an interview with maria-thérèse of afiori

i stumbled onto maria-thérèse's etsy shop - afiori - long ago. from there, i was led to her blog (i love how she does all of her posts in both english and swedish). we've been exchanging comments and mails and facebook updates for sometime now and she feels like an old friend, even tho' we've never met in person. i sent her interview questions a few weeks ago and now, at last, i have her answers. i find them to be completely worth the wait and i hope you will too...(the pictures are all hers and many of them are available as different products in her etsy shop)

1. sometimes living a creative life (and not succumbing to mind-numbing corporate hell) is difficult, how do you make it work?

I have always been very creative. It's like this force inside me which can't be stopped. While I've never been in corporate hell, I did go to school and university for many years and also tried to work as a teacher, but I would incorporate creativity in my work and then create things for myself and for friends at night. If you are talking money, I don't find it a lot more difficult being a full-time artist than being the youngest and last employed substitute teacher in times of financial crisis. Starting www.afiori.com is one of the best things I've ever done for myself.

2. what do you do to relax when you get stressed out?

Nothing. I honestly don't know how to relax but I know I have to learn. One thing that helps is to watch action movies. The more explosions, the better. I suppose that when I see someone else being in an extremely stressful situation with explosions and car chases, I feel a little bit relaxed in comparison. Gosh, this sounds sad. Seriously, if someone could teach me how to relax I'd appreciate it.

3. you make the most fantastic photographic collages without using photoshop, can you share a little bit of your secret?

Why thank you! Well, photography is one thing and collage is another. I have always enjoyed working with my hands and with paper. To create this collage, Find Your Wings, I printed out a photograph I had taken of some pink flowers. I painted on the photograph using acrylics, scraped off the paint, printed out a vintage image as a transparency, hand coloured it a bit and stuck it to the paint, added real leaves, painted some more, scraped off paint and scanned it all in when it was finished. Many of my collages are from my own art journals and then I use them as covers for the journals I sell.

When it comes to photography, I had my own darkroom as a child and learnt traditional darkroom techniques, so I tend to think in terms of negatives instead of layers and I prefer the photography part – observing the light, the shadows and the vantage point – to doing too many things afterwards on the computer. There are so many creative ways to take photographs. My main reason for not getting Photoshop was that it's really expensive but now I feel that I'm a bit against it, simply because I wouldn't feel as creative if a programme helped me a lot. I am not saying that Photoshop is bad or that others shouldn't be using it, not at all, but I think it may be easy to become too reliant on Photoshop.

I do use other programmes to alter or merge photographs but very simple – and free - ones. One came with my scanner..! I also like to print out photographs like I said above and physically do things to them.

4. what's your ultimate dream camera (and money is no object)?

It would take huge photographs without noise and it would have an extremely flexible lense. It would be smaller and lighter than the camera I'm using now (which is supposed to be one of the world's smallest digital SLR:s but it's still heavy to carry and handle all day for two small hands); it would focus extremely quickly in auto mode and also never break. Oh, and it would have some sort of shell so you could change the colour of the camera. Maybe it could have wings as well and just fly next to me and at night we could watch violent movies together.

5. where is your favorite vacation destination?

Rome, London, Florence, Paris, a beach in France, my mum's house and having waffles outside my aunt's house on a hill.

6. explain the true meaning of fika.

Fika is a wonderful thing. Here in Sweden, you can ask a friend if they want to go and fika with you. It means you'll meet at a café, have something to drink and a piece of cake, cookies, something sweet to go with the drink and you'll talk and hang out for a while. You can also fika on your own. Fika is both a noun and a verb: fika is the things you are eating and drinking and also the word for what you are doing. Fika is a very important social thing and if someone comes to your house and you don't offer them fika they will think you are a little bit crazy or at least very rude.

7. what's your favorite part about being your own boss?

The world makes more sense to me now. I never really understood why someone else should be telling me what to do anyway.

8. what's hardest about being your own boss?

Let me tell you – my boss is crazy! She makes me work all the time without any vacation. Well, she let me go to Paris a while back but demanded I take nine hundred photographs and talk to galleries while I was there. Sure, she takes me out to fika sometimes and I can sleep until ten in the morning, but she expects me to do everything, even the bookkeeping. Still, I have to say I really like my job.

9. are you a night person or a morning person?

Night.

10. you've been doing a lot of photoshoots lately...is it fun to branch out into portraits or a bit scary?

Can you keep a secret? afiori is also branching out into photo jewellery! There will also be calendars very soon. I've actually done a lot of portrait photography before and think it's a lot of fun, but for some reason didn't think to include it in my business until recently when a bride-to-be asked if I could photograph a wedding. I am only scared of forests filled with murderers and bears. When it comes to work and creativity, I am fearless.

* * *

thank you, maria-thérèse!

this was totally worth waiting for!

so much inspiration here.

you make me want to embrace my creative self and just trust and believe in her.

an interview with gwen of not really (the final interview - for now)

i think that gwen's is the perfect interview to end my interview series (for now)...she's funny, she swears (kind of a lot), she's smart, erudite, she mentions sartre,  and i think i might be a little bit in love with her on some level that's probably neither healthy nor something we want to delve too deeply into. and i think her answers have given me a push back to my bloggy self...read on and you'll see why:

1. what WOULD jesus do?

it's 7 am, i've been awake since 4, have spent the last 5 weeks traveling from one bed to another, packed and unpacked and packed again. what jesus SHOULD do is let me take a fucking nap.

no, really. i have to believe that nothing would horrify jesus more than the modern evangelical spectacle that bears his name. so much law. so little grace. i heard a high school classmate say once, glancing sideways at me, that if we could really see the world as god sees it, we would ache for the lostness of mankind. only someone who grew up in the tiny world of fundamental evangelical christianity might understand why i wanted to punch him in his fucking face after he said that. because the subtext is that he, this guy, can see the heart of mankind, too, can appreciate its lostness, can appreciate MY lostness, more than you and me, because he is closer to god. and if there's one thing i know after more than 40 years on this carousel, it's that i don't know one fucking thing about the secret hearts of others.  we are all mysteries, most especially to ourselves.

i think the most reprehensible aspect of modern evangelical christianity is its lack of love. of inclusiveness engendered by love. its proponents--the loud, public ones anyway--like to point to jesus in the temple, clearing out the corruption with his whip and his righteous anger, want to use that as a defense for their own judgments. but there are several things wrong with this position: first, these people are not, as far as i can tell, jesus. and they are the very people jesus--the guy who hung with the hookers and lepers and societal scrubs--would have taken his whip to.

what would jesus do? become a buddhist.

(for the record, most of the coolest people i know are the very ones who were raised by crazy christians. so. jesus must be up to something worthwhile, however inadvertently.)

2. when you want to run away, where you do go (and please don't say you actually run, because i might have to crush your skull)?

i go for a run. dude. i live in switzerland. it's kind of beautiful to run here.

hahahahaha.

i find a yoga class. that better?

i lose myself in a book, or in thinking about some esoteric concern. i write--loopy posts never to be published, long e-mails to my far-flung friends. i read a poem again and again. i wander through one of zurich's art museum. i bake. i plan my next (theoretical) vacation (turkey, stay alive, no matter what occurs. i will find you.)  i try some new complex recipe that my ill-equipped swiss kitchen cannot possibly handle. i grip the wheel of the car really tightly and keep it pointed straight and steady on the road. i phone a friend.

i go for a run.

