20 Questions Tuesday

Today I have the wonderful pleasure of asking the lovely Emily Gordon 20 questions. Emily Gordon is one of the hosts of the podcast “The Indoor Kids,” which focuses on video games to start with and then goes everywhere. She hosts this podcast with her husband under The Nerdist umbrella of podcasts and it can be found here. Emily is delightful and as you read her answers you will see why I wanted to ask her 20 questions.

Onto the questions!

I make maps for a living, so the idea of place and space really is an interesting thing to me, especially when you couple that with someone’s personal migration story. I was born just outside of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. We moved to Montgomery, Alabama when I was 3. The family moved up to just to the Northeast of Birmingham, Alabama when I was 4 or so where we lived until I went off to school in Kent, Ohio. Met my fiance there and we moved to Columbus, Ohio for grad school and we have stayed there since then for the past 15+ years. Question 1: What is your geographic story?

I was born in Winston Salem, NC, and lived there up until I left for college…. 20 minutes away in Greensboro, NC. I met a guy in college and married him, and apparently I liked Greensboro so much that I ended up staying there for graduate school as well. After that I moved another hour and a half away to Carrboro, NC for my first real job in counseling- at a therapeutic wilderness facility deep in the woods in NC.

My then-husband got into a PhD program in Chicago, IL, so we picked up and left the state. This was something I’d always wanted to do but never felt like I could on my own. My marriage fell apart (amicably) once we got to Chicago, but I decided to stay, instead of running home to the safety of NC. I was in Chicago for 3 years, and in that time, I met Kumail and fell in love. We got married and moved to New York together for Kumail’s burgeoning standup career. We spent 2 1/2 years in Brooklyn, baaaaarely scraping by and alternately being exhilarated by and horrified by New York City. In that time I stopped practicing as a therapist and started writing and producing comedy full time. Kumail got a job offer in LA that was too good to pass up, and I was ready for another adventure, so we moved in LA and have been here for almost three years now.

Whew.

I always find it interesting chatting with people who moved from the South, and you bounced from the South to the North then the Midwest and then West Coast. If you lived in Colorado for a year, and the 2 Portlands each for a year, you could claim all the major Subsections of the US. I know for me, when I left Alabama, I never looked back, and I was a bit surprised at how quick Columbus became “home” for me. Question 2: With all your moves, which place, when you close your eyes and think of “home” fills that mental picture? (no fair saying “Wherever Kumail is.” That’s cheating :-))

I know it’s cheating, but that’s kind of the truth. When I think of home, like down deep where I was raised home, I think of the huge sprawling backyard of my parents house (they’re still in the same place), looking at plants and birds and just kinda wandering around. But my current feeling of “home” comes from having a couple of key elements in place: Kumail, our cat Bagel, a white noise sound when I’m sleeping, a way of listening to music, and a way of playing video games. I try to travel with all of these elements as much as possible- I have a tiny amazing set of speakers for my computer and play a lot of games on my IPad and on Steam. I love being at home, but we’ve been in other countries for weeks at a time, and you have to find a way to feel comfortable wherever.

It is true that when you find a really good partner, Home really is where you can spend time with that person. Man, question 2 and it is already mushy. This is will not do. Paul F Tompkins has a great bit about cake vs pie. Without me getting into the nuances of his Cake vs Pie argument, Question 3: Cake or Pie? Which specific kind and why?

Hmmm, I think I’ve gotta go with cake. I do love a good pie crust, but the fluffy moistness of cake, plus icing? No contest. My favorite kinds of cake are carrot cake and like, a nice generic sugary birthday sheet cake. If there are balloons made out of icing on it, even better.

Most people who like cake like the frosting and most people who eat the frosting REALLY like frosting. So… as a fellow southern transplant that has also married a person of color (My wife is biracial), I have a slew of questions to ask you concerning your interracial marriage and people’s reactions back in the Southern home. So Question 4: were there any family surprises in how people responded to you and Kumail’s relationship, positive or negative?

My family has been amazingly supportive of me, pretty much always. I’m lucky. They haven’t always loved the boyfriends I’ve brought home, but that was mostly because I brought home some terribly shitty boyfriends. A wide variety of them. So they just loved that Kumail was a good guy and didn’t give a shit about anything else. In fact, they’ve gone out of their way to learn about Muslim culture so they can know more about the family we’re creating. During our Muslim wedding ceremony, while I was attempting to read from the Quran, my Mom turned to me and said “You always did take us on adventures”, which I loved.

That being said, I have some distant cousins who, immediately after 9/11, said such hateful things that I had already distanced myself from them. I love my family but I can’t keep my mouth shut when people are racist around me, so I had to take myself out of those family events. I haven’t really interacted with them much since then, but I will say, they are way more excited that Kumail’s on TV than they are concerned about his ethnicity. Distant cousins will post on Facebook “My cuz is on Frankln and Bash!”, which is hilarious to me. So overall it’s been a very easy, positive, encouraging experience.

That is absolutely lovely. My fam did really well with my wife’s ethnicity. They are just blissfully naive about racial things. Silly things, oh, you use this stuff as well, when referring to almost anything. Some extended family of mine did some less than happy things, but most of those people are dead due to their advanced ages. What shocked me was the people’s response from my childhood church. Many people who I thought were friends of mine and “good” people broke off contact with me, and in many ways almost in mid-sentence. That was the harsh reality that I ran into in Alabammer. I have only been back to bama once since then. There were some other things that happened concerning complete strangers that has kept me away from the state as well, but that is a story for a different time.

Question 5: So, how about from the opposite direction? How did Kumail’s family take to you?

Well, I don’t know if there was any dirt behind the scenes, but it was a really big deal for Kumail to tell his family about me, and it took a long time and a lot of courage. It actually took me getting incredibly ill for Kumail to be frightened enough to need his parents’ support, so frightened that he told them he had a girlfriend and was in love. Before that they did not know I existed. They had been, as most Muslim families would be, looking for a wife for Kumail themselves. Sending him pictures of women he could marry. Their reaction to me was incredibly welcoming and kind. It probably helps that I really like spicy food. His mother examined my henna and then rubbed my wrist tattoo on my wedding day, probably hoping it would come off, but they have done nothing but make me feel included and caught up on what’s going on. The family also always starts speaking in English when I’m around, which is lovely. It always goes back into Urdu, but I find that I can usually pick up the nature of what’s going on if I pay attention. His father calls us a “mixed plate”, and they’re always proud to introduce me to their friends, which is nice. I’ve never been considered exotic until now!

A “mixed plate,” how sweet. That really is great. My wife doesn’t have too much connection with her extended family, but her mom is great and we get along delightfully. Question 6: Have you been actively trying to learn Urdu, or are you just picking things up as you can, or are you staying away from Urdu and just leaving that to Kumail’s family?

I am very enthusiastic about learning Urdu, but it is a very hard language to learn. I haven’t taken any classes or done Rosetta Stone yet, which would be the big step, I just try to absorb it when I’m with his family and try to speak without being embarrassed. I know a lot of food words, and some basic conversation, but the intricacies escape the shit out of me. We are planning to raise any kids we have bilingual, with me talking to them in English and Kumail talking to them in Urdu, so maybe that’ll help me learn too? I hope it will. I’m barely hanging on to my college Spanish.

College languages just do not stick if you are not continually use the knowledge. I had boatloads of French in High School and college and presque tout que that is all gone. That being said, about 5 years ago I had a dream that was completely in French and I remember waking up thinking,Holy crap, I think the grammar was correct in my dream.” So that information is locked up in there somewhere.

One of the reasons I wanted to ask you 20 questions, other than the interracial marriage thing is that you were a therapist for a while. My wife has her MSW, and has just recently let her LISW lapse because she is no longer therapizing peoples. Question 7: What made you want to be a therapist?

How dumb am I if I say it’s a calling? There’s a bit of severe mental illness in my family, so my sister and I both got really good at being able to read people’s emotional states from afar. Maybe as a result of that, maybe not, my whole life I’ve been a sympathizer, a sounding board, the person whose shoulder you’re likely to cry on. In middle school I was a Peer Mediator, and me and all the other losers who weren’t popular would have office hours and listen to popular people’s problems. That’s when I discovered the other thing about listening to people’s problems- it feels good to be in on people’s secrets. Especially as you get older and have less drama yourself, you still feel connected to some crazy drama (something I love from afar), and plus you get to help them get out of that drama. So I started studying psychology in high school for college credit, then in high school, and it made sense for me just to keep going and get a masters in couples and family therapy. Beyond the drama, I got addicted to the moment when someone finally makes a revelation about themselves, no matter what it is.

I think there is a necessity to have a calling for being a therapist. You really could not be able to do that kind of demanding job without having some internal drive to do it. So, my wife did general therapy for about a year, and then did therapy for victims of domestic violence… and that population in therapy burnt her out. I would say that she was very much dealing with secondary trauma in many ways. I know that you, via different podcast interviews, primarily worked with a rather difficult clientele. Question 8: Did you suffer from any secondary trauma dealing with that difficult population and how quickly did that burn you out on therapy?

I’ve worked with minors convicted of crimes one step before going to juve jail, domestic violence survivors, domestic violence perpetrators, people with schizophrenia, and suicidal folk. I definitely started getting burnt out in 2007, but I think a lot of that had to do with going through an intense health scare that year. When you’re healthy, it’s easy to focus on other people, but when you’re not, you just want to circle up the wagons and protect yourself. So I thought I’d switch to “easier” populations- people dealing with day-to-day anxieties- and I found myself getting bored. I practiced for a total of almost seven years and could have kept going, but I felt I was losing my effectiveness with clients. This happens to some therapists and they get themselves some help and supervision and stay in there, but I ended up trying a new career path- writing and comedy.

Oi. I haven’t thought about this much, but I do think there are some residual effects from dealing with people’s trauma constantly. I think maybe I’m a bit more selective about who I “let in”, because I’m somewhat exhausted by people’s crises still, and that’s a bummer. I also freak out a little when I see people running, because for a long time in my career, running meant something really bad was going down. But overall, dealing with tough populations who are constantly in crisis has been good for me when stuff goes down in my own life. I’m usually deadly calm and rational in an emergency.

That makes tons of sense. My wife has said that her time as a therapist has given her invaluable skills in reading groups and individuals in her current job. She is constantly able to apply her therapist skillz to everyday situations and make the best out of them, and she has an uncanny ability to spot personality disorders within 30 seconds of conversation. Question 8: How many personality disorders did you encounter regularly as a therapist… and how many do you encounter as a writer and in comedy?

Oh personality disorders. Working with domestic abusers and baaaaad teenagers, I’d say 10% of my clients had personality disorders that were in progress or in full bloom. And yup, I can spot one from about a mile away. A great supervisor I had in grad school taught me that my own physical reactions to clients are a great way to diagnose personality disorders- often your skin will feel crawly and prickly when you’re around someone with a true personality disorder. There’s almost a smell that comes off of them that you can recognize if you attune yourself to it. And, I’ll reiterate, these are truly disordered human beings, not just depressed weirdos. As a writer I don’t encounter much of anyone- I’d like to say that some of the people who comment on my Doctor Who reviews on TV.com are personality disordered as fuck, but I cannot attest to that clinically. As far as comedy goes, I certainly run into people who perhaps have some mental health issues, from moderate to severe, but it’s been a big lesson to learn that not everyone is looking for my help, or any help at all. Mental illness is partially defined by how much it hinders your day to day life, and some people have made careers based on their very well-handled mental issues. Not all comedians are crazy, and not all of them are doing comedy as a cry for help.

Oh, I was not insinuating that many comedians have personality disorders. I would imagine they more than likely have to deal with anxiety and depression more than any straight up personality disorders. I was thinking that the people behind the scenes in the entertainment industry might exhibit narcissistic PD and potentially the anti-social stuff. Question 9: So, what kind of comedic writing do you do?

Well, I hope everything I write is slightly funny, even if it’s answering a question about setting boundaries at work. <— Actually not that funny.

I’ve written two webshows for Disney (Power Up and Explored) that are both funny shows for kids/teens; I wrote on Fetch Quest, a video game sketch show for Geek and Sundry; I write funny essays/posts at Rookie.com, theFW.com, xoJane.com, ElizabethBanks.com, TV.com; when I produce comedy shows I often come up with the concepts or bits for the shows (there’s a bigger project I’m working on with Comedy Central that I can’t talk about now); and also come up with bits for our podcast and webshow.

So, what I am reading is that you don’t have too many irons in the fire. Nope, you are basically sitting on your laurels and waiting for things to happen. Really, how do you expect to “make it” when you are unwilling to just sit down and write? With a lack of sarcasm, I do have to ask you, It sounds like you are constantly writing, and I imagine that when you are feeling inspired the words just fly from you. My question is more about the days you are not inspired. So Question 10: how do you motivate yourself to write on the days you don’t feel it?

That’s hard. Some days you have to just call it a wash and go get your oil changed (not a euphemism), because you’re not getting anything done on the creative front. I try and treat it like working out- if I put in a real, solid effort for 15 minutes, and after that 15 minutes, I’m still hating it, then I abandon ship. But to put myself in a writing mood, I have a few tiny ritualistic things I do- it’s Pavlovian. My brain knows that when a, b, and c are happening, writing will happen. So the hope is that if I just do a, b, and c, my brain will click into it. (a, b, and c are boring things like certain music or coffee) Another trick I use if I can’t get started/make progress on a thing I’m writing is to write something else entirely from start to finish- a rant about the news that day, thoughts on a commercial, telling a story from my childhood. Usually once I get that out of the way, I’m good to keep moving onto the real assignment.

But that’s all a rarity for me- for the most part I write only stuff that I pitch, so I want to write it all.

I enjoy drawing so, I have asked that question to a handful of comic book artists because I have attempted to make drawing into more a daily practice. Their answers were very varied. When one is attempting something creative daily there are just going to be days where it doesn’t come.

So Question 11: Fill in the blanks: I find that I am mostly _____. Other find that I am mostly _____. (Feel free to ask others for their input on the second part).

I find that I am mostly in motion.

Other people find that I am (and I asked) goofy, professional, on fire.

Ooh, I like the in motion answer. That is great. And it seems that goofy, professional, and on fire could work well together as well without being completely against the “in motion” idea. That is nice. You would probably not be surprised at how many people I ask this to have radically different answers for themselves compared to what their peers say.

You come from the land of Krispy Kreme and this is question12… Question 12: What is your best assorted dozen doughnuts/donuts (you can mix and match from company to company and place to place. For example, I like Krispy Kreme’s cream-filled, Dunkin Donuts’ maple frosted, Tim Horton’s crullers, and Gourdough’s Naughty and Nice cinnamon sugar doughnut)?

Damn. Well, I don’t know doughnuts amazingly well, but allow me to go check a website or two.

Ok, I’m back.

1. One of the small, handmade doughnuts from LA Mill, a restaurant near me. They sell out about halfway through the day, but they’re glorious. And fancy. And expensive.

2. One Chocolate Iced Creme Filled (Krispy Kreme)

3. One Chocolate Iced Custard Filled (Krispy Kreme) (equal opportunity)

4. One Cinnamon Apple Filled (Krispy Kreme)

5. Another Chocolate Iced Creme Filled (Krispy Kreme)

6. One Glazed Chocolate Cake (Krispy Kreme)

7. One Caramel Creme Crunch (Krispy Kreme)

8. One Eclair (Dunkin)

9. One Blueberry Cream Donut (Dunkin)

10. One Jelly-filled Doughnut- from anywhere

11 and 12. Two classic glazed doughnuts (Krispy Kreme)

Brilliant. My dozen breaks down to 4 hot and fresh Krispy Kreme glazed right off the conveyor belt, 2 cream filled Krispy Kremes, 1 maple frosted from Dunkin Donuts, 1 vanilla frosted from Dunkin Donuts, 2 crullers from Tim Horton’s, 1 Naughty and Nice and 1 Bring the Heath from Gourdough’s in Austin. It is quite a decedent menagerie of confection, that most certainly could not be consumed in a 48 hour period… It would take a solid 72.

Here we are at 13, the number of superstition, and you already mentioned that you have a ritual associated with writing. Question 13: Do you have any superstitions or rituals that you believe/do? For example, when I played soccer in high school there was a specific sequence of putting on the uniform and socks and shin guards that was not done for luck, per se, but more for getting my head in the right space for playing the game. What is the ritual associated with your writing, if I may be so bold?

I have a lot of rituals. I write about ritual a lot, and how important ritual is to those of us who are no longer religious. Attaching meaning to otherwise meaningless behaviors is a comfort, an expression of love, an inspiration, a method of relaxation- it can do a lot of things.

When I work I either do it sitting in our living room or sitting in the office in our house. When I’m really serious about writing, especially if it’s something longer, I definitely have to be in the office. I also have to have a cup of coffee. Then I put on either the band Com Truise or the album Brap Back and Forth, Vol 1 by Skinny Puppy. The music is the most important part. I’ve been writing papers to Brap for over ten years now.

So, music is super important to your writing frame of mind. That is interesting. I think you are on the money about ritual and people who are no longer religious. I have found that there is a certain amount of ritual and intentionality that I have been missing in my life, so I have slowly been re-introducing personal rituals into my life, the most prevalent of which is a personal practice of drawing daily. I need to add some meditation into my daily routine, but I feel I should start that with some guidance.

You do a boatload of writing it seems, and clearly are into video games since you have a podcast about them. Question 14: As you have started moving some areas of your life that were more likely past-times and hobbies into more of your work life, have you found the activities you were doing for fun have now become more like “work?”

Oh 100%. And it’s a bummer. The worst it gets is when podcasting feels like work- normally it just feels like fun and talking to friends for an hour, but if things are super stressed and busy, even that will feel like work.

I have fully embraced the idea that producing a weekly comedy show is work for me- I have fun, sure, but more than anyone else, I am on the clock, so I don’t get to goof off or drink as much as the hosts. That I’m fine with. Sometimes writing reviews of a TV show can result in the TV show feeling like another chore, and sometimes needing to have opinions on a video game by a certain date can make churning through that game a bit of a chore. But these are ridiculous complaints. I just keep a couple of TV shows that I will always just consume and never write about, and that helps.

It is a good thing to save some of the things you enjoy for just enjoyment. Currently, I find my past times enjoyable, but my past times are still just my past times. Question 15: So, what would you like to be doing with your time, that you just cannot get to?

Oh a million things. I’d like to take dance classes regularly again, and learn to cook. Those are my two big ones right now. I’m actually taking a cooking class for the first time in a few weeks. Just trying to up my life skills that aren’t work-related. I wasn’t reading enough for a while, but now I am reading constantly, which just makes you feel like you’re a good person- regardless of if you are or not.

Learning to cook is a fun thing. I like to consider myself a pretty good cook, but I cannot bake to save my life. Well, maybe to save my life, but it is definitely not a strong suit. That being said, dancing is not my thing, and I am pretty sure it never will be. So… Question 16: Is there something that you were expecting me to ask you or that you feel I should have asked you by now?

Herrrm. Most people ask a lot about therapy stuff and about the coma I was in a few years ago, so I guess I was expecting that a bit? And maybe some questions about our cat Bagel, who apparently has her own Twitter account? This is not to say you’re not doing a fantastic job- you totally are!

I feel like you have told the story of your coma a few different times to other people who have conducted far superior interviews. I would suggest listening to your conversation with Pete Holmes on his podcast You Made it Weird,” or your more recent podcast interview with Janet Varney on her delightful podcast “The JV Club.” As far as therapy… being married to an ex-therapist and having my marriage start when she was still getting her MSW, I had considered asking some more specific therapy questions like how inadequate solution focused therapy is for long-term systemic personal change, but that is more for my ego than for your answer… so Question 17: How did the name Bagel come about for your cat? It is an oddly appropriate name for a cat.

Bagel’s name has a pretty boring story- Kumail had never had a pet and so I let him name her, and he picked Bagel because he thought it was cute. And it is. We brought in a second cat (the woman who lived in our house before us moved abruptly and left her two indoor cats just outside to fend for themselves, so we took one in), and named him Wallace, and that one I named. Bagel couldn’t handle Wallace and we found him a nice home.

Also, I think solution focused thinking is incredibly successful for people’s lives in general, but it’s more of a mindset than a collection of techniques to me. Some systemic changes come from within, others start from the outside and work their way in. It depends on the person (how’s that for a therapist answer?).

