I missed Dorinda’s Open Call and I’ve been busy in the real world and away from the computer. But, after reading many of the interviews, (and feeling a little left out of the fun) I decided to steal some of the questions, even though they are meant for the real writers on this site. I also invite anyone with a question to post it in the comments, and I’ll answer it. 

How did you find OS? 

I have been a regular commenter on Big Salon, so I got invited to the Beta. My favorite part of Big Salon was, in fact, the letters. I would spend hours reading all the comments and I frequently learned more from them than the articles. 

When I joined OS, I had just gone into limbo, waiting to see whether  my marriage would hold together or not. I was holding the commitment to the marriage all by myself, which meant I couldn’t break down and vent anywhere else. OS has continued to be a source for human contact during the times when being without him has been too much to bear. I tend to be complete with my man and my work, and don’t make that many friends. Now, that tendency has led me to many hours of loneliness, so blogging has become a oasis. 

What is your favorite post on your blog?

My favorite is probably my love letter to Tony Bourdain. I think that it is the least rambling, most succinct writing I’ve done. Plus, I just love the big lug. 

The post I most wanted attention for is the one on Menopause, which would have been ignored totally if it weren’t for Cartouche’s support. It’s a subject I think is rarely written about in first person, as if women were ashamed of it. It was damn hard to write, emotionally.  

Where do your posts come from?

I write them in my head when I can’t sleep. Seriously, I construct whole articles, word for word, and then get up in the night and type them out. Whatever happened that day, or what I’m reading, or some stray thought. 

But I’m not primarily a writer. In fact, I'm insecure about it. I alternately cringe and glow when I get attention like an EP or a cover spot. I take nothing for granted.  I am aware that I have many bad habits in my writing. I use ‘because’ too much, I ramble and I lean on alliteration, parentheses and other gimmicky stuff. My approach to the subject is often lecture-like. I guess I learned how to write papers in college and never evolved from that style. 

  This is the first piece of felted clothing I made - the first!

What I most love is what I make with my hands, my felting work. I’m a visual person. I’m also good at databases. I will spout my confidence all day about those creations. But my writing is ordinary at best. My only strength is that I’m willing to be vulnerable, admit my flaws, and share the worst about myself. I think some people respond to that. 

Who are your favorite writers on OS?

Too many to list! Jodi Kasten and Lisa Kern, for wry and personable posts. Designanator’s photos and tours of NYC & Europe. BBD’s photos. Odette, because I could be her, but I’m not that funny.  Catamite Bastard’s soul. Saturn’s political analysis. Stellaa’s judicious commentaries. Aaroncynic’s independence. Moana’s lyrical writing about her life in India. Of course, Freaky’s posts are in a class by themselves. Roy Jimenez, Dave Cullen, I could go on and on. 

Who do you read in the real world?

This is a tough question, because I read junk, sci-fi and philosophy in equal amounts. I love the Sookie Stackhouse series, as well as The Golden Compass trilogy and all the Harry Potter books. I have been a dedicated reader of sci-fi “by the inch” - if there are 10 or more books in the series, I’m there! I regularly read The Lord of the Rings every 5 years or so; I credit Tolkien for the world’s fascination with myth and heroes. My favorite author of all time is John Fowles - I loved The Magus and French Lieutenant’s Woman - because of his deliberate toying with the reality and point of view. I read John Barth in college, but haven’t read much literary fiction lately. I think I fried too many brain cells in my wild periods to think too deeply. 

Right now, I’m reading The Lost Language of Plants by Stephen Buhner, which I will be writing about soon. I have to process all the information in the book first. 

What do you hate about yourself?

I am too serious, too earnest, too shy. I rarely lighten up. I guess that’s the oldest child syndrome - life is responsibility! It takes wine, beer, Jack Black or a couple o’joints to do it. Then, I am all hilarity and bad puns and silliness. 

What are your favorite...

Fuck! I hate those questions! Colors! Celebrities! Who gives a...

… places where you feel most at home?

Ah, ok. A good bar, dark and maybe even dank, with a live band playing rock or jazz. My garden in the spring. A music festival, filled with old hippies like me, reliving the best parts of our past. A sailboat in the Caribbean. Street cafes, preferably in Paris or Amsterdam. 

What does Ardee mean?

Before I was making felt clothing, I made fantasy/Ren clothes for women and sold them at music festivals, pagan festivals and Ren fairs. The name of my company was River Daughters, from my favorite character in The Fellowship of the Ring (LOTR). A goddess, for sure, and regrettably she was left out of the movie. RD became my shorthand ID on Salon from that, but when I signed up for OS, they weren't allowing two- digit ID's. So Ardee is RD phonetically. 

 This was a typical River Daughter's outfit.  

What do most people not know about you? 

I am a 16 year-old stoner playing bass in a punk rock band. I acted that out in the most aggressive way possible in my 30’s and am likely to do it again. 

Sex was the most important thing to me from 8 years old til menopause and I am really having a hard time now without it. 

I cry if someone else is crying, practically on demand and during any sad movie scene, even if it’s a bad movie. If I was a super hero, I’d be an empath. 

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Too much information? 

(post-note) I could have written out every favorite writer I have on this site, but it would have ended up several inches long. I just pulled names off my friends list that happened to have current posts. Everybody is included, other than maybe Gordon O and John Boni! (and they won't come around, anyway)