this is the only science fiction film I've enjoyed.

10. What is the most thoughtful present you have recieved in life, and who was it from?
I would have to say it was the handmade scarf that Michelle (mikao's world) sent to me two Christmases ago. While I've received lots of thoughtful gifts over the years, this one was the biggest surprise, and mostly a shock because I never expected that someone I didn't know would take the time out to do such a kind thing for me. It was a wonderful act of kindness, and ever since then, I've been trying to think of how I can do that for people I know. Thanks again Michelle, both for the gift and for the message!

--
"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." -
Psalm 107:1

You can see Neely's previous interview here.

The Random Interview Project: Barclee

This installment of The Random Interview Project comes from Barclee, who was a freshman my last year in dorm at Bible college. I can remember one of the first conversations we ever had was one in which she told me that if I EVER told anyone her middle name, I would be sorry that I had done so, and I took this very seriously at the time because she was a scary freshman student.

She was fun to have around the dorm and constantly visiting my house, and even sometimes it was funny when she sat on my sheets. ;)

1. If you could fly to any place in the world for three days, all expenses paid, where would you go and who would you want to take with you?
I would break the days up into quarters...that way i could fly to four places every day. The first day I would go somewhere warm, just because it feels like winter is never ending. I would go to the Bahamas, than Bermuda, and St.Kitts and than maybe Cancun (except isnt it kinda dirty there?) the second day i would go to Africa, than Egypt, than Australia, than Fiji, basically just so i can say i've been there. The last day I would go to places i have read about in my favourite books: California (White Oleander), Jerusalem (Peculiar Treasures) and finally I would go all over Paris and Rome because I just finished The Da Vinci Code and really liked it( i know, i know, i am a sinner). Who would I bring? Joanne..oh wait i'm married now...stuart...no wait...yes, Joanne

2. Please share one favourite memory from Bible college.
It was one of those spring mornings in Caronport. The ones where everyone is feeling ansy and people are starting to wear shorts because it is a balmy 4 degrees. It was really quiet because it was like 11:00 on a Saturday so no one was really showing themselves yet. I was walking to the Academic Building (for reasons unknown) and Diana Ratte was walking back from the AB to the dorm...we didnt say much to eachother as we passed, just smiled, we both looked up at the nice sun and i said "you know what this is? this is roadtrippin' weather"...she nodded and we left an hour later.....

3. If you could be a guest on any one talk show, which one would you want to be on and why?
ummm OPRAH! so obvious...because i would want her to ask me questions, just to interrupt me and tell me how she was once abused, and how she has lost so much weight...oh and how she believes in scientology AND kabbahlasism

4. Paul Martin or Paris Hilton... who would you rather go out to dinner with? Why? Paris Hilton, I never voted for Paul Martin's party...plus i heard that when he went to see the damages done by the Tsunami in Sri Lanka, the car he was riding in, hit a little girl and broke her leg. Seriously?!?! what Prime Minister goes to a country already in pain and makes it worse? Plus, Paris Hilton would have better stories..and she would probably pay for dinner.

6. What do you think is the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you?
Once when i was young, my parents and I were driving home from being at a friends house for dinner. It was me and my brother sitting in the back seat and as we drove over the hill to go into our little town, there was a man on the sidewalk chasing his wife and daughters with a gun trying to shoot them...that was pretty weird

7. What was your hardest life experience?
learning to forgive

8. What do you typically eat at McDonald's?
I don't eat fast food. sorry.

9. If you could go back and start school again, what, if anything, would you have done differently?
I would have taken more than 3 courses a semester, so I could have a B.A, I would not have been in the L.A dorm, and I would have gone on more road trips....

10. What have been some of the best things about growing up that you love?
Well, I dont really feel very grown up and I hope I dont look like it. At work the other day a guy asked me what grade I was in, in highschool. I wasnt sure whether to be happy or really sad about that. I still feel kinda young, though today my hip hurts. I hope to not grow up for at least a few more years. I just tried to find a good quote on growing up but all I found was quotes from "growing up gotti"....what kind of crazy world do we live in?

P.S. It's JO!

The Random Interview Project: Marisa

This interview in the (very popular) Random Interview Project comes to us from Marisa, who lives in Texas and keeps a blog called Simple Games. She does some awesome photography, and always has fun layouts.

She says: "Thanks for interviewing me again. As much as I dislike admitting it,
I enjoy talking about myself. Hopefully everybody likes reading the answers too. The other interviews are interesting, for sure."

1. If you could have been born as a novel character, who would you have wanted to be and why?
Lucy Honeychurch, from A Room with a View by E. M. Forster. Lucy is an upper class, Victorian girl, which means high collars and stiff social mores. Yet she feels the broadness of life, and tries to show her feelings, in quiet defiance of society. The places she goes, Venice, Rome, attract me, as does the quirky and deep-feeling nature of the man who loves her. She seems odd and fun and tender. And I like the name Lucy.

2. What are your three favourite movies, and why do you think that this is so?
Princess Bride.: It has all of the elements of a good story, adventure, romance, action, suspense, humor. Every line is quotable, and it is very funny.
Persuasion: Keeping closely to the book, this movie is filled with a contrast of common sense and thoughtlessness. The colours and moods make it calming, while Anne Elliot's goodness in the face of the buffoonery of her family is exemplary. When she is settled in a respectable position with her lover at the end, all of her self denial seems rewarded.
Stage Fright: It's an early Hitchcock film with all of his suspense, plus a large cast of wonderful characters. There's even a surprise ending. The mystery is commonplace, but the intricate web of emotion surrounding the people is spectacular. The love story is also especially sweet.

3. If you could receive a scholarship to learn a particular trade, what would you like to learn how to do?
My ideal learning experience would be to study philosophy, literature or history in some dusty, English university like Oxford or Cambridge. Sitting in lectures by aged professors, poring through old books, exploring the countryside and small cafes with bright, English friends, and pondering great ideas, the surge and flow of the thoughts of men, the impact of idealogies, that would be wonderful. I guess the practice would lead to a job teaching myself, and writing the kinds of books that sit for years in libraries.