That is a great therapist answer, however I find that in general solution focused therapy focuses on the outcome rather than the underlying issue. It often only addresses the symptoms. This can work for some issues, but I would imagine that without dealing with the underlying issues, the problem being addressed will work its way back over time or manifest in another way.

We had 3 cats prior to having kids. The severe asthma of our first child negated our ownership of the cats. They were a 2 farm cats, a Russian Blue named Lenny, a black cat name Señor Don Gato, and a skinny female tabby named Charlie. Both Lenny and Señor went to live with my parents and Charlie went to live with a co-worker’s sister. I miss having animals in the house.

Well turnabout is fair play… Question 18: After all of my incessant questioning, do you have any questions for me?

Two questions:

1) What made you decide to do an interview thing like this?

2) When is the last time a movie/TV show/commercial made you cry?

Alrighty! Great questions!

1) I started a blog waaay back in 2003 as a way to start some creativity up in my life again. We had just had our first kid a year previous to that and I was feeling stagnant in a dead-end job. So I started writing (because getting back into drawing seemed too daunting). It was a pretty standard blog. I wrote about the comings and goings of my work and life and then did some silly musings like my made up hatred of hippos a family feud with a yeti, and other equally silly things. When I was uninspired to write anything I would send out an email to other authors of blogs and some friends asking for questions to answer as obtusely as possible. I settled on the number 20 because of the game 20 Questions. After a while I stopped the more random blogging and focused solely on answering 20 questions every week on Tuesdays. I sent out some feelers to other people to see if they would be willing to answer 20 of my asinine questions…. I ran out of friends pretty darn quick due to how unpopular I am, so I started politely asking people I find interesting if I could ask them 20 questions. Many of the people I ask either say “no” or just bother to respond, but some people, such as yourself, surprisingly say “yes.” Inbetween publishing my interviews I still answer 20 questions as obtusely as possible so I am posting almost every week.

2) the last time a tear ran down my cheek was watching a documentary about odd animal friend pairings on Nature and an old blind horse died of natural causes leaving his best friend, an old goat who lead him around, to rapidly deteriorate because of sadness. That being said, since having kids I find myself finding things more poignant and single tear inducing.

So, Question 19: What are you taking from these 20 questions that you did not bring in with you?

This is a hella creative use of Google docs! (Google drive, or whatever they’re calling it now!) I have to use Google docs constantly in my work- I have about 10 of them open at any point in time- and it’s nice to be able to use one for something other than work! It’s also got me thinking of other creative ways to use the technology.

Well if this has actually helped in any way I am completely tickled. This has been one of my more lovely 20 Questions interviews. I want to thank you for how well thought out and fun your answers have been. You are an absolute delight.

Question 20: What’s next for you? Be as concrete or as vague as you want, talk about tomorrow or 5 years from now… What’s next?

What’s next? Shit, that’s a great question. I’ve been turning down a few jobs lately so that I can focus on writing, which is always the thing I love to do most. I just got a book agent, so I guess the next step would be selling and then writing a book. I just started a new Tumblr that collects all the stuff on body image and self-esteem I’ve written over the years, because that’s what the book will be about. At some point Kumail and I are going to make a baby, and other than that, I just want to travel and enjoy Los Angeles.

Here’s the thing. Emily is an amazing person and should be followed with great glee. Everyone should consume what she is writing and producing, because, plainly, it is just wonderful. Follow Emily’s writing on her tumblr page and give her twitter feed a looksee as well, @thegynomite Thanks so much Emily and I wish you continued and greater success.

To recap:

Today is my wife’s Birthday

Everybody go to her twitter feed and bombard her with well-wishes

@TuesdayRH

She is awesome and deserves your birthday wishes

Do IT!

I was in a meeting for 6 hours yesterday about 1. single. database…

Today I am in a meeting about that same database

I know you all envy me greatly

I am quite enviable

I apologize for some of the formatting and lack of images, but I am editing this thing on my phone today due to the god-awful conference I am in today

Happy Birthday, Love

Have a great weekend everyone

Today I get the pleasure of asking the insanely talented Ali Spagnola 20 Questions… “who is Ali Spagnola?” you ask. Shut your stinking pie hole and read until you get to the end… you disgust me with your lack of knowledge. Disgust and dissappoint. At the same time.

Ali is a triple threat. She is a musician, and artist, and a third leg to a tripod so she doesn’t fall over. I became aware of the talented Ms Spagnola through the podcast the NSFW Show (please refer to my Brian Brushwood and Justin Robert Young 20 Questions). Ali has just emerged victorious from a 3 year legal battle like a drunken butterfly. She is in the process of getting a tour together and just quit her “day job” to pursue this musical endeavor. Ali is the owner and operator of a thing called the “Power Hour.” For those of you waaaaay out of the alcohol scene (like me… damn you allergies!!!), a power hour is when you drink a shot of beer every minute for an hour. Her power hour concert is one where she sings 60 one-minute songs to get people to party. The songs of hers I have heard are pretty darn badass. She is also the artist behind “Ali Spagnola’s Free Paintings” where she paints one painting a day and sends it to someone… Like a boss.

Anyhoo… enough about her, let’s ask her some questions. By “let’s” I mean, “I’m gonna.” To the questions!

I have a M.A. in geography, so the concept of “place” is always interesting to me, and I love the idea that where someone has lived tells a interesting story of their life. It is their geographic story. I was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. My fam moved to Montgomery, AL when I was 3, moved northeast of Birmingham, AL where I stayed until I was 18. I went off to college in Kent, Ohio, and then grad school in Columbus, Ohio where I got married. I have been in the Columbus area for the past 15+ years. Question 1: What is your geographic story?

Pittsburgh.

Haha I was tempted to leave it at that but I fear I may seem like a jerk… as opposed to a funny jerk. I grew up and hour outside of Pittsburgh in Beaver County. I went to school in Pittsburgh at Carnegie Mellon University. After graduating, I got a career in Pittsburgh. This week, I left that career to pursue my music/business full time. In Pittsburgh. The only colors I’ve ever cheered for are black and gold. (I love that our city’s sports teams all have the same colors.)

Staying in the same area can be great, but when that place is Alabama…. /shudder. I love that the MLS team in Columbus is trying to capitalize on the Black and Gold of Pittsburgh.

So with the shift to following your musical career, Question 2: Do you see yourself having to move for career purposes? If so, where do you see that move taking you?

I don’t see myself having to move in the near future because a lot of what I do is online and touring. I need a home base for those things so why not keep it where I have a low cost of living and a close by mommy? I’m definitely open to moving anywhere needed to further my career but I haven’t found a specific reason to just yet.

It is nice that the globalization of entertainment allows for you to reside between the coasts and do what you do.

Now, to the question that all 10 of my readers want to have answered… Are you ready? Question 3: Cake or pie? Which specific kind and why?

Pi. Specifically the math kind. I memorized it to 50 places. No joke.

So, then I assume you are familiar with the Hard and Phirm song Pi? Not a question, that was not Question 4, it was rhetorical, and potentially informative… As someone who majored in mathematics, I find that e is just as important as pi, but holds significantly less cultural sway than the ratio of circumference to radius. It is like… like… well, it is like the e is silent. That is a string of phrases and thoughts that I never thought, and probably should not have been, put into the public zeitgeist.

Question 4: Are you familiar with the Hard and Phirm song, Pi? I am not doing this right, am I?

I wasn’t. But now I am. Thanks, internet!

Anyone who memorizes 50 places of pi should know that song exists. I am a truth-giver more than a blogger. So…

Question 5: Why learn pi to 50 places when you have a fine arts degree? What is it about pi that you are so drawn to? It seems rather incongruous.

It was just always interesting to me. Despite the fact that I seem like a partying artist/musician. I’m also a giant nerd. I memorized pi in high school when there was a poster of it on the wall next to my desk in calc class. Incidentally, when I went to college at CMU, one of the acts in our freshmen talent show was two guys reciting pi in unison until one of them couldn’t remember any further. Wow. I knew I had found my home.

That is a very odd set of circumstances to get you to know pi to 50 places… very odd indeed.

So, your current concert seem to require a certain amount of libation. Therefore I surmise that there is a certain level of inebriation that you frequently endure… Back when I was young and viral and manly and such, 2 things happened when I would get drunk… enough. Thing the first, my southern accent would raise its ugly head, y’all. Thing the second, I get really really good, and I mean disturbingly good, at theoretical math. Question 6: Do you have any special powers that surface only when you are compromised by the alcohol?

My super power is enabling. That and making people lose their cell phones. The more I drink, the more belongings get misplaced.

I realize that may come off as me being a kleptomaniac but that’s not the case. It’s just that people have trouble hanging on to their stuff when they party with me and it ends up God knows where.

Methinks thou doth protest too much… From your luxurious bed of ill-gotten cell phones.

You went to Carnegie Mellon for fine arts, so I am going to dip into a art question… Question 7: When did you know that art was a thing you “had” to do? For example, I knew art was a pursuit of mine when I was 5 years old and drew a pilot in the little tiny cockpit of a fighter jet I was drawing.

It wasn’t like I decided all of a sudden that I had to make art. I still haven’t decided if it’s a thing I should do. Maybe I’ll go back to school for computer science.

Yet, you went through the amazing trouble of getting an actual degree in fine arts… I find that stunning. I started out as a studio art major, and the incredible subjectiveness of the art department made me jump ship to the math department. I was a pen and ink guy, and the painting/sculpture thing just did not work for me.

Question 8: Just painting? or are there other arty things in your life?… please don’t/do say scrap-booking… that would be both sad and awesome.

I was actually a sculpture major. But after I graduated I did digital art/design for a living. All of the nice things I make can be found here!

That is quite an impressive portfolio. I was especially impressed by the Midway Mania graphics, well, because I played that game this past summer. Well-done. Since I am at work at the moment, I did not look through your sound design work, but I am sure that is awesome. You don’t seem to put out crap…. look at me blowing sunshine.

Question 9: Fill in the blanks: I feel that I am mostly _____. Others feel that I am mostly _____.

I feel that I am mostly driven. Others feel that I am mostly drunk.

So, playing music is something that takes skills and concentration. I cannot imagine you being capable of changing musical genres and styles every minute while being soused. I would imagine around minute 50, the last 10 songs would be slurred lyrics with repetitive G chords. Question 10: Do you end up drinking through most of your power hour concerts, or are you merely a conveyance for others’ drinking enjoyment?

You are correct. I get exponentially less talented the more I drink. And there’s no Ballmer Peak for music. So I don’t play the Power Hour while I perform. I’ll maybe have a drink or two but I mostly don’t even have time because I’m too busy being the party ringleader.

The newer social aspects of the internet are helping to create a new class of entertainer or the “middle class rock star,” if you will. I imagine that the party host service you provide can really be considered a gateway to a longer form concert… Question 11: Do you have enough of a catalog to have a straight up concert, and if so, has anyone asked you to come back for a more traditional concert after you have powered their hour?

Well my show actually ends up being about 80 minutes, not just an hour. The songs all played back to back are exactly an hour and since I interact with the audience in between, my set gets extended. No one has asked me to play longer than that before but I have enough content to keep the party going. I’ve also considered switching to DJing after the Power Hour if anyone ever wants a longer show.

And actually, I do a monthly livestream show and this past performance ended up being three hours long because I started taking requests and played two hours of covers after the Power Hour!

Oh, cool. I was completely unaware of your livestream. That is great. I will need to put it on my calendar so I can experience it at least once.

Usually I ask a question that revolves around the word “dozen” since this is going to be question 12, but instead, I will address this question with something completely out of left field… You have mentioned that your focus was primarily sculpture when you were in college, but then moved on to more of a graphic area, and now you seem to be primarily focusing on more auditory stimulus. That is a transition of inputs from tactile, to visual, and then to aural. Question 12: Do you consider yourself a kinesthetic, visual, or auditory learner? Do you feel that your current method for learning has been consistent throughout your life?

I consider myself right in the middle of that triangle. Before any of the art stuff, I was a competitive figure skater and competitive dancer. That was all kinesthetic and because I started at really young age (3), my strength in the physical type of learning has never left me. Though, sing me something and I won’t forget it. Yet when I was taking tests in school, I’d visualize the page in the textbook where the answer was. Maybe that means I’m crappy at all three things. I have to dance while singing the words I’m looking at in a book before it sticks.

So you really are the triple threat. And probably the life of the party in a group study session.

So Question 13: Do you have any superstitions or any rituals? For an example of ritual, I used to get ready for a soccer game by getting dressed in a very specific sequence. I did not do it so much for luck as much as I did it to get my head in the right space. Do you have a ritual to get yourself ready for a concert?

Before my shows my ritual is two Power Hours. It used to be one but that worked so well that I’ve doubled it.

I find that difficult to believe seeing as how you just said that you have an issue performing whilst blotto, but I will let it go…

so… Someone once asked me what I would be most afraid of. I chose Vampire Bear (the ursine variety, not a hairy gay dude)

Question 14: What would you be most afraid of?

I’m most afraid of people taking my party to far and harming themselves. Making sure people aren’t being irresponsible with my game is a constant concern of mine and a very real fear… Ugh. A legit fear? What a downer. This frat sucks… Binge responsibly, kids!

That is a super legit fear, and I can imagine that is something that you have to keep in mind fairly often. I imagine you have consulted with legal people and such concerning liability and all that. It really does not surprise me as a fear of yours. We can be real on the 20 Q’s. It doesn’t always have to be silliness with a side of snark.

Let’s get real then since I have you in a moment of genuineness… Question 15: What is one trait within yourself that you would like to change? I’ll go first. I would like to stop being so fear based in my actions. I find that fear of failure seems to be hamstringing me from being bolder and potentially happier.

My liver. I think it’s reached it’s 3,000 miles by now so I’ll grab another.

Oh, were it that easy. Head down to the local 5 and dime and pick yourself up a new liver. Yes, I am 80… the 5 and Dime? What the hell?

So it does seem like you like the drinky drinky. Question 16: If you had all of them to chose from… beer, wine, shots, mixed drinks… What’s your poison?

I like a good whiskey on the rocks. I also like a crappy whiskey on the rocks.

Not playing around, and going straight for the whiskey.. well, not whiskey straight, on the rocks… I am confusing myself now.

so Question 17: Is there something that I haven’t asked you that you are surprised I haven’t, or that you feel that I should ask?

You’ve been pretty thorough so far so I’m surprised you haven’t asked me about my ringtones. I have some songs that were shipped standard on a handful of Android devices and I occasionally get inquiries about that.

I feel you should ask me about my favorite pentameter. It’s iambic.

I had not realized how many irons you have in the fire. Well played Ms Spagnola, well played.

Turn about is fair play. I have been drumming you for 17 questions, so Question 18: Anything you want to ask me? I am pretty much an open book.

What’s your favorite pentameter?

I am somewhat a fan of the bard, so I am a fan of the iambs… however there is a soft spot in my heart for the classical lines of a good solid dactyl, but if push came to shove, iambic pentameter for the win.

Question 19: What are you taking from these 20 questions that you did not bring in with you? Have these 20 questions illuminated anything new for you?

I’ve learned that 20 is much easier to tackle than 60.

I would say that it is about 1/3rd as difficult… were you taking a shot each time I sent you a question?

Question 20: What is next for you? Be as concrete or as vague as you want. Be as philosophical or straightforward as well… short term, long term, answer how you see fit.

Next for me is to make more nice things :)

Thanks, Ali! This was a blast. Everyone go to her indiegogo campaign and donate. Follow Ali’s exploits on the twitters. She is partying for our freedom so, everyone should support her for that alone.

To recap:

I am now gluten free I miss the gluten Mainly in the form of donuts And bread And pasta

It has been too long since I have been to Nova Scotia.  It is a gorgeous place filled with wonderful people.  One of these people is the lovely Mike Milloy.  Mike and I started corresponding years ago because we were both daddy blogging like champs in the mid-aughts.  In a period of a year I had the opportunity to hang out with he and his family twice in the wonderful world of Nova Scotia.  First I was up there for the ALIA Leadership institute, and then a few months later the whole family came heading north to the Halifax area for my wife to work for a few days and follow that up with a crazy fun vacation.

If we had the money and the leisure time, I would work hard to have a second home somewhere in Nova Scotia.  Anyhoo… Mike is an absolute joy to chat with and a person I met on the Internet that I was ecstatic to meet in person… You will get to know him in the following 20 Questions.

Geography, my second love, compels me to ask you for your geographic story.  You have read these questions before, and I am sure you know what most of them are, so I assume you will have no problem with Question 1: What is your geographic story?

My geographic story starts out in the frozen tundra of Manitoba: land of lakes. And mosquitoes. And a lot of bundling up for long, freezing winters. Growing up there wasn’t as bad as you might think. As kids, we are innately bulletproof and don’t care much about how hot or cold it is, and so long as your parents have dressed you appropriately (or taught you how to do so), there is no problem lacing up your skates on your front step, putting on the skate guards, and walking half a mile on hard packed snow to play hockey at the community rink.

I lived there for fifteen years, then the family was uprooted and headed west to oil country for another decade or so, where I finished high school and the first of my university achievements. Going from the Keystone Province (really, that is what they call Manitoba) to Alberta wasn’t a touch switch. More hot summers, more cold winters… it didn’t really matter where it was, just that we were a lot closer to the mountains. It was in Alberta that I learned to ski and snowboard (enough to get by on a trip to Jasper or Banff), drive, and cram for exams. All in all, a good place to continue one’s formative years.

After taking a year’s reality check, I uprooted myself to Toronto for a couple of years to get away from my main area of study (economics) and into the environmental field. Two years at a university in the Big Smoke — I’m all about the place names today — I had both fallen in love and out of love with the city, and deeply in love with a girl; a girl from the East, no less.  And so it was that we would eventually pick up and move to Nova Scotia.

Trading the mountains for salt water wasn’t much of a hardship. I missed the snowcapped peaks, but learned how to sail and play in the hurricane-churned waves (if my kids are reading this, you should NEVER play in hurricane-churned waves. It’s just not safe.) I fell in love with the ocean, the bays, harbours, and inlets of this part of the world, and love reading nautical charts. I’m sure you as cartographer can appreciate moving from the world of hiking through the mountains with a topographical map in your hand, to holding a tiller of a sailboat and scanning charts to make sure you don’t run aground and sink your boat.

So that’s it, in four paragraphs… started in the middle, moved west, then steadily plowed eastward. I feel like a displaced prairie boy sometimes, but actually fit in with the comfortable east coast lifestyle better than I thought I might.

That is quite the Geographic Novella.  I knew the Manitoba piece, the Ontario piece and the Nova Scotia piece, but was unaware of the Alberta piece.  So I gather that Manitoba and Nova Scotia are the primary places that you call “home.” Question 2:  Which one is truly your home in your heart of hearts?  and why?

It’s cliché to say that the place where you raise your kids is inherently “home”, but maybe that’s for a reason. We (in the personal sense, not the collective sense) call this home because that’s where the most important memories are being made. I visited my birthplace a decade after leaving it, and found nothing that would really tie me to the place. Similarly, these days, visiting out west leaves me with the feeling that I just don’t belong there anymore: it’s a bit like having a geographic yearbook, or flipping through old photos. You’re in all of them, but they’re all time and place specific. So for now, this is home. Did I answer the question?

I completely understand, and you answered the question perfectly and eloquently.  When my childhood cat died whilst I was in my Super-Senior year in college (5th year) I realized there really wasn’t much “back home” for me to visit.  Yes, my parents still lived there, but that is beside the point.

People want to know, and they are getting antsy Question 3: Cake or Pie? Which kind specifically and why?

I am really more of a pie guy. Berries are my thing… blueberry pie is awesome. Cherry pie, even better. Lemon meringue? Don’t even get me started. That said, I have in my old age taken to going in for seconds on the pound cake with buttercream icing that is usually a ‘cop out’ at a birthday party. But for the sake of coming up with a single answer, pie.

I have found that most people who like cake, LOVE frosting more than they like cake… Question 4: How do you think a pie with frosting would go over? I have my thoughts and will share them after your answer…

I think that would be a spectacular way to rocket one’s way into a sugar induced coma! I think the frosting is supposed to add something of a contrast to the stability and relative blandness of the cake texture, which really doesn’t exist in a pie. So I don’t think I’ll be an early adopter of the cake/pie hybrid. 