3. do you feel like a good parent?

does anyone feel like a good parent? how can we? the task is too enormous and we are too weak. if i can figure out how to love my kids the way THEY need to be loved, not the way i want to love them, i'll feel like i haven't entirely failed. i have pretty polite, well-behaved kids. i also have cool, dorky, irritating, creative, cracked, funny, frightened, adaptable, darling, horrible, astonishing kids. how much of that do i get credit for? how much is a lucky accident? how much can i blame on their father? mostly i worry, oh how i worry, that i will turn into my mother, that it's genetically inevitable. someone please destroy me before that happens.

4. kirk or picard?

huh? you realize i didn't grow up in the united states. are we talking star trek? star wars? starship troopers? fuck. picard? he's got the accent, right? yeah. picard.

5. i know you have an iPhone, but do you have a Mac?

i'm typing on my mac book right this very minute. does that count? or does it have to be big and impressive and solidly moored to a desk-like furniture item?

6. so are you coming to blog camp berlin or what?

absofuckinglutely. i hope all you seasoned internationalists can tolerate the newb. "Ich bin ein Berliner." (i just lost fabulous points right there, didn't i?)

7. in connection with that...limoncello or jagermeister?

jagermeister makes me think of a crew-cut woman in an ill-fitting khaki surplus blouse with enormous biceps who barks at me "vere ahr yohr paypahrs?" so, uh, limoncello, please.  straight from the freezer. can i have one right now?

8. so is blogher all it's cracked up to be?

funny. i'm writing this as i fly to blogher, and i wonder what the fuck i'm doing. i cherish the friends i've made from this medium, but the whole SQUEEBLOGHERSHOESSQUEE zeitgeist is, yeah. no. but then i didn't join a sorority for a reason. i think blogher brings out the worst in most people and is actually really really bad for women. but ask me again when it's all over.

(blogher is now over, and i can say definitively that is completely fucking stupid. and i had a fantastic time at it. go fig.)

9. if you could assemble the perfect A-list blogger chick lunch, who would you invite?

what qualifies someone for a-list status?  do you know? i'm not even sure the pool from which i'm allowed to pick.  there were a bunch of women crowded on a couch at the last party at blogher, looking like a washed-up, sagging version of a hollywood hottie party. were they a-list? because if they were, those tedious a-list slags cannot come to my perfect chick lunch.  they are dead dull, and i loathe nothing more than being un-amused. on to the true coolios, then: the on-line peeps i want to know better--Jen, Juli, Mary, Britt, Anna, Sue, Thordora, Bon, Suebob, Amanda, Nadine, Kat. For starters.

10. do you ever think that maybe there is indeed a hell and we're already in it?

nope. there's no hell, not even the kind that grumpy little Sartre postulated, and we're not in it now. this life--as fraught as it is--is too jagged with beauty to truly be hell. it's all we've got, man. there's nothing on the other side.  better find a way to love it while you have it.

* * *

it kinda freaks me out that i only recognize one single blogger on gwen's a-list.

and it freaks me out even more to realize just how much i've lost my edge.

i need to be edgy again.

what the hell happened to me?

thank you gwen, for being brilliant and articulate and edgy.

i really needed that.

and i'm sending a whole bottle of limoncello your way.
or at least bringing one to berlin.

* * *

there are some questions still out there and i will post those as they come in (hint, hint).

* * *

i know there are a whole group of you who asked for questions and never got them
(you're the "no-reply blogger" comments, which made it harder.)
i will be doing this again, but it's time for a break.
but you never know when questions just might pop into your in-box, so hang in there.
a big thank you to all who were interviewed and wanted to be interviewed.
you gave me back my mojo.

* * *

"i loathe nothing more than being unamused." - that's priceless, just priceless.

an interview with liz of the fragrant muse

Liz is my source of fragrant inspiration - i learned of clary sage from her and of the healing powers of tea tree and of how to be centered by lavender. i credit all of the times i got into creative flow in the past year or so to her fabulous clary sage, it's my one essential can't-live-without oil. here's what she had to say in response to my questions...

1. when i'm home all alone, i...

Bathe in decadent selfishness: I listen to audiobooks (always mysteries), work in my art journal, spend hours pouring over blogs and websites of creative women who inspire me, eat ice cream. Not necessarily in that order.

2. your top three ultimate must-have essential oils. if you could have no others, it would be these.

Only three? The very idea makes me dizzy.l But okay, I'll play. I surely couldn't live without Clary Sage for her deep emotional and creative support. Bergamot is a must have because I never ever, ever, ever, ever get tired of her aroma and she calms my anxiety. I couldn't live without Tea Tree for her sheer medicinal value. Then (when no one's looking) I'd slip in Vetiver for stablility and grounding.

3. anything you would go back and do over?

In 1991 my hair was reallllly long when I impulsively cut it pixie short. Imagine my tresses now if I'd left them alone!

4. where do you go when you need to unwind?

Anyplace near water, especially the beach. My Moon in Cancer demands water to soothe my high strung nature. And I love shrimp.

5. what do you miss most about italy?

The abundance of style, elegance and class, from furnishings to food to how people dress every day. Americans have taken "disposable", "practical" and "casual" to terrifying depths.

6. the best thing about being your own boss?

Being a control freak, I love that I get to do everything my own way.

7. the worst thing about being your own boss?

I have to do things the way I've decided with no one else to blame!

8. if people disappoint you, do you say something to them?

Depends on the person. If I really care about the relationship then yes, I will be candid. Otherwise, I let it go and move on, unfortunately, I usually move on from that person, too..

9. have you grown more patient over the years?

My family and I probably have differing opinions on this one. However, yes, I believe I have. Being patient is really about letting go of expectations of how things should be. This has been a huge lesson for me because I like to be in control. My worst impatience used to be waiting in a supermarket checkout line. Now, when the line is slow, I grab the most expensive magazine and calmly read it cover to cover with no intention of paying for it. I feel in control and get great fashion tips. Yeah, it's petty, but it works.

10. life is too short to...Leave your passions unexplored!

* * *

thank you, liz, for playing along with my interview game! i'm off to douse myself in clary sage and paint some more feather stones. (i have to credit trinsch for the inspiration on those.)

i'm closing in on the end of this round of interviews.

if you didn't get questions from me, i'm really sorry.

i will do this again soon and those of you who asked this time will be first on the list.

i got a little overwhelmed by more than 50 requests, i admit!

an interview with miss malorie of consider me something of a miscreant...

when i read miss malorie's answers, i realized i must have been in a rather bad mood when i wrote her questions, as many of them are related to angry chicks and corporate hell. hmmm... but i loved her answers and i hope you will too:

1. when they make the movie about you, who will play you?

 Hmmmm... excellent question. If I was a tall white woman instead of a tall black woman, Julia Roberts would play me. Back in her Pretty Woman days when she had that amazing, long, curly red hair. Hmmm... Angela Bassett is fierce; I would love her to play me. If I was a man, it would have to be a mix of Scarface Al Pacino and The Godfather Pt. II Al Pacino. Sorry, that was approximately 3.75 answers to one question.

2. original star trek, next generation or deep space 9 or none of the above?

