A Little Q&A
A longtime reader of this blog, from Portland, Oregon, sent
me one of those Q&As that are usually shared on social media platforms like
Facebook. Some questions are benign, and others are more probing. Last night,
I filled it out and sent it back to her (and she sent me hers). Then I got the
idea to publish it here. Why not? Let’s get to know each other. Feel free to
send me yours.
NAME? Barbie
NICKNAME(S)? Indigo, Dinky, Dink, Little Boz
PLACE OF BIRTH? Bronx, New York – the garden spot of the
world!
RELIGION? Compassion
ETHNICITY? Greek, Sicilian, Middle Eastern, Irish, Spanish
SIBLINGS? Three big brothers, one of whom has died
RESIDENCE: Granby, Connecticut
COLLEGE? Yes, master’s in Comparative Lit, master’s in
English Language and Lit, and bachelor’s in (double major) journalism and
English lit. Currently studying Buddhism at the College of East Asian Studies
at Wesleyan University.
PETS? Two dogs.
FAVORITE COLOR? I love colors, lots of them; the clear,
bright orange of a Theravada Buddhist monk’s robe, the brilliant turquoise of a
clean body of ocean water, and chocolate brown are a few of my favorites.
FAVORITE FOOD? Too many to list, and it changes, but I’ll
go with cauliflower ‘wings’ (cauliflower baked then tossed in wing sauce), stuffed
grape leaves (dolmades), vegan Caesar salad, homemade hummus, sun tea, orange,
lemon, or mango sorbet, hot tea, green tea latte (hot or cold), hot cacao, Jamaican
rice and peas, all fruit (especially organic bananas, mangoes, avocado, dragon
fruit, watermelon, pineapple, strawberries), and root veggies. I better stop or
this will go on for days.
FOOD YOU HATE? Hate is a strong word, but - any animal
product, cilantro, and overcooked veggies. Also, I’m not crazy about raw kiwi.
PERSON THAT INSPIRES YOU? Thousands have inspired me –
Siddhartha, Ghandi, Gloria Steinem, Barak Obama, Hannah Nydahl, Terence McKenna,
my friend Sunny, and Yuttadhammo Bikkhu. And all animals, in their purity of heart
and compassion, inspire me.
FAVORITE ACTOR/ACTRESS? I’ll go with Clint Eastwood.
SPORT? Football! I’m a Giants fan first and last, but
lately I also dig the Patriots. Unless you mean sports that I do, then that
would be swimming (I’m a certified lifeguard), kayaking, boating, bicycling,
and lately, tubing.
MUSIC? That ebbs and flows, but my perennial favorites are
sitar, guitar, chant, Santana, Boston, 90s grunge (Blind Melon is a favorite), and Credence.
SEASON? Summer!
BOOK? These are tough questions! Obviously, the Dharma
teachings. But I’ll answer this one outside the realm of Buddhism by referring
to the one author I return to over and over – James Joyce.
YOUR OCCUPATION? I’m a lifelong journalist (TV, radio, and
print) who changed careers when I married and moved. Now, I work as a designer
and developer of educational materials for the aviation industry. It’s uninspiring
work, but it pays the bills and I’m grateful to have it. One day soon, I’d like
to find work that feeds my spirit and my need for stimulation. Journalism paid poorly, and the hours
were horrible, but there was never a dull moment. I may return to journalism,
or move into something completely new and challenging. I’m also an activist who
works onshore with Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. My dream job is to open a
totally hip vegan café and tea shop where everyone can come and fellowship,
network, and eat amazing food.
HOBBY? Guitar, gardening, earthing, making vegan food,
reading, writing, blogging.
PLACES IN THE WORLD YOU’VE VISITED? Inside the U.S –
California (L.A., San Fran, Oakland, Haight Ashbury, and my brother and I once
drove from the northern tip to the southern tip of the state, along the coast; Aspen,
Colorado, and environs; Chicago, Illinois, and environs; Dallas, Texas,
and environs; Alaska; Las Vegas; Florida; Georgia; Carolinas, (pretty much all
the Eastern states); and all of New England. Outside the U.S. - Montreal and
Quebec, Canada; Jamaica; Ireland; England; Scotland; Paris and environs; South
Korea; Hong Kong and environs; Barcelona and environs.
ONE PERSON YOU COULD HANG OUT WITH FOR A DAY? Terence
McKenna or Hannah Nydahl.
BEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE? There’s been so many incredible
days, so that’s a tough one. Contenders for the best one include the day I took
refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; my wedding day; the day I brought home
Daisy Sage as a puppy; and the first time I made love.
WORST DAY OF YOUR LIFE? That’s hard to quantify, but when
my Daisy Sage died, I felt pain I never thought was possible. I hope I never
feel that way again.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST AFRAID OF? After giving this some
thought, my answer is going to be cilantro. I’m definitely afraid of cilantro. It's gross. A big spider anywhere near my body can also ruin my day. I used to be afraid of getting pregnant, but
my husband had a vasectomy, so I don’t fear that. Yay for uninhibited
sex!
FAVORITE PERSON? My husband for sure. And people of
courage.
LEAST FAVORITE PERSON? The person who acts out of fear,
which always manifests as anger and vengefulness. Life is a constant choice of
fear or love. It’s just deciding which wolf to feed. Those who feed their own
fears and hence strike out at others in anger are a terrible burden on the
Earth and its inhabitants.
IF YOU COULD BE DOING ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Easy. I’d be enjoying the simplicity of standing with my bare feet on the
Earth.
YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL IN LIFE? To be of service.
AND FINALLY, WHAT’S ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?
Hike to the top of Huascarán Sur in Peru and bow down to
the living Earth
Live in Vietnam for a year
Become great with the guitar
Open an awesome vegan café/gathering place/Buddhist hub
Visit Bali, Indonesia and Thailand, both during the same
trip. I’d like to spend at least a few months at each
Vacation in Kuai
Travel through Tibet
Pilgrimage in Dharamshala
Ordain as a Buddhist monk (if I ever found myself widowed)
Visit the graves of James Joyce, Jerry Garcia, and Terence
McKenna
Grow the world’s tallest sunflower (the current record is
30 feet and 1 inch!)
