Q: What do you do in the world? (Do you own your own business or work for a corporation? What is your position?)
A: I work for a corporation and I own my own business. I am an executive administration representative for UEI College. I have my own business; Mobile Notary.
Q: How long have you been doing your current work?
A: 5 years
Q: How did you get to where you are today?
A: I worked at a Law Firm, and real estate, then I had an accident and I couldn’t walk. I was in disability. I attended UEI College in San Bernardino with the BOA class. From the moment I started UEI I was persistent about working there. So I started working in the kitchen, then I would re enroll drop outs, and after that I started working in Admissions. I was top for 2008 in the top 5 of the company.
Q: Would you consider your current work your passion?
A: Yes!
Q: Do you believe you have to be passionate about what you do in order to be successful?
A: Most definitely! Because if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing 100%, then you wont do well.
Q: What is your definition of success?
A: Hard Work, Determination, Measured by own determination to be a good example.
Q: Do you have a Noble Cause? Or something that keeps you motivated each day?
A: Yes, to change lives in single women with children. Or women who have been abused and think that they have no way to get out of it.
Q: Are there critical steps to success that you think every woman should take?
A: Never give up, be honest to yourself, and lead by example.
Q: What are the biggest obstacles that you have faced in your life? How did you overcome them?
A: People putting me down, telling me that I can’t do anything, Domestic Violence, low self-esteem, fear of change, lack of education. I overcame those through faith and knowing that I have something to give and offer the world, being a good example, looking forward, and being a strong woman to show that I can be successful.
Q: What is your advice to women starting out in business and trying to achieve their goals?
A: Don’t let anyone stop you from achieving your dreams and goals, hold your head up high, and do a lot of research on what you want to achieve before you do it.
Q: Have you used goal setting? What was helpful about it?
A: Yes! I set a goal every day of the week, month, and yearly, it gives me something to look forward to every day.
Q: Have you used the Law of Attraction?
A: Yes, I’ve believed in goal, vision, and determination.
Q: Do you believe in collaboration with other women? Do you think women are more in competition that collaboration with each other?
A: Yes I believe in collaboration. It depends on the woman.
Q: We are meeting many amazing women through this project, and we believe in collaboration. Would you be interested in connecting with someone who may be on the similar?
A: Sure, doesn’t have to be in this industry, It will be enjoyable yo collaborate with women who have a passion, and are goal oriented.
A: Sure! Women who have been in domestic violence.
Ophrah Winfrey – Big Breaks with Adam Lambert and Susan Boyle – Tuesdays Show Jan 19, 2010
ophrah winfrey tuesdays big show big breaks with adam lambert and susan boyle
Robin Jay was kind enough to send me an email letting me know my favorite two singing stars are going to be on Ophrah Winfrey’s show on Tuesday, Jan 19,2010. Check your local listings for show times!
During recent years, The Western Star has featured a slew of interviews of callers and club member. Dan Smith is responsible for most, but a few are in a self-interview format, and a couple were by Daryl Daniels. The complete archive of The Western Star is listed on the right. By year, the interviews were:
2003
Ron Masker; Ron Masker, Michael Levy, Andy Shore; Rich Reel
2004
Tomas Todd; Tacks Feliciano & Grey Todd; Kathy Healy & Marie Mohr; Gary Young (two Parts)
2005
Daniel Schweitzer; Joe Casserly & Todd Young; James Williams; Ammon Corl; Davida Ashton; Paul G; Joe Iser
2006
Daryl Daniels; Steve Scott & The Rainbow Girls; Marilyn Fowler; Bob Brundage; Jim Dewsnap
2007
Bob Belleville; Eloise Twining; Mark Nida; Dan Smith; Michael Sui; Mimi Meuller; Carol Cook & Susan Geiger; Mark Yee
2008
Edna Rivera; Teresa Miller; Kristal Kranz; Richard Leadbetter; Christian Hoffman; Tony Attard
Cast members backstage before the final scene of A Midsummer Night's Dream, 2007. Photo: Satbir Singh.