 Oh dear, none of the above. I was a Twilight Zone kid. Space never quite fascinated me the same way other dimensions did.

3. if you were a car, what car would you be?

 Just because it would be my dream, a pearly white BMW 330 Ci (convertible) with white leather and straw interior. I was just out last night, and I saw the perfect summer purse--made from straw with white leather. I think that looks so classy. I would be a BMW because every time I see one, I stop what I'm doing and watch it work. I would like to think that I'm a headturner... not just in the literal sense, either.

4. when you're in an incredibly pissy mood, who do you take it out on and how?

 Usually every inanimate object in my path (I lightly kicked my computer once. Maybe more than once.) and every stupid driver on the road. I curse them out in my car. They don't hear me. Sometimes, I take it out on people also. I try not to let it get to that, but if it does, it's reflected via my verbal and non-verbal communication. (My infamous facial expressions, very curt sentences, etc.)

I try not to get pissy often... I'm generally irritated quite often, but I don't like being pissy.

5. your go-to angry chick music when you're feeling like an angry chick?

 Hmmm... anything with strong (i.e. content wise/emotionally speaking, etc.) lyrics and/or artfully placed expletives. One album I can think of off the top of my head is Avril Lavigne's first album, actually. Super light on the expletives, but the heavy guitars and melodies (and screaming, at times) help. When I'm mad, it helps to know that someone out there in the world was as mad as I am.

6. would you allow yourself to be bogged down in corporate hell?

 No.

Period point blank, no. I can't work in an office without wanting to launch myself out of the window. I have worked in recreation forever (meaning: with kids) and the flexibility is something that really works for me. It's spoiled me, quite frankly. But I knew I was never going into the corporate landscape way before my time in recreation. When I was 15, out of horror, I made a promise to myself that I would never work in a cubicle. (I thought often about ending up in a recliner, realizing that life had passed me by. Hence, the horror.)

7. if you were going to run away, where would you go?

 To the state of delirious happiness.

8. random fact?

 I am not who you think I am.

* * *

thank you, miss malorie, for playing along, even tho' all of my questions for you were about my bad day.

i would love to come along for the ride to delirious happiness, please! :-)

and you know what?

i'm not who you think i am either.

an interview with megan of running wild

megan runs marathons. and usually, something like that would mean that we have nothing in common and so our paths would never cross. but, being a runner, she's also got feet, which meant she was a shoe-in for being part of the shoe per diem project(pun intended). :-) actually, back when i first got acquainted with her, she was known as OP - the optimistic pessimist. and i always thought that was a very clever bloggy name. but anyway, on to her interview. being both horrified and fascinated by runners (especially after reading murakami's what i talk about when i talk about running), i had to ask her about that. and she scores extra points for actually mentioning him!

1. you are a running madwoman, what drives you to do it, even if no one is chasing you?

At first I was driven to run just to see if I could do it. I can’t really say that I liked it all that much and at some points I hated it. After my marathon, something just clicked; it was one of the most soul-searching times of my life.

Now I’m driven to run for two reasons:

#1 – Physically, I have to.
Not running isn’t an option. My body is used to running and when it doesn’t get taken out for a run it gets antsy. I often tell people I’m like a dog that needs to be walked. If I don’t get out for a few runs in the week I physically feel bad and pace around a lot.

#2 – Find my center, emotional stability, inspiration.
Running has allowed me to reach a level of peace and calmness that I never thought possible. All day long I’m a mother, a daughter, a friend, an employee, a student…I’m somebody’s something. Running is for me, it’s mine. It’s my time to purge and process all that’s happening in my life. I have the best ideas when I run. I’ve often thought about taking a piece of paper and pen with me as my thoughts aren’t always as clear after the run. At some point it became less about the exercise and more about feeling inspired. In a way, running is my art.

2. if you were going to run away, where would you go? and would you literally run?

Currently, if I were to run away I’d go to Hawaii. My running partner is going there tomorrow and I miss her already, AND that’s where Haruki Murakami wrote some of What I Talk About When I Talk About Running – an inspirational book for anyone, even non-runners. There were times where I just kept chuckling to myself and nodding my head in agreement while reading this book. I’d love to channel Haruki while running on the beaches of Hawaii.

Would I run there? Of course not! I’m not exactly known for my light packing skills. That and the whole issue of the ocean.

3. the best thing about 9-year-old boys?

What isn’t great about 9-year-old boys? Their views on life, food, and bugs. Nine is by far my favorite age to date. He’s independent enough to do his own thing, but still loves spending time with me.

One of the things I love most about him is his innovativeness. His way of exploring and trying new things never ceases to amaze me. I often wonder if we put 9-year-olds in charge of world issues if they could do a better job than those currently in power. Sure this would result in entire towns made out of marshmallows, lego sculptures in every city, and mandatory weekly nerf gun exercises, but hey, we’d have world peace.

4. the worst thing about 9-year-old boys?

Laundry time. Ughhh. Yuck. I’m seriously contemplating starting to wearing gloves. It’s something new and unusual every week. Although, I must admit I do get a kick out of wondering what would inspire him to put what he puts in his pockets. What must be going through his head at that very moment. I have yet to find a living creature, but it’s only a matter of time.

5. iPhone or blackberry?

iPhone – a no brainer. Just yesterday my neighbor had a confused look on her face starring at her blackberry. She said she’s had it for a week and can’t figure the thing out. She was planning on watching the CD to help her figure out how to use it. As I struggled to understand her woes, I caressed my iPhone and thought about my first week with it. There was no figuring it out or watching of a CD. It was completely intuitive. I shudder to think of having anything other than an iPhone at this point in my life.

6. your wine of choice?

Inspiration Red from the Imagine Moore Winery in New York. Ménage a Trois

7. what's your starbucks drink of choice?

Carmel Frappucino

8. your guilty pleasures?

Starbucks, sea salt & vinegar potato chips, going to a movie in the middle of the day on a weekday, chinese food in bed on a rainy day, The Real World....the list just goes on and on.

9. your life philosophy in one sentence?

Keep moving, no matter what – mentally and physically.

Seriously – if you become stagnant why bother? No matter how tough stuff gets if you keep moving forward, things will get better.

10. what child-like traits do you retain despite ostensibly being an adult?

Lying in the grass, watching the clouds for hours.
Giggling at words that sound dirty, but aren’t....caulk anyone?

* * *

thank you, megan, for answering a few of my questions.

but damn you for making me think running might be a good idea...

go check out megan's blog and stop by to see what shoes she was wearing today.

an interview with lisa-marie of this girl is...

there was a time a couple of years ago when we considered moving to scotland and if we had, i can tell you that i'd be hanging out with lisa-marie. not only does she share the name of elvis' daughter, she can cook, she reads lots of books and she makes pretty things. and she asked me to interview her - i jumped at the chance because i wanted to finally get to the bottom of that thing with the kilts. here's what she had to say...

1. tell us a little-known fact about Scotland.

The kilt, considered by most people to be the traditional Scottish
dress, Is actually only the traditional dress of the Highlands. It's
common now for men all over Scotland to wear them for special
occasions, but in the time that the kilt was worn as everyday dress,
Lowland Scottish people considered Highlanders to be strange and
savage, owing to their strange dress and 'foreign' language, which was
Gaelic.

