Interview.

My friend Stephanie was interviewed on her blog and it looked fun! Here are her questions to me! :) If anyone else wants to do it, say Interview Me! in my comments, and I will email you five questions for you to answer on your blog, tailored to you! :)

1) You are such an amazing person with so many talents. One of which is one that I have always dreamed of having, writing. What inspires your writing and what about it do you love most?

I first seriously considered with the idea of writing (that I remember) when I was back in Boise from U of I, starting my long hiatus from being in school, and trying to think of career paths that wouldn't involve me having to go back to school! :) Being a life-long reader, the idea of writing a novel myself came to me. I'd written short stories in middle school, but it had been a long time, and I'd never really finished any! But I decided I should seriously try it. I then read a book called Making Your Creative Dreams Real: A Plan For Procrastinators, Perfectionists, Busy People, and People Who Would Really Rather Sleep All Day (great title, huh? :)), which led me to start making small steps in the direction of writing. It took a while for me to start doing it, instead of just thinking about it, but if felt so right and I loved it. :)

Now, what inspires it is a desire to make a difference, as well as have a second home in Europe! :) (The dream of being the next J.K. Rowling or some such! :)) What I love about it most, for myself, is how it can help to center you in yourself, crystalize your thoughts and beliefs and place them firmly on paper (or screen). What I think I'll love about it most if I am ever published is the impact I have on kids. I'm working on a YA novel now, and kids feeling good about themselves is one of the things I've always cared about a lot. Books really affect your thinking, especially when young, and I would love to help kids to believe more in themselves and all the beauty in them and the world.

2) I was a vegetarian for 6 months last year so this question always intrigues me....How long have you been vegetarian, why did you become vegetarian, was it a hard adjustment and what does your hubby think???

This is kind of funny to me, but I don't remember the exact age I was when I became a vegetarian! :) Again though, it ties to that book I mentioned above, because when I read it, it asked you to make a big long list of all the dreams you have for life, small and large, anything you want to pursue or learn about or do. And one thing on my list was, "Learn more about vegetarianism." I'd kind of toyed with the thought of it in my head before, in kind of a naive Disney-esque way (like, what if animals are really like this, and we don't know it?? :)), and had even decided to stop eating meat once, which only lasted a few days. I'd never really looked into it deeply though, and wanted to.

So I started researching it, and ended up finding out about an industry that I just couldn't be a part of anymore. It had nothing to do with silly Disney movie thoughts, but cruelty. I've never since been bothered by people eating animals, necessarily- I think that our ideal diet for health probably consists of fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, beans, and a little bit of meat, perhaps. But the industry that provides us with 99% of it goes completely against nature. I believe animals are meant to have a chance to live the life God meant for them before becoming a part of the food chain- not be in a tiny cage their whole life without room to turn or extend a limb. I also believe we area meant to love, and factory farming is about the furthest from love I can imagine!! It is so cruel. I can't be a part of it.

I have eaten fish for a few months in there, and possibly might do so again in the future. And I implore people, not to necessarily give up meat, but to buy local meat raised outside the factory farm system. Plus then you're supporting small farmers!

It wasn't really a hard adjustment for me. It's pretty easy to eat anywhere without meat. And Zach is great- he has always been really supportive of whatever is in my heart, no matter the inconvenience to him. (And this comes up on a few different things! :)) We eat dinners that I make, which I hope to think are rather yummy sometimes, and when he's out and about in the world, he eats what he likes, which sometimes includes meat and sometimes not. :)

3) You are a beautiful newlywed!!! CONGRATS! What is your favorite part of being married?

Thank you, Stephanie! You and Ben still seem like beautiful newlyweds, although you've been married for years now! :)

I think my favorite part of it is the forever forever after-ness and being part of a new team, a new family, with such a wonderful person. I was so lucky in finding and loving Zach. We will be by each other's side with love all about us and a big family for ninety plus years! What a wonderful thought. :)

4) Sum up your life so far in 6 words.

Blessed by love, sense of self.

5) I can tell you live your life to the fullest with your WHOLE heart! What is one event you feel has impacted/shaped you into the person you are today the most and what is one memory that you can't wait to create???

Well, I think that what shaped me most into who I am today is, without a doubt, my family, and most especially, my mom. Their love gave me belief in myself, and inspired me to be everything good that I am. But that's a whole lifetime, not one event, let's see....

There's something that I think has really stamped itself on me, and shaped perhaps, the things that I feel most passionate about affecting in my life. I remember being on the bus in middle school, sitting close to the back. I was a quiet girl, not popular, but friends with occasional "popular" kids, and not ever picked on. There was a boy sitting across from me that was kind of the awkward sort, the boy that did get picked on. Another boy on the bus somehow got his backpack and wouldn't give it back to him, and then spit a luggee (is that how you spell it?) into it, and then gave it back. A bunch of people were laughing and I was just mortified at how this boy must feel- in the moment, and having to go home and tell his mom what had happened. I felt like I should say something, stand up for him, call the bully out on how stupid what he just did was. Be some sort of force for solidarity with this friendless boy who was alone and being laughed at and treated as if he was so different and deserved such different treatment. And I didn't do anything. I just sat there, too afraid of my own sort of standing within the bus hierarchy or whatever, to stand up for this boy. I went home and told my mom about it, and cried a lot.

I've read the idea that something in the past you have failed to do right sometimes becomes an issue close to your heart . So I think this may have affected my desire to help kids' self-esteem (along with the knowledge that it makes such a difference in their whole future happiness and the thankfulness that my family gave me this gift). And also perhaps to stand up for those that are forgotten and treated with cruelty, and need a voice. I hope I always remember this, and I hope it always makes me tear up, and remember the shame that I did nothing.

On a happier note, the memory I can't wait to create.... (although we're not quite ready to create it :)) is having a baby. :) Picking out those baby books and baby names and starting the biggest project of love we'll ever undertake in this world! :)

Also, buying our first house, taking my first trip to Europe, and of course, finishing my manuscript for my novel, Clara von Silversweet and the Spinning of a Spell, and then hopefully.... getting published! :)

Thank you for the questions, Steph! :)