“Not that it is possible to “inflict” cancer on another human being, but I’ve never been able to say “I’d never wish what I’ve been through on anyone.”
Emily is the author of American Amazon, and answered my Interview Meme a little while ago. She’s 25, and a brilliant writer, actress & teacher. We met when she auditioned for my production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream back in Spring 2007. We were in this bizarrely named basement in Exeter College, Oxford. I was in a bad temper with my producer for booking said basement, convinced that nobody would be able to find the auditions. In fact, I ended up meeting two of my favourite people that day – Karina (Helena), and Emily, whom I cast as Cobweb / First Fairy.
I always end up casting actors I think I’m going to like, but who intimidate me as well. Emily came through the door like a hurricane – I don’t know if she was in character or just pissed off – and did the audition incredibly fast. She was very thin, very mobile, with amazing eyes. She and my Puck played opposite each other so well that their rehearsals were the easiest part of the process: constant insight & fun, with much directorial amazement at somehow getting two such talented people to turn out for me.
Ten months ago, Emily was diagnosed with Grade II breast cancer. She’s had chemo, a mastectomy in August, and is now back in the US & on hormone therapy for 5 years. This is not the most interesting thing about her, or the only reason you should read her blog. But it informs some of the questions I ask her, and some of the answers she gives. I asked her five questions — on cancer, mothers, poetry, lust and fame (one very weird dinner party) & she was kind enough to answer. The first Q&A is below:
1. What’s the worst thing you’ve ever imagined inflicting on another human being?
Cancer.
Cancer.
Yep…cancer.
Not that it is possible to “inflict” cancer on another human being, but I’ve never been able to say “I’d never wish what I’ve been through on anyone.” I’m not a good enough person for that. Because honestly–I would. In moments of extreme self-pity and bitterness I have thought “better you than me.” Not necessarily toward people I know, but toward pretty twentysomething girls on the street who seem so carefree and put together; toward stupid, senseless women who take their breasts out on television.
The most concrete, formulated wish for cancer-transference I had was in a Pret a Manger in the Hammersmith Piccadilly line tube station; I was waiting for an appointment at Charing Cross hospital, feeling sick and terrified, and I watched a woman scream at and smack her two-year-old child. I felt something so irrevocably wrong and unjust had happened in the world that I was the one with cancer, and she was the one with the child. It was also the moment at which I most truly and profoundly doubted the existence of God.
[for questions 2-5, with Emily's answers, click here to visit her blog]
The first time I meet a candidate or potential employee is at the job interview. Vice versa, very often the first person from the organisation that the candidate meets also is the HR rep. The job interview, for all its flaws, is still one of the most widely-used selection tools and we take it rather seriously. We prepare, we read the resume carefully, we block the time with no interruptions, we do everything possible to put the candidate at ease even as we look for the right qualities and abilities.
If you are appearing for an interview and meeting one of us, there are some things you must avoid at all costs.
1. Showing up late
Unless you have a real emergency, please please turn up on time, ideally at least a few minutes before the scheduled time. It allows you to take a breather, to settle down rather than directly jump into the interview, and it shows that you respect time. Which is always a good thing.
And if you do have a real emergency, call ahead, explain and reschedule. Trust me, you do not want to get into an interview with an interviewer who is already irritated because you’ve kept her waiting.
2. Lying
Whether you are stumped for an answer or are not certain how your answer will be taken, remember honesty is usually your best bet. Cooking up facts may seem like a good idea at the time but please refrain from it. Interviewers are trained in interacting with people and can pick up on signals that you are not telling the truth. Not only do you lose your credibility, you also lose the job opportunity.
3. Not making eye contact
Nothing is more distracting or disconcerting than talking to someone who refuses to look you in the eye. As interviewers, we find the simple gesture of making eye contact an affirmation of directness and honesty. By implication, someone who doesn’t meet our eyes and avoids looking at us creates an impression of having something to hide or being shifty. Definitely avoidable.