4. Who is your favourite artist or craftsperson? What do you particularly love that they have created?
Sir Thomas Lawrence is probably my favorite painter. His work was centered around the court of England in the early 1800s, being knighted, and then made president of the Royal Academy. His paintings are so vivid and transparent in detail, like the sitter could come to life and reach out to touch you. The subjects he painted ranged from society figures to the crowned heads of many European nations. I saw a great deal of his works at the National Portrait Gallery in London, and then a few more here at home. http://www.artrenewal.org/asp/database/art.asp?aid=866

5. What is your favourite number, and why?
I don't really have a favorite number. I do like dimes, though.

6. If the next time you blinked it would magically take you to another locale, where would you wish to go?
Paris, first. I want to eat from the street markets, climb the Eiffel Tower, go to a service in Notre Dame, and ride a cruise on the Seine.

Then Venice, Vienna, Brugge, Lausanne . . .

7. What is your dream car?
A creamy beige Volkswagen convertible with a black top. The flower vase is too neat. Bike rack, of course.

8. Imagine for a moment you have two summer months to do absolutely anything, and money is no object. What would you spend these two months doing?
Lapping up the sunshine with a party of friends while living in Greece.

9. Of the photographs you have taken, which one is your favourite? Please describe it to us.
It's a picture of a pot of yellow flowers on a sidewalk. The red brick background fades to black and the green leaves make the crisp, yellow buds pop to the front. It was an accidental favorite, shot as I was walking down the street.

10. How far have you travelled, and what is a favourite memory of a place very far from home?
British Columbia, Canada to the west, St. Andrew's, Scotland to the north. Houston, Texas to the south, York, England, to the east.

I've seen the Queen of England. She glided past in a coach, not six feet from me, during her birthday parade two summers ago. We walked down the Mall to Buckingham Palace and took pictures as the Royal Family waved from a balcony. I remember hinking what the crowd must look like to them, what they'd seen as they walked hrough the rooms and doorways to the balcony, and what else had happened there, the
V-Day celebration of her father, George VI, the famous kiss of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and a thousand other occasions, small to them, but important to the common people. It was quite exciting.

You can read Marisa's previous interview here.

The Random Interview Project: Carly

This interview in the The Random Interview Project series comes to us from Carly of Jeffersonair. I first found her blog through comments at the late great Jason Killingsworth blog "Next-to-Last Song." That was early 2003, back when we all had more free time for blogging and MSN. It's been fun to get to know her and see things in her life morph and change and come together, to see God working in her life, and to share the "cross-country move" experience with someone else who shares their life through their blog.

I always appreciate Carly's enthusiasm for the written word, and her participation in my little blogging projects. :)

1. What are three particularly cool things that Tennessee has that Washington state does not?
Three particularly cool things that Tennessee has that Washington State does not are: 1) Andy Duggan, 2) a notable fall season, and 3) chicken and dumplings.

2. If you could either give up shampooing or teeth brushing for the rest of your life, and suffer no ill effects, which one would you choose to do away with and why?
Toothbrushing, hands down. Personally, I like the act of shampooing. Toothbrushing, however, is a chore. Brushing one's teeth, flossing, and mouthwashing can be tedious. If I didn't have to do the brushing, it'd be that much easier.

3. What has been the hardest thing for you to learn in the past year?
Patience. Lots of patience.

4. What are you most looking forward to in the next 13 months?
Celebrating one year with Andy. Seeing some great bands (The Killers, Keane, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Pixies, possibly U2, so forth). Starting school in August. Volunteering to work for the school paper. Oh man... I'm gonna reak havoc on that school newspaper.

5. If you could fly three people to visit you for the weekend, who would you choose and why?
Stephanie, because of all the friends who keep tabs on me, she keeps the best tabs. Leah, because she is my first wife and I miss her. Ryan, for his tallness, geekyness, and the potential for a grandeous picture-taking expedition.

6. Which do you like better, sunrise or sunset?
Sunset. Between the two, sunsets have the more stunning colors.

7. Please share a favourite memory of your siblings.
My Cassie Memory: We were at school, and I was on the playground. My sister was too, but in a different area. At the time, I was about 7 and my sister was about 10. Cassie and some guy were playing a game involving a dodgeball. I decided to get closer, to watch. The guy she was playing with kept spitting... Every two seconds, he'd spit and aim it for Cassie. Eventually, my sister had enough. She stopped, turned to the guy and shouted, "Stop spitting or you're gonna drown!" It took about 15 seconds for what she said to sink into my 7-year-old brain, but once it did, I started to laugh so hard, I could hardly stand. The guy did stop spitting, I think.

My Kyle Memory: Probably the day he picked me up and gave me a piggyback ride with absolute ease. I couldn't believe it. So much so, that I could do nothing but laugh hysterically. It was overwhelming, I think.

8. If you could have a complete month off of work with $100 000 to spend, what would you do for the month?
Pay off all my bills. Find a more colorful flat to live in. And then travel like Mad freaking Hatter.

9. What are your three favourite movies, and what do you like about them?
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, for being so real despite a make-believe situation. Garden State, also for being so real and the amazing soundtrack. Goonies, because it reminds me of my childhood imagination.

10. What is the best thing about living in the United States of America?
I'm not sure what the "best thing" is, but I know I wouldn't want to live in any other country. Wait... England would be effing cool. This is the only question I'm unsure of.

Thank you, Michelle, for including me in your Random Interview Project, the Second. I am honored.

Sincerely yours, henceforth, and possibly furthermore,

carly"

You can see her previous interview here.

California

My friend Mike and his girlfriend Monica got engaged on Saturday.

Finally! I'm so excited. And I've never been to California before.

You might remember Mike from his interview.

The Random Interview Project: Peter

This post, in The Random Interview Project series, comes from Peter of World Wide Wood. Peter and his wife Rebecca have been faithful readers of my blog for as long as I can remember, and currently reside in Beverly, Massachussetts.

