Interview

From the lovely Diana at http://piffleme.blogspot.com/ She sent me several interesting questions, which I answer here:

1) You have always had excellent taste in music. What are you listening to now? Still secretly adoring Bono or have the sunglasses dampened your feelings?

My adoration for Bono is no secret! I’m not a fan of the sunglasses, but remain a huge fan not only of the music, which I still love- but for Bono’s activism for Africa. Plus I LOVED “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb” their last album.

I’ve been enjoying R&B a lot more lately- Alisha Keys, Mary J. Blige, and old school stuff from Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin. I’ve also downloaded a couple of Frank Sinatra’s old songs. Current stuff I like include Coldplay, Corinne Bailey Ray, and this woman I’ve been hearing lately- Amy Winehouse, who I thought was Shirley Bassey, and I thought how strange yet cool that a pop station was playing a Shirley Bassey song only to find out that it’s this new singer.

I’m also going back and picking up some of my favorite 80s tunes for my iPod, recent downloads included Crowded House’s “Into Temptation” and Squeeze’s “Tempted” (I detect a “tempting” theme) I also pick up singers and songs from my childhood- like the eternally cool Neil Diamond baby! I will always be an Elvis fan as well.

2) You have always had a strong need to do the right thing and help the downtrodden. You work for a non-profit helping people. What single thing would you change (magic wand allowed) to make the lives of those you strive to help better?

I guess there are three things that would go a long way to allieviating suffering- 1. Taking better care of children- making sure that they are not abused and have access to healthy food and health care. Many of the adults who are in trouble- into drugs, crime, homelessness, depression, etc. were children that were severely abused and no one cared. Abused children become profoundly broken adults who perpetuate the cycle.

2. Health care. I think for a country as wealthy as the U.S. our health care system is a national disgrace. People (and not just very poor or homeless people) have been priced out of the system and wait until their health problem becomes a crisis before seeking care- to say nothing of preventative care. Also, putting mental health care on par with physical health. Depression, addiction, and other mental health conditions are as crippling and as life altering as cancer or diabetes.

3. Kindness. Although this might sound trite or pollyana- If everyone treated each other with a little more kindness, gentleness and empathy there would be a tremendous change- and you know its free! It doesn’t cost a thing to say a kind word, to do someone a small kindness everyday. I don’t think it takes a grand gesture or Mother Teresa level saintliness. Try to find something positive to say to some harried sales clerk or hold the elevator for someone. Just as I think thousands kindnesses will make a difference- I know a thousand small cruelties push things the other way. Saying or doing a small cruel or unkind thing is damaging. In my job I see people who are dealt thousands of small cruelties for the way the look, because they are addicted- it’s truly damaging. Also “regular” people are dealt this hand as well. How much better we would all be if this would change.

3) To those who know you, you are a famous history buff, with an emphasis on WWII. Which WWII participant would you wish to have a nice, leisurely dinner and a bottle of wine with? Who would you want to share pizza and beer with?

Wow. That’s a tough one. There are many people of that era I’d like to meet. I would love to enjoy that nice leisurely dinner with FDR and Churchill. Not only for the historical value, but I’m sure it would be tremendously engaging. FDR once wrote Churchill “Its fun being in the same century with you”- which I thought was funny, but also that both men had a sense that of the 20th century they would both be major figures. There careers were similar. During the first world war Churchill was second lord of the admiralty and Roosevelt was undersecretary of the Navy. Both were dealt blows mid-career after stellar starts- Roosevelt with polio, and Churchill with both the Dardenelles campaign (better know as Gallipoli- check out the film! Its great) and his political career was considered basically over during the ‘20s and early ‘30s. Both were keenly aware and right about what needed to be done to basically save western civilization- so dinner with them would be pretty cool!

I’d probably have pizza and beer with Harry Truman. Basically to time travel to figure out how we can infuse some Truman-esque common sense into the current disaster we have. Truman cracked down on war profiteering with the Truman commission reminding people that it is unconscienable to be making a profit off the blood of their fellow countrymen. Also, Truman had a great way of boiling things down to their essential elements and giving the straight story. I’d also like to time travel to let Harry know that George W. Bush is thinking of himself as the 21st century Harry Truman. Not that George W. Bush has a thimbleful of the personal integrity and character that Truman possessed. Just a story for comparison- when both were young men their country was at war. One man though he was in his early 30s and a little older than the average draftee, and he had horrible eyesight desperately wanted to serve- so he memorized the eye chart, served valiantly as an officer and stayed in touch with the men in his company as loyal friends until he died. The other man, though young and in the prime of life at the height of the war asked his Dad to help him avoid the draft by getting him a cushy air national guard post, and didn’t even thouroughly fulfill this obligation. Can ya guess which is which?

I love this quote from Harry Truman about Richard Nixon: “He lies out of both sides of his mouth. If he ever found himself telling the truth he’d lie again, just to keep his hand in.”

I suspect over pizza and beer when I informed Harry about the jackass who is trying to use his legacy, he might have something equally colorful to say- that is a message I’d love to hear.

4) When we all worked in the movie theater together, there were many rude people we were forced to clandestinely retaliate against. Which was your favorite act of vengence?

I did have a few things I did to very rude people. One was to put a huge helping of that mystery condiment “butter flavoring” at the bottom of the paper popcorn containers. They would sit them on their legs and get an oily stain on their pants if I put enough in. I would also pack in ice to drinks so they could barely get their straw in.

5) Have you ever given serious thought to running for politics? If so, what office (and what's keeping you)?

I don’t think I’d be a very good politician, though politics interests me very much. I don’t think I could be diplomatic enough or a good fundraiser, though I’ve often dreamed of working on a political campaign in a communications/pr role for someone I really believed could make a difference.