interviewed by kitanzi

[cellio]

The interview meme is making the rounds again. kitanzi asked me some questions:

1. Why did you choose caffeine as your default icon?

Whimsy. I used to use a photo of me as the default, but I felt that was a little too public. (I've got photos in the userpics, but at least you have to go look.) I've changed defaults a few times; for a while I was using the mandelbits because they're pretty. I do have a serious caffiene (but not coffee!) habit.

2. For that matter, you have an icon labeled Larissa, and it's even spelled the same way I do. Who is that Larissa?

A character in a D&D game. I use it when posting in-character entries in ralph_dnd. The campaign is over now, but I still owe the game journal a couple more entries. (The final one has been planned for years; I have to write the penultimate one first, though, and I haven't done that yet.)

3. How did On the Mark get started, and how'd you choose the name?

We were all musicians in the SCA and I was looking for a chance to do music with a broader scope. One particular con (Darkover) seemed to be receptive to folk music and had a large SCA contingent, so I thought maybe we could get together and play some stuff at that. I pitched the idea to three other people, who liked it. We were kind of stuck on coming up with a name until one member ("A") observed that our initials spelled "MARK". We played with that until we came up with "on the mark" (I think immediately on the heels of "off the mark" :-) ).

4. When you decide to do a character for the SCA, how do you choose and develop it?

Different people approach it differently. Some go for the clothing they like best; some build a persona around a particular interest (e.g. someone interested in dance going for Italian Renaissance). I picked a period of history that I thought was interesting and went from there.

It is impossible for me to reconcile all of my SCA interests with a single persona, though when I can make things fit together I do. So my 10th-century Andalusian wears appropriate clothing and has an appropriate dwelling for Pennsic, but plays renaissance music. You win some, you lose some. :-)

My first persona was Viking-age (10th century Denmark), but I found it increasingly dissonant to be doing Jewish stuff (personally) like saying food blessings with a Viking persona. I'm not very good at staying in persona, but that blew any chance I had. So I switched to a Jewish persona.

5. What's the scariest thing you've ever done?

Hmm. Good question.

I've never been a thrill-seeker; I don't hang-glide, climb mountains, ski, do drugs, drive very quickly, or stuff like that. I've been in very scary situations (like near-accidents), but I infer that you're asking about something I did more than something that happened to me.

So I guess it has to be something emotional or interpersonal. I've certainly had scary times -- quitting a job without having one to go to (it was that bad), telling someone I loved him when I strongly suspected he didn't feel the same way, approaching a rabbi for the first time -- but no single incident is standing out. I'm sorry; I feel like I should be able to answer this.

Here's the rules:

1. Leave me a comment saying "interview me".
2. I will respond by asking you five personal questions so I can get to know you better.
3. You will update your LJ with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Comments

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

Interview me?

(I know, I still owe you questions too...)

[cellio]

1. What con that you've never been to would you most like to go to, and why?

2. If teenaged you met current you, what would most surprise the former?

3. What are the key characteristics of a really good musical performance?

4. You can invite any one person, living or dead, to your house for an evening. A universal translator will be supplied if needed. Whom do you invite, and how do you spend the time?

5. Coffee, coke, tea, or something else?