1. What are your three favourite CDs and your 3 least favourite CDs that you own?
Such a hard question... I have so many CDs, and I don't know if I can single out three favorites, let alone 'least' favorites. But at the moment, I'd have to say
my three current favorites are "Afterglow" by Sarah McLachlan, "A Rush Of Blood To The Head" by Coldplay, and "The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou Motion Picture Soundtrack". As for least favorites, probably any three of the Christian music albums that I purchased a while ago... Caedmon's Call for example. I used to be more into Christian music, but in recent years, I've just found it to be uninventive and uninspiring.

2. In high school, what was the cool thing to do during your school lunch hour?
I don't know, because I sure wasn't one of the cool kids! :-) Pretty much everyone I knew, cool or uncool, ate lunch in the school cafeteria. I don't know what you would do otehr than that... my friends and I would sit around and eat our lunch and talk about movies or video games or tv shows. Nothing terribly exciting.

3. What's the geekiest thing you know how to do?
Hmmm, it's probably a tie between being fluent in Perl (http://www.perl.org/) and being able to disassemble and reassemble my laptop computer.

4. What is the best meal you have ever eaten?
So many good meals in my 26 years... but no single meal really stands out in my mind. I have to say, though, that the tater tot casserole my wife makes is to die for (and, if you eat too much and it clogs your arteries - die from!).

5. If Jennifer Lopez and her current boyfriend or husband called you and Rebecca up wanting to take you out for supper at McDonald's, would you take them up on the offer? Why or why not?
Sure... I'm always up for meeting famous people. I'd love to hear 'their side'
of the story that the news media doesn't tell us. See if they really are real people underneath the veneer of celebrity. Though McDonald's isn't my favorite place to eat, I'd be okay with it.

6. What's the best thing about driving alone?
Ah, driving alone. Something I rarely get to do, since I carpool to and from work, and Becky and I drive together everywhere. But on the rare occasion that I do get to drive alone, I really enjoy having the peace and quiet and time to think, or listen to whatever I want as loud as I want, depending on my mood.

7. Please tell us about a favourite childhood memory.
One of my favorite memories from childhood is from when my family moved from San Diego, California to Mount Vernon, Ohio. I had just finished kindergarten and would start first grade when I got to Mount Vernon. My mom, dad, sister, and I all packed up in a Toyota Corrola and drove all the way out. We got to see lots of cool stuff, like the Grand Canyon, Native American dwellings, etc. We weren't in a huge hurry, so we took about a week for the trip. I just remember it being a lot of fun to travel and see everything at that age.

8. What is your favourite letter of the alphabet, and why do you think it is?
I like the letter K. It has a lot of impact.

9. If you were given $2345.67 tomorrow, no strings attached, what would you do with it and why?
Probably put it towards paying off our student loans! Yuck.

10. What is your favourite part of your current place of residence?
Except for the rare occasions where the neighbors make noise, it's very, very quiet. We're right in the downtown of a medium-sized city, but we live at the end of a cul-de-sac, *and* we live in the basement, so we don't hear very much noise from outside at all. At night you can hear a pin drop in the house, it's so quiet. I also like that our apartment stays very cool in the summer... we don't need to run our air conditioner.

Thanks for the interview! :-)

Peter"

The Random Interview Project: Jake

This installment of The Random Interview Project is brought to you by Jake, of the blog Mainstreet American. He's been reading Mikao's World for a very long time.

He comes from the land of Swiss Miss... originally from Colorado, he now lives in Arkansas to attend grad school.

"Thank you Michelle!
This is by far the best and most enjoyable questionaire I have ever filled out. This is such a great project! I think you could make a blog just out of these questionaires...or a book...like Found Magazine did...just thoughts on unique questions by everday people. :-)

- Jake"

1. In all your years of schooling, what class was your most favourite one to take, and why?
Very tough question, and I have to choose two different classes. The first was American Political Thought. I took it my junior year of college. It was early 8:00am on T/Th, but I always looked forward to it. The class was taught (or more accurately, facilitated) by a man who was incredible. The 8 other students in the class were arguably the cream of the crop Political Science senior students at my school (I think I was the only Junior, and was not in their league). We read
the thoughts of America's Founding Fathers (and mothers) and discussed, debated, and dreamed. I've never been so challenged by a course in my life. The second course, taken my Senior year, was Colorado History. It was taught by the foremost Colorado historian, and he is a great story teller. It was a class where I could sit back,
and listen to stories about the history of my state. I learned what streets were named after whom, the history of towns I knew well, etc. It was a great class.

2. Why did you decide to start blogging, and what is it that has made you continue on with it for two and a half years?
Hehe. My original reason that I started blogging was I need a place to rant about my job. I wanted to hear other rants about jobs, and get some sort of comraderie from other folks. Now I write mostly for myself, but also because I seem to communicate
better via words on paper (or screen) than I can verbally. I also have had the experience of reading other blogs that have made me aware that I am not the only one feeling the way I do sometimes. I want to be that blog for just one other person...kind of to return the favor.

3. If you had the opportunity to have a thirty minute conversation with your president, what would you want to talk about?
Even with all of the things that I disagree with America's President on, I'd probably want him to tell me his story. I want to know where he is coming from. His true thoughts and ideas...not just what the media portrays, or his administration portrays. Hopefully he would be honest with me. Especially since I would be honest with him and tell him I did not vote for him, either time.

4. If tomorrow you had the opportunity to fly anywhere in the world for a day, with just one other person, where would you go and who would you take with you?
Honestly, for as many places I would want to fly right now, I think because of the struggles my girlfriend and I have been having in Arkansas (not struggles with eachother, rather with Arkansas) that I think I would fly with her back to Denver so we could spend time with our families in a place we find comfortable and safe. A place we know, and people we love.

5. What is your earliest memory?
Right now the earliest memory I can think of is walking (or being carried) up the steps of the Apartment building my grandparents lived in. I remeber seeing the metal doors on each floor that where for used for milk delivery long before I was born. I remember one lady saying hi to me through one of those doors. I think my and parents lived in that apartment building when I was about 2-3 years old.

6. Tell us an interesting story about your family.
Oh there are so many, and a few the law forbides me from sharing (not really).