2. would you ever participate in one of those changing rooms programs
(if they're still making them - do you know what i mean?) and whose
house would you want to make over?

As someone who is relatively artistic, they way all of the interior
designers on them make 'art' that matches the colours they've chosen
for the room really annoys me, so I'd participate so that I could give
people proper art that doesn't blend in. It's would be cheating, but
I'd probably make over my little sister's house, and let her do mine,
as she wouldn't put in things I wouldn't like!

3. the best part about your job?

Being a nanny is quite different from most jobs I think. I am actually
part of a family, and happen to be paid for being so at the end of
each month. My very favourite part of the days is when I walk in the
door in the morning. Anna tends to run towards me for a hug, and Tom
starts telling me what he's been doing immediately. It's wonderful to
walk into a room and automatically feel welcome and like you arrival
has been anticipated with happiness.

4. coffee or tea?

Tea, Earl Grey with milk if I have a choice. Tea has a very relaxing,
restorative quality, which is probably why it's a cliche that people
in the UK see it as as solution to everything,

5. the worst book you've read in ages...

Conversations with the Fat Girl by Liza Palmer. It's badly written,
and paints both of the girls with weight problems as being quite
pathetic. I picked it up as a light read, but it's one of the few
books in my life I've stopped reading halfway through. Being somewhat
chubby myself, I am generally interested in how chubby girls are
portrayed in books, and this one is not painting us in a good light!

6. and of course, the best one...

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. It's the coming of age tale of
two 17 year old girls, living in poverty in a large, rundown castle in
England, with their eccentric family. Smith turns the picture-box
image of families living in large estates on it's head, and creates
characters who are individual, multidimensional and loveable. I read
this first when I was 13, and loved it then, but having re-read it,
I've taken even more from it!

7. don't go another year without...

Learning to crochet - I've been saying I'm going to for ages, and
haven't. Oh, and seeing some new places. I want to see as much of the
world as I can in my life!

8. your life philosophy in one sentence:

Be true to who you are.

9. so are the men wearing underwear underneath those kilts?

In my experience, nothing! :)

10. if you could invite four authors to dinner, who would they be and
what would you serve?

Jane Austen, Muriel Spark, John Steinbeck, and Margaret Atwood.
Imagine the conversations!

I'm assuming our dinner would be in winter, and I'd serve - Leek,
potato and bacon soup, Cider and mustard pork chops with roast veg(and
some German white),my chocolate truffle cake with ice cream(and a nice
bottle of Spanish red), and a cheese board with port and whisky.

* * *

thank you, lisa-marie! i hope i can come to that dinner too!

and i'm with you on the crochet, tho' it's not going THAT well for me.

an interview with amy of tilting windmills

i was so pleased that amy wanted to be interviewed, because she's been at the country lifestyle for a bit longer than i have. we have in common a house for sale (ours is thankfully now sold and hers rented) and a desire for a simpler life more filled with animals and gardening. so i jumped at the chance to ask her a few questions about how she's getting along with all of that. so read what she had to say and do check her blog and flickr photostream - she's also part of the blog camp 365 flickr group.

1. tell us what's going into your garden boxes at the moment? and how many people receive them per week?

This week we had loads of cucumbers (both English and mini ones), swiss chard, Italian squash, zucchini, baby bell peppers and tomatillos! We are doing the boxes for four families. There is another family that's been helping us with the garden and the two of us eat our fill and put up plenty for the off season too. This is the first year we have tried our mini CSA. It's been a great learning experience and a lot of fun. We actually have a waiting list of interested people for next year!

2. are the chickens really worth it, despite being utterly brainless?

Hmmm utterly brainless to take care of or they're utterly brainless (editorial note: chickens not that smart) ? Either way the answer is Yes! We've loved having them and Sidney is very attached. It is fascinating to watch them in their interactions with each other and us. We have two that are two years old and they'll come right up and hop on your lap. Then this year we got 15 babies. One of the hens grew up to be a rooster so we get to listen to him crow, which does seem to add further to the ambiance here :) One of the young ones laid her first egg yesterday! Come fall we'll be adding eggs to our weekly farm boxes for everyone!

3. what's the most essential utensil in your kitchen?

I love my Kitchenaid mixer. I use it all of the time!

4. which garden goodness that you've put up do you most enjoy in the dead of winter?

That's a tough one. I'd have to say the butternut squash, it's so sweet, warm and comforting and takes the whole season to grow. A close second would be the loads of fresh pesto I've made and frozen.

5. if you were going to run away and escape from it all, where would you go?

I grew up in Southern California, right near the ocean. I love the water. I think my best escape would be to a lake where I can just relax and listen to the water gently lapping on the shore.

6. can you give me some canning advice? or a good pickle recipe?

Something I've just learned, you don't need the bread and butter pickle spice mix. Do the whole shebang from scratch. It makes amazing pickles, I think I just might enter a jar of these in the fair next year :)

12 large cucumbers
12 large onions
1 Pt. white vinegar
1 C. brown sugar
1 tsp. mustard seed
1 tsp, celery seed
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper


Peel the onions. Wash and thinly slice onions and cucumbers. Place in a solution of 1 qt. water mixed with 1/4 C. canning salt. Cover with ice and allow to stand in brine for 3 hours.


Combine vinegar, brown sugar, mustard and celery seed and bring to boil. Add ginger, turmeric, salt and pepper.


Drain cucumber & onion mixture (do not rinse). Pack into clean hot jars and cover with hot liquid mixture. Place on 2 part lids to seal and process in a boiling water bath. 15 minutes for quarts or 10 minutes for pints.

7. how's your fabric stash coming along?

Ohhh it's growing quite nicely, thank you (Sid's is too)! Now I just need my own 'blue room.' I can see I'm quickly going to outgrow my dining room. In fact, I'm hosting a dinner party outside (in some crazy humidity) this weekend, just to keep my craft room intact ;)

8. what prompted your decision to move to the countryside to try to live a simpler life?

I've always been drawn to the country. B grew up on a farm in Kansas, and though he didn't want to farm per se, we wanted our own type of farming experience. It began to come together just before we had our daughter, Sidney. We had a business opportunity that would move us closer to the small town experience that we wanted for our kids. When we first moved to Wisconsin, there wasn't that perfect property available and we soon got sucked into the day to day of owning and running a business, and our son came along too. Just when we weren't looking, we came across the perfect property just over 3 years ago. Now our kids are growing up with plenty of space to run and an intimate understanding of our environment and how to take care of it. For us, we're beginning to realize our dreams of sustainability.

9. has it been as you expected it to be?

Everything and more. It's a lot of hard work, but at the end of the day, it's ours. We take ownership of it, nurture it and will pass it down.

10. how have your ideas of living a simpler life evolved since you began?

I think that once you immerse yourself in this lifestyle, you begin to find that the simpler life isn't always simple to attain. It's a series of trials and errors, dreams and visions, and time (sometimes frustrating when you're the type of person who sees the vision and wants to enact the whole thing right now)! It is an amazing experience and like B always says: It's a marathon, not a sprint. A good mantra for me, to calm my impatience as we continue on the journey.