Firstly, I think you underestimate the amount of sugar that the typical North American (predominately United Statesean) diet can handle.  secondly, I think you also underestimate the sheer variety of frosting/icings that are available out there for desert consumption.  I suggest to you, the equivalent of a dutch apple pie, wherein you replace the highly brown sugar laden crumb topping of a typical dutch apple pie with a layer of cream-cheese frosting.  Cream cheese frostings are typically not that sugary (compared to butter-cream, at least) and have a savory undertone to its sweet flavor.  I say if done correctly, frosting on pies could bring about world peace.  One just needs to pair the correct frosting recipe with the appropriate pie… Q.E.D. World Peace.

I also think that many cakes would do well with some kind of fruit compote as a topping instead of frosting.

You work as an economist for the your province’s government, Question 5: When did you find out that you wanted to devote your mental energy toward economics (a subject loathed by many [coming from a mathematics major, so no judgement here, just curiosity])?

I don’t want to belabour the pie-frosting point here, but if you think the world could agree on what kind of frosting would best go with which kind of pie? You should contact the United Nations post-haste. I look forward to the impending state of world peace you will undoubtedly bestow upon us.

On to your next question, which if I read it correctly, is asking at what age I cut my hand so badly that in my swooning state of blood loss, I realised I would make a terrible doctor?

Eight.

As for what I did eventually become… I wanted originally to get a business degree. Why? I can’t really say. I think I was influenced by someone out there who was charismatic enough to garner my awe. And so I started on the path to getting some economics courses under my belt, and I just kind of kept rolling with that, to the tune of over two dozen economics courses before I realised that I still had to get some electives in or I wouldn’t graduate. Completely finished with my undergraduate degree, I knew that economics was getting too theoretical for me, so I’d better do something practical with my education, which took me into the environmental studies field. I eventually learned that pairing the two was a useful combination, and it set me on the path to doing a) economics, then b) environmental economics, and (now) c) mostly economics but with a critical environmental/interdisciplinary bent.

In other words, the cosmos aligned and I became what my education was supposed to prepare me for. Weird, right?

Being an economist in today’s era is an interesting thing. It’s like being a scientist and having your lab become the entire world. Or maybe the other way around. In any case, I don’t think economists are any more reviled than before; it’s just that people let you speak longer before they determine everything is your fault and even though you saw it coming, why can’t you fix it already??

And don’t get me started on math majors. Those freaks used to take the hardest mathematical-economics courses as electives.

Dude, I have way too many holes in the ground to look at to worry about world peace via the correct frosting to pie combination (whipped citrus flavored frosting instead of meringue on a lemon custard pie) … and as far as Math majors taking high level economic courses as electives?  not this guy;  I took art courses.

That being said, it is completely odd that you are working in the field for which you studied and you did not go after a professional degree like a medical doctor or lawyer.  Question 6: So, aside from chasing three kids as a parent and pouring over environmental economic indicators, what consumes your non-existent free-time?

I would make some witty comment about being so busy that I have totally forgotten about free time, but I read something the other day that indicated that people don’t actually ~care~ about how busy parents are! Can you believe that?

I like to run around. Sometimes by myself in straight lines down roads and paths, sometimes chasing and being chased by frisbees (And no, I am not a border collie.). I also like things with wheels: Bikes, skateboards, inline skates, what-have-you. Basically, unless it’s dark out, I’d rather be outside doing something active, and usually it’s with my kids. If it’s dark out, I’m probably consuming copious quantities of television shows that people also really don’t care to hear about.

I always enjoy hearing how busy my non-parent friends are and how they “can’t” do something because of their schedule.  Ha!  I say, they know not what busy is.  I am surprised you did not mention the photography, because you have a pretty good eye for that as well.  Anyone who follows you on the twitters or knows you on Facebook recognize your love of movement.  One of my favorite posts of yours was for one of your winter runs when you got a pic of yourself with a balaclava, and then took one with a balaclava and a jaunty scarf.  Makes me giggle every time I think about it. Every. Single. Time.


Question 7: Is there anything out there that makes you laugh every time you experience it?

That was kind of a funny picture. Hooray for accessories, I say.

Something that makes me laugh every time I see it? Hmm… I think human comedy is the funniest. I was brought up with a healthy sense of humour in the house (I know humour is subjective, so what I consider healthy might be construed as sick, or dry, or just off-base.) — particularly slapstick and physical comedy in movies and TV: Steve Martin, Peter Sellers, John Ritter… fantastic abilities. So anything that has to do with people falling down or making mistakes usually makes me smile. In the vein of internet distractions that keep me amused, two of my favourites are “Cakewrecks” and “DamnYouAutoCorrect”. Dot-com those if you dare.

That’s interesting, I find wordplay to be more enjoyable than the slapstick… between us is comedic genius.  Humor is terribly subjective, that is why there are acts like Larry the Cable Guy and Cedric the Entertainer and Patton Oswalt and Brian Regan. All are fairly successful acts, but all are radically different.

Question 8: What would 13 year old Mike Milloy think about current Mike Milloy’s entertainment choices?  I know my 13 year old self would not understand all of my entertainment choices.

I have to believe that other than reality television, which pretty much didn’t exist when I was 13, my entertainment choices have stayed virtually unchanged. It’s sort of like music — at some point, your CD (tape?) collection stops changing, or at least growing noticeably slower.

That is true, but digital music has helped considerably in infusing new music into my repertoire.  For example, PSY’s Gangnam Style… I think I might like K-pop. Question 9: How are you introducing music to your kids? umm… I am asking for a friend.

I think the question of kids and music comes at an opportune time. With the first kid, I tried to keep things mature, but wound up in the downward Raffi spiral (which is good once you’re fully indoctrinated — kind of like a cult). That said, there’s a pile of contemporary artists doing kids stuff, which is a bonus. With the second kid, it wasn’t quite as tough, though the older was looking for something a little more interesting so we had to split the difference when it came to songs in the car. The third kid? She knows all the words to songs that I don’t want to tell her the meaning of.

We sheltered the oldest for a bit.  We Laurie Berkner Banded it for awhile and other kid stuff… Then he migrated to Weezer, you know, more kids’ stuff.  With Q, she is into dance music and gets exposed to the lyrics that accompany dance music.  Ke$ha writes some great lyrics for kids.

Question 10: Fill in the blanks.  I find that I am mostly _________.  Other people find that I am mostly __________.

I find that I am mostly barely holding my shit together. Other people find that I am mostly relaxed and in control of my faculties.

It is amazing how hard it is to hold everything together.  It is the “Duck Axiom:” On the surface serene and even regal, however, under the water, paddling like Hell.  I honestly do not know how I am above water right now.  I have the full-time job, I have a full graduate school course-load, I have 2 kids, and my wife has to travel for her job.  This does not even count the side work I have that seems to be lining up.  It is a wonder.  So because of your running in long distance running events, having three kids, having a full-time job, and spearheading the Movember movement in the Halifax area with your thin and blond moustache, it is a wonder you can come up for breath at all.

Question 11: What would you like to be doing with your time that you just cannot get to?

I’d like to be building something. Bikes, furniture, something that takes a moderate amount of time and obviously would require some degree of prolonged concentration. Life is just not conducive to individual pursuits such as those.

I once bought the plans and rough cut all the wood to build some Adirondack chairs for a friend’s wedding present. They now have three children and I never did finish the project. Luckily, I never told them about it.

I’m not saying that given the time, I could successfully pull off something that would look professional, but I wouldn’t mind pointing at something other than a photo on the wall and say, “I did that.”

Having a physical record of effort would be a great thing.  That is why I have been drawing more and more.  Lots of flat colorful artifacts of various degrees of quality.

Question 12: Do you have a favorite thing that comes in a set of dozens?

I like eggs

More of a doughnut man myself… I find that eggs are only an occasional thing, whereas I could eat doughnuts daily… Hourly even.

Since we are on Question 13: Do you have any superstitions/ rituals/ out of proportion fears, etc….?

Having been born on the 13th, I feel justified in claiming the number as a lucky number, rather than an unlucky one. I’m not sure if that’s irrational or not. On an unrelated note, I do sometimes fear that the difference between quirky behaviour and OCD can be a very thin line, so I’m constantly suspicious of my own idiosyncrasies.

Well, the issue with quirky vs OCD is if the action you are performing is to make sure some other unrelated activity occurs or doesn’t occur.  If it that kind of situation (I need to check my phone for voicemails so I know my kids are safe even though I checked 5 minutes ago and the phone hasn’t rang since then) then it is OCD.  If it is wearing a flowerpot on your head and dancing a jig, you are quirky.

I am well familiar with the effort it takes to deal with 2 kids in the house.  Question 14: In orders of magnitude, how would you rate the amount of parental energy it takes to scale up from parenting 2 wee ones to dealing with 3?

Luckily, we never had three that were all “wee” at the same time. It felt like a geometric leap to go from 1 to 2, but the third actually was much easier to handle. People with two kids should definitely just go ahead and have a third. It really makes that difficult learning curve worthwhile! (Disclaimer: I should not be trusted in any way when it comes to parenting advice.)

It is going from man-to-man to a zone leaves open seams for a kid to make a break across the middle… and you don’t want the kids to get a TD… at best a field goal.  ”Keep the kids out of the red-zone” is what I always think, say, and do.

Question 15: When are you coming to Columbus?

That’s a good analogy. But having the oldest kid on your side part of the time is like having a mole… so it may appear it’s a zone defense, but it’s more of a hybrid.

Columbus is #1 of my places to visit when in Ohio. You should know that. But I have yet to broach the subject of a summer vacation in the family truckster to that part of the world. Do you have a board of tourism that can send me a video?

Nope, our tourism is more bored than associated with a board.  Don’t get me wrong, C-bus (as the locals are known to call it) is a great place to live.  Good schools, relatively nice climate, growing restaurant scene, etc… but it doesn’t really have much in the way of attractions.  If there is some kind of conference in the Columbus vicinity that is all about Economics… I insist that you visit.

Question 17: Have I missed anything? Any questions you were hoping that I would have asked?

Well, you haven’t asked me what the secret to blog longevity is, so I can only assume you’ve visited my dormant blog and have crossed me off the list of informed sources.

What about you? Is there anything you want to come clean about? Tell me about your childhood, Scott.

There is no secret to blog longevity.  Blogs come and go and mainly go, everybody knows that.  I am only doing this because I find it relatively enjoyable.  Once it begins to feel like a chore again…. another lengthy hiatus will ensue.

Well, Question 18 is typically the “What questions do you have for me?” but you jumped the gun… you turned the tide on me too soon… I don’t know what to do…

hmmm… a secret from my childhood… I was in the Boy Scouts, and got my Eagle Scout.  While I was there I was homophobic and pretty racist…  It was Alabama in the 80’s and early 90’s.  No matter how much my own tendencies went towards progressiveness and openness, I was a product of the environment.  It was not until I went to college that I shed that shit. Product of my environment and all, I still never liked country music.

You brought this upon yourself… Question 18: How about you?  Is there anything that you want to come clean about?

As a non-catholic, I never understood the idea of ritual confessionals. I mean, we all do bad stuff from time to time, but how is being sorry about it on a weekly basis going to make things better?

I try not to do things I’ll be regretful for, but I admit that I often do things without thinking about the downstream effects and consequences. Usually nothing too serious, but I admit that I’ve disappointed people close to me from time to time and it’s hard to revisit those days and events. Hopefully those people realize, like me, that we’re not a perfect species and that holding a grudge forever is just not productive.

Grudges can really hurt things.  The hubris of my youth facilitated very similar actions without thinking of the consequences.  I guess that is how people become wise.  Stupid, unwise becoming wise people.

Question 19: What are you taking from this 20 questions that you did not bring in with you?

The motto for the Beavers (the entry point for boy scouts in Canada) is “sharing, sharing, sharing”. I feel I’ve done a lot of that here, which I suppose was your intent all along. I am not one to mesh my online persona (such as it is) with my personal life, but you’ve definitely been able to scratch through my veneer. Thanks!

I am a veneer scratcher, if nothing else.  But let’s be clear , I scratched the veneer to look at the deep luster of the subsurface.  You are a deep and wonderful person, that I am lucky to know.  On top of that, I am well aware that had it not been for Daddy blogging in the mid-00’s I would not have the pleasure of knowing you.

Question 20: What is next for you?  Be as concrete or as vague as you want to be.

At the risk of sounding like someone who’s turning forty (which I will do in less than three months’ time), I’d like to work on Who I Am. Not to say I’m going to buy a corvette, hit up a sweat lodge, and embark on a journey of truth (or open a record store), but I’ve come to realize there are things about me that are only “about me” because I like those things in other people. So I think the next phase of my life is going to be centered around critically thinking about the things I do and wondering if they’re really about ~me~ or if it’s just something amusing about other people that I have somehow latched on to. I should leave those things to them.

Maybe another way of putting it is that I’d like to try to live genuinely. I hope I have the fortitude to pull that off. No guarantees.

Well, I look forward to the genuine Mike in the future instead of this disingenuous bastard I have been dealing with here.  Mike, thanks so much for taking the time to do this.  FYI… to all my reading public, this 20 Questions spanned a full 6 months to complete… when he says that raising three kids is not significantly more effort than 2… I think he is a lying liarpants.

Follow Mike on the tumblrs and the twitters

To recap:
I love me some Mike Milloy
You should too
Drew this for my 4 year old daughter

She wanted Superman
And then said, “No!  Supergirl!”
Done and done!
It is silly cold today
But the cold has nothing on the windchill
I am not telling you what the temp is
Look it up your damn self
Well… that’s about it
Have a great weekend everyone

It is rare that I get get in contact with someone that completely and thoroughly intimidates me.  There is my wife, but I have learned to deal with that near constant terror after 17+ years. In this instance the intimidator is the stand-up comedian Greg Proops.  Mr Proops is one of the memorable personalities of the US and UK versions of the improv show “Whose Line is it Anyway?”  He is a facile improvisor, but his real strength lies in his meticulously crafted stand-up.  He is a wordsmith, a verbose wordsmith with amazing hair.  If you are interested in his weekly musings, he has a great  podcast called “The Smartest Man in the World.”  He is full of himself and backs that shit up, and oddly enough, he is at his best when he is in the middle of the boring preachy parts.

Without further ado, here are 20 questions with the feminist, improv specialist, podcasting genius, vodka aficionado, stand-up comedian, and baseball enthusiast. 

I got my masters in geography, specifically associated with geographic information systems and cartography, and the story of place really resonates with me.  I was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, lived in Montgomery, Alabama, grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, went off to school in Kent, Ohio, and wound up in Columbus, Ohio.  Question 1:  What is your geographic story?

I was born on a planet far away. Given powers that could corrupt normal mortals. I withhold some of my super juice knowing one day earth may need me.

You often mention how much you travel and you are touring all over the place.  Question 2: is there a particular place you cannot help but visit if the occasion arises? For example, if someone offered for me to go to Edinburgh (and I did not have previous obligations) I would go in the drop of a hat.

Paris is always at the top of my list. It is beautiful and the food is tremendous. Just the smell of coffe and bread in the moring is enough to write a novel about. I adore San Francisco with unbridled passio. I was just ther and we stayed at the wharf. The fog and the gulls, the seals and the tiny boats swaying in the slaty air. Goosebumps.

Question 3: Is there a non-traditional place that you enjoy visiting? Some place off the beaten path.  A little burg that you visited once with which you did not know you would fall in love… For me, currently, it is a little town in Nova Scotia that makes me smile.

Halifax, NS is a place of rare delight and mad lobster. Mendocino, California for me is heaven. Mendo and Point Reyes. Weed, wine and seafood.

One of the questions I always ask my questionees is born from a Paul F Tompkins bit.  Question 4: Cake or Pie?  Which specific kind and why?

Both. My wife kills both.

I have found in my asking this question to bunches of people, that there is a strong distinction between who likes cake and who likes pie.  In my small survey sample, I have noticed that people who opt for pie, really like pie and would love a piece of pie if it were available.  However, people who opt for cake, LOVE cake and would jam a fork in a baby’s hand to get that piece of cake.  Question 5: Why do you think cake lovers love cake so much? and why are pie eaters relatively ambivalent in their love of pie?

I have not found your thesis to hold true. Pie lovers in my experience are simply cake lovers who have not yet grasped that fact about themselves.

You are clearly a lover of words with a delightful vocabulary.  I have found that there are a smattering of words that should be used more often but are not.  For me, one of these words is “whilst.” Question 6: What is a word that is in relative obscurity that you feel should be used more in everyday language?

Recalcitrant it means defiant of authority or difficult or resistant.

I also try to fit in the word “shiny” as an adjective for awesome.  “His performance was really shiny.”  That shit just doesn’t work, so it is not working well.  I do not seem to be able to gain any traction at all.  I think one of the reasons for that is because it is a silly notion, and I also have the social footprint of an unknown blogger.

Shiny is best when used describing things that actually shine like sword tips, or the moon.

Question 7: Is there a “3rd rail” of comedy? If so, how often have you danced on that rail?

I have pissed on it, daring fate to leap up and scorch my manbag.

So, I have been sitting at my desk and rubbing my eyes nearly nonstop for the past 5 minutes.  I am pretty sure it is something to do with some moldy elements at my workplace and my own difficulty dealing with mold at a histiminic level. Question 8: Do you have any allergies?

Poverty is highly allergic to me. I have been poor and it is hard fucking work.

I think I may be allergic to alcohol.  Every time I have a drink (the equivalent of a shot, a glass of wine, or a pint of beer) my face gets flushed and I get a nasty headache.  The following morning I am hit like I drank a keg of beer and licked a lizard of some kind… after.just.one.drink.  It is quite annoying.  I have been staying away from the alcohol for the past 5 years or so.  Question 9: You are a lover of the vodka, what is your brand of choice?

Don’t lick lizards you have not been properly introduced to. Any brand I am pretty slutty. Tito’s handmade is nice. Chopin is very smooth.

From listening to your podcast, I know that you love Roman History.  Question 10: Who are the 5 Romans with which you would want to have an intimate conversation? They do not have to be an emperor, but they could be… and it does not have to be simultaneously.  No reason to get Caius Cassius and Julius Caesar in the same room.

Cicero because he is the governor. He is why we know anything about Rome and the rhetoric he used still stands. He loved his family and hated Caeser and Antony and paid for it baby.

Cleopatra, I know she wasn’t Roman but she had a huge influence on Rome and did visit. Fascinating woman.

Livia, Augustus wife. Probably one of the most powerful women in the history of Rome. She could tell you everything about what was what.

Hadrian- Gay, lover of poetry and things Greek, Traveled the most of all the emperors.

Seneca, Tacitus, Strabow, Arrian, Martial, Terence, Plutarch- Poets and historians.

Oooh, over halfway done.  Question 11: Is this going okay?  Am I boring you? I am boring, aren’t I? God, I am so self-conscious right now…

Easy, Cochise. We are moving right along.

Question 12: Dozen eggs, dozen bagels? dozen roses? dozen donuts (doughnuts… you pick your spelling of choice), or the Dirty Dozen?

Eggs are useful, donuts divine, bagels are great in the morning, the Dirt Dozen is an awesome film. I love Jim Brown and Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin. Ralph Meeker has the best line in the picture. He is the psychologist and Lee Marvin asks him what he ahas found out about the guys and he says,’ But along with these other results, it gives *you* just about the most twisted, anti-social bunch of psychopathic deformities I have ever run into! And the worst, the most dangerous of the bunch, is Maggott. You’ve got one religious maniac, one malignant dwarf, two near-idiots… and the rest I don’t even wanna think about!

Always donuts for me… always.  A dozen donuts is almost immediately a half dozen though…

Ah, unlucky 13… When I was a young’un I had a specific ritual that I did prior to playing soccer.  I did not construct it as a “lucky” thing, so much as I used it to get myself in the frame of mind to play the game.  Question 13:  Do you have any classic superstitions (salt over the shoulder, black cats, etc…) or rituals (get dressed in a specific sequence, only pour the vodka into this specific glass)?

I smoke a j and pray to the gods of funny.

I always love your diatribes against popular culture, so for my own indulgence… Question 14: Can you give me your best reasoning as to why non-celebrity celebrities (Paris Hilton, the Kardashians, etc…) have become so integral to popular culture when their “celebrity” status is consistently decried by the very media that elevates them to relevance? … and go.