One of the interesting stories about my family is about two ancestors from different sides of my family. In a particular battle during the American Civil War (not sure which battle), an ancestor on my Mom's side and an ancestor on my Dad's side fought for the Union Army (oddly enough my dad's ancestor was from a Confederate state, but chose to fight for the Union). My mom's ancestor died in that battle, my dad's
ancestor was wounded by survived. Its amazing to me to think that my ancesotrs from both sides may have had contact with eachother more than 100 years before my parents met.

7. Share a favourite quote with us.
My old standby is a quote from Plato that is attributed to Socrates: "The unexamined life is not worth living".

8. Who in the world would you most like the opportunity to meet?
As long as I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with this person it would be either: Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu or Former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

9. Describe your perfect Saturday afternoon.
A sunny and slightly breezy day either in early summer/late autumn when it never gets too hot. Hanging out either at a river, or lake (not crowded) with my friends. Just sitting around, swimming, talking, napping. Followed up by a trip to a favorite restaurant. I am so thankful that I've actually had days like this.

10. Imagine for a moment that Petra has given you a call and would like to come and play at your birthday party for free. Would you accept the offer? Why or why not?
This is probably the easiest question of them all :-). I would be honored to have Petra play at my birthday party. I don't think I'd ever seek them out to play, but if they volunteered, I would not deny them. Seriously, how many people can say Petra played their birthday party? Exactly! I really don't care if many of the people at the party would not know who they are. I would, and it would be sweet!

Thanks Michelle! I really enjoyed this!

--
"The unexamined life is not worth living" - Plato"

You can find Jake's interview from last year here.

Same Face, Same Heart

My friend Heather (of ex-roommate fame) and some friends of hers are going on a trip across Canada this summer to raise money for NEA, The Northern Empowerment Association, a group committed to breaking the cycle of starvation and poverty for the people of the Ghanaian north country.

May and June 2005, twin brothers Ben and John Stephenson ride from Peterborough, ON to Vancouver, BC. The ride will cover 4500 km to raise money for their friends in Ghana, West Africa.

Read more and find out how you can help contribute at CycleNEA.

The Random Interview Project: Rachel

This interview for The Random Interview Project is from Rachel, of the blog Orange Tree Chronicles.

My first memories of Rachel are from when she was a short-haired transfer student living in the hotel at our Bible college in 2000.

Two years later, somehow we both ended up living in a gigantic house with a conglomeration of 7 other people, and the next year we were housemates once again, but this time in a smaller dwelling with Jodi. She's a big scrapbooker.

Now, Rachel is married, still lives in our Bible college town, works in the cafeteria, and has a blog of her own.

"Here it is! I was looking forward to finishing this survey all day while I washed dishes in the caf."

1. If you could relive one of your high school years, which year would you choose and why?
Preferrably none of them - I wore plain T-shirts and jeans like they were a uniform, had short untrendy hair (as opposed to short, trendy hair) and was, maybe, fat.

2. What has surprised you most about married life?
Ummm ... there's so much you're hoping I won't say here. lol. Let's go with: how easy it is to live with Logan, even though he's a man (and a messy person at that). Sharing each other's lives and space is delightful.

3. What was the hardest thing for you to adjust to in dorm living?
My roommate - she had black spikey hair and listened to wierd techno music. She was always on her computer - into the wee hours of the morning - and it was on even when she was away, making that aggravating fan noise which I hate. She was an only child in her family and I was the only girl in mine (and the oldest also) - so we were not good at all at being considerate of each other. We made peace over scrapbooking years later.

4. What do you miss the most about being a kid?
Hm, nothing. I feel sorry for children - they have no power - no way to control their circumstances. They're totally at the mercy of decisions grownups around them make. (incidently, this is what I fear the most about growing old - people not really listening to me.) Plus, as a child I had no consciousness of how I appeared to others - and no idea of who I was myself. I was bossy and self-centred and - in later grade school years - insecure that no one would like me. I am so happy to be a grown up - to know some of my own flaws, to have relationships in which I am loved, and to be a little more 'polished' in the hands of my Maker.

5. What was one of your favorite things about being single?
My last two years at Briercrest, living with housemates - the half-dozen house (Michelle, Holly, Tamara, Joanne, Maria, and Kelly) and then 117 Cottonwood with Michelle and Jodi, and trailer life with Erin in the intervening summers. (I gave myself a new question because I really don't remember much from the first ten years of my life... that should probably worry me) The key to my happiness was I had my own space, usually my own room - but at any time I could go into the living room or go upstairs and see what everyone else was doing. I loved group scrapbooking parties, and hunting for Michelle's chocolate crackles. I also have very fond memories of sharing a Sims neighborhood with Michelle and Jodi - who's stolen whose spouse now and which character did Michelle drown in the pool last night? Sims just isn't as fun without Natalie and Jarod and Michelle's countless children named after plants. Seriously, those years were a gift from God, and I'm so glad I got to do that before I got married. (I had forgotten that I hid the chocolate crackles!)

6. If you could have Queen Elizabeth over for tea, what would you want to talk about with her, and why?
She's been alive and a world leader for so long - I'd want to hear her stories! I wonder what she thinks about the way the world is going - and I'd want to know what she thinks of her grandsons Will and Harry.

7. Who are three of your heroes, and why?
Jesus Christ my Saviour is a given.
1. My parents. I pray I am half as gracious and wise and loving as they were raising us.
2. Frederich Buechner. Love the way he wrestles with God in his writing, even in his fiction.
3. Ummm - maybe Michelle, for your faithful and consistently interesting blogging. And your crafty skill. (Ha ha ha, very funny)

8. What has been the biggest concept about God for you to grasp and how so?
Still wondering and marvelling about how God could let himself suffer - not just on the cross, but how he lets his heart be open to all the pain in the world and doesn't protect himself from it. I am amazed that his love means he hurts with us.