* * *

thank you, amy, for sharing some your thoughts on the journey towards simplicity. every little bit helps! and for someone who wanted to simplify and spend this year not buying anything, i've not done so well: so far in 2010, we've bought a house, a car and a horse. and an iPad. and iPhones for everyone in the family. so you can see, i need all the help i can get!

an interview with inna karenina (not to be confused with anna)

inna joined our BC365 flickr group at the beginning of the year. i hadn't met her before that and it wasn't long before i learned that much to my surprise she was only 18! her photos were completely luminous and inventive and creative and i was blown away to find out she was so young. i had to realign completely my way of thinking and for that, i thank her very much. eventually, she revealed to us her beautiful blog and you must visit it along with her 365 project blog and her flickr photostream, right after you read this.  all of the pretty pictures are hers...



1. you have been extraordinarily dedicated to the 365 photo project, have there been moments when you wanted to give up and what did you do to get through them?

Yes, there has been. It's quite a regular feeling for me that my photos are not good at all, and those feelings may lead to the moments when all I want is to give up. But that's part of learning and improving, I have learned. The last, and the only really bad moment like that, was just a few weeks ago. Then I just whine, cry, feel bad for myself for taking such terrible photos, whine a bit more, and get over it. Maybe take a day off in between. Not very adultlike I suppose, but that's honestly what I do, and it helps. I'd love to say it's only the love for photography, and the love for learning that keeps me shooting, but even though that's all true - I am rather passionate about photography, and I love how the project makes me grow not only as a photographer but also as a person - I must admit the biggest reason why I keep on taking the photos day after day is that I am too proud to give up. I am too proud to admit that I couldn't do something that I have started and so publicly done.



2. when you reach what feels like a plateau with your photography, what do you do to take it to the next level (because i think you always do take it to the next level)?

I'm not sure if I understand the question right, but in case feeling like a plateau means the same as feeling like your photos are always the same, I just try to do something different. New location, new time of day, anything that's new for you. Once when I was feeling like in a rut, like my photos weren't getting any better at all, and looked the same always, I just woke up early in the morning, and went to photograph the sunrise around 5 a.m. Waking up early is so hard for me, so I had hardly ever photographed a sunrise before, and that day I was rather lucky and there was this fog which looked dashing in the dawn. After that I had a lot more courage to do something different again, and I think, I was able to start taking my photography to a new level again.



3. you do absolute magic with your nikon D40, but what would be your dream camera?

my dream camera? a camera with more focus points (is that how you call them in english?) than three ones. or maybe a film camera, as that's something I would really like to try and experiment with.

4. a little known quirky fact about finland...

They say Finland is the only country in the world where news are broadcasted in Latin..

5. what do you want to be when you grow up? (i still don't know, so don't feel bad about this one, i mean it more light-hearted than it may seem. :-) )

I might say a photographer, because that's what I want to do, but I guess it'd never happen as I am rather spontaneous when it comes to photographing. I'm not that into planning, so photographing weddings etc. wouldn't be the best option. After all, in the middle of wedding you must take photos of the wedding, instead of going out to capture the perfect light or the beautiful clouds. Anyway, my sister and I have been joking that we will probably be studying all our lives, and that's the only thing I could actually imagine happening. There are too many interesting things to learn and do, and I guess I won't be able to decide what I really want, not anytime soon at least.



6. you've been experimenting with self-portraits lately - what has it taught you?

Self-portraits are still rather new thing for me, and I am still in progress processing the feelings and thoughts that I have about it. For sure it has taught me a lot though. As I earlier mentioned, I am not much of a planner when taking photos, and self portraits are teaching me to plan: to think about the composition, the light, the location etc. before taking the photo. When taking selfies, you can't change them so easily, and I am lazy, so it forces me to focus and think. That's the part which I find the most challenging, but also which I think I need to learn in case I would like to be real, professional, photographer some day. Also, I often feel like the selfies I take have already been taken by so many other people, so it's teaching me to be more creative, and to learn what is the thing in a photo that makes it me, if that makes any sense.

7. how do you feel about photo processing? is it an essential part of the process or is it cheating?

Nowadays I do think it's an essential part of the process. There was time when I felt guilty for editing, but after writing about it in my blog and reading thoughts about it, I have realised it is essential for me. For me editing means finalizing the photo, making it look like I feel or like I see the world. And as I have noticed that photography is a way of expressing myself, it is essential to make the photo look like me, or like my feelings. I still do not edit a lot, I do not remove anything from the photo, or add there anything, so I haven't yet any opinion about that.. art it is for sure anyhow.

8. is using someone else's lightroom presets cheating?

I have been thinking about this a lot lately, and there is this voice in my head saying that it is. However, I really would like to think it's not, because it makes editing a lot more fun and easy. I have not much experience with presets in Lightroom, but when I used to use actions in PS Elements, I always made sure I read also a tutorial of how you do the stuff which the action makes for you. That way I was able to feel less quilty.



9. they say the northern lights have been visible in these parts in recent nights, have you seen them?

nope, unfortunately I haven't.

10. do you have or would you get a tattoo?

Tattoos are a little too permanent for me. I get tired easily, that's why. So no, no tattoos for me.

* * *

thank you, inna, with your name like a russian epic novel, for sharing your beautiful photography with us every day in the group and thank you for letting me interview you right here.  i know you'll be a photographer if you want to be and you won't be the kind who has to do weddings...of that i'm sure.

an interview with kamana of journalling through photos

and as we continue the interview series that's a result of this post...this time i'm pleased to introduce kamana, who blogs at the lovely journalling through photos sharing the beauty and bounty of the gorgeous island where she makes her home.

1. you're part of our BC365 photo group - what has been the best thing about taking a picture every day?

The best thing probably is learning more about how to take good photographs. I knew nothing about photography when I started blogging, and it has been a trial and error process. It has been - and still is, everyday - a learning experience, and I find that the more I play around with my camera, the more I try different things in terms of lighting, angles, composition, and so on, I learn.

2. and what's been the worst?

Trying to get a shot taken everyday. Most days, this is not a problem, especially now that I carry my camera around with me all the time. But on those days when life gets in the way of what you really want to be doing... those days when inspiration just hits rock bottom... those days are hard. I don't want to just point my camera at the first thing I see and upload it. I have to be reasonably happy with a shot, to upload it. So, the pressure to take a reasonably okay shot everyday can be difficult.

3. and what have you learned from doing the project?

I have learned so much about photography during these seven months. Much from my own attempts, but also so much from others - seeing their work and getting comments from others on mine.

4. i always feel envious that you have endless supplies of light and gorgeous fruit for the project...what's the best thing about living in an island paradise (aside from light and fruit)?

LOL. I should have expected this question! The best thing for a beach loving girl like me, is the proximity to the ocean. I just love to be near the sea and feel the sand under my feet. Instant relaxation, I think.

5. what impact of climate change do you see where you live?

• The weather being more volatile and less predictable.
• Shoreline erosion.
• Increased temperatures leading to coral bleaching and creating havoc for marine ecosystems.

And of course, rising sea levels, reported to be around 0.9cm a year... a significant amount, considering the majority of these islands are just 1m above sea level. When I meet people from other countries for the first time, many often laugh and say, "oh so have you decided where you will go when your country goes underwater in 50 years?"
This is so unfunny... just so you know. :)

6. what did you think you would be when you grew up?

You mean I am already grown up?! Because I am still figuring out what I want to be...

