interview of me with beth p

Here is one of the coolest little meme's I have seen in quite a long time. I found it over at Abbey of the Arts and traced it back to Beth P. at the Virtual Teahouse. I had not met Beth before so I thought it would be fun to see what kinds of questions she came up with.

Here's how it works. I read Beth's blog about this exercise. I asked to be interviewed. Beth sent me the following five questions, which will be answered in this post. Then...it's your turn. If you want to play, either on the comment section to this post, or in an email to me, just let me know you would like to be interviewed. I will then dream up some questions with whatever info about you I can gain from your blog or other sources that you give me. Hopefully you'll have fun exploring the questions on your blog. If you don't have a blog, I will post your answers here on Diamonds in the Sky with Lucy. So, here are the questions Beth posed to me and my answers:

# 1. What do you do in the obviously 2 measly hours per day that you’re not blogging or doing art or sleeping?

My hope is that I am living my life to the fullest (something that took me a really long time to even recognize.) Living fully can look like many different things. Some days it includes my paying gig where I get to help train graduate students who are studying to become counselors, pastors and compassionate listeners (my word.) Other days, I stay curled up in bed in my pj’s for as long as I can - writing, reading, studying and watching how all the connections of the world come into play with each other. Play is huge for me. I love to ride my Vespa, walk around the neighborhood with or without camera, go to yoga, lunch with friends, watch movies, sip on a glass of wine and laugh, laugh, laugh!!

I recently enrolled in a memoir writing class and started taking drumming lessons on the djembe drum I bought myself for Christmas. My professional life is expanding too (although I find it nearly impossible to separate “work” from pleasure!) I am developing a new retreat called, “Returning Home to Yourself” and am co-leading a group for compassionate listeners with the lovely Christine. My passion is learning to listen to myself and teaching others how to do the same. In the process, I learn immensely from the many teachers of the world which leads me back to living life to the fullest. It’s really one big amazing circle!


# 2. Who are your ‘intimates’--family—of blood and bone, or by choice, close friends. Include pets, too, please!

The ‘intimates’ in my family include my greatest teachers. My husband, Bill, who has taught me to see life through the lens of a camera without needing a camera. He finds beauty in the most amazing places and has taught me to do the same. My son, Jonathon, is nearing 20 and can be attributed with breaking me out of the complacency that threatened to take over my life. He is living a hero’s journey and sharing that with me in the most incredible and unexpected ways. My daughter, Maryjane, is sixteen and we are learning what it means to be mother and daughter healthily. She keeps me on my toes. Somewhere along the line, I decided I wanted to raise independent children. It’s kind of hard and kind of great to see that I have succeeded ☺.

My circle of friends is diverse and incredible. In the words of the great Bette Midler, “Ya Gotta Have Friends!!” I am privileged to include my ‘blood and bone’ sister as one of my best friends in the world. I also have many girl friends that I would choose to call sister (and a few guys that are definitely my bro’s!)

Sadly, I am without pets at this time in my life. I lost my faithful companion, Curry, in September of 2008. He was a golden retriever and lived with us for more than 13 years. He taught me what it means to love unconditionally. I still miss him deeply and am not sure if or when we will add another pet into our lives.

# 3. What part of you is ‘a small piece of the beginning’?

Oh, I love this question AND it confuses me a little. I considered asking for clarification, but decided to plunge ahead on my own. FIRE. My answer is fire. I believe there is a spark deep inside of me that is a piece of the eternal beginning. It cannot be squelched. It cannot die. It was here in the beginning and shall live forever. When I am living from the place in my soul that is whole and true, the small piece shows and grows. It is like the spark that turns into flame. It is the place where I come alive and when I share it with others and they are willing to receive, they, too, come a little more alive. (Like I said earlier, it’s all one amazing circle!”)

# 4. If you wrote a play about your life and it was performed who would you want to play the leading lady?

Now, this one made me laugh out loud. Seriously, this is the third time in as many weeks that I have been asked that question. I am assuming that it could be a screenplay and not necessarily performed on stage. My original answer was Jennifer Garner. (I did one of those online quizzes for who you look like and she popped up. I also love her quirky, sweet sense of humor as well as her kick-ass independence.) Someone else suggested Diane Lane who I adore – very sexy and she has a great voice. But then two totally unique individuals from different venues of my life mentioned Kate Winslet. Woohoo! I am going for Kate especially with her recent win of two Golden Globes and a really hot cover on InStyle magazine ☺.

#5. Some say that poetry and art can be as much defenses against intimacy as they can be doorways into it. What say you about that?

Yes! Absolutely! Sometimes! ...and that's what I have to say about that...for now. ☺

So, there's my interview with Beth P. Let me know if you're up for an interview with lucy and I'll send you five questions of your own to ponder. Or, let me know if you still have questions for me...I'll be sure to answer. Yes! Absolutely! Maybe!