9. What is one of the funniest things anyone has ever said to you, and who was it?
I have such a bad memory, I'm really not good at this kind of question. Here's one of the funniest things I've come across in a while, from 'A Prayer for Owen Meany' (John Irving)

"The White house, that whole criminal mob, those arrogant goons who see themselves as justified to operate above the law - they disgrace democracy by claiming that what they do they do for democracy! They should be in jail. They should be in Hollywood!" (p.321)

10. Please list the top ten greatest love songs of all time.
'One of the Best ones' - Bruce Cockburn (Nothing but a burning light) Logan walked down the aisle to this song.

'All I want is you' - U2 (Rattle and Hum)

'Brand New Day' - Sting (All This Time)

'Whenever I say your name' - Sting (Sacred Love)

'Miracle Drug' or 'A Man and a Woman'... too soon to tell - U2 (How to dismantle an Atomic bomb)

'Blue Skies' - Eva Cassidy (Live at Blues Alley)

'Bone in my ear' - Bruce Cockburn (Dart to the Heart)

'Come Away with me' - Norah Jones (Come away with me) Love the part about the fields of yellow grass - that's so Caronport.

'Mango' - Bruce Cockburn (Breakfast in New Orleans)

'Let's fall in love' - Diana Krall (Live in Paris)

Bonus Track: 'Brown Eyed Girl' - Van Morrison

The Random Interview Project: Rebecca

This installment of The Random Interview Project is from Rebecca, who is half of prwdot.org. She lives in Massachussetts with her husband Peter, and they've both been reading my blog for as long as I can remember. They're the kind of people I think some day it would be super fun to meet. They had a Napoleon Dynamite Party, how much cooler can you get?

1. What are some cool features of your hometown?
I grew up in the little Massachusetts town of Townsend. It has a great town square where all the churches have their annual fairs and there is a weekly band concert in the summer. There is also "Townsend Harbor" but don't be fooled, it is nowhere near the coast. The harbor is a big pond, and the story goes that the neighborhood was a popular stop on the Underground Railroad. Just over the border into the next town over there is a great little waterfall. My Dad used to take my brother and I there on Saturdays.

2. If you could be anyone else for 24 hours, who would you want to be and why?
I think I'd like to be Oprah Winfrey. She has a ton of money and is pretty
good at giving it away. I like to give gifts and make people happy and I'd
love to be her on the days when her show gives lots of things away.

3. What was your most challenging life experience?
Job hunting... definately. I spent months and months searching, applying and
interviewing for positions only to be rejected. It was incredibly hard to stay
optimistic and to have a positive self image during that time.

4. What is your favourite restaurant, and favourite thing to order?
I like going to Acapulco's here in Beverly. It is a local chain of Mexican restaurants. I usually get the tortilla soup or a chicken quesadilla. yum!

5. If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you choose to go?
I've always wanted to see the Pyramids in Egypt.

6. What celebrity would you most like to meet and why?
Robin Williams. I enjoy laughing and I think he could say, "I'm sorry to tell you this, but your favorite pet has died." and I would bust out laughing.

7. What is one of your favourite college memories?
My roomate freshman year worked in the dish room at the dining hall. She was the gal at the other end of the trash conveyor belt. I used to write her notes and cards and fun little things and put them on the belt. I like to think that they made working in the dish room a little more fun.

8. What is one of your favourite family memories?
One year for Thanksgiving my folks planned a suprise get-away. We drove up to the Maine coast and stayed in a hotel (a big deal!). On Turkey day we went to LLBean and drove around for a while. When we finally decided to eat dinner all the restaurants were closed or full. We ended up at a Mr. Mike's convenience store. Our Thanksgiving dinner that year consisted of Pringles chips, Root Beer, 2 oranges, and chocolate...

9. What is Massachussett's best kept secret? (Sorry I have no idea if that is spelled right!!!)
Chunky's Pub and Theater. It's a movie theater with tables and they serve burgers and fries and such during the movie. It's one stop shopping!

10. What are five things that you are most thankful for?
1. A loving and supportive husband
2. The ability to balance work and play
3. That I can call on God anytime, anywhere, any reason
4. A nice warm, safe place to sleep
5. Having a budget that allows us to save, yet still do the things we want to do. (like travel)

You can read Rebecca's previous interview here.

Life and Work

This week I am in the midst of a staff conference, and it is keeping me very busy, on top of regular work!

My apologies to those waiting on interviews, I appreciate your patience! They will come.

:)

The Random Interview Project: David

This fourth interview in The Random Interview Project 2nd Round comes from David Fisher, of the blog Pilgrim Scribblings. I don't really know him at all, but I believe he reads my blog from time-to-time, and knows a few people I know. :)

1. Tell us a little bit about who you are.
I'm a 59 year old man involved in sports ministry as chaplain to the Toronto Blue Jays. We have 5 grown children in their 30's and two young boys who we adopted. They are 9 and 8. I'm a born-again Christian who loves the Lord.

2. What is one of your favourite things about being a parent?
I enjoy spending time with our boys and, hopefully, impacting their lives in a positive way.

3. If you could attend a free year of college or university anywhere for a
year, what school would you choose and what would you want to take and why?
I'd like to attend Capernwray Bible College in England and take a basic Bible course.

4. What has been one of the hardest biblical concepts for you to comprehend?
That God loves me unconditionally and desires my fellowship. He loves me passionately. That's hard to grasp because I know my own heart.

5. What is your favourite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon?
Go on hikes with our boys.

6. What has been one of your life's most rewarding experiences?
I guess leading Canada's first woman Indian chief, Elsie Knott, to Christ might be one of the most rewarding.

7. What are some things you anticipate happening in the world in the next ten years?
I'm afraid to think of what might happen. The way our nation of Canada is forsaking biblical principles I hate to think of where we might be. God may have to judge our nation for leaving Him out of our affairs.

8. Who, living or not, would you most like to sit down with and have a conversation with, and why?
Apart from Jesus I guess it would be my hero, George Muller, who founded orphanages in Bristol, England in the 1800's.

9. What are some of your favourite aspects of your hometown?
I grew up in a very special neighbourhood where the kids all got along very well. We had a very close-knot family that lived within two or three blocks of each other. My church was a very central part of my life growing up.

