I’m really lovin’ the modern homebody blog lately. Those girls bring a lot of color into my life. Recently, Courtney posted a cool blog-interactive-interview thingy circulating through the blogworld. It was interesting to read the fun questions and her personal responses— lets us get to know the people behind the blogs a little better.
people behind the blogs
I decided to participate and I’d love for you to join in too, like this:
1. If you want to participate, leave me a comment on this post saying, “Interview me.” (And your e-mail address, please.)
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
Courtney asked me some excellent, challenging questions; here I go:
1. one trip to anywhere in the world: where would you go, what would you do, how long would you stay?
Wow, I’m gonna milk this one. Hard. You said “trip,” so I’m thinking big here. First, I would pick up all my close ones and MAKE them go with me. Our first stop would be Amsterdam to pick up SB, one of my best friends in the entire world. Then we would head to Aarhus (Denmark) to pick up another one of those special people and then we’d head to Stockholm to get the other one. We’d head down to Iceland just because I have to go there at some point in my life. Then we’d head down to Crete and explore the Greek Islands for like a year or so. Next, we’d go to Mexico City and then travel out from there. After that we’d go all over South America and rely on those who know it to show us around. Eventually we’d make it over to South Korea to see Youngzoo and Yonzoo (husband/wife, for real). Bali. Dubai. All over India. Austrailia to see Rachel and Zack. Morocco. Africa…all over. Vancouver, BC. You know, it would pretty much be a world tour. We’d have no care about money. We’d probably be writing music–full albums–and full plays about our experiences. Developing characters and scenes based on all the amazing people, sadness, happiness, black, white, gray and adventures we’d meet along the way.
Veracruz side trip (when I lived in Mexico City)
Look outside the window into Veracruz
The people we'd meet along the way (Veracruz)
2. best place to go for inspiration?
Shows. Mostly music. Theatre makes me mad usually, but occasionally something will seriously stick. Recently, JW and I saw Antony and the Johnsons with the Oregon symphony play at the Arlene Schnitzer concert hall.
It seriously knocked our socks off. I was on an inspired high for days. Sometimes it’s just what the trusty itunes spits out while I’m creating new designs, like Nina Simone who just finished singing, Sunday in Savannah. (This is why I do the “song of the moment” at the end of all my posts. I like sharing with everyone what’s inspiring me at the moment, because if it’s anything at all, it’s music.) I also take inspiration from nature, pictures and color.
color yum.
3. last meal?
Was delicious. Last night I walked in the door from a long day at the studio. It was past dinner time and I had no ideas and not a morsel in my cupboards. Before I had a chance to really cry about it, my amazing housemate asked me if I wanted to eat the thing that was making my nose perk up. She had JUST finished preparing dinner, not 5 minutes after I came home. We had fried tofu with an amazing Cajun rub that she concocted herself, baked potatoes with all the fixins (including carmelized onions) and greens. It was SO delicious. Thanks, AJ!
4. funniest or most embarrassing thing you did publicly as a kid? feel free to post pictures!
Oh. This is good. In middle school, I had major issues with balance . There were a few horrifying instances that come to mind, but one that sticks out in front of the rest. I was in my first language class, Spanish. It was 8th grade. The first year that we had to share classes with the older kids, the oldest kids, the rulers of the school: the 9TH graders. ugh. Well, language is hard for me in the first place because I’m such a Virgo perfectionist and if I don’t get the whole sentence then I panic and can’t hear even ONE word I might understand. I can remember quickly, but I must remember ALL of it for me to get any of it. Well, this was one of the first days of class (AND there was a super cute 9TH grade boy who I had a massive crush on sitting right next to me). Distracted by his summery blonde hair, I paid little attention to the teacher that day. Then oral practice came around. (Uhhh…you know what I mean.) I was TERRIFIED, though I think the whole class was because it was SUPER quiet. She asked for volunteers and only one or two people raised their hands. I desperately looked around for a place to hide my head. Sadly, all I could do was duck slightly as if some small thing was sitting on my head. Funny how those scaredy cats like me used to hang our heads and pretend like we were busy working on something…oh yeah, that part is good…writing a lot, as if I had something really important I was taking down (I wonder if the teacher actually saw the scribbles on my paper). Anyways, I’m sure you could guess it: she called on me. The moment I realized it, it’s like the whole world turned to slow motion. She suddenly had an incredibly low voice, everyone in the room (including the cute boy) very very slowly turned their heads and eyes towards me and the blood slowly but fiercly rose to my face. Yeah. Cool, blood, cool…thanks a lot for being nowhere in my body but my face. Once I realized there was no way out, I slowly started to stand. I blushfully bloodfully reluctantly understood that there was no way out except the front of the room. I slowly made my move out from behind my desk, into the ugly florescent spotlight. Sadly. So so so so sadly, as I began the journey forward, I lost the only thing I had at that point: my footing. I had very unstrategically placed my uneccesarily massive bookbag precisely where my second foot needed to go on the deathmarch, launching me through the isle to the front of the room. The room was so quiet from the moment I was called until about 2 seconds after I ate it and proceeded to slide 5 feet forward to my oral exercise place. After those 2 sweet seconds, my only friend in the class, Kerry, had to let it go and I don’t blame her, though at the time I thought I was going to kill her. The best part is that she had the best laugh of anyone I knew. It was loud, weird and contagious, it was HUGE. As you can imagine, the ENTIRE Spanish class joined her and I was sure the blood was actually dripping out of my pores at that point.
The worst part: After 5 minutes of straight laughing in my face, I still had to do the exercise which I was completely unprepared for.
yep.
5. most successful moment as an artist. however you define it.
feeling completely at home in front of an audience. in grad school, when I realized I can be funny, like really really funny. making an all girl band with Lou, believing in it and fronting it with all I’ve got. There’s really nothing like it. creating a character who my classmates might remember forever. starting this business that uses creativity to survive and believing that folks dig it.
Betsy and Zuzka of The Brendas
The Brendas (in earliest form)
That’s it!!! Thanks, Courtney, I really enjoyed this.
Alright everyone, WHO’S NEXT! Please comment on this post and I’ll email you your questions. Can’t wait!
(one of our very first shows. Secretary Brendas)
(Brenda Lou and Brenda Betsy…playing in Denmark, no less)
(The Denmark installment: 30s’ girls with an 80s twist.)
(Hours before our Denmark show, I had tripped and fell on some stairs when loading up the van with music equipment. I was in extreme pain, but so devastated because playing in Denmark was almost like a joke…it was so cool. I knew I had to push on. With painkillers, a shot of whiskey, and adrenaline, it was a piece of cake. Funny that over a week later, I finally went to the doctor in England, to learn that it was actually broken. Without insurance, I was so grateful that it happened in Europe. They took x-rays, cast me up, gave me new sweet crutches, and when I asked about payment, they looked confused for a moment and then smiled and waved me out the door!! Ahhhh universal healthcare.)
(Glam Rock Brendas 2007)
(clockwise from top left to bottom left: Generally Super, Wondercorn, The Hot Flash, Beauty Sleep (with the power of napping), Green Fingered Goblin, and lastly, the Superslav)