But seriously, I have always been passionate about language and about learning. Even as a little girl, I talked about wanting to be a teacher. I remember often teaching my toys and marking their work. I did teach in school for some years, and have continued to work in education.

But what I also dreamed about wanting to be even then as a little girl, and more so now, is to be a writer. I want to write. I want to play with words. I want to weave stories.

7. and what did your parents expect you to be?

Oh, very clearly, a teacher.

8. tell us a funny travel-related story...

I was 18. Travelling alone for the first time, and also my first time in Europe. I fly into London Heathrow, where I receive verbal instructions from a British Council representative at the airport, on how to make my way from the airport to the hotel I was to stay in for the night, and my travel plans to go up to Scotland the next day. I have no idea of how the underground trains work, and the mess of coloured lines on a sheet of paper makes little sense when you have been travelling the whole day, and have too much information to take in all at once. It is rush hour, at the end of the working day, and the trains are packed. I get on the tube, with another fellow traveller who is also headed to the same hotel. It stops at where we are expected to change lines, and I make my way out, dragging with me my suitcase and my hand luggage through the packed train. The guy who is with me, takes his own cool time, and is just able to throw out his stuff on to the platform when the train doors close and it takes off...taking him away, and leaving me stranded on this platform with four very heavy bags and no address of the hotel I am supposed to be going to. I remember the name of the hotel, and that I have to eventually get off at Earl's Court. Apart from that, I have nothing. And no cash in sterling pounds. But I must have looked helpless enough, because before long, I had someone ask me where I was going to, and help me find my way (read: accompanied me all the way) to the hotel.

The next day, I fly to Edinburgh and I am supposed to take the train from there to Stirling. I am told which platform to get the train from, and when I get there, there is a train already there, about to leave. Of course, I get on, and find a seat. The ticket collector comes along, looks at my ticket and tells me that I am on the wrong train, going in an entirely different direction. And that I should have waited another ten minutes for the right train at that platform.

Yes, it was an eventful introduction to trains in the UK. And no, it didn't put me off them. In fact, trains are my preferred mode of transportation whenever I go back there now.

9. your life philosophy in one sentence:

Dream big, work hard and have faith, because all things are possible for those who believe.

10. what has blogging given you?

Many friends around the world. Lots of laughs. A sense of belonging to an incredibly supportive community of (mostly) women bloggers sharing their experiences through words and images.

* * *

thank you, kamana, for sitting down to speak with me (because that's how this one feels) and thank you for being part of the BC365 project on flickr as well! be sure to visit kamana and her photostream! it will open a whole new world!

an interview with witcha from the warp zone

when witcha of a new (to me and literally pretty new) blog called warp zone said she wanted to be interviewed, i was excited, because she lives in one of my favorite places in all the world - the philippines! naturally, i had to ask her what her favorite place in the philippines is...

one of my own favorite pictures from a trip to borocay. because i couldn't resist.

 1. the philippines is one of my favorite places, tell me about your favorite place in the philippines...

My favorite place would be my home province, Camarines Sur. It's located in the Southeast part of upper Philippines and has always been visited by typhoons all throughout the year. What I like most about this place is that the language is amazing. Maybe it's quite applicable to the Bicol Region, but the dialect changes from one town to the next. The change is always distinguishable, but we can still understand what each one is saying. The other thing I like about this place is the food - most of which are spicy. But ultimately, it's HOME to me.

2. what is your idea of the ultimate relaxing weekend?

I would rather stay inside the house, cook spaghetti and meatballs, read a book, and just enjoy the day to myself! :)

3. you wrote recently about finding inspiration on etsy..how does this inspiration manifest itself in your home?

We just transferred to a new house and I would really have wanted it to feel like a cozy home, so I wanted all those vintage decorations and colorful walls. I myself am a child at heart, so I painted one of my walls with the giraffe-trees thing that I found on etsy. I thought it would be a great side for my son to play by and I shall take photos of him with the wall as backdrop.

4. your biggest fear?

Losing, or rejection. I think I'm still too immature to accept things like that.

5. your biggest joy?

Family. I believe and can see now that I am so much of a family-oriented person.

6. what does family mean to you?

Oh my. I was trying spontaneity and was answering the questions chronologically, but this question would definitely jump us back to #5. Family = Joy and everything that means so much to me.

7. your ultimate dream camera?

I would definitely want to have an EOS, but it's pretty expensive for me at the moment. And if truth be told, I'd like to own a polaroid and have those prints posted on another wall in my house, haha.

8. tell me about that tattoo on the back of your neck (check out her profile pic)...

Back in college, we had a yearly fair at the University of the Philippines. All those rock bands, ferris wheel, food booths, apparel booths and everything you can expect out of a Fair was there. Because everybody has been into henna tattoos, I got envious so I had one made on my nape. But that's just henna. I would have wanted a real one with my son's name in ambigram (although that might make me look too pushy). Well, the tribal tattoo was just a try at 'coolness.

9. your best and favorite place to shop in the manila area (i'll admit this is a selfish question on my part).

I'm sorry to say but I'm quite a mall rat. I would have chosen to buy my things in Divisoria, a street full of everything you could ever think of at a cheaper cost, but it's quite far from my place and it would be difficult to transport whatever buys I might have made.

10. coffee or tea?

Coffee. For all those palpitations and nausea and bulging eyes. Well, at least I get to have some caffeine boost to let myself awake during the most boring office hours. (Ssshhh.)

* * *

thank you witcha for letting me interview you! i'm so glad you wanted to participate, because i discovered a new blog and now i've learned about a new place in the philippines that i haven't visited. yet.  and it also made me go through my folders of pictures from the philippines, which just generally made me happy. do go check out witcha's blog, you won't be sorry.

an interview with trina of MomMeVille

trina from MomMeVille lives in arizona, which i love, because i went to college there. so, of course i had to ask her what her favorite place in arizona was. she also has a photography site that you should check out here. the photos in this post are all hers.

1. what did you think you wanted to be when you grew up?

Something Special! lol Olympic Gold Medalist! (running)

2. your dream camera?

nothing too crazy - would love a canon markII 5d

3. what's your favorite place in arizona?

Sedona (got married there! ;))

4. you recently wrote about places you'd like to visit...is there one common thread that made you pick those places?

The ocean!!! Except Tuscany is just amazing!

5. one thing everyone should own.

laptop! MAC! ;)

6. if you were going to run away from it all, where would you go?

deserted Island~ that I owned with my own home and boat on it!

7. coffee or tea?

neither. yuck! love water!

8. are you a list-maker? and do you do everything on your lists?

love lists! within a few days lists are all checked off!

9. iPhone or blackberry?

droid!

* * *

well, i couldn't agree more with #6! apple rocks. and so does trina. you've definitely got to check her out! and check out her photos too, they're way cool!

an interview with the novelista barista

my interview series continues. back a couple of weeks ago, adrift in the bloggy doldrums, in order to spice things up, i asked if anyone would like me to interview them. much to my surprise, 53 (as i write this) people have said yes and there are a handful of others who emailed me and also said yes). so i've been reading blogs and writing individualized questions ever since. and it's been really good for getting me out of my bloggy dolrums. the number of questions is entirely random...i write them in kind of an automatic trance until no more come out. that results in anywhere from 7-11 questions. it's an interesting process. and here is the latest installment...


when the uber-fabulous novelista barista said she wanted to be interviewed, i was like, "whoa? does she actually read my blog?" i had no idea! and so i jumped at the chance to ask her a few questions...

novelista barista at macchu picchu - photo provided by her (i'm not stalking her, you know).