The world is full of mediocre people who don’t want anything to challenge their crappy pre-conceived notions or their stunted intellect. So they elevate these entities to distract us from the game at hand. The rich have taken over and are never letting go, the government is not going to help you and war is made to drain the wealth from regular people. The media is owned by the companies that run the government. Do not believ anything on TV. Nothing on TV is true or important in your life. Except the World Series and old movies.

Question 15:  Fill in the blanks:  I find that I am mostly _____.  Others find that I am mostly _____.

Unable to fill in blanks. Pretentious.

Question 16: Do you have a typical day?  Is there a typical schedule that you adhere to on a typical day?  or are you some kind of laze about hedonistic well-dressed neo hippy who lounges about all morning until you have to scrape yourself away from your comfy confines to belly up to the comedy club and swill libations until you entertain the masses with your witty rapport?

I awake full of fear and trepidation. The world is scary. Then I burn one and move on.

We are heading into the wrap up.  Question 17: Is there something I should have asked you that I have not? and what is your answer to this question I have not asked through my staggering inadequacy?

The greatest ball player of all time is Willie Mays and yes Barry Bonds should be in the Hall of Fame.

I understand that turnabout is fair play. Question 18: Is there a question you have for me?

Really?

Yeah, Really.  I know.

The penultimate question… Question 19: Are you leaving these 20 questions with anything that you did not have with you when you started them?  What is your take away from this “experience?”

You have overthought some things and pulled the ripcord on others. You seem sincere and you care. That is what is important to me. I like insecurity it is a sign of humanity.

and now the final question, Question 20:  What is next for you?  Be as concrete or vague as you want…

Hopefully a new comedy hour for Chill who did Maria Bamford’s special special. Maybe a book…..and as always the Proopcast which is free on iTunes or gregproops.com

Well, that just happened.  Follow Greg on the twitters iffens you want, but the podcast is really a better milieu for his particular comedic stylings.  Heck, follow me on the twitters as well… if you are bored

To recap:
Holy shit!  That just happened…
Back to the normal format next week
Classes started up today…
So much work to do
Go buy Greg’s albums
Proops Digs in from 2010
Elsewhere from 2009
Houston We Have a Problem from 2007
Joke Book from 2006
Back in the UK from 1997
Those are the only ones I could find
They are hilarious!
Listen to them
Listen to them now
No really… I have listened to them all
The wife is back in town after a week in Montreal
She seems to have loved that town
Mon épouse adore Montréal
et elle retourne en octobre
I have homework to do now
In a subject I know very little about
Have a great weekend everyone

 

Today I get the pleasure of asking a video artist, yes, I said it, a video artist, 20 Questions.  The artist in question is one Bill Meeks from Meeks Mixed Media.  Bill is a multi-media triple threat.  I don’t know exactly why I called him that but it sound really good.  He is an incredibly talented video editor and has created boatloads of animated title sequences and his work can be seen all over TWiT and the Geek & Sundry Channel on YouTube.  I became aware of the talents of Mr Meeks whist watching the NSFW Show on TWiT.tv.  Bill is a consistent presence within the chat rooms for multiple TWiT shows and has participated in many of the antics associated with the NSFW Show hosted by Brian Brushwood and Justin Robert Young.  I really loved his entry into one of the show’s 10 second film festivals and felt he was robbed of the win in that contest.  It is humor like that which makes me want to get to know him better.

Without further ado 20 questions with a guy whose work I am envious of, but know diddly-squat about.

I have a M.A. in geography, so the concept of “place” is always interesting to me, and I love the idea that where someone has lived tells a interesting story of their life.  It is their geographic story.  I was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. My fam moved to Montgomery, AL when I was 3, moved northeast of Birmingham, AL where I stayed until I was 18.  I went off to college in Kent, Ohio, and then grad school in Columbus, Ohio where I got married.  I have been in the Columbus area for the past 15+ years. Question 1:  What is your geographic story?

I was born in a small town next to Houston called Katy, Texas. Brushwood lived there back in the day as well although we didn’t know each other. When I was 3 we moved to Stafford, VA for a few years then moved back to Katy when I was 7 or 8. When I was 12 my grandmother got pancreatic cancer so we moved to Wheeling, West Virginia to be closer to her. I stayed there through high school and moved out to L.A. when I turned 18 where I stayed until I moved to West Liberty, WV at 19 to go to college. College wrapped and I moved to Philadelphia for about a year. Then I went back out to LA for about a year and a half. On a trip home to visit family I connected with my now wife, who had been a friend of mine in college, and we got an apartment in Pittsburgh. After we got married we moved to Cleveland for a year and a half and then back to Pittsburgh, where we stayed until moving to Atlanta two years ago. Whew! Had to start with the longest question, didn’t you?

There is a good chance that things will get longer as this goes on.  You never know where these questions will go.  Sure there are points that these typically all hit, but in between those points it is anyone’s guess.  So, you have a pretty interesting geographic footprint, Question 2: Where do you truly feel “Home?”

I was listening to a podcast the other day and the host was saying that it takes about three years for a place to feel like “home.” I thought about it and in my adult life I’ve never stayed anywhere for three years. The house I live in now holds the record at 26 months. Maybe because of that no one place really feels like “home” to me. It’s more circumstances. When I’m lying on the couch with my three kids lying on top of me while we watch a movie that feels like home. Talking to my wife while she drives on a road trip feels like “home”, To me home isn’t a place. It’s the people around me.

Home can definitely be a grouping of people and not necessarily a place.  For me, Columbus immediately became “home” because I moved there with my wife.  She is home to me. Where she is, is home.

The masses demand this question.  Question 3: Cake or pie? which specific kind and why?

Cherry pie, because it is delicious. Also pie is a better choice than cake because cake is so light and fluffy that you can eat a decent amount before you get full. With pie generally a piece will do you well.

There is a place in Columbus called “Just Pies”  that has world famous Cherry Pies.  I say that only to make you jealous.  My mom was a cake decorator when I was growing up, so I have a soft spot in my heart for cake, but I think pies tends to win out for me, unless it is cheesecake and then we have an immediate winner.

Question 4: So I know you are the creator of wonderful motion graphics and video, when did you realize that was something you could “do?”

I am jealous, you jerk. I was always interested in TV growing up, but there were two moments that really locked in video work for me. When I was 15 the local computer club I belonged to did a tour of the local TV station. We stopped in to the 3D animator’s office where he was using Lightwave 3D to make on-screen graphics and promos for the station. I’d always heard of computer animation but I didn’t realize it was something that could be accomplished on just one machine. Seeing somebody do it made me realize it was achievable.

The second moment was a party at my sister’s apartment right before I started college. She had a computer with Windows Movie Maker and a cheap $10 lapel mic from Wal-Mart and with a little spit, Spackle, and a few stills from King Kong I found online I put together a small narrative. Charles Johnson vs. King Kong! Charles was my sister’s boyfriend. King Kong climbs the Empire State Building then sees a Photoshopped giant Charles humping the Statue of Liberty. Shocked he falls, and our hero tells us was beauty killed the beast over the sounds of Charles humping. Award-winning stuff. But it gave me a rush I still get every time I hit play on the draft of a project.

Truth be told I am not big on the fruit pies.  Only really well made apple pies.  Blueberry and cherry have never done it for me.  I am a lemon meringue guy.  So, just to make you hate me more, we have an incredible cherry pie within 3 miles of the house and I don’t eat it.  Wasteful, I know.

The video editing path is fascinating.  I am okay doing still work in 2-D, but the idea of adding motion and depth kills me.  My hat is off to you, good sir.  The cap has been duly doffed.  I love the word “doffed,” but it is rarely used, and only in conjunction with hats.  Question 5: What is a word you really like that is rarely used?

Now I’m not only jealous but I strongly dislike you. My word is Jejune, which means stupid, immature, and childish. I like to blindside people with it and make fun of them when they don’t know what it means. I guess that’s pretty jejune of me.

Oooh, I haven’t heard jejune for a long time.  I love that.  There are so many good words out there just discarded on the side of the road, disused, forgotten, and rotting slowly.

Question 6: Since the new year is coming, what goals are setting for the new year?

In the grand scheme: to top this year. In more exact terms I’m getting some new gear and something of a production budget to work with so I’d like to increase output in “fun” content, or stuff that I do because I absolutely want to. Little projects I’ll be building from the ground up. I’d also like to get back in shape, but that’s so cliche. 

New gear is always fun.  You could have chosen a significantly cheaper interest though. Quality AV equipment is pretty costly.  I do think that the cost of entry is a pretty significant barrier, not to mention the learning curve.  Yikes.

So I make maps for a living, and when I see poor cartography (see any maps in USA Today) I get infuriated by the ineptitude and complacency and the cost of the map compared to what I am making right now…  Question 7: do poor tile sequences just completely piss you off as much as bad maps do me?

Cost of entry is actually better than it ever has been, but it’s still expensive to get the best stuff. I generally don’t get pissed off very easily but when people get too trendy or too derivative it gets on my nerves. Yes, your name in 3D letters with particles flying around it might be a cool thing to show your friends, but it was stale two years ago in the marketplace. A thousand people have the exact same thing and while it might not set off any alarms in the average person but it won’t make you stand out.

It is amazing how quickly things get stale in the digital realm.  It makes it difficult to stay on top of having an online presence for anything creative

Question 8: Do you see any slowing down on the production of technical equipment due to physical limitations or is the sky the limit and changes will continue fast and furious?  (ie. 720, 1080, 2k, 4k, etc…)

It seems like most advances in the digital space stay popular for about 10 years. HD has been popular for five or six years now so we are due for a change over. They are trying to make 3D happen but I don’t think it’s going to. I can see 4K getting big in the next few years. As for what comes after 4K I don’t know. We can go bigger or we can go to some sort of interactive standard, but that’s for smarter and with a bigger investment fund than me to sort out.

You are clearly an avid viewer of the TWiT network, and since I live on podcasts due to my boring job (I take in about 38 hours of podcasts weekly), Question 9: Do you consume many podcasts, and, if so, which ones?

A ton. I’d say I probably listen to more podcasts then TV or Movies. My first podcast was Coverville but the first one I really became a big Fan of was Raging Bullets (A DC Comics fan podcast). I of course listen to a ton of TWiT and Revision3 shows. NSFW, Framerate, MacBreak Weekly are favorites on the TWiT side. Revision3 it’s Film Riot, Breaking it Down, and Scam School. Outside of that here is a list of podcasts I enjoy in no particular order: The Nerdist, WTF with Marc Maron, Fatman on Batman, East Meets West, Breaking Bad Insider Podcast, Radio Free Skaro, Comedy Bang Bang, Nerdist Writer’s Panel, Scriptnotes, and everything NPR/PRI put out. I also host a podcast about ABC’s Once Upon A Time called Greetings From Storybrooke (greetingsfromstorybrooke.com). /shamelessplug

*Editor’s Note:  Google these other podcasts your damn self.  I have neither the time nor the energy to link all these damn things**

I have not been able to get into podcasts about other shows.  I have tried a few, but they just don’t seem to resonate with me.  One of the main reasons, I think that is the case, is that I haven’t really gotten into the shows that those podcasts are about.  I know I am blaspheming to a degree by saying this, but I have not watched Breaking Bad, I am not a fan of The Walking Dead, and I have never gotten into Madmen.  In fact, we do not have cable, and I only stay semi-current with one show, Arrow.  I like the treatment of the character, but he really does need to have the goatee as part of his costume.  Get on that Arrow producers.  Anyhoo… Plug away on your podcast.  If I watched Once Upon a Time, I would definitely subscribe to your podcast.

Since this is the middle of the 20 questions… Question 10: What are you currently in the middle of right now?  Could be a book? could be a life shift? What is waiting for you at the end of this thing you are in the middle of? (Other than this 20 Questions)?

I’ve heard good things about Arrow, but I haven’t got around to watching it yet. Smallville kind of left a bad taste in my mouth as far as live action DC superheroes on The CW. It went way too long and didn’t give Superman fans nearly enough pay off.

Right now I’m in the middle of writing a script for a video. After that comes recording then lunch then editing. What is really waiting for me at the end of the day though is the XBox 360 my wife bought the kids for Christmas. I’m probably going to set it up tonight to make sure everything works and get Minecraft downloaded for my son Liam. I don’t celebrate Christmas but I still have to do all the tech stuff.

I have been watching Arrow on hulu, so I get it a week after broadcast.  It is fun and they are treating it very seriously.  There is some camp to it, but it seems to be grounded in a consistent reality.  I heard that Smallville started out great and the end of it just wilted.

Question 11:  Fill in the blanks:  I feel that I am mostly ________.  Others Feel that I am mostly ________.

I feel that I am mostly a decent person, a hard worker, and pretty fun to hang out with. Others Feel that I am mostly balding.

Balding?  Hadn’t noticed.  I have heard that you are indeed an enjoyable person to be around.  I think both statements may be true here.  They are not mutually exclusive categories… clearly.  Nor is there any causal relationship.  Decency, hard work, and fun do not bring about baldness or vice versa.
As you mentioned beforehand, you have moved all over the place and have consider home where you have a couch and kids lounging on you.  Question 12: Where would you like to live, if you had your druthers?

I’d love to move back to Los Angeles. I was doing pretty well there last time and loved the atmosphere. As of right now it probably won’t happen because it would be WAY too expensive to live in a safe neighborhood and in a big enough place for the kids, but it’s always in the back of my mind. Someday, maybe.

Cost of living out there is definitely crazy high.  One of my wife’s friends just moved out there from Central Ohio and is re-adjusting to a significantly smaller residence for her family of three.

Ah, unlucky 13… Question 13: Do you have any superstitions or rituals to speak of? Superstitions like “crossing a black cat’s path” or rituals being more of an odd sequencing of actions to bring about an outcome.  If this is unclear, let me know and I will try to ‘splain it better. 

My lucky number is actually 13 just because it’s silly. I really don’t have any big superstitions. Pretty rational overall. I do find myself occasionally stepping over cracks when I’m out walking to spare my mother’s back, but when I realize I’m doing it I stop myself. My wife is pretty superstitious though. She always stops me when I mention a situation is going good because she thinks that will make the same situation go south. Silly, but I humor her and try to watch proclaiming success.

Proclaiming success is not something I have to worry about.  So, at least that is not a problem for me.  It is interesting that your have Lucky 13 in your back pocket.  There are worse things to have than a lucky number. For example a rapid monkey.  That would be much worse than having 13 as your lucky number.

Time to get creative.  Someone once asked me what I would be most afraid of.  I chose Vampire Bear (the ursine variety, not a hairy gay dude).  Question 14: What would you be most afraid of?

A strange dog clawing at my eyes as he pushes me towards the unprotected roof of a skyscraper. All my greatest fears, one twisted scene.That sounds rather frightening, indeed.  Especially if that strange dog is a little yappy dog.  ooooh I dislike the little yappy dogs.

Question 15:  Who is your guy in the DC universe and what is your opinion on the New 52?

Superman. Superman. Superman. Superman is not only my favorite comic book character. He’s my favorite fictional character. In his best stories he inspires me to be a better person. I’m a fan of anything Grant Morrison has done with the character, but I also love the Julius Schwartz era with weird powers and imaginary stories. I even have a Superman tattoo. The New 52 is fine and I really liked Swamp Thing, Animal Man, Actions Comics, and Demon Knights. I’ve been saving up my favorite titles though to blow through a few story lines at one time though.

So, the upcoming Superman film is rather exciting to you. It does seem as if they have it correct this time around, if the trailer has anything to say about the movie.

Question 16: Red underwear over blue tights, or no underwear? As a comic book arts guy I have my opinions, but I am curious what a Superman fan thinks

Love the trailer for Man of Steel. I was completely against the project based on the news and rumors but the trailer completely sold me. You didn’t see a ton of Superman but it really felt like they got Clark right. Red underwear over blue tights. I like the classic look. Very circus.

Visually, even if it seems silly, the underwear over tights work better.  It breaks up the blocking of color and creates some more interesting forms to immediately recognize.  I was not sold on the idea of a new Supes movie, but I have to say, this most recent trailer makes it seem like they got the character correct.  Well done.

It is too bad that I only got to Superman until just now, this has been super fun to ask these Superman questions.  Question 17: Is there any question that I did not ask you, that you feel I should have?

Let’s see. Superman, video production, family, podcasting… I think we covered all the bases. Wait. Music. You never asked me anything about music. Favorite Band in Barenaked Ladies pre-Steve’s departure. Favorite song is Break Your Heart by the same. Also love Harvey Danger, The Decemberists, Say Anything, and used to be really into the punk scene. I ended that when I had to get a tooth rebuilt after a bad incident in a mosh pit though.

Sad to say, I really have moved away from music lately.  I listen mostly to podcasts now.  I am old…. so… so.. old

Question 18: Any questions you have for me?

I’ve shied away from new music lately. Just haven’t found anything that lights me up. Now, for your question.

Who would win in a fight: Ninjas or Ninja Zombies? Please include your reasoning in detail.

I find that this is actually a bit of an easy question.  Ninjas beat Zombie Ninjas any day of the weak.  Ninjas are all about subtlety and misdirection.  Zombies are base level organisms.  They lose all training and abilities when they re-animate, so it is not like they are zombies with ninja abilities, they are merely zombies.  They are merely zombies in fancy pajamas.

Question 19:  What are you taking from these 20 Questions that you did not bring in with you? 

I guess it depends on the zombie lore you subscribe to. I personally think that at least within a month or two of turning the zombie ninjas would retain a decent amount of agility and muscle memory… the base level ninja stuff. Plus, every micro-battle won by a zombie ninja would recruit another zombie ninja to their side. I think eventually the zombie ninjas would win out.

As to the question: A slightly better understanding of current self? That’s probably BS though. I have enjoyed the questions popping in every little while though. A welcome distraction. Also, I have your wallet.

I immediately consider a 20 Questions a success if anybody gets some kind of better understanding of self.  That is a one I consider in the win column.  My wallet is useless… I work for the state.

Question 20:  What is next?  Be as concrete or vague, as real or philosophical as you want.

Fun stuff. 2013 is the year of fun and merriment and a little light vulgarity. Around the end of January/Early February keep an eye on my site (meeksmixedmedia.com) and my Twitter (@billmeeks) for some very exciting projects. Until then I’ll be upgrading my gear, planning things, and editing my Nanowrimo Novel. Thanks for asking me to do this, Scott. It has been a complete blast. I’ll miss our missives throughout the day. *tear*

This was absolutely a ball of fun!  Thanks so much for taking the time to answer 20 Questions.

…and just because the 20 questions is over, that doesn’t mean we can never talk again.

Everyone who needs animated title sequences should hit Bill up.  He is a badass.  

To Recap:
The wife is out of town for a week
And the 4 year old is pushing boundaries
Seriously pushing boundaries
She seems to do that when only 1 parent is present
I would go to work and she would test my wife
Now that the wife is out of town, the girl is going bonkers with power testing
She is probing the boundaries like the velociraptors in Jurassic Park
The movie, not the book
Clever Girl
The wife gets home on Monday
And then I will sleep
Have a great weekend everyone

This week I get the amazing pleasure of asking 20 Questions of a family friend. She started out as a friend of my wife and has quickly migrated to Favorite Aunt status amongst the kids.  Deborah Frieze is an author, she is a systems innovator, she is visionary, she is someone you should know about and watch change the world one system at a time, and more than anything else, she is delightful.  Granted, she will categorically deny most of the above points, but that is how people play this game.  For more information on what it is she does, get her book Walk Out Walk On… Fun Fact: from page 188 to page 219, the book is all about the work my wife does and the people with whom my wife works.  FYI: These 20 questions started waaaay back in July and concluded yesterday.

Anyway… let’s get this party started.

I was born in Oklahoma City, OK.  The fam moved to Montgomery , AL as my father chased his Air Force career.  We moved up to Birmingham, AL when the AF Career dried up.  I left B’ham to go to school in Kent, OH and followed my then fiance, now wife to Columbus, OH for grad school and have been here for the past 15 years.  Question 1: What is your geographic story?