4. Not prepare for the interview
Before you meet the interviewer, invest a little time in finding out about the company and about the position you will be interviewed for. Mentally revise your strong points and figure out how well they align with the position in question. Dress appropriately and be well-groomed. First impressions do matter. The very fact that you have taken efforts to prepare for the interview sends a positive signal that you are interested and keen about the opportunity at hand.
5. Have nothing to say
An interview is your opportunity to convince your interviewer that you are THE person they need. Use it to demonstrate your skills, share your experiences and show how well you’d fit in with the company. Clamming up at an interview is the last thing you want to do. I remember asking someone to share his experiences in leading a team. He thought for a few long moments and then replied “Good, it was good.” Keep the conversation going, share information and you are helping the interviewer make an informed decision.
6. Have too much to say
This is the antithesis of the clam, this is where every single question gets an answer with a prologue, story and epilogue. Rambling on not only wastes time, it also makes you sound as if you are unable to pick the key points to formulate a coherent reply. Stick to the crux of the matter, be specific without being abrupt and share information without boring your interviewer to tears.
Now that’s not too difficult to do, is it?
Part II of the interview for Mendokusai… see part one for gushy-explanations.
Do you find yourself attracted to any certain type of doll? I’ve noticed that a lot of my dolls have somewhat heart-shaped faces and chins that stick out a bit, and they also have full/pouty lips (there are a couple of them that don’t, but most do). I usually avoid dolls that have flat faces (I really like dolls that have a lot of curves in their features) or small mouths.
What kind of reaction would you like people to have from your dolls/ photos, etc? I want them to see the character, not just the doll or mold. I like when people see Brodwyn and focus on her, rather than immediately saying, “Oh, it’s a MNF Ryeon!”
What’s your biggest strength & biggest weakness as a collector/ photographer/ etc? As a photographer, I just really don’t know a whole lot, and I have a really hard time just taking portraits. Also I’m not very good with artificial lighting and have to rely heavily on natural lighting (which sucks once winter rolls around, since I live in Alaska). As far as me as a collector, Hakari-chan says, “Weakness? Mustering up the energy to actually do a shoot XD and constantly talking your hubby into buying you new dolls… and and and *bricked* … Strength? You have a natural eye for good lighting in pictures I think, also very good at making the dolls themselves seem alive with the realism of the poses and what not.” (Well I was going to say my good looks and razor sharp wit, but that will do I GUESS.)
How would you describe your personal doll aesthetic? What do you like most about your own dolls and what makes them “yours” and you? Do you send your dolls out to be customized, or do you do it yourself? I prefer more realstic molds, and really am not a fan of companies that produce more stylized dolls like DoD or Volks. Buuuut really when it comes down to it, I prefer molds that have a lot of character to them and can show a large range of emotions, regardless of the company. I do the face-ups myself.
How would your life be different if you didn’t have dolls?Very boring… and frustrating… It’s nice to get some creative energy out through photostories and face-ups. And lonely! Since I wouldn’t have met my awesome doll friends!
Would you rather make doll accessories (clothes, wigs, props, jewelry ect) or pay for someone else to do it? It’s kind of nice to buy from other people, but it can get frustrating spending the money and/or trying to find something I’m truly happy with. It would be nice to make my own clothing but I ultimately fail at sewing.
Favorite Doll company? Fairyland… not so much the face molds, but I love the posing!
Favorite color of resin: Tan, Beauty white or regular skin? Do you like the more fantasy color resins on dolls for your collection (pinks, blues, greens, grays, etc)? Opinions?
I’m not really partial to any color in particular. I don’t have any tan dolls because I’m very careless and already regret having french resin dolls. I’m not really into the random colors because most of them look like bubbleyum… but if done correctly I think it’s a really cool idea. Most of mine are normal skin, but I have a few that are white skin and I love how much it adds to their character since they stand out that much more against all the NS.
Favorite size doll 60 cm, minis or tinies? Minis.
What’s your most sought after doll prop that you can’t find?
The aforementioned pirate hat. Urrrrrrgh. (Yarrrrrgh?)