1. you said recently you wished you'd gotten a different degree...if you could do it over, what degree would you get today?

i wish i got a degree in teaching OR with a specialization with my communications degree..i dont know which i would do because they both have their perks but i'd probably lean more towards the specialization.

2. in the same vein, what advice would you give your 18-year-old self?

id tell myself to TRAVEL ABROAD DURING COLLEGE. And find a specialized field to go into so that I can start making money when i got out of college.

3. digital or film?

digital... used to be film.. i felt like i was the last person on earth to have a winding camera with film but i ended up also being the only person with actual pictures. but now digital is the way to go... going to cvs to drop off film takes too long!

4.  your ultimate dream camera?

dream camera would be one that takes pictures really clear and in one second so i dont miss something when i am trying to take the picture... that always happens to me because my camera is too slow.

5. what did your parents think you would be when you grew up?

i honestly have no idea... i think a teacher and i should have went with that because i could have had the summers off!!!!! who ever told me that wasnt a good idea is insane!!

6. the best practical joke you've ever been part of...

lol i honestly have no idea about this.

7. who will you play you in the movie they make of your life?

Anne Hathaway!

8. share with us a quirky random story.

hmm...random story...when i worked at this coffee shop in new york, it was about 7am and i was doing the routine, making everyone's drinks on the espresso machine as they came in. i happened to look up and see Bill Murray there. He ordered a latte. So I got to make his latte, which was awesome because i do get star struck a little so I didn't want to mess it up. As he was leaving he tipped us well and said it was one of the best lattes he ever had. Go me!

* * *

run along, read her blog and long for NYC.

an interview with VEG of the (mis)adventures of VEG

VEG has been my bloggy friend since almost the beginning, so i was really glad that she wanted to be interviewed as part of this series.

1. have you had any hilarious encounters of late with Real World People?

Oh, RWP, I am surrounded by them and fear they are taking over. Right now, it's the people who plainly see that you are stopped at an alley or crosswalk to let a car through, or to facilitate some other traffic, and just keep on walking through, blithely unaware that they have their head up their asses. The funniest, though, is one from this past weekend when I was headed to the grocery store. I was walking along on this part of sidewalk that is really wide, it is two sidewalks in width. There was this group of guys moving into the apartment there and they had taken up 3/4 of the sidewalk with their stuff. And they and their friends were all standing around on the other 1/4 of the sidewalk, each of them texting on their own phone. They see me coming and make no effort to move. So I say "excuse me" really loudly so they can't help but pay attention. And still they make no effort to move. I guess they thought the road (and speeding traffic) was an acceptable alternative rather than moving 1/2 a frickin' foot out of the way. So, I "accidentally" trip and step all over their stuff, profusely "apologizing" at the same time. What can I say? I suffer from sidewalk rage.

2. what is your best easy environmental tip?

The best one I have is that you do not have to try to be a perfect eco-warrior, just be realistic about your lifestyle. Sit down with yourself and really assess what environmental habits you can commit to everyday or on a regular basis. It doesn't matter the scope of your actions; indeed, whether you are going to commit to washing in cold water, change to non-toxic cleansers, or start a commune and live off the grid, the key is to understand that EVERY action, now matter how small or insignifcant it might seem to you, makes a difference. Think about the impact if every person in Canada (40 million) were to change one thing to better the natural world. What power that would be!

3. if you could live anywhere in the world (without regard to what you'd do for a living), where would it be?

I have always, since I was a little girl, wanted to live in Europe somewhere, most likely in England or Italy or France. But, I have to say that I am very much aware of what a special place I live in right now. Vancouver, and the west coast of Canada in general, has been my home for 99% of my life, yet I still find myself in awe everyday when I get to glimpse the mountains and ocean as I travel about this lovely place. Having it be on the world stage earlier this year was amazing, even though I spent much time grumbling about it :)

4. everyone should own a...

Library Card. What wonderment, escape and learning to be had in a little piece of plastic. Free access to a whole world of words, pictures and ideas. What better thing could you give yourself and your family? Reading, writing and sharing with others are basic life skills that the library offers each of us.

5. the best thing you've ever spent too much money on?

My wedding. Though it was a bargain at $6,000.00, it was a bundle of money that we only recently paid off in full. But it was worth every single penny as it was beautiful, exactly what I wanted and the happiest day of my life. I still look at my wedding dress everyday (mostly because it is on the back of my bedroom door.)

6. what did you think you would be when you grew up?

Funny story: In grade 4 or 5, we had to make scrapbooks (remember paste and scissors?) of what we thought our life would be like when we were 25 (because for my peers that would the year 2000.) Honest to god, I put my dream job as a Safeway Cashier, because I thought it was uber cool that they had to remember all those codes and got to use the scanner. What can I say, I dream small! I'd say now that I am still wondering myself what I want to be when I grow up.

7. what did your parents think you would be?

Based on the fact that I could argue the pants off a priest (their saying), they fully expected me to become a lawyer.

8. what are your guilty pleasures?

I'd have to say the biggest one is that I eat like a teenage boy, but try to act all healthy and nonchalant when in public. While I secretly just scarfed down a Big Mac and fries, followed by a healthy dose of Doritos and Pop Rocks.

9. what do you do to get away from it all when life becomes too much?

editorial note: i think this question was so much too much that VEG didn't even answer it! :-) that's an answer in and of itself, don't you think?

10. iPhone or blackberry?

Well, I started out a Blackberry girl, but the iPhone has really changed the way I look at phones and personal computing, so I'm a convert now. Plus the iPhone is pretty.

* * *

thank you VEG, for playing the interview game. it was great to catch up with you and find that you're as funny as ever! go and check out VEG's blog, you just might learn something about how you can make a difference to the environment!

an interview with stacey, creator of shoe per diem

so i was listening to a radio program the other day which was about the so-called generation Y - you know, that generation behind mine (generation X) - those youngsters who don't believe in anything and who drift from one cool new thing to the next (wait a minute, that's starting to sound like Gen X). since i know stacey is of generation Y, i just had to ask her about that, as well as about her cool blog (of which i am a sporatic contributor - i'm sorry, but the snow depressed me last winter) - shoe per diem.

1. generation Y has been accused of not really believing in anything...what do you believe in?

Nothing.

Ha ha, that was the first thought that came to my mind. Then I remembered me. I believe in me. And I believe that there are really really really ridiculously good people in the world and that I am lucky enough to know a great many of them.

2. what do you miss about discounderworld?

The people, and the possibilities.

3. can you give us a little preview of your next big thing?

It's about showing people you love and are thinking of them, no matter where you or them are... we are calling it paperkiss.me (the website isn't up yet, but I will be sure to let you know when it is! We are aiming for September/October this year :)

4. tell us a hilarious travel story...