I was born on Greenlawn Avenue in Newton, MA. When I was an age that was still measured in months, we moved a few miles away to Windsor Rd. End of story — my parents still live in that house. However, as soon as I turned 18, the geographic whirlwind kicked in. While I always had one foot planted in Boston, the other roamed from place to place to place. Let’s see if I can remember: Colorado to Hawaii to Connecticut; then San Francisco, New York and Ottawa; and then the nomadic years — South Africa, Zimbabwe, India, Mexico, Brazil, Greece. Now I’m back in Boston. Again.

Question 2:  In your roaming… how long would you typically stay in these places?  Would you be able to set up some kind of residency or were they truly transient existences?

I’d generally stay anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. And rather than get an apartment anywhere, I’d stay with friends who essentially become my local family — kind of like I have a room in your house, which makes me an honorary citizen of Columbus. That is, until and unless your daughter decides to reclaim her room.

With the new house that we have, we actually have a guest room.  So you could stay longer if necessary, and the girl can claim her room.  Everybody wins.

Question 3:  Including mine, how many surrogate houses do you have?

Let’s see. Two in Zimbabwe, one in India, one in Brazil, one in Mexico, one in Canada and five in the U.S., including yours. Hmm… looks like I have to work on my European relationships.

So, South America, North America, Africa, and Asia… You need Europe, Australia, and Antarctica.  Stop slacking.

Everyone wants to know, a la the Paul F Tompkins bit, Question 4: Cake or pie? Which kind and why?

Neither. It’s all about ice cream. Just had my all-time favorite tonight: Purple Cow. That one aside, nothing beats a mean mint chip.

So, when we took you to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, you really were a kid in a candy store.  I went there with the boy and my dad a week ago and had a root beer float made with their salty caramel instead of the vanilla….. Oh.  My. GOODNESSSSS….  I highly recommend.  Highly.
Anywhoo… Question 5: So what is a typical breakfast for you and what did you have for breakfast today? 

I usually have a nut bar, and a granola bar, but today was cold pizza for me.
When I replied to your last question, I feared I might dishearten the Ryan-Hart family by not mentioning the ambrosial experience I shared with you all at Jeni’s. The omission was due to the fact that I couldn’t remember the name - or the flavors - I had there. But I can remember the transcendent experience of eating that ice cream. Over and over again. And here’s what I have to say to all readers of this interview: JENI’S OF COLUMBUS IS THE BEST ICE CREAM EVER!

Moving on to your breakfast question.

I eat the same thing every day. Plain yogurt plus two items off the following list: slivered almonds, cranberries, granola, banana. That’s it. About an hour after that, I walk three blocks to Chinatown and pick up a sinfully sweet Hong Kong tea, which consists of black tea, piles of white sugar and condensed milk.

That was what I had today. It’ll be what I have tomorrow and the day after that. Only today, I threw in a curve ball — just gobbled up three Swedish Fish. The good ones. Did you know that there are good ones and bad ones? The good ones are large, soft and very gummy. The bad ones are small and kind of break off when you bite into them instead of stretching.

Wow, you know how to live it up.  Swedish fish is quite the curveball… you’re quite the crazy risk taker.  Crazy-Ass Deborah is what we call you in Casa Del Ryan-Hart.  She once threw on a few Swedish fish into her normal granola almonds and yogurt breakfast.  That’s Crazy-Ass Deborah… We freeze our positions, with our heads tilted in mid-laughter, and credits roll. Our lives are a sit-com, and you are the wacky aunt who visits occasionally.

Question 6: So, since you like Hong Kong Tea, do you like southern Sweet Tea?  It is super-saturated with sugar.

I have never tasted southern Sweet Tea. Now I want some.

oooh, southern sweet tea is crazy sweet.  There is some serious chemistry stuff going on with sweet tea.  By heating the liquid, southerners are able to add more sugar and create a super saturated solution of tea, sugar, and water.  Southerners also have a kind of tea called “Sun Tea.”  This tea is brewed by leaving the pitcher in the sun for hours and occasionally stirring.  In fact there was a brand of tea bags called Luzianne hat was shilled by Burl Ives back in the 80’s in the south.

Question 7: Bing Crosby or Burl Ives? Who would you like to be stuck on an island with during Christmas time?

Burl Ives? Bing Crosby? OMG, what’s a good Jewish girl to say? Answer to your question: Adam Sandler & the Hanukah song, hands down.

Full disclosure:  I know that you are Jewish and that was part of the fun in asking that question.  Sandler would be a better choice to be stuck on an island with during Christmastime.  Firstly because he is not dead, and secondly, he would probably help out on the island.  Burl is pretty much useless weight and Bing would be a ruthless abusive taskmaster to be stuck with on an island.  I like that you always go for a third un-named option.

You are someone who I know lives “in a question,” so… Question 8: What is the over-arching question that is driving you?  What question are you attempting to answer through your thoughts, actions, and intentions?

O no you didn’t! You did. You asked the Big Question. I wondered if that was going to come my way. Okay, time to dig deep.

There are three over-arching questions, all of which are unanswerable, which is what makes for a good question. The first is the mother of all questions, which I’ve borrowed from my dear friend Allan Cohen: “What is a life well lived?” How about hanging out with that one?

The second is less metaphysical and more vocational, which is “How do we create the conditions for healthy and resilient communities to emerge?”
And the final question I believe is essentially another way of asking the second question, if you really think about it, and that is, “Where shall we have lunch?”

(You, my dear Scott Ryan-Hart, as a bit of a geek like me, I fully expect to get the reference. Your readers, I’m not so sure…)

Oh, I did.  Of course I did.  I like breaking out this kind of question early when dealing with people I know are introspective and consistently working within a question and consistently questioning… and as for lunch “Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.”  

Question 9: Correct me if I am wrong, but you are currently in the process of re-aligning your work, is this partly due to attempting to address your second question?

Yep. Definitely the re-aligning of my work, as you accurately put it, is still related to this core question about healthy and resilient communities. Over the last 10 years, I spent most of my time asking that question in the Global South. The message I received from my friends and colleagues in Southern Africa, Brazil, Mexico and India was the same: “Go home. Make change happen there. That’s where we need you to make a difference.” So in asking the question about creating the conditions for healthy and resilient communities to emerge in the U.S., I find myself turning toward the Local Living Economy movement — the idea that we might rebuild our local economies through local ownership, local production for local consumption and wise stewardship of natural resources.

Always helping.  I cannot wait to see what you end up doing.  It feels like you are on the cusp of something big.

Question 10: So, what do you do in your down time?  What does a Deborah Frieze do to pass the time?

Right now I’m watching the Olympics streaming on my laptop while I write this message to you—which is the only way I can watch it, since there’s no TV at home. Does that count as down time? Or is writing you work? Hmm…

Lots of time spent at the gym, practicing yoga, dancing and doing anything I can to move my body, which is what my friends remind me I must do lest I become unfriendly. And, of course, to allow myself to eat unlimited amounts of ice cream (see Question 4).
Also some guitar playing, singing, camp-firing, kayaking, meditating and the occasional leap out of an airplane.

The Olympics are seriously fun.  We just “cut the chord” for our cable service and are therefore limited in our Olympic viewing capabilities, and, wow, NBC seems to really be dropping the ball on its coverage and its editorial editing.  That being said, I watched 1-man pursuit cycling for a bit last night and it was cool.

Question 11: Most of your downtime activities are movement related.  Do you consider yourself a kinesthetic learner?  Do you remember things better when you learn them while moving? Do you integrate thoughts more when you are not still?  

Absolutely and completely kinesthetic. It’s not so much that I have to be in motion to learn (though I can’t actually utter a word without also moving my hands). It’s more that I feel like I absorb information through my body first and my mind second. There’s a sense of expanding and contracting — expansion if something rings true or is intriguing; contraction if it rings false or is uninspiring. Once I catch that response, I try to follow it with my intellect.

Question 12:  Did this kinesthetic learning cause issues in a, presumably, “shut down,” “locked tight,” “rigid” learning environment such as middle school and high school or were you lucky enough to have a more relaxed learning environment?  I for one retain information better when I draw, but that seemed frowned upon by education professionals when I was a kid.   

The kinesthetic learning thing wasn’t as intense when I was a kid. I was very active (lots of sports), but didn’t have too much trouble being still enough for public school standards. There was a lot of doodling, foot-tapping, note-passing and the odd prank or two. That said, I never felt like I retained information well. I was always much better at thinking on my feet and winging it than actually “knowing stuff.” I also subscribed to the theory that my brain was already too stuffed with song lyrics (plus band name and year song was released) to make room for any new factual knowledge.

ooh, music.  Gonna put a pin in that and ask my typical Question 13: Do you hold dear to any superstitions or rituals?  If so, which ones and where did they come from?

Oh goodness do I have rituals! Source: my father’s fervent commitment to Boston’s sports teams. As a child, I remember being sent up to the TV every time Yaz (Carl Yastrzemski) came to bat to give him a good luck kiss. And I have some vague recollection about never turning my back on Larry Bird.

While I’ve let go of many of my sports spectator superstitions, the world of ritual is definitely very much alive for me. But now we begin to tread on territory that may be a little too personal for 20 Questions Tuesday… ;-)

I do not have many rituals currently.  When I was all sporty, whenever I was getting ready for a game/match/bout I created a very specific sequence of events to assist in my preparation.  That became a my way of getting into the game space.. it became less about luck and winning and more about clearing my mind of things not sportlike.

Back to the brain stuffed with band name, realease year, and lyrics…

Question 14: From what year to what year do you have this mental catalog, what genre of music, and what is your favorite guilty pleasure song to listen to (the one that you shouldn’e like, but do, for example, Robbie Williams’ Millenium is it for me, I cannot help but listen to that)?

I don’t know exactly how early this began, but I can remember playing with my brothers’ record collection, highlights of which included Meatloaf Bat Out of Hell (1977), Fleetwood Mac Rumours (1977), Peaches and Herb 2 Hot (1978) and so on. But the most significant influence of all happened in 1979 when the Sugarhill Gang came out with Rapper’s Delight, and the Frieze household would never be the same again.

As for guilty pleasure, I confess to exuberantly singing the guy part of “Paradise By the Dashboard Light.”

In 1981 I knew everything on the top 40 charts… now? I would have trouble finding the top 40 charts, and it all sounds like noise… Getting old sucks, now get off my lawn, ya damn kids, with your beep beeps and your boop boops…  Where was I again?  Oh yes… Question 15: I have never understood this… what is the appeal of Meatloaf (the “artist” not the foodstuff)?

I have absolutely no acceptable answer to this question. I can’t even make one up. Meatloaf has absolutely zero appeal to my adult self. The musical tastes of my pre-teen self are as archaic as my tastes then in eating Fun Dips and wearing parachute pants  There is no explanation for such phenomena.

I wish someone could explain the phenomenon of Meatloaf to me.  Question 16: Given that you think your pre-teen self’s music is a bit archaic, would the 12 year old Deborah Frieze be happy with the different aspects of the current Deborah Frieze’s entertainment choices (books, movies, TV, music, etc…)?

I suppose the displacement of pre-teen pop music and blockbuster movies in favor of indie flavors would have seemed inevitable. My pre-teen self would perhaps have been most perplexed by my current TV habits, which have been whittled down to only the Daily Show and NFL football — two choices that would likely have tortured my 12-year-old soul.

I am pretty sure that 12 year old me would be beyond perplexed by my current viewing habits.  Number 1: having “cut the chord” and relying almost solely on streaming media would confound my 1986 brain, and number 2: My reliance on podcasts for audio entertainment… primarily people talking without comedy… You’ve changed, man.  You’ve changed…

Question 17: Is there anything that I haven’t asked you that you wish I would have?

Wait, wait… Isn’t that supposed to be Question 20? What could you possibly have up your sleeve for Questions 18, 19 & 20 if you’ve already popped the “whaddid I miss” question? Hmm… an enigma you are, Mr. Scott Ryan-Hart.

Okay, how about this… You get to choose one of the following questions for me to answer:
1. What stupid human trick can you perform?
2. Who is your celebrity look alike?
3. Do you have any experience with guns?

OOOOH!  The stupid human trick one!

I can cross one eye.

Sounds harmless, but looks pretty freaky - or so I’ve been told.

Well the next time you are in town, you will have to show us the trick.

Now is the question I have been dreading asking you, and pretty much anyone who has witnessed my wife’s ability to ask wicked questions…

Question 18: Do you have any questions for me? /cringe

Wow. Awesome.

Question 18: How did you nail as hot and cool a woman as Tuesday for your wife?

(Good luck.)

The only way I can figure this out is that it was a perfect combination of timing, and pure , raw unadulterated dumb-luck.  She was young and, from what I can gather, temporarily addlepated.  I really have no idea and I thank as many gods, goddesses, spirits, and powers that be everyday for her lack of decision manking at that moment, and her sense of duty and how she feels she needs to fulfill her obligations (i.e. her relationship with me).  In the contest of relationships, I won and she lost. easy as that.

Penultimate question… Question 19:  What are you taking from these 20 Questions that you did not bring in with you?

What I’m taking from these 20 Questions is my unexpected delight this format! As someone who far prefers conversation — particularly the spontaneous kind — to email, I confess to having approached this exchange with some skepticism… Would I follow the thread of conversation? Would it engage my attention in a meaningful way? Would you try to entrap me? The answer is yes, yes and undetermined — you have one question remaining, as well as the possibility of abusing my confession about listening to Meatloaf. But then again, I trust you. (Shouldn’t I?)

The next question is not about Meatloaf or your potential love for the deep cuts on a Styx album… the next question is, luckily for you, one of my prescribed questions.

Question 20:  What is next for you?  Be as concrete or as vague as you want to be.  Be as realistic or philosophical as you want to be as well.

What’s next for me is a bowl of pho. Beyond that, I’m moving to a new home in Jamaica Plain (Boston) in November, exploring whether or not I’m going to write a new book about the Localism movement and launching a Boston-based impact investing fund. Local is hot; travel is not — that’s my new motto. Now I just need to learn how to break the airplane addiction and find a way to stay connected to friends and communities around the world that have taught me so much over the past decade. Everyone is invited to come visit me in Boston — most especially, the Ryan-Hart family. I promise to provide ice cream.

Well, this was delightful.  I always enjoy asking people I know more than we typically talk about.  Deborah is an amazing person and has a book out that should be read.  So, go read the book, Walk Out Walk On.  Check out the book’s companion website, and Deborah’s personal website (www.deborahfrieze.com).  When you are done reading her book, keeping up with the companion website, and perusing her personal website, give her a follow on the twitters.

To Recap:
The 4 yr old had to go to the ER this morning because of contact dermatitis from the Myrtle Spurge plant
Swollen face and itchy rash
Bad news all around
She is now on going to be on Orapred for 15 days
President Obama is at the OSU today
That will make getting home a challenge
Especially since I need to go close to campus to pick up the girl’s meds
Screw you, Myrtle Spurge!
Oh, boy! 15 days of 4 year old girl rage beast coming up
Have a great weekend, everyone
Donate iffens you wanna…. on the actual web-page…waaaay down on the left
No, further down than that… still further… on the left…. there you go

This week I get to ask a guy who has his fingers in many things internetty.  Scott Johnson is a web comic artist, a podcaster/pocast mogul.  Scott has a voice built for radio and a sense of humor that is meant to be behind closed doors and laughed at with hands covering mouths.  He is not on radio and he puts his humor out there for everyone to see and partake.  I became aware of the good Mr Johnson through his podcast Current Geek (with Tom Merritt).  Current Geek was a my gateway drug to all things Scott Johnson and his Frogpants network.  Current Geek led to Fourcast which led to Hypothetical Help, and so on… He is a regular host on a boat load of existing podcasts and a frequent contributor to even more. I often find myself giggling at his online cartoon, My Extra Life, and he is a hoot on the twitters.  So without further ado, my 20 questions with Scott Johnson.

I was born in Oklahoma City, OK, moved to Montgomery, AL on my third birthday, then lived just northeast of Birmingham, AL for 13 years when I went off to school in Kent, OH for 5 years.  I followed my fiance down to Columbus, Ohio where I married her and have been living ever since.  I got my MA in geography and love maps and stories of geography.  Question 1:  What is your geographic story?

I was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and have lived there and around there most of my life! Most of my life I spent in a small suburb of SLC called Sandy City, and went to high-school there as well.  I spent a couple years in the south, specifically Mississippi, Louisiana and a small part of Arkansas.  But for the most part, despite some travel here and there, I’ve called the Salt Lake valley home my whole life, and I love it here.  I met my wife in Mississippi, but we both went to college out here in SLC, so it was an easy choice to settle down here.  I have three kids, ages 12, 15, and 18.  All of whom are amazing.  I now live in a town just southwest of SLC called Eagle Mountain.

Well that does seem very Utah-centric.  I get this question all the time about my collegial choice, since it took me so far from the deep south.  Question 2: why did you venture south for a few years?

I went on a 2 year mission for the LDS church, typical for 19 year olds who grow up in the church.  Most of my time was spent helping people deal with flooding, poverty situations, and other such service style stuff.  Was a great experience. Taught me a lot about what it means to do help people with zero expectation for pay or personal gain.  I count that time as pretty invaluable.  I think I’m probably a better father and husband as a result.  Before I went, I was kind of a self-centered waste of space.

I was not sure if you were LDS or not, and I wasn’t going to make that assumption based on your locale.  A really good friend of mine from HS is LDS, and he got to do his mission trip to, I think, Andorra, between Spain and France.  Of course we were already in Alabama, so I guess they couldn’t really send him to experience something new in MIssissippi, but I do think he lucked out.  He is now happily married and active in the LDS church in the SLC area and we trade quips to each other ocassionally about our respective MLS soccer teams.   I actually got to visit him once when my wife had some work out in Sundance… gorgeous area.

Question 3: Cake or Pie?  Which kind, specifically, and why, specifically?

Often depends on the quality of the cake or pie in question, but generally, I will go pie if I can.  The right cake can sway me though. :)

Quality really always is a trump card.  But if I am reading you correctly, it is a win for the pie column.  I might need to find some kind of widget to tally the votes…

This is a question I typically ask my graphically artistic 20 Questioneers.  Usually this question has been used on comic book artists, but I will modify it to include humorous online comic artists. Question 4: When did you realize that you were good at drawing? Specifically, when did you realize that you were especially talented at visual story-telling?

This sounds trite and stereotypical, but this happened when I was 6 years old.  I drew Burt and Ernie on a chalkboard, and everyone around me thought it was amazing.  That feeling never left me:  Specifically, that I could draw things, and people would think that was cool.  It pretty much evolved from that.

That doesn’t sound trite at all.  I realized that I was adept at the drawing when I was 5 and drew a pilot’s head in the cockpit of the jet I was drawing.  It was in the basement of a Presbyterian church… in many ways it was predestined…. (oooh a joke for religious scholars… I am comedic genius) Question 5: Did you get formal training in graphic arts, or are you just that damn naturally talented?

Loads of what I do now comes from trial and error, constant attention to a daily sketchbook, and “trying” stuff.  But I did take a load of graphic design and illustration courses in college as well.  My college Life Drawing class still benefits me in very specific ways all these years later.

I know, I constantly refer back to the fundamentals that I learned in Drawing 1 & 2.  I should have done more design classes, but I was a studio art major and design classes were frowned upon by the studio advisors.  Would have been way more useful than some of the courses I took.

(editor’s note: thought I had a Question 6, but clearly I don’t, let’s assume I asked “Do you know the cure for cancer?” for Question 6.  His answer was “Sadly, no.” )

Question 7: As many reader’s (there are like 5 people who read this) I have adopted my Mother-in-Law’s saying, “Don’t let the fuckers get you down.” Do you have any sayings, mottos, credos, adages etc… that you adhere to and, if you do, where did they originate.

I do actually!  One in particular: “The only absolute in life, is that there are no absolutes.”  I love that one.  Alternatively, I like the refrain, “watch out where the huskies go, and don’t you eat the yellow snow.”

I love that “absolute” one.  I also love “There is nothing permanent other than change.”  Seriously though, yellow snow is bad whether or not it is due to huskies.

Question 8:  Fill in the blanks: A: I feel that I am mostly _______. B: Others feel that I am mostly ______.

A: I feel that I am mostly scatterbrained. B: Others feel that I am mostly chill and collected.

Question 9: What do you think is the cause of that discrepancy? “Scatterbrained” is nothing like “chill and collected.”