What is your “dream doll” that you hope to own some day? The only doll I consider to be a “dream doll” would be Unoa Lusis. I love her but don’t have a character she would fit! I did finally get an Unoa after lusting after them forever, but Sist fit the character better.
What advice would you give someone new to the hobby?Don’t let other people walk all over you and tell you what you do or don’t want based on their own experiences. Take their opinions into consideration but still form your own likes and dislikes. Also, don’t just buy cheap dolls because you can buy three of them for the price of the doll you REALLY like.
Where do you keep or store your dolls?
In our walk-in closet, though I usually have a couple sitting around on my computer desk.
How do you relate to you dolls (are they art objects, toys, things, friends, muses, soul mates, investments, etc)?Um… art objects, I suppose. I’m not really the type to form attachments to inanimate objects (like naming my car/camera/computer/whatever) so they’re just dolls, though I will joke about them like they’re not. I have a hard time referring to new dolls by their character names rather than their doll molds.
Why have you chosen the dolls that you have?
I really like to see the molds from different angles first, and I especially like seeing them blank… I like versatile molds and try to pick dolls that I can do something really interesting with. Some of my dolls I chose for that reason, and/or I can see them really working well for a certain character in mind. I also try to find dolls that fit the same slim mini look so they all look relatively comfortable next to eachother. Sometimes I’ll see a really interesting mold and want to get it just to see what I can do with it.
Love to hear about the evolution of your collection. How did it start? What was your original vision and how did it develop over time to how it is now.
I started with a Souldoll Miryu, so I’ve always had mature minis… but eventually wittled down to the slimmer ones. Not much different! And equally not that interesting, woe.
Since you started, how have you noticed the hobby change? Has the hobby influenced your life? Compared to when you got into BJDs, have you/your tastes changed, has the BJD scene changed?
I notice a lot less MNF Shiwoos crossdressing in skirts and pigtails these days, and a lot more casual tiny collectors. It seems like people are trying a little more with their dolls, either through modding or photography, and more custom face-ups. It’s nice to see!
What outside skills or hobbies do you have that might have helped influence you in your BJD styles/collection/family? Is there a doll that you never, ever would sell, only if it was unavoidable?
Brodwyn, and Linus (Pipos Baha). I couldn’t sell either of them.
When you want a certain BJD, is there a limit to what you’re willing to spend/do to get it?
Hm… I would like to say yes, but who knows I guess.
What do people think the dolls will evolve into in the future?
How far in the future are we talking?! I don’t know, I don’t see them changing a whole lot. You already have “dolls” that move like robots and everything so I don’t really see that branching into this hobby. You get a few companies trying new crazy things but they seem to fizzle most of the time, and in general the only thing that seems to be evolving is the posing ability. I don’t see them changing too terribly much in the future!
Thanks to Amanda for the interview… and you all will be seeing a lot more of her as she uploads news items to Doll-Lite. A HUGE thanks for all her work! YEAY!
‘Twas the night before Christmas…well, actually it wasn’t. It was four nights before Christmas and Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster rolled into a snow-struck London to support Every Time I Die at the Borderline.
Coming off the back of a hectic tour with the Taste Of Chaos gigs, it’s amazing that these bands have got the energy to give it one last hurrah, and even more amazing to consider how they managed to get here, given that the UK had come close to a standstill. Just after warming up the tightly packed crowd in a sweaty Borderline, I spoke to drummer Matt Clark about the band, religion and hair-raising bus accidents.
The Only Thing I Know For Sure: How did Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster start? Matt Clark: Maylene started when Dallas [Taylor, vocal] left Underoath and was looking to go back to his roots. [He was] listening to Southern classic rock and combining it with the things he grew up with, like hardcore and metal. When he was trying to pick out a name for the band, he went back and looked at California. There was a re-enactment that went on every year about Ma Barker and her vigilante sons, from back in the 30s. There was a large gun down in the house, and she was killed with her younger son by the cops. She was a mastermind criminal, behind her sons. Maylene is actually a town in Alabama where Roman was originally from. We kind of wanted to use that background of where he lived with all the guys in the band and then fuse [them]. It’s like Maylene is our Ma Barker, and we’re the sons of disaster reincarnated. We’re here to tell everybody that there’s another way, you don’t have to end up in prison. There are other ways around doing what that story left in the history books.