10. What do you remember most vividly about your wedding day?
We had a crazy man who tried to get into the church and was intent on disrupting our wedding. We had to lock the doors of the church and tell the ushers that he couldn't enter.

The Random Interview Project: Mike

This third interview in The Random Interview Project 2nd Round comes from the person I refer to as my friend Mike.

We met back in our humble Bible college days, or maybe we didn't actually meet there, I can't remember... we knew who each other were at least, we had mutual friends. Then somehow in this random universe I ended up working at the camp he worked at in Ontario one summer, and the next two summers after that, and here three years later here he is answering questions on my blog. He's also the head cook in the Briercrest cafeteria. My quote book has a large number of funny things he has said, and some I just remember in my head ("You can't like him, that means you would want to kiss him and that's GROSS!").

And, he's one of the coolest people I know, even though he's not man enough to pick up a turtle.

1. If you could only eat one camp meal for an entire month straight, what meal would you chose and why?
I think that it would be push-pops. Did you know that willow springs is canadas fastest seller of push-pops?

2. What do you like most and least about your current job?
What I like most is the fact that I get to cook, plus I get to eat for like $1 a day. What I like least is my big jerk of a boss. I say jerk but he can be so much more sometimes.

3. What life experience has taught you the most about God's faithfulness?
Just off the top of my head, I think it would be when my house burned down. I felt like God was there and caring for me the whole time. It was swell.

4. What are you looking most forward to about the next 42 months?
I am looking forward to going to California, going to camp, getting married (no we are not engaged yet, but 42 months is a long time), winning the mr. universe pageant, and thats about as far as I've thought ahead.

5. Please share with us three favourite memories from working at camp.
There's lots, but its tough to choose the top three. I had lots of fun dressing up as the creature from "The Village" and scaring the snot out of Cedar. Yelling "PORK CHOP!!" all summer long. Putting caterpillars on Loca.

6. What are some of the perks about having a girlfriend from California?
She's beautiful and kind and loves Jesus and Cali is nice too.

7. What are five of the perks about living in Caronport, Saskatchewan?
Perks?

8. If you had a dinner party with 5 celebrities, 5 camp people, and 5 Caronport people (from the present or the past), who would you chose to invite and why?
I think I'd pick Reese Roper, Bono, Jesus, Tom Welling, A Giant iPod, Mikao, Hobbes, Hendrix, Bartok, Gordon, Terry Froese, Dustan Hlady, Luke Flaming, Grover Bradford, and Monica Binion (of course!).

9. Please share with us one funny quote.
"I fart, and I'm disgusting?"

10. How did you get sucked into the blogging world?
Well, I cant really remember. I think I wanted to post on someone's myspace profile, so I had to sign up. I had been thinking about it for a long time but never did until recently. Please link me on your blog. http://profiles.myspace.com/users/15057933

Thank you. Good quiz, did I pass?

Editor's Note: You definitely passed. #5 made me laugh so hard.

The Random Interview Project: Holly

This second interview from The Random Interview Project, 2nd Round is from Holly. Her blog is pretty much dead, but Holly is alive and well and currently works at a grocery store in her hometown, four and a half hours away from where I currently live (she needs to move closer).

I met Holly one fateful day in September 2000 at Bible college. She lived down the hall from me, and I think what I remember most from her room that year was her spotted telephone. It looked like a galaxy. I think it must have been her roommate's, because I haven't seen it since.

1. Please describe your current favourite outfit. What makes it so great?
black $8 walmart polyester pants, and a puke yellow button down mens dress shirt with a black checked pattern, with a xl sized black aprone, a hair net, and of course, old lady no slip black shoes..

2. What do you remember most about high school?
i remember being infuriated when they decided we could no longer eat in the halls and we had to go to the cafeteria to eat and NO ONE cool ate in the cafeteria.. so we sat in the halls and very sneakily ate our lunches so as to not get caught.. we obviously were very cool

3. If you could relive any one calendar year that you have lived, which year would you chose and why?
2002 second hyear of college - cause i was cranky pretty much the whole year, and i didn't learn much or have much fun becuase of it, but, i would still come to your room at 4:45 and make you go to the caf for dinner with me

4. What has been your favourite job so far that you've had in life?
camp, fall staff

5. Have you ever thought about becoming an internet celebrity?
no.. no i haven't..

6. Please tell us about your dog and your cat. Who do you like better?
My cats name is Bob, he is the illegitimate child of my brothers skanky cat Toots, we aren't sure who the father is, cause toots, is a skank.. Bob was origionally named Kitty but my dad didn't like it becuase it wasn't manly enough, so now he's bob.. mom and i still call him Kitty though..

My dogs name is Daisy, and i refer to her as Daisy Girl most of the time, she is part yellow lab and part golden retriever, and is 4 months old.. she is the cutest dog there ever was and is very smart, she past her puppy obedience lessons with flying colours, she really likes to chew on stuffed animals, and take walks around the block, and chase the cat

Daisy is far superior to Bob, though i do have a strange affection for bob also

7. What is your favourite photograph that you have taken?
one of a church in kingston, while it was raining, or, the one i took of Jodi with those glasses or Renee's on where she looks special..

8. What do you miss most about your days of being a Bible college student?
not living at home

9. What is the most fun thing you get to do at your new job?
uh.. wearing the cool uniform and.... uh... my job isn't fun..

10. If you could do any job in the world for the next year and get paid a million bucks for it, what job would you choose and why?
i would work at camp, becuase i love camp. because camp is cool..

You can see Holly's interview from Part One last May here.

The Random Interview Project: Jodi

This first interview for The Random Interview Project, 2nd Round is from my friend Jodi. I've known Jodi for what seems like forever, but I actually met her in February 2000 when she was a mere high school student who came to my college for the large monstrosity that is known as Youth Quake. I was friends with her sister, and she says when we first started hanging out I talked about her sister all the time. Who would have known that we'd end up being roommates for our last year of school?

Now Jodi’s all graduated and stuff and is working as a children’s director at a church near Chicago.

"First of all, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Jodi Lea Mryna Chambers, I am cool and I live in Illinois. Michelle and I are friends because one fateful night in Caronport we sat in the lounge and eating Ramen Noodles and chatting it up. The rest is history."