I’m not entirely sure.  I am always so driven to create stuff that I forget to breath, relax, and take the time I need to recharge.  I think people see my output, and my ability to mask my business, and see that as calm and collected. :)

You do have multiple outlets to create.  To my knowledge you have copious amounts of audio content that you create through your podcasts and mountains of visual content that you create through your art.  Question 10: Is there another media that you are looking forward to give a go? Have you ever wanted to tell stories through film or to write or sculpture, etc…?  What is the Scott Johnson untapped creative endeavor? “3 questions in one?” you ask.  My blog, my rules Mr Johnson, this is my dojo.

hehe.  Film and video for sure.  I have some ideas coming soon. Also, I would LOVE to finally make the children’s book I’ve had in my head for more than a decade. Hopefully all of that will see light soon!

I think you would be a great author for an age 8 to 12 children’s book.  Your art is well done and has a bit of a quirky style,  you are capable of tapping into younger senses of humor, plus you seem to be a rather virtuous dude.  I hope there is not anything truly holding you back from this, because you could very well create something crazy good.

Enough ass kissing on my part…  Question 11: You, admittedly, have a crappy left-eye.  How/why did you get into visual arts with a crap eye?

My right eye REALLY wanted it. :)

Ha!  Brilliant.  It is good that your right eye told the left eye what’s what.

Question 12: Since you are a burgeoning downloadable media mogul, how do you see the state of entertainment consumption in the next 5 years? Have you noticed any data within your own feeds and subscriptions that indicate and potentially predict any significant growth in the independent “on demand” audio and video podcasts?

The biggest change is the proliferation of handheld devices, and their ability to grab content at will.  Cloud services and over the air syncing, and streaming are the fastest growing part of the content I build.  I suspect that will be the norm coming soon.  Way less of people consuming content via computers and notebooks.

I imagine that we are only beginning to see what the mobile and streaming space is capable of consuming and what creators need to generate.

Here we are at unlucky 13.  Question 13: Do you have any superstitions (salt over the shoulder, etc…) or rituals (calming or centering techniques to get you ready for an activity) in your life? If so, where do they originate?

Not really.  Maybe I need a few.  I find myself at Nerdtacular, ready to go on stage, and feeling like I could really use a ritual. :)

Little processes to clear one’s mind are often very helpful.  That is about the only way I use ritual anymore.

Clearly, podcasting is an addiction of which you suffer greatly.  It seems that when the opportunity to podcast presents itself, you cannot help yourself and just have to podcast.  Question 14: What else in you life can you not keep yourself from participating in, if the opportunity presents itself?

This might sound a little odd, but if presented with a giant foam pit, I am getting in there no matter the cost or consequences.  If I could add one to my current house, I would.

That. Is. Brilliant.  You should most definitely add a room to your house that contains both a trampoline and a foam pit.  You would be the most popular person ever.

Question 15: Do you consider yourself primarily a podcaster by profession or do you generate most of your personal income via your art and graphic design work?  I have no idea of how economically viable podcasting is as a profession.

Right now it’s about 50/50 for me, but it seems to ebb and flow some months. Honestly, I think I can probably attribute my little slice of success from being able to do both.  They complement each other, and make me more flexible than others trying to do just one or the other. I’d really be miserable if I could only do one honestly.  That sounds weird, but I really feel that way.

Wow, 50/50 is not a bad distribution at all.  Honestly, I don’t think needing both aspects of your work to fulfill you workwise is odd at all.  I need to find the correct components to my work, because it is seriously unbalanced at the moment.  You should also try and figure out a way to monetize falling into a foam pit from a trampoline.  You do that, and the path to heaven is paved in gold, my friend, gold.
umm… Question 16:  Is it just me, or did the whole “my friend” aside above seem a bit presumptive?  Maybe just a bit too early… Should I have used the aside of, “my enjoyable Internet acquaintance” instead?

hehe.  No, friend works.  Funny you should ask that.  It’s one of the things that I love about the Frogpants community.  It is so much more than a one to many arrangement, where I don’t get to know anyone out there.  Some of the most important friendships I have in my life sprang from all this.  Incredibly grateful for that surprising benefit to independent creation. :)

It is amazing, especially with this 20 Questions Tuesday thing.  I have had deeper and more meaningful conversations within the framework of doing a 20 Questions with someone I do not know at all.  I know more about Tom Merritt from my 20 questions with him than the “angirest man in the world” with whom I work with daily.  I have visited my friend from Nova Scotia (who I met through blogging) more in the past 5 years than most of my family.  The Internet is a wondrous thing.

Question 17:  So, you have a mellifluous voice, do you have a favorite word to say?  Aside from you saying something, do you have a favorite word to hear, just because of the sound of the word and not the meaning behind the word? I like the word “squad” repeated about 4 times… “squad, squad, squad, squad…”

I have a favorite phrase, that I have to say as straight faced as possible:  ”It burns when I pee.”

Well, I, for one, hope that you are choosing to say that and not required by medical predicament to say that.

Well, turnabout is fair play, so… Question 18: Other than “what do you do for a living?” do you have any questions for me?

What do you WISH you did for a living?  ;)  Kidding. Here’s a real question:  How do you come up with these questions? They were all quite good.

I will entertain both questions, because they do fold together nicely.  I wish I were able to actually do interviews like this for a vocation.  I like asking questions that people don’t often get asked.  It allows me to see more than just their canned responses.  As far as where I came up with these questions… well, some are from conversations I have had with my friends growing up and some are just things I am genuinely interested in.  If you read through my interviews, you will see that many of the questions are the same.  Geographic story, the fill in the blank, cake or pie, the superstition one, this question and the next two.The rest of the questions I try to come by organically.  Usually the typical questions are good seeds for more in depth conversations.

Question 19:  What are you taking away from these 20 questions that you did not bring in with you?

I like how these questions remind me of why I am motivated the way I am.  At least in certain ways.  It’s a nice way of stopping the crazy train for a moment, and looking a little deeper at what I am and why I do what I am doing.

Then my work here is done.

Okay, the final question… Question 20:  What is next for you?  Be as concrete or as vague as you want to be.  Be as realistic or philosophical as you want to be as well. 

Next?  Oh man.  Who knows.  I plan about a week ahead these days. My kids are growing up so fast, that honestly the big next thing could be the crazy sounding idea of being a grandfather sooner than later. This could be a reality for me in the next 5 years or so, and it
completely freaks me out, especially because I am still young! I just re-read all that, and I am even more freaked out.

Hopefully between now and then, I will record a lot of podcasts, and draw a lot of stuff to help sooth the pain. :)

Well, I want to thank you so much for taking the time to do these 20 questions.  I have enjoyed the hell out of this and I am really happy to have met you and chatted with you so in depth.  You are a delightful person, and I love you work.

Follow Scott on Twitter with @scottjohnson and check out his breadth of work via his website hub frogpants.com.  Podcasts, Live Streaming almost daily, and Webcomic.  Do it!  Hell, he even has a channel on the Roku.

To recap:
This was amazing
Scott is amazing
I am halfway done with my fist class for my second grad degree
Soon, my pretties, I will be crazily over-educated
And under employed
Oh well
Seriously, a crap-load of reading again this week
I mean, come on!  I read a shit-ton last week
Cthulhu monsters for the Ten Ton Studios sketch challenge this week
Should be awesome
Wife heads out of town tonight
She will be back this weekend
Bonus 20 questions might be coming up tomorrow… might
Because I care
Ohio Comic Con is this weekend
I will be hanging with the creator of The Infernal Fyre-Dragon and the Silver Bullet
It will be teh awesome
Have a great weekend all

So, I have the rare honor of asking the amazingly talented Janet Varney 20 Questions for this edition of 20 Questions Tuesday.  That’s right.  The. Janet. Effing. Varney.  I am honestly surprised she has the time to be able to do this, because she is a crazy busy lady and has had no, that’s right, no previous interaction with me.  Ms. Varney is a wildly talented comedic… um… talent.  Janet is currently the voice of the title character in the animated super-hit The Legend of Korra on Nickelodeon.  She is also probably more well known for her stint on tbs’s Dinner and a Movie with previous 20 Questionee, Paul Gilmartin.  In the comedy circles she is also well-known as the co-creator of the insanely popular and distressingly talent-filled SF Sketchfest which happens every January for over a decade.  Did I mention as well that she is the host of a podcast?  Well, she is the host of her very own podcast called The JV Club, in which she interviews/has conversations with other creative celebrity womens.  I became aware of the lovely Ms Varney’s comedic talents from here visits to Jimmy Pardo’s Never not Funny. God-awful funny stuff.  So, enough of my doing the equivalent of flapping my yapper.  Onto the question!

I have my MA in geography focusing on mapping and spatial distributions(… jealous?) so I love hearing people’s geographic stories.  For example, I was born outside of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, move to Montgomery, Alabama, pretty much grew up in just to the northeast of Birmingham, Alabama, went to college in Kent, Ohio, followed my Wife down to Columbus, Ohio for my grad school and have been in C-bus ever since.  Question 1:  What is your geographic story?

Hi!

I was born in Tucson, Arizona. I left Tucson after graduating from high school and moved to Flagstaff, AZ, where I lived/went to school for 2.5 years. Then I migrated to San Francisco for a blissful 9 years, then down to LA, where I’ve been ever since!

For some reason I thought your story would be more bi-coastal instead of “Old West” to “West Coast,” but I am not sure where that notion is from.

Question 2: Is LA truly your home now, or is there still some piece of you holding onto San Francisco or Arizona as “home?”

You got me.
Even though I’ve been in Los Angeles for years, part of me definitely still thinks of San Francisco as home. There’s no way to avoid the annoying overuse of “leaving your heart in San Francisco,” but… people like me, who were intensely drawn to live there… it just stays with you. I have never wanted to move anywhere the way I wanted to move to San Francisco. I moved to LA for work. It’s a common tale. I fell in love with LA in a totally different way, but it took time. SF swept me off my feet and planted a french kiss on me from the get-go.
That’s one of the reasons I’m so grateful to have SF Sketchfest. It keeps me connected to the city.

I have heard that many a folk who have lived in the Bay Area find themselves unable to truly transplant themselves to another “home.”  That place really gets into people’s psyche.

Here is the question that everyone waits for.  The question that people talk about at the water cooler when they sit and wax eloquent about this blog (I think I have 12 readers, and I don’t think they know each other).  Question 3: Cake or Pie? and which kind specifically.  

Oh my. I guess one answer is neither: cobbler.
But… within the delicate constraints of your question, I would actually pick cake. I know, right? Bit of a surprise, since I love cobbler, right? Probably thought I’d pick pie, RIGHT?
A girl will always love a nice German chocolate cake, when done right.

Very interesting.  You are the first person to eschew the cake and pie and choose something else.  I have had a few who have said “both” and one who said “Ice Cream Cake,” but you hold the singular honor of offering a wholly different alternative.  You did pick German Chocolate Cake, which is appalling due to the coconut pecan frosting, and we all know that coconut is a horrible abomination that should be stricken from the cosmos like the blight on the concept of “Life” that it is.  So…

Question 4: Which kind of cobbler, because there is a significant difference between apple cobbler and, say a pecan cobbler? and detail what you like about the cobbler structure that makes it superior to pie in your estimation… color me intrigued.

HOLY LORD, is there PECAN COBBLER somewhere out there??! That couldn’t sound better.
I like a berry cobbler, Scott. But if you wanted to throw a little peach in there to mix things up, maybe a blueberry peach cobbler, I wouldn’t turn it down. Ice cream melting into the warmth of the cobbler also doesn’t hurt anybody.

Here you go:                      
Ingredients                                            

• 2 1/2 cups light corn syrup
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 5 eggs, slightly beaten
• 3 cups pecans, coarsely chopped                                    

Cobbler Crust

• 1 cup oat flour (1 cup regular oatmeal processed to a fine powder)
• 1 cup unbleached flour (all-purpose flour will work)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4-1/2 cup cold water                                       

Directions
                                   

• 1. Pre-heat oven to 350º.
• 2. Spray a 13 X 9 inch pan with cooking spray.
• 3. In large bowl, mix together the syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs until very well combined.
• 4. Pour 1/3 of this filling mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
• 5. Add pecans to the remaining filling mixture and set aside while preparing crust.
• 6. In medium sized bowl combine the two flours and salt.
• 7. Cut cold butter into small pieces and add to flours.
• 8. Combine butter into the flour using a fork or pastry cutter.
• 9. Add cold water, a little at a time, stirring until the dough forms into a ball that sticks together (I only used 1/4 cup water but the original recipe called for 1/2 cup).
• 10. Place dough on lightly floured surface and knead gently about 4 or 5 times until it is no longer sticky.
• 11. Roll out dough into a 13 X 9 inch rectangle.
• 12. Carefully pick up the rolled dough and place in the pan on top of the filling mixture.
• 13. Pour the remaining filling mixture with the pecans onto the top of the dough.
• 14. Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until the center begins to set.
• 15. Remove from oven and let cool for about 20 minutes.
• 16. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The Holy Lord provides pecanny goodness.

In truth, if you add brown sugar and butter to chopped pecans and bake, you can have almost any number of pecan dessert constellations.  The house I grew up in to the Northeast of Birmingham had 2 pecan trees.  I ate sooo many pecans as a kid, yet, I do not really like pecan pie.  I am a conundrum to be sure.

Question 5: So, you are doing voice acting, you are an actor, you do a podcast, you organize Sketchfest, I am sure you most likely have a book deal on the back burner, etc… so… If you had any downtime, what would you do as a hobby?

I do make sure I have downtime. I create downtime to stay sane. My favorite things to do with my downtime are to hit tennis balls and to ride my bike. Not at the same time.
That makes me sound really athletic. Allow me to remedy that: I also enjoy watching television, going to movies, and eating food. Food is great. Food whenever possible.

I am disturbed by the level of mental health displayed by your carving out time for yourself….  I am not sure this blog can take this level of health.  However, this healthiness seems to be tempered by the love of food.  So, I guess we can still be friends.

Speaking of food…. Question 6: What is the go to food for you…. All foods ever are on the table (it’s a big time gigantic hypothetical table), what do you reach for first?

There’s a sushi place here in LA that has food so good it kind of makes you angry at it while you’re eating it. You know that feeling? I was just there with a date the other day and he was laughing at how enraged I was by the deliciousness of my baked crab handroll, and suggested I punch it. To prove a point, I DID punch it.

It is good you showed that crab handroll who’s boss!  I have never gotten into sushi…  I don’t like fish in general, and the belly does not respond to spicy that well.  Sushi is just not a treat for me… and I am in Central Ohio, the land of scrumptious seafood (sarcasm), so that is not necessarily a detriment here.  What is a detriment here is my overall distaste for cheese.  People just don’t get that. They constantly try to win me over with cheeses.  It ain’t happening…. but I would push a toddler out of the way for some neufatel… well some good neufatel.

Question 7: Do you dislike something that others insist on trying to get you to like?

Cheesecake. I am often greeted by shock and dismay when I reveal that I don’t like cheesecake. Then, after I’ve expressed my dislike, people tell me that if I just “tried so-and-so’s cheesecake” or “insert cheesecake flavor here” cheesecake, I would at least like THOSE cheesecakes. But I don’t like cheesecake. Thus… I don’t like whatever cheesecake someone forces me to try, thinking this’ll be the bite that converts me. I don’t like cheesecake. I feel I’ve been very clear on this point. I also don’t like the band Nirvana. I respect them immensely, but I don’t want to listen to them. This is the other thing that makes me a pariah.

I understand both aspects of this sentiment.  On the one side I loves me some cheesecake and find it hard to believe that someone is not overjoyed by the sublime smoothness of cream cheese, eggs, and sugar.  On the other side, I don’t like cheese and people keep trying to get me to eat it because they cannot fathom someone not being beside themselves with glee at the mere prospect of eating cheese.  I respect your dislike of cheesecake and suggest apple pecan crisp instead.

Question 8: Other than being the voice of Korra, have you done any other voice acting?

I have… not that much, but some. I did voices in an amazing film - Dante’s Inferno- that was incredibly artfully rendered and I feel so lucky to have been a part of it in any capacity. I also did a pilot for Nickelodeon before Korra that was a huge hoot. I played a smarmy unicorn. Yes, smarmy. There are other bits and pieces here and there, but Korra is certainly the biggest job to date. And it’s been amazing! Like a dream.

I have heard that the voice acting gigs are tough nuts to crack because of the talent and longevity of the existing talent.  I love the work you do on Korra and I could see you getting more gigs due to the quality of that work… if only I were a prophet. I would be prophesying some lotto numbers right now if that were the case.  As soon as I was independently wealthy, I would throw you some voice acting bones, but really I would get myself set up first. Can’t effectively help people from the poor-house now can I?

Question 9:  Have you done any voice-over work?  I understand they are wholly different beasts.  If not, is there a product that you would love your disembodied voice trying to sell?

You mean commercial vo? Like “This vacuum will change your life!”

Interesting that you immediately went to vacuum.  Yes, indeed, that is what I was referring to since VO and Voice Acting are different (yet similar) skills.  So have you done any VO? or what would you like to lend your voice to shill?

Think I got one once? Maybe for… cheese? I’m blanking. I audition for that kind of thing when I have time, but I’m definitely not as skilled at that.

So, it was very impactful for you.  I would even venture to say that it was life altering… well… maybe not so much.

Well, since we are about to turn the corner and start the slippery downward slope… My Mother-in-Law has a wonderful family saying that is an adage as old as time and words to live by.  This sage advice is “Don’t let the fuckers get you down.”
Question 10:  Do you have an adage, saying, motto, mantra, credo in your life? If so, who is the source of the sagacity?

Hmmmm… an actual specific adage… do I?

This is kind of dumb, but the most recent thing that really impacted me was an old favorite song by The National. “Fake Empire.” There’s a line in it that goes “Let’s not try to figure out everything at once.”

It’s maybe not the fireworks-inducing, heart pounding, Wind-Beneath-My-Wings answer I’d like to give, but it’s been resonant for me the last couple of years.
I would have to say that “let’s not try to figure everything at once” is at least just as impactful as “don’t let the fuckers get you down.”

I am going to take this to a deeper level.  Question 11: What is the question in your life that drives you?  What is the question in your core that you are constantly trying to answer through your thoughts actions and deeds?  For example, my question is “How can I bring my professional life and career more in line with my personal life and goals?”…. and go!

I like yours. Can I take yours?
I guess mine, before I stole yours, would be something about balance. How can I balance finding contentment in the moment while still fostering my ambition for an enriched future, balance my probably-more-than-healthy-dose of fear with confidence and maturity, balance career with anything that doesn’t involve career, etc.

Balance is always a tricky thing, and I have to say that the aspects you are trying to balance are great and very well though out. For the record, I think my over-arching question just altered itself… it does this from time to time.  The newest version is “What exists that you cannot help but participate?”  I am a bit lost right now as far as what I want to do with my life.  Cataloging holes in the ground for the department of transportation just is not cutting it.

How about a palette cleanser here.  Question 12: As one of the creators of SF Sketchfest, what aspect of the festival is your favorite part in 2012? and has that changed since the festival started 11 years ago?

The immediate answer that springs to mind is our INCREDIBLE staff and volunteers. We have been so lucky to build a family of amazing, talented, professional teammates. When we started the festival, it was pretty much just the three of us doing everything. We had a great Tech Director and a fantastic House Manager (who is still with us today), but we were selling tickets, selling concessions, ushering, driving talent to the airport, and everything in between. It’s a completely different experience having people we love and trust helping us make this labor of love come together year after year.

Well, even wee little peeps much as myself in far away Ohio have heard of SF SketchFest, so whatever you and your team of folk are doing, you are doing it well.

Here we are at the dreaded 13.  Question 13: Do you have any specific superstitions that you hold or any rituals that you do?  For this purpose a ritual could be something as simple as saying some phrase to yourself prior to taking the stage to center yourself or something complicated that involves robes, chickens, alters, and snakes.

Hmmm… I’m not that superstitious. But rituals… I mean, I guess I am pretty consistent about throwing my audition sides away the second I leave an audition. That’s more about putting it behind me so that I don’t have to think about the impending rejection, but it’s pretty ritualized at this point. Like, if there isn’t a garbage can nearby, I feel irritable until I have gotten rid of them. Ugh. What a gross, boring, Hollywood answer.

