I get asked a lot of personal questions beyond my artwork, so just for the fun of
it I thought I'd sum up a few of them here for general reference:
When is your birthday (and how old are you)?
December 18th. Same day as my mother-in-law, and my favorite director, Steven Spielberg.
As for exact age, as Dr.Jones once said, "it's not the years, it's the mileage."
What does the "K." in your name stand for?
Kathleen. I once asked my father if I was named after anyone in the family, to which
he laughingly replied: "no - we just wanted to give you all names that were easy to
yell down the hallway."
How tall are you?
5' 4" on a good hair day. I'm the runt of the family (my older sisters are 5'10 and 6' respectively)
but I can be a tenacious little ankle-biter nonetheless.
Is chestnut red your natural hair color?
Yup, even before I started going grey at 16 (gotta love heredity...) and began giving Nature
a refresh now and then. And as my fellows at
The Realm of Redheads
will attest: "Red is more than a color, it's a way of life. Even if it comes from a bottle,
true red comes from the soul."
What's your sign?
Sagittarius, decan of Leo; Virgo rising, Virgo Moon (I truly am my own worst task-master and
critic). Born in the year of the Dog, element of Metal, in the Celtic tree month of Elder.
Now there's some research fodder for ya! :)
Where were you born?
Monterey, California.
Do you have any nicknames?
Most of my family and friends know me as Genevra (my SCA name) or just Gen. My son calls
me Mom, and my hubby calls me Boo (and only he gets to call me that :)).
I'm also known as the Indefatigable Mrs. Brown, not only as a tip of the cap to the
Unsinkable Molly Brown, but the definition of "untiring" is a bit of a wishful affirmation.
I tend to work in the ungodly hours when most sane people have long since yielded to Morpheus.
What are your favorite colors?
Royal amethyst purple, cobalt blue, ruby red. Usually accented with gold.
Do you have any pets?
I have a 10-year-old son, and he's a tag-team effort on his own! But about a year
ago we were graced with the presence of a lovely feline princess we know as Keiko: a blue
tortie-point Siamese with 12 toes on her soft mitten paws.
What are your hobbies?
A hobby suggests free time, which is in short supply these days! But some of my
favorite activities include: playing RPGs (tabletop or games on our PS2); dancing
(usually just for fun but I've been known to belly dance on occasion); going to SCA
events when time and finances allow; watching cheesy movies at home with dear friends;
going to "grown-up" movies with my hubby instead of having to wait for DVD; reading;
baking (usually something involving chocolate) and watching cooking shows; and most
anything involving travel. I have to get out of my cave once in a while and remind
myself I'm still a part of the human race.
I've heard you sing at (fill-in-the-blank) event - do you have any tapes for sale?
I LOVE to sing. I do it constantly, and at least well enough that my hubby hasn't
tried to muzzle me yet. I've had many years of musical theatre experience,and have
been asked a few times over the years if I had any tapes out. As of this date, the answer
is still no. However, I've had enough people ask me about it that if I can find a way to
arrange it I might do it for fun.
Do you play any musical instruments, and what's your favorite music?
Yes I do! I played the clarinet in both marching and jazz band for 8 years, and I've
played the bodhran (a Celtic frame drum related to the tamborine) for the last 12 years.
I've always been a percussionist at heart, though I would eventually like to learn guitar as well.
As for favorite music, there are very few kinds I don't like. When I'm working,
I like world beat / fusion music with strong percussion to keep me moving. When not working,
I love folk songs with powerful lyrics sung by a motivated bard, comedy albums and the
occasional good filk. As with my favorite books and films, my favorites list changes
constantly. You can peruse some of my favorite inspirations in
The Library.
What are your pet peeves?
Talk about Pandora's Box! *ahem* I suppose intentional ignorance ranks highest - people
who would rather parrot beliefs without even trying to find their own because it's easier
just to be a sheep. Unwarranted rudeness. Crude 'humor'. Bullies, and cruelty, especially
against children or animals. "Experts" who patronize and debase rather than teach.
Procrastination (particularly my own). Arrogance without merit, and pretentiousness
when it's not meant tongue-in-cheek. Politics in general. Housework when I'd rather be
drawing.
What turns you on?
In no particular order: Passion. Love. Loyalty. Altruistic heroism above and beyond the
call of duty. My husband's voice (and many other things I won't mention in mixed company :).
My son's hysterically infectious giggle. Studying geneology and history, and learning from
the examples of people I admire. Making a breakthrough on a technique I've been struggling
with, and having the final product turn out even better than expected. Learning a new song
and performing it for the first time. Artists (fine art, craftsfolk or performers) who love
what they do so much that it shines through their creations and inspires others to try it
too. Stand-up comedy, great music, and clever puns. Good chocolate and a great cup of coffee.
Holiday potluck feasts and sharing recipes with friends. Snuggling with my husband on a cold
night, and sleeping in the next morning. Being able to go to sleep knowing my family is
safe, my work is complete, and the bills are paid. The truly simple hedonistic pleasures
in life.
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