1. What are three things that you particularly enjoy about Illinois?
I really like all the good shopping, mainly Kohl's department store; I really like that my apartment is right next to a paved bike trail that allows for nice, quiet walks through lovely areas of the city; I really like living by myself, I guess I just really enjoy my own company.

2. What are three things about Montana that you particularly miss now that you live in Illinois?
I miss mountains, water, and evergreen trees. I also miss my dad, my best friend Christy, and the people that really know me. This summer I know I will miss rodeos and hot cowboys.

3. What about being grown up and having a job and not being a student anymore do you dislike the most?
I dislike that I am one of the first of my friends to settle down and live a real life. So many my age are still dating random individuals that they meet and living life from day to day without a care of what the future holds. I feel very disconnected from that stage of life.

4. Please tell us about one of your favourite memories you have from your days as a humble Bible college student in the middle of nowhere.
Favorite memories of college days include: many trips to the Pil in subzero weather (one particularly memorable one included a shaggin' wagon), road trips to Montana with Keener Car Bingo, Running for Mayor, Worship in the Post Office, Dancing with Ian on the stage, our couch from 1972, and counting money with Michelle after a 3 hour Sunday afternoon nap.

5. If, for the next 24 hours straight you had to listen to one song on continuous repeat, and were only able to chose from Plumb's "Stranded" and John Mayer's "Daughters", which song would you choose and why?
Plumb in a heartbeat. First of all that song was obviously written for me my freshman year of colleg and John Mayer is the worst of the worst. I would rather be lost in a wolf-infested forest wearing meat pants than listen to that dreadful song.

6. What are you looking forward to most about in the next five years?
I'm looking forward to seeing these adorable kids that I teach grow up and get little personalities of their own. I look forward to getting a new car too.

7. What scares you most about the next five years?
It scares me that the spiritual training of so many children lies with me. I constantly wonder if I'm at the place with God where I need to be in order to truly teach the kids the things that they need to know in their first 12 years of life.

8. If you could have dinner with Martha Stewart, Dustin Resch, Grant McMillan, and Jennifer Lopez, what would you serve?
That would be so, so fun. Since I haven't cooked much in the last 8 months, I would have to say that I would order pizza from Rosati's because it's delicious and I wouldn't want the pressure of having to prepare something to get in the way of great conversation with Martha and Grant.

9. At this aforementioned dinner, who would you want to converse with the most and why?
Oh, I already kinda answered this. Well, I would like to hear about Jenni from the Bronx, but I would like to chat with Martha about her poncho, and Grant is always good for a laugh or two. Dustin I'm not so sure about, maybe I'll just arrange for Joanne to call so she can chat it up with him.

10. What is your favourite memory of me?
Hmmm...I have some gooders. And you'll kill me if I tell the one that I really want to about something that happened while you were in class. So I'll just say that one good memory was when you were cramming for finals while sitting on the can and you dropped your pen in the toilet and flushed anyhow. That was a chuckle. You better not edit my answers in any way! I will have big issues if you do not include my answers in their entirety.

Now I need to go to the Post office. I miss living somewhere where the post office ladies are nice and call you by name and tell you how nicely decorated the packages I send are.

Communication Terminated."

Here is Jodi's previous interview from Round One of this project.

From My Friend Joanne

oh yeah, and there is this pressure washer here to clean the outside of the house. and he was all like, "i'm gonna take off my shirt and get a tan and wash this place" or whatever.

and then he did.

p.s. he's old.

The Random Interview Project Returns

Some of you may remember The Random Interview Project that I previously conducted. This is a plea for round two.

The premise is this... if you would like to participate, email me or leave your email in the comments. I will then email you a list of ten questions for you to email me back the answers. I will publish everyone's questions and answers here on my blog. You do not need a blog of your own to participate.

Upon the completion of this round of the project, I will publish all the links together, as well as links from the previous round.

So... who would like to be interviewed? :)

Just Another Day Here in Siberia/Antarctica

So I just got back from dogsledding not too long ago.

This morning when I got up, it was -19 Celcius out, but with the windchill, it felt more like -28. MINUS TWENTY-EIGHT DEGREES CELCIUS!

And yesterday it snowed ALL DAY and I hadn’t driven anywhere because I carpooled with one of my roommates, and when I got home after work and after the grocery store, it was after 6pm and I was too tired to brush off the FOOT OF SNOW that was all over my car, and shovel out the back so I could back off, I thought “what the hey, I can just do that tomorrow morning before I leave!”

But I didn’t count on it being MINUS TWENTY-EIGHT DEGREES CELCIUS this morning… so when I went out I bundled up and wore everything feasibly possible under my jacket and over my jacket, and proceeded to spend about 20-25 minutes digging my car out and brushing it off. It snowed so much yesterday, it was seriously nuts. Not peanuts nuts, but more like a whole jumbo large can of mixed nuts nuts.

Anyways, this morning I was supposed to instruct and supervise tubing in the latter half before lunch, but then I also got called to help with dogsledding. We don’t normally have dogsledding here, but one of the schools that is here at the camp I work at brought their dogsled team up for the week. And, after being introduced to seven of the dogs, and holding the lead dog, I even got to go for a ride. So that was neat.

You know, because it was MINUS TWENTY-EIGHT DEGREES CELCIUS, I decided to wear the purple leopard print velour pants that my friend Holly sent me for Christmas. It was cold out people, situations like that call for layering. But I wore them on the outside over my jeans, because they’re so funny.

When I came back into the main office, after freezing outside forever, and was all goobery like kids get after being outside for recess, you know what I mean… the office was of course filled with strange people whom I have never met and was then forced to meet. With my hair all messy from winter clothes wearing. With three pairs of mitts and a non-coordinating scarf on. AND PURPLE LEOPARD PRINT VELOUR PANTS ON. And, red shoes on. RED SHOES! They weren’t mine, but I had just given my boots to someone else who was outside and needed them, and so I was stuck with their red shoes.

My roommate (the receptionist), laughed at me.