TOTIKFS: So what is the other way round for you guys? MC: The other way round for us is just living as good people, trying to do the right thing and trying to shed some light on a dark world. You know, just bring positivity with a little country and a little hard-edge in our music. We don’t speak anything damaging – everything we talk about [in the lyrics] we hope everyone can gain something from, that’s always Dallas’ intent and purpose. So we live our lives as good as we can.
TOTIKFS: Is that something that’s been influenced by the band’s religious views? MC: It is. We grew up in Christian homes, and a lot of us found out for ourselves if we really believed and what we believed in. We consider ourselves Christians in the band but we didn’t necessarily want to pin the band as being a ‘Christian band’ because we want everybody to experience the music that we’re bringing out. Like I say we’re just good people. We’re very respectful of other people’s beliefs, and we’ll sit and talk with anybody. We never try to preach or ram things down people’s throat because a lot of people have got that for many years from a lot of other Christian avenues. We don’t feel it’s our job to shove something down people’s throats that they’ve probably already heard a million times already. We’re not going to say it any differently, so we’d rather just show people by our actions.
TOTIKFS: You’ve been touring for a while now with the Taste Of Chaos tour. How’s it been? MC: It was awesome. We’ve been over here for about a month now. It’s been fun, it’s been cold and we’re definitely ready to get back home now, a couple of days out of Christmas and we’re missing all the festivities and things that go on before Christmas! But we’ve been really excited to be over here and being able to play.
TOTIKFS: What’s been your favourite stop on the tour? MC: I tend to like the UK, but I liked Sweden on this trip. The fanbase there was really cool. We were playing larger venues with In Flames and Killswitch Engage. Even though we were on first and fans were still shuffling in they were really awesome. There were beautiful cities and it was one of those places were I’ve read and heard about it and everything lived up to it.
TOTIKFS: What happened during the tour? Any wild tales to tell? MC: I wish I did! There is nothing that stands out…well, actually yeah there was. We were involved in a bus accident. That would be our wild event! We were travelling at night and everyone was sleeping and we just felt a boom, banging into something and everybody in the bunk holding onto the ledges hoping we weren’t flipping! It was kind of a rough night, but we actually got to the show but we weren’t able to play because we got there late. That was a bummer, it was a good venue. It shook up our driver, we had to sit and wait to get towed, and got picked up by a public transportation bus and there was a lot of offloading and loading gear.
TOTIKFS: Was that the biggest accident you’ve had? MC: Yeah. Back home we used to tour in a van and other than tyres flying off we were usually able to handle it. That was the first time…it completely totalled the left drivers side and he said from where he looked the bus looked totalled. It was sliding down a guard rail so it took off all the paint and dented in the whole side of the bus and trailer. It was wild…so I guess that’s our story!
TOTIKFS: Did you get to do much sightseeing? MC: The one thing about bigger arena venues is that they’re based outside of town. So we’d pull up there and, beside the fact that it’s dark by 3 or 4 in the afternoon, just look around and there’s just space. But we travelled around Hamburg, and I walked around Luxembourg a little bit and we pulled into a really cool part of town in the UK.
TOTIKFS: You’re here supporting Every Time I Die – how does it feel to be on the bill? MC: It’s amazing. Those guys are really good friends of ours and we’ve had an awesome trip together. The last four shows [just with Every Time I Die] were really exciting for me because to have the two bands together made it more special than playing large, grand scale places. I tend to like these smaller venues; they’re a little more intimate.
TOTIKFS: So you quite like the Borderline then? MC: Yeah it’s nice! TOTIKFS: It’s dingy! MC: Well it’s no different than the Barfly’s we’ve played. This has got a little more character than the Barfly’s though.