God, where to start, I manage to get myself into the most ridiculous of situations, but I guess the one that holds the fondest memories for me goes with this picture (in which I am nearly wetting myself):

On the left is my friend Erica, she and I lived in Paris at the same time, and we used to have all these crazy adventures together mostly because of the fact that she lived in Montmarte on Rue des Martyrs and we would frequent the shady strip bars along Boulevard de Montmarte for the free entry and free champagne... after one night out we were eating breakfast (okay it was morning by then) and these two guys sat down at a tiny table so close that we couldn't not start talking to them. I remember I was eating chocolate cake and it was delicious and Erica for some godforsaken reason had chosen to order a salmon tart. Anyhoo, we started talking, and it turned out they were English and very soon after that, it turned out that they were quite boring, so me and Erica began to make our *stretch* *yawn* *must be time for bed* noises. Just before we left one of them asked what we were doing in Paris, and consequently we asked them... turned out they worked at Disneyland Paris... one was Sully from Monsters Inc, and the other was his keeper. They were on their way to work and said they could get take us if we wanted, and suddenly not tired anymore we found ourselves after a night of shady bars and drinking, at Disneyland at 8am, getting chased around by that big hairy monster and having the time of our lives!!

5. what made you want to track your shoes throughout 2010?

Hmm, I saw this flickr set of a girl who took pictures of her outfits everyday for a year and thought that was an awesome way to visual diary her year. Then I thought about what I would be comfortable doing and decided my feet would suffice. As you've probably noticed my shoes don't change that often... black jandals/bare feet in summer, brown boots in winter, but I think at the end of the year, it will be awesome to be able to look back and take note of all the things I did, and having others on the blog is just amazing, it's awesome getting to know people through their choice of shoes and things they do on a day-to-day basis. I think there's the premise for a book in there somewhere...

6. apropos of your brainchild, shoe per diem, what percentage of the year do you spend barefoot or in flip-flops?

Ha ha, so you noticed! I would easily say 60% of the year. In summer if I'm not wearing my jandals, I am either swimming, sleeping or dancing. And none of those require shoes.

7. the worst book you've read in the past year?

Oh shit, this is hard, I get heaps of books through work, and mostly they suck. Um, okay so, "Think of a Number" was the latest worst. It was one of those crime books which I would never read if I didn't have too, and it alluded all this suspense and mystery, but it was I the reader who was one step ahead of the dickhead detective in the book.

8. when you were 9 years old, what did you think you wanted to be when you grew up?

An Olympic swimmer, this continued till about 14 when I chose life.

9. have you ever tried being a vegetarian?

No, but if I don't have to cook for anyone else, I don't usually bother with meat.

10. do you go to tweet-ups?

Ha! I have been to some, maybe about four. But the last was over a year ago, and I just ended up talking to people I knew, I am a terrible small chat chick.

11. how has the internet changed your life?

I'm not sure changed would be the right word. It has kinda always been there, I guess when it wasn't I was young and doing things that didn't need the internet. I suppose google has meant that instead of looking things up in dictionaries or encyclopedias like I did when I did projects for school when I was young, I now just have to type into the search engine.

on the radio program they asked Danish Gen Y'ers whether they'd tried cocaine, downloaded music or films without paying or took a "morning after" pill...but i decided i didn't really want to go there. :-)

but stacey said, "Ha, ha, see to me and many people I know, none of those things seem very far out. But I personally have never done cocaine :)"

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but do go check out stacey's fabulous shoe per diem - it's like cocaine for shoe lovers. 

but you probably will want to go shopping afterwards.

she's assembled an awesome group of women from around the world.

and their shoes.
and you might occasionally even see my shoes there. :-)
(just to remind us that it always comes back to me.)

an interview with gypsy feet

a year or so ago, i had a long correspondence with gypsy feet, who was teaching in korea at the time. she was just going to start a blog and for some strange reason, turned to me for advice. we had a really nice series of emails and i told her that a blog is first and foremost what you want it to be for yourself (i still believe that). and then she kinda disappeared. i'll admit i worried that i'd scared her off blogging, but it seems that i didn't after all...she just had lots of changes...moving back to her native canada after seven years in korea being the primary one. i think that's a pretty good excuse for not blogging. but she's blogging again and you should check her out...

1. what was the best thing about living and working in korea?

The feeling of freedom and adventure and travel. I love the feeling of living in a foreign country. Even though I was working and living and paying bills there, I was still a foreigner and could pretend to be a tourist whenever I wanted.  that was always fun. But my co-workers- expats and Korean, made it feel like home. My korean co-workers took me under their wing, as a guest to their country,and taught me things,no matter how long I had been there.

The expat community, as transient as it was at times, was like a giant safety net while you walked across a tight rope, trying to balance all parts of your new and old life at once. They were people that knew what you were going through, and understood your growing pains. I miss them all dearly. All those things gave my time in Korea more permenance and meaning, which I loved as much as the freedom and adventure.

2. what do you miss most about korea?

I miss all those peeps that made my life so wonderful. I miss walking through markets and practicing my Korean with the old aunties. I miss eating Soonduboo Jigae, spicy tofu soup when I had a cold. I miss walking though the artsy alley-ways of Hongdae and Samcheong. I miss the meaning and signifigance behind small mundane things. I miss the Lantern Festival for Buddha's birthday. I miss the humble nature of Koreans. I miss bartering. I miss my old appartment. I miss the unpredictability of living in a foreign country.

3. where will you go next? 

I've been contemplating heading north to Nunnavut Territory here in Canada. but right now I'm not sure. I'm kinda happy living and working in the woods of a national park for now.

4. how did you live so long without an iPhone?

Haha I have no idea. Not many people have them in Korea. It's definitely a "western" way of life. Once I got back to Canada I realized what I was missing out on... that's a lie. Initally I was super annoyed at how 'apps' had taken over the world, but finally I gave into the absolute usefulness of everything about it. ...sigh. i heart my phone.

5. what do you appreciate most about canada after so long away?

The diversity - of EVERYTHING - food, people religion, race, language, cars, hair color and style, music and anything else that is part of 'melting-pot' of Canada. That, and wide open space - lots and lots and lots of just uninhabited, grassy uncluttered, space.

6. what drives you crazy?

In general? or about being back in Canada?
In general, pretentiousness. snobby, rude people who act like they know more than everyone.
About Canada- people not realizing how good they have it living in a country like Canada. that makes me sad more than anything.

7. everyone should own a...

Glue gun.

8. if you could do one thing over, what would it be?

A couple of years ago I was going to take a break from Korea, and go live on the beach in Santorini, one of the Greek islands. I put the plan on pause for someone I met, and then ended up not going at all. I always wish I had gone to the island instead of pursuing the relationship, which never worked out, but such is life. It just means I'm supposed to go at a later time in my life.

9. what inspires your creativity?

Other happy, positive, creative people, being near the ocean and windy or stormy days.

10. your life philosophy in one sentence:

Live for today.

I have "Follow Your Bliss" tattooed on my left forearem, but I guess it's kinda similar - follow your heart, do what makes you happy, don't worry about tomorrow etc. I spent soooo many years worrying about things that didn't matter or never came to be, planning and stressing and panicking. So now, being older and wiser (HA) or maybe I just care less about things, I've relaxed alot, and decided to just live in the moment, or day by day, as much as I can.

* * *

thank you, gypsy feet! and welcome back to the blogosphere! you give me a bit of a traveling bug here. and you definitely make me want to get that tattoo i've been pondering...