Great Interview Experiment

Because I am a total and complete whore, I signed up for the Great Interview Experiment of 2009.  The basic premise is that the blogosphere is just another social network, and as such, we should treat it as more of a community.  We should be more interested in and supportive of our fellow bloggers.  As the instigator (Neil Kramer) said himself:

I know most of you won’t agree with me, but I think anyone who decides to write about their life online is interesting, even those who may not do the best job yet of conveying that on paper. We all should be interviewed, at least once.

I like to try new things (just not sushi).  I like to meet new people (though if we meet at a bar, I probably won’t remember you).  All the cool kids were doing it.  I want to be a cool kid.  I signed up.

My interviewer (Tori) was crazy organized and had all her questions to me about an hour after I received my email confirmation from Neil.  She’s funny, insightful, and full of the flattery – so of course I liked her straight off.  I’m pretty sure I owe her a margarita, though.  The poor girl has a lovely site with little to no talk about lady bits and absolutely no profanity.  I feel a little bad about scaring off all her readers, but hopefully no one was left with terrible emotional scarring.  You can read that train wreck here.  (Seriously Tori, thanks.  Will that be frozen or rocks, salt or naked?)

I had the honor of interviewing Cyndy, the mind behind Putting The Fun in Dysfunctional.  She has FOUR KIDS (holy abused uterus, Batman) and somehow still has the time and temperament to write her own blog AND tolerate my inane interview questions.  I bet she cooks, does laundry, and writes proposals to supply safe drinking water to developing countries in her spare time.  I’ve really got to work on my time management skills.  Speaking of which, ON WITH THE INTERVIEW!

Me:  How can you hate brussel sprouts?  They’re tiny little fists on a stalk and they’re sinfully yummers?!  Was their a traumatic childhood event you’d like to share?

Cyndy:  I expected them to taste like small, yummy cabbages.  Instead, they taste like little balls of nasty.  It traumatized me.

Me:  Your (ha ha ha) a real stickler for grammar, or so I here (seriously, I KILL me).  I totally suck at its and it’s.  Got any insider tricks to help me suck less?

Cyndy:  You’re making my eye twitch!  It’s means IT IS.  That’s all I’ve got for ya.

Me:  What’s your secret talent that no one else knows about?

Cyndy:  My stepson says I sing really, really well.  However, he’s a lying little suck-up.  I can pick things up with my toes, though.  I have very talented toes.

Me:  So do my brothers.  I’ve got the bruises on my arms to prove it, too.  I see you’re a fan of Twilight.  I experience decidedly disturbing swooning sensation every single time I hear that word.  I’m so embarrassed but I already have plans to watch New Moon again this evening.  Wait, I need a question here…Team Edward or Team Jacob?

Cyndy:  I’m Team Edward for Bella, Team Jacob for myself.  She can have that pasty vampire, I want the hot hunk of werewolf.

Me:  Someone was telling me she thought that question was basically the same as asking if you’re a cat person or a dog person.  Dog people just want to be loved, cat people want mystery.  Care to weigh in on that one?

Cyndy:  I like both dogs and cats.  I have four dogs and three cats.  I guess that means I want love, with a side of mystery….

Me:  There’s a whole lot of camping photos on your site.  You know what I love about camping?  Not a goddamn thing.  You really and truly enjoy it?  It’s not some face you put on for the fam?  C’mon, they’ll never read this.  You can be honest.

Cyndy:  I seriously love camping.  I think it’s because most people I know don’t like it, so that means they aren’t there.  I can enjoy the solitude.  Also, the cell phones don’t work at most camp sites, and that can be pure bliss.

Me:  What’s your favorite breakfast food?

Cyndy:  Most favorite ever would be a 5 cheese omelette and a sesame bagel with cream cheese.  But what I generally have at home is cheese toast.

Me:  You’ve got a slew of causes that you support listed on your site.  What cause are you most actively supporting at the moment and why?

Cyndy:  March of Dimes is always number one, because of the son that my husband lost due to prematurity.  Number two is the animal rescue groups.  Several others are also very near and dear.

Me:  When and why did you get bit by the bloggin’ bug?

Cyndy:  I used to post on message boards, and a boardie talked about her blog a lot.  I finally asked her about it, and she pointed me towards starting my own blog.  It was November of 2007.  I have always loved to write, so it’s a natural thing for me.  I blog in my head 24/7.  It’s a sickness, really.

Me:  Being the holiday season and all, what would your absolute dream Xmas (or Chanukah, or kwanza, or winter solstice — did I get all the politically correct options in there?) present be?

Cyndy:  How about ChristmaHanuKwanzUkah?  Anyhoo, dream present would be a brand-new tricked-out mini-van.  I know, I’m a nerd.

Me:  I’m a bit of a music junkie, so before we skip off into the sunset holding hands and rejoicing in the wonderful new virtual friendship, I have to know – what are your five desert island discs.  (Please don’t say anything Rod Stewart related or I simply can’t be held responsible for my actions.)

Cyndy:  I do like Rod’s song Forever Young, it was my Senior Class Song (how old am I?).  I also like Maggie May…what is so wrong with Rod anyway?  I digress….I want the Eagles, Tom Petty, The Dixie Chicks, The 50 First Dates soundtrack, and the Forrest Gump soundtrack.  Don’t judge me.

Me:  Next topic!  Could you ever be friends with a chronic doesn’t-put-on-the-new-roll-of-toilet-paper-er?

Cyndy:  I’m married to one.  *sob*

Me:  Oh good, there is hope for me!  Is there anything else you want to share with my peeps?  They don’t usually bite, despite my pleading.

Cyndy:  Christmas is coming and I like chocolate.  That is all!

And that’s all there is, folks!  Thanks to both Cyndy, Tori, and Neil for being good sports.  Also, I really like brussel sprouts.  The end.