TOTIKFS: So, talking about you guys and Every Time I Die, what is it about this Southern tinged rock that has something special? MC: It’s just something we grew up listening to. Today on the ferry they were playing music videos and Bruce Springsteen came on. It’s the same thing with him; he’s just got this sound. They call it an ‘all American sound’ but it gives you this uplifting feeling. We’re a little more edgier and harder than something like that, but I like to hope that when you come to our show there’s a sense of up-tempo groove, and everything involved kind of lifts your spirits up a bit and you can’t help but to bob your head and tap your toes. And that’s something that we want to achieve and maintain with the band. Every Time I Die is a little bit different, but they still have that same kind of swagger, and I guess you could call it that.
TOTIKFS: Have you listened to their new album? MC: Yes. TOTIKFS: What did you think? MC: I thought it was awesome. It was different to all their other ones. They tend to reinvent themselves for every album. It’s a little doomier I think, playing with that sludge metal sound a bit. I relate some of the songs to Torche, and I love it, it’s right up my alley.
TOTIKFS: You’ve got your own new album out [2009’s ‘III’]. How’s that gone down? MC: Good so far. We’ve had a really good reception and we still haven’t had any negative feedback, everybody seems to like the record. Which is good, because we took a leap of faith on some things; we kind of toned it down a little, and some of the other songs are a little heavier than on the second record. We were kind of playing around with the sound, especially what with some new members in the band it was their first record and there was a lot of nervous tension during the recording process because we didn’t know what to expect. But we were super pleased with how it came out.
TOTIKFS: What kind of things did you want to change from the past albums? MC: Not really change as much. We wanted to maintain the feel, but I think if you talk to any of the guys we always wanted to strip it down, make it go a little bit more rock. We didn’t really want to take too much away, we wanted to maintain the edge and integrity of what Maylene was, but we wanted to add some elements. We did some more banjo work, we added some harmonica – stuff you would find in old southern music.
TOTIKFS: What goes down really well live? MC: ‘Listen Close’ funnily enough, has been a real bang out on this tour. And of course ‘Step Up’ which has been called a single back in the States. That really hits, it’s got the bass drum pumping the whole time and everybody just wants to dance. That’s fun for us – they mosh, they dance, they dance with their girlfriend. Whatever it is everybody can find their own element of that song and get down with it.
TOTIKFS: You’re still a pretty young band in the grand scheme of things. Where are you thinking of going next? MC: Well we’re just starting to think about it. We can’t wait for the New Year to come along and can’t wait to see what kind of tours we’re going to get next year. But we might take the first couple of months of the year to sit down and think ‘ok – what do we have now?’ Just kind of sitting around a bonfire, throwing ideas at eachother, and that’ll give us an idea for where we go next. Right now I can’t really say; I have a lot of ideas in my head, I know everybody’s got tonnes of song ideas so there’s really no telling what’s going to happen until we get together.
TOTIKFS: Do you take a lot of inspiration from playing tours like this? MC: Well I think it’s inevitable. You are on tour for a month with some people, two months with others. I mean you tend to take elements, some more than others; there are a lot of bands we’ve toured with that a lot of people could pick up our third record and say ‘oh, we can tell you’ve toured with this band’. I think the elements are not so much in the writing style; if you tour with really good musicians they make you want to be a better musician, so you tend to pick their brains and get them to show you different ideas.
TOTIKFS: How do you cope being away from home for so long? MC: It’s one of those things that you know you’ve got to do. Some people get out on the road, they think it’s what they want to do but it turns out they don’t. I’ve seen musicians who’ve played the music, they love what they do and then they suddenly make a 180 turn: they want to get a regular job, they want to get married and have kids and they want to live the ‘American dream’. I was there – I toured a long time ago, and I got to a point where I thought I wouldn’t get a chance to tour again but here I am. I love every minute of it, but it’s hard sometimes to be away from home. But being an artist it’s when you’re at home you miss being on the road and when you’re on the road you miss being at home. You learn to cope.
Listen to ‘III’ on Spotify.
Originally published on The Line Of Best Fit.