Yes, you are soooo Hollywood.  I was just saying to my wife yesterday that if that Janet Varney gets more Hollywood I will just scream.

I asked 2 of your friends this question and they asked for your input (the delightful Pat Francis and the deep Paul Gilmartin).  Now is when you get to repay the favor. Question 14: Fill in the blanks.  I find that I am mostly _________.  Other people find that I am mostly __________.

Oh! The question I have secretly been dreading!

I find that I am mostly thinking about what I’m going to eat next.

Other people find that I am mostly overly excited about something or other.

Oooh!  I have questions that people actually dread?  That is teh awesome!  It is sad to say that I have become that predictable.  In truth, you are clearly overly excited about something or other and you can barely contain yourself… (is that how “Yes/And” works?)

Question 15: Is there something that you are currently over excited about right now?  It could be a project, a face cream, a new restaurant, a belt, a car, a smoothie ingredient, a new computer, a pet, a list of random things…

I am always over-excited about my podcast.
I am over-excited about a weird craft project I am working on as a surprise for my boyfriend.
I am over-excited about my recent discovery of NO salt turkey at the Whole Foods deli meat department.

Well, I am excited about your podcast (I am catching up on the episodes right now.  LOVE. IT).  You are quite the pleasant and adept host, and I will hear no other evaluation of your podcast hosting abilities unless they are more glowing.
It is always great to have a weird art project going on for your significant other.
I had a lovely Turkey Reuben today from a local sandwich shop.  It is like we are less questioner and questionee and more connected on a higher level.

A little bit about the podcast for the uninitiated… Janet gets amazing female guests on her podcast and asks them wonderfully inciteful questions that tend to focus on the guest’s identity and progression of identity through adolescence and into their adulthood.  It is great. You have already had on some insanely great guests for your podcast, Question 16: Who is your unattainable guest?  Who is the person you would put a basketful of kittens in the rain to have as a guest?

Number one wish is Emma Thompson.

I would absolutely love to hear you chat with Emma Thompson.  You are a delight, she is a delight.  It would be like a delight squared, and who doesn’t like the square of delights.

Question 17: In all the conversations you have had for the podcast, have you found any common threads that seem consistent from conversation to conversation?

If I may just be obnoxiously humble-braggy about the concept of the podcast, I think one of the most consistent things that happens is that guests are surprised to discover what memories come up for them and how much they enjoy turning their thoughts back to that time.

Throughout all of my myriad of 20 Questions I have found that the people I talk to are very gracious with their time.  It is amazing how complete strangers will give so much time for something that is so truly insignificant.  I have a readership of, at most, 450 people a week.  For example, you have given me slivers of your time, in between doing your podcast, voice acting on Korra, promoting and acting for Burning Love, stuff for SF Sketchfest, etc, etc, etc… I am always amazed by the graciousness of the people I ask these questions.  I love answering my random 20 Questions, like the one that is being posted on July 31st about our new house, or the one I did a few months back on Birthdays, but I am always in awe of people giving me their time.  So, preemptively, thank you very much for all the time you have given me

Turnabout is fair play, so, It is time to turn the tables now.  Question 18: Other than what I do for a living, what question/s do you have for me?

Are you watching the Olympics? Why do people not care about women’s sports except the Olympics? What’s one of your favorite books?

Q1: I am watching the Olympics as much as I can… stupid job getting in the way of Olympic watching.  That is a tricky question, and I think it has to go back to how unbalanced our society is.  There is a societal pressure that tries to keep women down.  There is a consistent pressure for women to look and act a certain way.  I think society is not ready to see women in any other light than as supermodels.  Supermodels are the perceived physical ideal.  Their measurements are unattainable and their photos are rarely un-shopped.  When people see female athletes, who are at the peak of physical conditioning, and notice that they all have different body types and that peak physical conditioning does not actually mean the supermodel look… it makes that goal even more unrealistic for women. My wife and I were watching last night and were commenting on the different body types associated with the different sports, and how none of those body types were what is being idolized on magazines and TV/movies. I hope that I am getting my point across and not just being rambly. I am a soccer guy and I love watching women’s soccer, but I think that I am in a minority.

Q2: Hmmm… The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss comes to mind immediately.  It is the first book in a trilogy (the 2nd one is out and the 3rd has yet to be published).  Rothfuss is a wizard with language.  You taste his words as he weaves a picture.  They roll around in your mouth giving you glimpses into a different world.  Another book that I love is Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell.  That is just a delectable book about Jesuits making a mission to an alien world and the hijinks that ensue.  By hijinks I mean first contact and cultures clashing.  Simply amazing.

Question 19:  What are leaving with from this 20 questions that you did not bring with you?

Well, I think we both know I’m overwhelmed at the realization that there is pecan cobbler.

Pecan Cobbler is an overwhelming thing.  Just remember everything that can be made into a pie can be made into a cobbler of some kind…. all you need is enough butter and sugar.

Okay, the final question…Question 20:  What is next for you?  Be as concrete or as vague as you want to be.  Be as realistic or philosophical as you want to be as well. 

Right now I’m working at HuffPost Live getting ready to launch on August 13. It’s an amazing team of people… what’s “next” for me is to endeavor to become as smart as they are. Me like be smartt.

Smartt goods.

Thanks so much for doing this.  My 20 questions have been getting overly male and getting some strong female energy into the blog is always a welcome difference. You are a talent to be reckoned with and everyone should consume every bit of media and entertainment you create because you are simply amazing.  I am eternally grateful for the amount of time you have taken to do these 20 questions and if you were able to enjoy this half as much as I did, you should have had a good time.

Please everyone give Janet a follow on the twitters, listen to her podcast, watch her on Burning Love, listen to her act on The legend of Korra, watch her field questions on her live Huffington Post Live gig.  She is an amazing talent and a wonderful person.  I feel better just having had this chat with her.

To recap:
So many boxes in the house…. so many boxes
The select button on my phone is dying
So is our fridge
And the airconditioner
We are using a painter for the rest of the rooms that need the paints
The kids’ rooms are painted
Q’s dresser and bed are painted
The basement is getting painted
The downstairs will be painted next
Moving into a new house is hard
Janet Varney is just plain awesome
Leave off “awesome” in that last sentence and it is a put-down
Not like an animal “put-down”
I need to set up my home PC
There are some Never Not Funny’s that I am behind on
Have a great weekend everyone

Donate if you wanna…. way down on the left… I would love to buy a pizza

I have been getting asked and then eventually asking 20 Questions for a good long time now.  In fact this 20 Questions Tuesday is the 210th that I have done.  So far most of them have been me answering questions rather obtusely with the remaining 33 being 20 Question interviews from people in all walks of life.  I can honestly say, without any pretense, that this 20 Questions is the first one I have done with someone who is pushing the envelope on how we consume entertainment.  Brian Brushwood is an innovator in the Internet cultural landscape. He is the host of 4 popular podcasts. Three for two different podcasting/vidcasting networks (Scam School for Revision 3 and Framerate and NSFW on TWiT) and one that he kind of publishes independently with my previous interviewees, Andrew Mayne and Justin Robert Young called Weird Things.  I rarely get the opportunity to ask questions to someone that is honestly on the cusp of something that feels kind of revolutionary,and I will pride myself on asking this visionary of new media inane random questions.

As I stated, Brian is a podcast host… it seems like he is a bit more than a “podcaster” in my opinion.  He is host/co-host of 4 podcasts and a consistent contributor to a multitude of other podcasts… One would think that would take up all of his time, but one would be an idiotic fool to think that (seriously, One. Don’t bring that weak ass game into my house).  Brian is also an accomplished stage magician and can be found consistently touring the college markets with his trademark golden spikey hair and witty rapport.  So without any further ado…. 20 Questions Tuesday with Brian Brushwood.

I make maps for a living, but I look at maps and geography as a way to tell stories.  I was born at Tinker Air Force Base just outside of Oklahoma City. The fam moved to Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, Alabama when I was 3 (actually ON my third birthday, we celebrated my birthday at a rest area).  Soon after, we moved up to a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama where I lived until I went off to college at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio.  After graduating from KSU, I followed my fiancee down to Ohio State and we have made our lives in Columbus, Ohio ever since…. but enough about me.  Question 1: What is your geographic story?

I was born in Fountain Valley, CA, but moved several times while growing up:  Houston, TX, Denver, CO, and Stavanger, Norway.  I ended up in Austin for college, and I fell in love with the town.  I’ve lived here ever since (though obviously still see a lot of the country on tour).

My family hosted an exchange student from Kongsberg, Norway my senior year in High School.  I lost touch with her when she moved out of my house.  I wish I could get back in touch with her, not being able to is one of the few regrets I have from my life.  

So… Question 2: What was your family doing in Norge?

Dad worked in the Oil business, and Norway does a lot of offshore drilling.  I was 12, and it was easily one of the most important, best experiences of my life.  I was completely uprooted from home, right at the age when American consumerism gets its hooks into you.  Being taken out of the US to a world without TV, shopping malls, or McDonald’s was absolutely extraordinary for me.

So, let’s get into it.  All of my 14 loyal readers want to know… Question 3: Cake or pie? Whichever of these you choose.. what type is your favorite?

CAKE! (unless it’s peanut butter pie.  which is amazing.  Also:  my daughter has peanut allergies, so we make her sunbutter pie, which is made with sunbutter… which is a peanut butter -like substance made form sunflower seeds… yet amazingly better than peanutbutter.  So, I’ll choose “sunbutter pie”…  what was the question again?)

Ooooh we never thought of the sunbutter pie.  That would have been great.  Both my kids had severe food allergies when they were born.  I have actually traded a few tweets with the Invisible Wife about food allergy resources.  Little Man (my almost 9 year old) has grown out of all of his, but he was allergic to dairy, egg, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, and some vegetables.  He held onto the peanut and tree nut allergies until he turned 6-ish.  Q (my 4 year old little girl) was allergic to dairy, egg, soy, and tree nuts, but she has grown out of those yet developed an orange allergy.  Sunbutter is pretty darn tasty, but soy-nut butter sucks ass.  I have tons of recipes for multiple food allergy foods, if you want them.  Sunbutter pie does sound awesome.  Okay, I am on board, how are you going to get that pie to me in C-bus?  Also, I don’t think I have ever had anyone change their mind in mid-stream like this…

You were not always a professional magician, Question 4: Have you always been interested in the magics?

I’ve always been interested in being tricky, and once I got to college I thought that learning some magic would be a good way to spend my free time.  I figured no matter where I ended up in life, it would be good to know a few kickass tricks.  I never thought it would end up being my career, much less a successful one.

I asked you friend and colleague, Andrew Mayne the following question and I am curious as to your response as well….

Question 5:  If you could change the “stage magician” title, which title would you prefer? Magician, Illusionist, Wizard, Charlatan, Sorcerer, Hood-winker, Eldritch Mage, Diabolist, or another of your choice…  Would you choose a different title for other magicians you know? BeeTeeDubs, Andrew Mayne chose “wizard.”  

Definitely Charlatan.  Maybe snake-oil salesman.  Fraud?  Liar?  Those seem appropriate, too…

Charlatan is a completely under-used word.  You should try to add it into your online persona when you talk about the magics.

Question 6: As a magician, excuse me, charlatan, yourself, what type/genre of magic do you enjoy watching most as a spectator? For example, I am completely fascinated by close work.

I’m always interested in performers who use magic to tell a bigger story.  Routines that are about life and death.  About love and loss… something bigger than “where’d that girl vanish to?”

That is interesting because I tend to like the close work because it is typically bite sized without an over-arching theme or story.  There is a local BBQ place,(yes, there is BBQ in Ohio… clearly not as good as what can be found in TX, at this place the pulled pork is good, the brisket is not) that used to hire a magician (Carroll Baker) every Sunday night to entertain the kiddos (whilst the old people eat).  I love watching him work.

Question 7: Let’s get all foodie here… What is the best BBQ in Austin (I have only been to Green Mesquite)?  And what is your particular favorite there? What type of sauce do you like? tell me all things Brian Brushwood and BBQ…  and… go.

I’m gonna piss off the locals here (as my pick originally comes from San Antonio), but I’ll say without reservation that the best BBQ in Austin is at Rudy’s.  The meat itself is great, but it’s their original Sause (spelled that way) that takes their work over the top.  It’s amazing.

I knew I should not have asked this question…. and then I knew I should not have looked at Rudy’s “Country Store” BBQ’s website… I am lucky that in my little burrow of Clintonville has the best BBQ in town in the shape of a food truck, Ray Ray’s Hog Pit.  Yes, I realize that the Columbus food truck scene is severely lacking compared to what y’all have in Austin, but Ray Ray’s Hog Pit is pretty darn awesome.

So, to steer this away from food, of which I need some, let’s talk more about the Internet and the nature of memes, so get your sociologist hat on… With the BBLive show and its current incarnation the NSFW Show, memes and viral videos are a staple of your program. Question 8: Why do you think memes and virals burn so hot and so fast and then are gone? Why don’t they have staying power especially since we, the Internet viewing people find them so enjoyable?

I think just about every facet of real life is mirrored by the internet in some way.  We have analogues for travel, adventure, exploration, workspaces, financial districts…  I think memes are an analog to family jokes or momentary whimsies.  They’re very beloved for the two hours that they’re funny, and then they’re dropped.  But because it happens on the internet, everything takes longer… so it takes 2 weeks to get over it.

Interesting.  What I have found about the memes is that unlike family jokes, most memes you cannot return to.  With family jokes, I have found that I can bring them back up and re-live some of the whimsy… Keyboard Cat is hack now.

So, I subscribe to my Mother-in-Law’s philosophy of “Don’t let the fuckers get you down.”  Question 9: Do you have a saying, adage, credo, motto, etc… that you particularly ascribe?  If so, where did it come from and why does it resonate?

“There’s a million very good reasons why you should wait just a little bit longer before you start your next venture… Ignore all of them.
Don’t wait to get started. Don’t wait to pick up the phone. Don’t wait to start writing new material. Say “Yes” and “Immediately” often.
You’re going to find eight million excuses on why you should wait. Wait for them to call you back. Wait until you buy better props. Wait until you can hire a professional photographer. Wait until your new routine is ready. Wait until know-nothing doofuses who happen to have started their careers before you write you back with sage words of wisdom (that’s me I’m talking about).

Don’t. Wait.

The only thing separating you from having your best show possible is 10,000 hours of live performances. And while that sounds like an unfair, daunting amount of time and effort to put into becoming great, here’s the twist: the time is going to pass anyway. You can either spend it working towards your goal, or waiting.
Whatever’s wrong with your show, it’s nothing that a thousand performances won’t fix. So get out there now and start performing.

I am always impressed by the level of effort and motivation that it takes for people to become independently successful.  That amount of effort seems like levels of self-motivation that I feel like I lack.

So, let’s go a bit deeper for a second on motivational questions.  I used to think that my driving question was “How can I get my professional life more in line with my personal life?”  This does not seem to resonate with me right now.  I think the question I am dealing with right now is “What activity is it that I cannot help but get involved in?”  Kind of a question of what it is that, if it is available, I simply must participate.  I used t think it was fantasy mapping, but I am very disinterested in mapping of all sizes, shapes, and forms right now.  So, Question 10:  What is the question that drives you?  What is the over-arching question you are trying to answer with all of your thoughts, actions, and intentions?

“Where do I belong?”

stated differently:  ”Where do my natural talents make the most sense, give me the most visibility, and allow me to touch the lives of the maximum number of other people?”

THAT is why I do this.  Answers like this are what I live for on this blog.  Digging this answer the most.  I might need to appropriate parts of your question for myself.  It is like you have thought about this before.

So, you are a part of multiple podcasts and you guest on many more.  Question 11:  Do you regularly listen to any specific podcasts (other than your own), and, if so, which ones and why?

Hardcore History, Dan Carlin’s Common Sense, 99% Invisible, Freakonomics Radio, Skeptoid, Smodcast, Stuff to Blow your Mind, Radiolab, Penn’s Sunday School, the PC Gamer podcast, and a few others (more sporadically).

I love Hardcore History, and I have tried out Skeptoid, Freakonomics Radio, and Smodcast before.  I discontinued all of those for various reasons.  

Okay, I know from listening into the Weird Things podcast and the selection of podcasts that you just mentioned that you would classify yourself as a skeptic.  One thing I have noticed about skeptics (enter sweeping generalization here) is that there is a little piece of them that is hopeful that something paranormal out there is, in fact, real.  They are just not swayed by the admittedly flimsy evidence that the unabashed believers tout as truth.  Question 12: supposing that my sweeping generalization is true, what in the whole gamut of the paranormal do you most hope to be true (personally, I am holding out hope for sasquatches)?

Excitingly enough: it seems like we’re drawing in ever-closer to real, technological telepathy.  With transcranial electromagnetic stimulation, we can induce emotions strange feelings.  With fMRI’s, we’re getting closer to reading thoughts as they’re formed.  And of course, we’re all hoping for ever-more immersive, realistic simulations… eventually stimulating the brain directly.  THAT’s some exciting fringe science, right there.

It does seem that we are on the cusp of some very interesting technological times.  

I understand that you, most likely, do not have any superstitions, but this is unlucky Question 13: Do you, instead, have any rituals you adhere to do you can get in the correct frame of mind for some activity? For example, when I played soccer in high school, I had a very specific sequence for putting on socks, shin guards, and cleats.  Similarly, when I fenced in college, I had a specific method for attaching wires, putting on equipment, etc… Or do you have any superstitions?

Oh, man— being a skeptic has done nothing to stop my stupid, animal brain from insisting on the strangest rituals.  If I step on a crack, I feel the strangest urge to step on every crack.  I hold my breath for arbitrary lengths of time, vaguely certain it will affect the outcome of random events.  Before every stage show, I mentally recite the set list as if it’s some kind of litany.

I haven’t found an analog to the soccer and fencing prep in my current life. I think that kind of mindfulness and deliberateness is missing in my life right now, and may be one of the issue impeding me from focus.

Question 14: Fill in the blanks.  A: I find that I am mostly __________.  B: Other people feel that I am mostly ____________.  C: Do these answers differ greatly?  If so, why?

A: AN IDIOT
B: OBSESSED WITH REMINDING THEM I’M AN IDIOT
C: Here’s the thing:  the universe is infinitely complex.  Human emotions and thought are infinitely complex.  The best I can hope to do during my entire life is keep learning as much as I can, as fast as I can.  Part of that means bringing as many people up to speed with the crap I’ve learned as fast as I’m able.  And the only way that’s possible, is if you take a student’s mentality to learning.  Spend your whole life thinking of yourself as an empty vessel yearning to be filled.

You are quite the philosophical soul.

Since we started these 20 questions you have had your second digital book published and put on the market.  Question 15: Any surprising lessons learned from your book experiences?

Yes.  When releasing book 2, don’t drop book 1 to 99 cents.  It creates a perverse incentive for people to buy book 1 instead of book 2.

I was curious about that tactic… I imagined that it would either boost combined sales or completely cannibalize your new book sales.

Since you are firmly ensconced in the “new media” model area, and Framerate is a show primarily about the new medias and such, plus you have just published 2 successful interactive e-books… Question 16: How do you see the media market changing in the next 3 years… I ask because we are about to move to a new house and will be cutting the chord when we get into the new digs, and I find this to be a rather interesting topic.

Media will increasingly be judged on its own merit, rather than on the platform it inhabits.

How very egalitarian of you… the cynic in me really wants to giggle at you for your rose colored glasses, but there is a larger part of me that is hopeful as well that the cream will, in fact, rise to the top.

So, Question 17: What song is going through your head right now.  So you don’t feel self conscious about what comes to mind… I am thinking about Divine Hammer by The Breeders…. and go!