But then I thought, you know, without hilarious days like today, I’d be just another normal person.

Actual Repair Requests






(Referring to the men’s bathroom).

Artificial Meat

"So we had pizza for lunch. The camp pizza isn't supergood pizza though. It's okay, but it's always got that gross crumbled up bacon crud on it that looks like barf. You know, like they put balogna through a meat processor and mixed in some smoke seasoning. Gross. Who wants to eat that?

Seriously.

I feel like watching Napoleon Dynamite."

The Grind

Jason Killingsworth once wrote something about how when you finish with college and enter the “real world,” you’re done with pretend adulthood.

Adulthood isn’t turning out to be exactly what I had expected. Sure, I always knew someday I’d probably get stuck in the daily grind of working Monday to Friday 9-5… but I don’t think I ever really expected to conform to an office job.

But then again, I don’t really work in a traditional office. I work in a camp office. I can wear pretty much whatever I want as long as it’s not track pants, a baseball cap, or something distasteful. Thus, I can wear my hotdog t-shirt, other camp t-shirts, and shirts promoting the consumption of peanuts.

But. I digress. This thing called adulthood. In some respects, adulthood brings freedom. But in many other respects, it brings the restrictions of more responsibilities. Rent, car repairs, the cost of gas, food, cooking, etc... it all adds up. Sure we had those responsibilities before, in college, but in college we (or most of us) were still spending either our parents’ money or student loan money. The fountain seemed limitless.

This real world, this is real. Bills come. You have to pay them. The freedom somewhat becomes constricting.

Adulthood. It’s not exactly so fun anymore.

Mr. Peanut makes it more bearable.

Propriety, and This Concept of Modesty

I was talking to someone yesterday about Bible college and Christian bubbles and concepts like those, when we got on to the subject of modesty.

He spoke of a particular school he knew of where females were not allowed to wear any sort of a shirt exposing their shoulders. This, for guys, he said, made shoulders a sexualized body part, when they shouldn't be.

The concept of modesty is so complex. Paul of course instructed us in 1 Timothy 2: 9 and 10, "I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God."

But braided hair is no longer considered immodest.

When I first started Bible college, in 1998, we weren’t allowed to wear tank tops that I can recall. Skirts had to be 2 inches above the knee or longer, shorts were to be mid-thigh at least, boys couldn’t wear earrings, no cleavage was to be shown, amongst other things. I didn’t have a problem with those rules, I had never worn those clothes before.

But other people had problems with those rules. People liked to push the envelope every year.

Eventually, we could wear tank tops. Eventually, boys could have earrings. By the time I finished college, what was once a rulebook morphed into a few pages of general guidelines.

Each decade, and even each year, brings with it new norms in fashion and acceptable levels of modesty. I think Christina and Britney helped bring it to a whole new level. Levels of modesty are constantly changing. Paul’s guidance only gives clear-cut levels acceptable for the time of writing.

When I was a youth intern, I remember giving a seminar at a camp the church’s youth group went to for a week. I gave two sessions of the seminar, one for junior high and one for senior high aged youth. The subject was modesty and appropriateness. It got quite heated.

I’ve worked at camps with a variety of different clothing rules… no tank tops, no halter tops, two finger strap rule, no cleavage, no bikinis, no tankinis, bathing suits worn with t-shirts, no stomachs showing, no short shorts, etc. etc.

In my head, what is acceptable is just so cut and dry in my head. There is no question to me about the fine line. I know what is acceptable.

I wonder why that is though. Is it because of the college system I started with? Is it because I was one of the rule makers at camp? Is it because I always had a high personal sense of modesty? That doesn't make me better than others, it just makes the concept of modesty, and being modest, easier for me. I wish it was easier, and understandable, for more.

I don’t understand why people have a problem with being modest. Why people fight modesty rules. Extreme rules, those I don’t understand. But general guidelines… come on, those are easy to follow.

Our culture teaches us that it’s okay to be immodest. It teaches us that that is the way to go. Especially for females. Men want to see all that flesh.

Paul didn’t give us cut and dry standards of what clothing is and isn’t acceptable, but he did however tell us that we should dress with "decency and propriety... with good deeds." That is what is appropriate for all who profess to worship God.

808 Calories

I had a dream last night that I weighed 109 lbs.

I don't think I could weigh 109 lbs. I wouldn't be able to eat two McChickens at McDonald's whenever I wanted to, I'd have to only have one with fries.

Further Adventures

One of my roommates and I went to Barrie on the weekend, and I drove. Barrie, where we live, is the "big city" that you go to do all your good shopping in, if you don't want to drive all the way to Toronto. It's comparable to Regina if you live just west of Moose Jaw in a little town called Caronport. Barrie has several malls, Michael's, a Value Village, a Christian book store, and an Old Navy, all of which we hit in our shopping extravaganza.

At Michael's I spent entirely too much money to justify, but they had sales on all their 8.5"x11" cardstock, and some of their 12"x12" cardstock. I couldn't resist. And, I got four rubberstamps for 90 cents each... a steal of a deal. Sure I wouldn't have boughten them if they weren't 90 cents, but when they're that cheap how can you resist? I have put a few new creations up at my arts and crafts site now that my scanner is mysteriously working again.

I got a couple of pairs of pants, the Bethany Dillon CD, and a shirt from Old Navy for five bucks. Sure I wouldn't have boughten it had it not been on sale, but I find that sometimes my greatest fashion finds come from sales like that. I end up liking them a lot. This shirt has great potential.

Before departing Barrie, we went to McDonald's, because, you know, we're classy and elegant like that. And when we came out, SOMEONE HAD EGGED MY CAR! Who does that? It's not even Halloween! It was all over the passenger side window and down the door, and eggshells on the roof. Frozen solid too. I couldn't get it off at a gas station, so when I went home I took out some hot water to it. Sunday I went to a car wash when it was a little warmer and got the rest of it off. It was disgusting.

And then last night and this morning it's been snowing and the roads are terrible, so Hot Rod is getting all dirty again. But at least there is no more egg on it.

Faith

Marisa asked me to do a guest post over at her site Simple Games.