I was thinking that it was a bad idea to take an hour long nap this afternoon, because now I’m probably going to be up until 3am.  That’s not bad in and of itself, but it throws me wildly off-schedule from the rest of the family.  At least I don’t need to get up to go to an office.  While it’s terrifying to swing from gig to gig, never knowing how much money I’ll make month to month, it’s comforting to know that I don’t need to show up every single day to a job that eats my soul.  In fact, it was when I realized that I was excited for bathroom breaks that I realized there might be more to life than a job with a steady paycheck.  Man, those were weird days.  Working in a cubicle, dealing with a phone queue…  I remember staying around after work to play Robotron on MAME against my boss.  We used to joke about us hosting the “robotron world championships,” and when he won, I surprised him at the next team meeting by presenting him with an engraved plaque proclaiming him “Robotron World Champion 2000.”  I was really surprised by how excited he was about the award, and that’s when I realized that dollar-for-dollar, you can’t bring more joy to someone than by presenting them with a trophy or award.  I even used it to get to the top of the list for Fear Factor years ago.  Along with my VHS video tape, I sent them a laser-engraved plaque congratulating them on their smart moves and declaring them official “Damn Geniuses” for considering me for the spot.  It didn’t end up getting me on the show, but that same kind of thinking did get me on the tonight show.  Back when nobody knew who I was, I bought 30 tubs of atomic fireballs and put my demo tape in each one.  On the side I wrote “think these are hot?  Try eating FIRE!” and then I sent them to 30 TV shows that I thought might have a place for me.  Those were crazy times.  We had no idea whether I was even making the right move, quitting my day job to do magic.  Hell, it still sounds like a crazy idea to me, and I’m 13 years into this experience.  But it’s crazy, now.  I’ve got kids.  Obligations.  The stakes are higher, but so are the payoffs.  There’s nothing so awesome as getting to survive doing something you love.  I worry about what would happen if I totally fail, but then I just realize “if everything goes to shit, I’ll just make a living doing something else I love.”  And then I don’t feel so bad.

So, you were thinking about the song Mr Roboto by Styx.  That’s easy enough to understand, it is quite a fun song…  So many people get mad at me when I ask if there is a question I should have asked.  I get so many notes about how I am supposed to come up with the questions, and here I am feeling vindicated, because you clearly had a question in mind that I did not ask.

It is time for the tables to be turned… so Question 18: Other than “what do you do?” what question do you have for me?

“No, seriously:  Where are my pants?”

They are in a safe place… You will get to see them again, Mr Brushwood, once we have gotten to Question 20.

Question 19: So, what are you taking away from these 20 questions that you did not bring in with you?

An appreciation for Scott Ryan-Hart’s tenacity.  It’s not easy to get me to focus long-term on anything that doesn’t immediately make me rich. :-)

I will take the kudos on the tenacity… I have not been this tenacious with some other folk, but I was seriously interested in your answers because you seem to be more thoughtful, and I tend to enjoy your “voice,” be it written or spoken.

So, the final sad question that signifies the end of a 20 Questions era, the completion of the Epic Brushwood 20 Questions of 2012.  Now that you will no longer be hounded by me for answers to intrusive questions, Question 20:  What is next for you?  Be as concrete or vague or as philosophical or grounded as you want

I honestly have absolutely no idea.  I know there’s a few things I really love:  performing on stage, working in front of a camera, writing books, interacting with fans…  but I seriously haven’t the slightest idea which one is going to take off.  

And the weirdest part?  What I do next is not really even up to me.  I’m just going to keep doing my goofy dance for the world, chasing rainbows and laughing… and somewhere, someone is going to think that I’m a natural fit for their vision.  Could be a TV show, could be another internet series, could be a new stage show tour…  but whatever it is, I just hope that I’m as passionate as I’ve been about everything else I’ve done up to now.

Knowing you as much as I do, now, (We are BFF’s now BTW)  I don’t see passion as being an issue for you, and I am certain that you will create success for yourself and the people around you.

This has been an absolute pleasure, and I want to thank you for taking the incredible amount of time necessary to complete these here 20 Questions.

Check out Brian’s work with his website, his podcasts (Scam School, NSFW show, Framerate, and Weird Things), follow him on twitter @shwood, and see him live if he comes to town, and buy his books… Scam School and Scam School 2!

To recap:
We are moving out of our beloved home today
We will miss this house terribly
It is a great house and I hope that the new owners enjoy it as much as we did
It was the house that we brought both our babies home to
It was an amazing house
We are now in limbo until the 30th
We do not take possession of the new house until then
But today I am sad at the end of this era of my life
Then again, after packing up all the shit from the house it is time to say goodbye
I think the house is done with us anyway
It needs a young couple who will take care of it like they have free time and no kids
I think they are planning to have some chickens in the backyard though
Suck it crappy ex-neighbors
On another note, the boy turns 9 tomorrow
Leave a happy birthday message here and I will tell him about it
Next week, we will be in the new house
It will be awesome
Have a great week everyone

This is going to be an interesting 20 Questions because it is 20 questions with someone who wants to be relatively anonymous.  This person, in many ways is one of the voices for a throng of people who are fans of the comedy podcast Walking the Room. I had the occasion to interview both Greg and Dave a while ago, but this time I am interviewing someone who is a fan, someone who has joined into a disparate community of people with oddly similar senses of humor.  The sense of humor is truly the only tie that binds this group of people, and yet… in many cases, it is a very tight community.  Walking the Room’s fans have taken to calling themselves Cuddlahs, as a direct joke against the Juggalos who are fans of the insipid lyricists, the Insane Clown Posse (“Fucking Magnets, How do they work?”)... jackasses…. talentless hack jackasses

So, this week we are talking to Cuddlah Army from the Twitters… Cuddlah Army is kind of a marshal for all things Walking the Room.  This person is a critical node in the loose network of Cuddlahs.  So without further ado…. Cuddlah Army

So, if you have read any of my interviews, you know that I typically start out with the geographic story… I was born in Oklahoma City, moved to Montgomery, Alabama, Moved up to Birmingham, Alabama, went to college in Kent, Ohio, did my grad school in Columbus, Ohio and settled down there with my wife.  Question 1: What is your geographic story? Be as vague or as precise as you want…

I mostly grew up in small towns in Oklahoma, though I did live in Anchorage, Alaska for a few years when I was very young.  I went to college in Weatherford, Oklahoma, where I met my husband.  10 years ago we moved to a small town near Charlottesville, Virginia. We love it here and consider the Shenandoah Valley our home.

There is oddly a similarity between Oklahoma and Virginia… and there is always a similarity between small towns and other small towns.

Question 2: What do you think is the biggest difference between small town Oklahoma and small town Virginia?

The obvious difference here is the scenery and the weather.  In Oklahoma, the trees are short and squatty, the wind blows constantly, and there really isn’t much in the way of natural beauty.  They have been in a drought situation for a really long time and they tend to have more fires than they did when I was a kid.  The summers are miseable, with temperatures hanging in the hundreds for weeks on end.  It’s sort of like standing in the barrel of a hair dryer.  In Virginia, we have the mountains, the weather is more temperate, and it rains.  As far as small town politics, those are very similar. Unfortunately, I see more racism here, since Virginia is really considered “The South”. Luckily, we live near a college town, so we know liberals more so than we did in Oklahoma.

The rampant overt racism I found in The South is definitely one of the reasons I do not go back there.  Even though my parents still live in Birmingham.  The place is just not safe for me and my family, and I imagine that has not changed in the past 7 years (the last time I went down there).  So, come on South, get with the times.

So, quick question about the Twitter identity…. Question 3: Why Cuddlaharmy?  You, personally, are an individual, why not CuddlahGeneral or GeneralCuddlah?

It was never meant to be about me personally.  I see the Cuddlah Army as a collective… Anyone could run it, and maybe someone else will some day.  It all started because Sean Maclean (AKA Space Ghost) and I had an idea to do a Twitter bomb to celebrate Greg Behrendt’s birthday.  We had a huge response (for it being organized at 2 a.m. the day of the event), that we tried it again for Dave Anthony’s birthday and had so much participation that we registered on TrendsMap.  The whole thing sort of overwhelmed my personal Twitter account, so I created the Cuddlah Army Account.  I’ve been supported by other Cuddlahs along the way, including Mark Klein, who does most of the art, Ronnie Schiller Johnson who helps me think of hashtags, Sean who helps with strategy, and William Bowen, who made the watercolor skull with the clown nose.

It really is amazing how this particular community arose.  So, on a personal side, Question 4: What is it about Walking the Room and specifically Greg and Dave that has hooked you into this community?

I was looking for a podcast that would sort of distract me from my work, which bores me to tears.  I heard about the podcast through Patton Oswalt on Twitter, and decided to give it a listen.  I felt like I was at home from the very first episode.  I grew up with a bunch of brothers and male cousins, and they carry on in much the same way as Greg and Dave.  It gave me a way to hang out with my family once a week without having to deal with family politics.  I think the community has a shared sense of humor that sort of makes it easier for us to deal with one another.  Once you understand a person’s vibe, you can get to know them easier.  I have been able to make friends all across the US, and in Canada, Australia, England, and even Switzerland through this podcast community.  It sort of blows my mind.  Now that I’ve been able to attend a Starfish Circus, I have been fortunate enough to meet Greg and Dave.  They’re just the nicest guys.  I’m eternally grateful to them for putting this group of broken geniuses together. They were brilliant in that they created an identity for their fans, then gave them an outlet for their creativity and sadness.

I guess it is time for me to share my story of Walking the Room.  Greg Behrendt has always been a comedic idol of mine.  Well, not technically always, but after I saw him for the first time on the TVs, I was hooked into his particular brand of humor.  His bit about the abstract art and how it infuriated him until he realized it was about the frame so he punched someone (I could write the bit out from memory, but that would take too much time) is a bit that resides in my head all. the. time.  It is a bit of humor that gets me through the day.  Greg was on Never Not Funny and mentioned he was starting a podcast of his own and I was there.  Dave… I did not really know much about Dave, but I swear we could be close to the same person, if I were just a tad bit more bitter (okay, waaaaaay more bitter).  Like you said, Walking the Room was like “coming home” to a place I hadn’t lived before.

So I digitize and inventory holes in the ground for the transportation system in Ohio… Question 5: What is your dull, tear inducing vocation?

I audit physician coding, billing and documentation.  That’s a fancy way of saying I read medical records all day long and figure out what the physician should have billed, and how he/she could improve his/her notes.

Wow… Question 6: So what other podcasts do you listen to so that you can attempt to retain your sanity?

That list is ever-growing, mostly because I try to listen to podcasts by Cuddlahs whenever I can.  On the more well-known side, I listen to WTF, Superego, The Mental Illness Happy Hour, The Tobolowsky Files, The Moth, Science Friday, and This American Life.  Independent Cuddlah podcasts include Tales From the Attic (I was recently a guest), Toggle the Switch (I will be a guest in the coming weeks), and Going Postal.  I’m planning to listen to The Rigid Fist and The Midseason Replacements soon. [editor’s note:  Google these your damn selves]

I haven’t really jumped on any independent ones… Here is my list… TOFOP, Walking the Room, Never Not Funny, Nerdist, The Moth, Mental Illness Happy Hour, Sklarbro Country, The Dork Forest, You Made it Weird, The Pod F Thompkast, Big Pop Fun, Comedy Film Nerds, Smartest Man in the Universe, Doug Loves Movies, Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History,  NSFW Show, Tech News Today, Fourcast, Framerate,  Talkin Toons, The Shot, Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show, Weird Things, and Mysterious Universe.  I think that’s about it.  You know, not too many.  Listening to Kevin Pollak Chat show right now, and waiting for the mapping program to refresh. [editor’s note:  Google these your damn selves]

Curious minds want to know though…. Question 7: Cake or Pie? Which specific kind and why?

I generally don’t discriminate when it comes to dessert.  I like anything as long as it doesn’t have walnuts.  My favorite in the pie category would have to be something like a blueberry buckle or an apple crisp.  As for cakes, as long as it doesn’t taste factory-made I’m good.  I hate that frosting that comes in a plastic container in the store.  I’ll make my own buttercream, thank you very much.

Store bought frosting is an abomination… It should be dragged outside and beaten with a tire iron.

Question 8: So, other than podcasts, what do you do to pass your “free” time?  What does a CuddlahArmy do in an army downtime?

I have a husband and a seven year-old son who keep me pretty busy.  I love to cook, feed my friends, and walk my dog.  I’m the vice-president of my son’s school’s PTO, so right now I’m fundraising for next year.  I watch a fair amount of TV.

It is always a bit surprising when I find out that someone else who listens to Walking the Room has a family. It is surprising and somewhat uplifting.  It is nice to hear of someone who wallows in a broken sense of humor that also keeps up a “regular” lifestyle.

Question 9: So, Oklahoma and Alaska are not really known as a hotbed of comedy, where and how did you latch onto comedy?

I’ve always found that the best way to get through the trials of life is to laugh my way through it.  I once knew a wise elderly woman who said, “Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone.”  I remember loving Bill Cosby as a kid, then later finding Saturday Night Live (Eddie Murphy, Billy Crystal, Phil Hartman, Dana Carvey, Mike Myers, etc.)  The first R-rated movie I ever went to was “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles”.  One of my brothers took me to see Eddie Murphy in “Raw”.  I think that’s what hooked me.

It is amazing how laughing will sometimes hold off weeping.  Simply amazing.  

So, I tend to cook more around the household because of how much I enjoy watching my kids eat something I prepared (seriously is there much better in parenting than knowing that you are sustaining your kids on a primary level?)  and I tend to rely heavily recipe books from books done by “The Editors of Cooks Illustrated.”  Question 10: For your cooking, do you rely on recipes, if so, do you use family recipes or do you rely on books/the internet and such… or do you just wing it and throw some stuff together?

I don’t usually use recipes, and when I do I tend to combine two or three recipes together.  I do follow the Cooks Illustrated stuff to the T however, at least the first time.  I’m not very creative outside of the kitchen, so food tends to be my canvas, so to speak.

Food is a wonderful milieu within which to work, and if one is truly gifted in that space, one’s family is super happy about that.

Question 11: Can you bake?  Baking and cooking are significantly different skills.
Unfortunately, I am not a baker.  I hope to rectify that one day.

I cannot bake to save my life.  I have trouble even with the just add eggs and oil baking.

Luckily though, where food is concerned: where I am weak, my wife is strong…

This next question is not judgmental, or at least it is not intended to be judgemental, because in many ways the questions is very much one I ask myself everyday when I am getting ready to go to my unfulfilling work… Question 12: It sounds to me like the medical records billing auditing job you do is not necessarily what you would love to be doing.  What do you want to be doing?

That’s a great question.  I have no idea.  I’ve found that I’m good at organizing people, changing processes, and doing big picture type things.  I also hate politics and prefer to be the one in charge.  I do this now because I can do it from home and it gives me more time to be home with my son and available to help out at school, etc.  Someday I’ll need to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.  I have this fantasy that one day I’ll win the lottery and open a cooking school for kids.  Stay tuned.

It really is tough trying to determine what an appropriate career can be.  When you throw in the demands of a family on top of wanting your vocation to be fulfilling the difficulty of finding a worthwhile pursuit becomes even that much greater.

Ah, but is unlucky Question 13: Do you ascribe to any particular superstitions or have any specific rituals?

Not really.  I’m a lot more scientific than that.  I once took the Meyers-Briggs test and I was so far over on the “thinking” side of things my employees called me “Spock”.  I am a big believer in karma, however.

I don’t have many rituals anymore.  Basically I have a couple of mental calming rituals, but that is about all that is left of my superstitions and rituals.

I have been interested in this question for you in particular because in many ways you are more of a personality that is unassociated with a person and not recognized exactly as a person. Question 14: Fill in the blanks: “I find that I am mostly _________.”  ”Other people find that I am __________.”

Okay, I asked a dear friend of mine who has known be since 1986.  Here was her answer, and I agree completely:

Some people think I’m a control freak/ I think I’m conscientious.
Some people think I’m self-sufficient/ I think I’m self-sufficient because I surround myself with the right people.

Brilliant answers… I like the similarity of the answers which creates a sense of consistency and the discrepancy that indicates your individuality.  Digging it.  Digging it something fierce.

So I have adopted my Mother-in-law’s age-old adage of “Don’t let the fuckers get you down.”  Question 15: Do you have any family sayings, mottos, credos?  If so, where did it originate?

My husband’s grandmother always said, “Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone.”  We spend a lot of time laughing whenever life gets hard to make it more tolerable.

Well I hope you are capable of laughing when things are good too.  It would be sad if you could only laugh when times were hard… and you laugh all the time.

Here we are at Sweet 16.  Question 16: As an avid consumer of online entertainment, how do you see the online content changing the overall landscape of the comedy “scene?”

Hmmm… well, I’m no expert, but I think we’ve all noticed some changes.  Comedians are developing a fan base through podcasts and social networking.  This is great because they can find people who truly “get” them, much like Greg Behrendt and Dave Anthony are doing.  I think the approach Louis C.K. is taking is exciting.  I’m not sure if that model would work for just anyone, but he has definitely hit upon something.  I think we as fans are getting a lot of “free” content in the form of podcasts and tweets.  It will be interesting to see if they can make a living with live performances.  They have to find their fan base and then we as fans have to support them like crazy to make it work.

If anyone can find 2000 supporters willing to pay $40/year for their entertainment… one can make a pretty nice living (as long as you have NO overhead expenses).  I wish I could find 100 people willing to pay $20 a year for this crap I put out just so I can help out with the mortgage more (Donate at the bottom left!).  I know that if they could make it happen, I would be more than willing to make a micro-payment for ever episode of WTR, and then buy merch on top of that.  It will really be interesting to see how a Bo Burnham or some other rising comedic star makes this new landscape work.

Since I try to veer away from typical interview questions, there are often some “elephant in the living room” types of things out there or simply questions people wish I had asked, but did not know I should.  Therefore many people I ask questions hate this question, but here it goes… Question 17: Is there anything that you can think of that I should have asked you?

No… I mean, we made it clear that I’m female, right?  A lot of Cuddlahs assume I’m a guy for some reason.

The only clearer we could have made it would have been with pictures, but I ain’t running that kind of blog.

It is time to turn the tables a little bit, Question 18: Any questions you want to ask me?

How did you fare in the power outages?

We actually fared pretty well on the whole.  We lost power at about 5:30 pm on Friday the 29th and then our power was restored on Tuesday evening around 7 pm.  Luckily we got to miss the most vicious of the hot temperatures.  The issue was that for whatever reason our wireless router of 6 years went ka-put-ski. Most likely from age and nearly constant use, so we were unable to be a fully operational house until Thursday evening at about 9 pm.  Since then it has been blisteringly hot and our poor air conditioner has been getting a work out, but as of Saturday night when I am writing this answer, there are still a few people I know who are still without power.  It was really a nasty nasty wind storm.

Question 19:  What are you taking from this 20 Questions that you did not bring with you?

Ummm… that you are an incredibly patient man. [editor’s note: these 20 questions were answered over the course of 12 1/2 weeks]

You are very nice.  It is kind of like herding cats getting these things done.  Since they are email conversations, they can easily get dropped by the people I am questioning.  The people I ask questions have jobs, I have a job.  It is easy for these to be put on the back burner.  No worries.  When I start these I expect them to take a long time.

Question 20: So what is next for you? Be as clear or vague as you want and be as philosophical or concrete as you want.

What’s next… let’s see, I’m baking a chicken later today.  I don’t really have a lot of plans.  Cuddlah Army does what ever is needed, so that role will continue to evolve or devolve.  For me personally, I’m just really into watching my kid grow and change and become his own person. I want to be around him as much as possible so I can continue to enjoy that. As far as my career goes, I’m hoping someday I’ll have the guts to make a change, but that isn’t happening any time soon.  My family is my #1 priority. 

If we were Juggalos we would be chanting Fam-Muh-Lee right now, but we ain’t Juggalos.  We are Cuddlahs, and we are Army.

This was fun.  I am glad to have gotten a peek behind the curtain.

Please follow CuddlahArmy on the twitters.  and take a listen to her as a guest on the podcasts Tales from the Attic and Toggle the Switch.  Of course to get much more humor by listening to 2 guys expound upon why they aren’t popular, listen to Walking the Room.  It is one of the best podcasts out there because it just is.


To recap:
We are merely borrowing the house we are in right now
The buyers purchased it on Friday
We get kicked out on the 24th
We close on our new house this friday
We are not taking possession of that property until the afternoon of the 30th
We have a gap
And we will be uncomfortable during that gap
And probably stinky
I have a conference call this morning that is supposed to last for 2.5 hours
I will fight the urge to shoot myself and others
It will be a tough battle
But I will perservere
First thing Q said to her teacher upon entering her preschool today
“Crystal, Crystal, I went to Tucson and saw a Gila Monster”
Have a great weekend