Schoonie
How did you first become acquainted with FunTrivia?
My son had introduced me to internet trivia and I decided to search for some different sites and just came across it on Google.
That was in 2006 and I have been here ever since.
Just when I thought I had found everything on the site, Terry added more and I am still finding new things to do.
RMG
When I approached you to be a moderator on the chat boards, what were your first thoughts, and what made you decide to take up the offer? When I approached you to be a moderator on the chat boards, what were your first thoughts, and what made you decide to take up the offer?
My first thought was: you must be really desperate for Moderators.
My decision to accept the offer was for a couple of reasons:
One was to give something back to the site that was instrumental in helping me when I was at my lowest and was sometimes the only reason for me to get out of bed (I just couldn’t fall behind in trying for the Badges on offer) and eventually getting to know some lovely people who frequent the site.
Including the ones I have met in real life and go to a trivia night once a week. (There was a post on my Regional Board asking if anyone in the Brisbane area was interested in meeting up at a venue in the Northern Suburbs of Brisbane.) Also the one(s) who no longer goes because they live too far away – you know who you are
Pagiedamon
What has been the most surprising aspect of this position? What has been the most surprising aspect of this position?
The friendliness of the majority of the people (even some I have had to ‘warn’ about overstepping the mark in some of their posts).
Schoonie
How does being a FunTrivia Moderator compare with other sites that you have worked on as a moderator?
I have only ever been a moderator on one other site. It was a very small support group for people with depression and other types of MI.
Nothing like the volume on FT and mainly just getting rid of the odd troll or two.
Schoonie
What hobbies and interests do you have outside of FunTrivia?
Having my son take me for rides on his motorbike. (after my “crash” with Depression and Anxiety, being on the back of his bike was the only time I lost the sick feeling in my stomach).
I have a learners permit and did have some lessons. If I could afford a bike I think I would enjoy riding myself, but there is something to be said about being a pillion and having all the fun and none of the responsibility of having to watch the traffic.
Sometimes we go out for the whole day and usually into the mountains where we stop and go for a trek through the National Forests.
Watching NFL and having my own Fantasy Football teams is another thing I enjoy doing (not when my teams are doing badly though).
I also like reading and Fantasy books are my favourites. Feist, Jordan and Kerr and anything in that vein.
Love Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books too and many others.
Mutchisman & Schoonie
You live in Queensland; can you give us a flavour of life there?
Bundy and coke
I live in the South East corner of Queensland on a Peninsula about 30 minutes drive from Brisbane.
It is also only about an hour to the really good surf beaches and we can see Moreton Island from our shoreline. No surf here as the Island shelters us making it a very nice place for swimming.
The foreshore is a great place to enjoy the gentle waves, although we have had mini cyclones which the wind surfers love.
Lots of outdoor activity (if you are so inclined) as the weather is very mild in the winter months.
The mountains are only a short distance away so we get the best of all worlds. City life, beach life and lots of National Parks with the natural Bush to enjoy.
BxBarracuda
Do any unusual animals and/or birds ever visit your garden?
Not unusual to me, but we have had Kookaburras, (the Queensland Kookaburras are smaller than the ones in Victoria) Ibis. At different times we have different types of Rosellas (lately there is a pair of Pale-headed Rosellas who come regularly.)
When I lived in an inner city suburb we used to have Bush Turkeys wander around and build their mounds in our back yard!
There used to be a Blue Tongue Lizard but haven’t seen him for years.
Occasionally we have seen a bearded Dragon, and of course every summer the Geckos come and adorn our walls.
The most common spider around our yard in webs are Golden Orbs – very large but harmless. They stay outside making webs in the trees and bushes so I have no problem with them being there.
We also hear, more than see, green frogs.
Earlier this year we had a yellow bellied snake curled up near our BBQ. My son tried to catch it so he could ‘relocate’ it on the other side of the Park opposite our house, but as we had been having some warmer days for that time of the year than usual, it was very lively and slithered away.
I am sure other snakes come but I rarely see any as they will run away from humans given the chance and space.
Mutchisman, Schoonie & McTavish
Have you ever lived or worked in a different part of Australia or the world and if so how was it different to where you are now?
I was born in Victoria and lived in the Dandenong Ranges for a major part of my life.
I really miss the beautiful colours of Autumn but definitely don’t miss having to scrape ice off the car in the winters
I found the people have a slightly different sense of humour, but perhaps that is just me.
The only time I have been out of Australia is about 5 years ago when I spent 6 months teaching Conversational English in the town of Macheng, Hubei Province, central China.
That was completely different as the majority of teachers and their families lived in apartments at the school and students lived in dormitories.
The genuine friendliness and helpfulness of the people wherever I went (even though I didn’t speak Mandarin), was amazing.
When I returned home it really hit me how isolated people have become in our Western societies.
What are your favourite places that you have travelled to or worked and would you return there if you had the chance?
I would love to go back to China and see more of the beautiful country and also see some very dear friends I made while there.
I was lucky as I was able to go to places the average tourist wouldn’t get to.
I spent a few weeks in Yunnan Province and would love to go back there, especially the ‘Old Town’ of Lijian.
There are many other parts I would love to visit too. Even travelling an hour away can be a completely different experience in such a vast country.
The mix of traditional ways of living and more ‘westernized’ ways are intermingled.
I have only seen the East Coast of my own country. From Townsville in North Queensland, down to Tasmania.
I would like to go back to Hobart again (I spent a lot of holidays there when younger and living in Melbourne).
If the weather wasn’t so cold I would really love to live in Hobart.
The only part of Tasmania I haven’t really seen was the wilderness on the west coast.
Leith
Apart from raising a son, what do you regard as your greatest achievement to date?
One of my achievements was to drive, by myself, from Brisbane to Melbourne to visit my brother.
A 22 hour drive which I did with only one stopover. I did not want to drive during the night in case of hitting wildlife or being freaked out by all the interstate trucks zooming along the highway.
Teaching conversational English in China and making friends with people in the community there, even though I can’t speak their language, is the only thing I have done that is of any real importance.
It was something that made me feel useful.
BxBarracuda
If you had the power to change one thing in the world, what would it be? And why?
I would like to banish the selfishness and greed of mankind because everyone deserves to live a life with food and shelter and no fear.
I wish more people would realize that even though we live in different countries and have different ways of looking at things the average person around the world is very much the same deep down and just want to live a comfortable and peaceful life.
Pagiedamon
You are an avid quiz-taker. Do you think you'll ever write one of your own? Why or why not?
I have often thought of writing a quiz but I am not creative enough to do a good one, and have no idea what category I could do.
I am not saying I never will. Maybe one day I might get a brainstorm and one will just come to me.
It took me long enough to even do ONE question.
I do intend to do some more individual ones and might even get to 50 if given a few years.
RMG
If you were to appear on a TV quiz show, and you could choose a subject to win the jackpot, which subject would you hope you were offered?
A general knowledge question that I knew the answer to.
I seem to know a little about a lot of topics but am not an expert in any of them.
McTavish
Which famous person would you most like to meet, and entertain for dinner at your house, and take sight-seeing around Brisbane? If the sight-seeing was to be done by motorbike, would you choose the same person?
I have thought and thought about this question and really can’t choose any particular famous person.
I would love to be able to show my part of the world to a very dear friend from China.
Mutchisman
I know you are a big fan of live music; which would you consider to be your most memorable five concerts?
Only 5?
Pink Floyd would have to be one of the most memorable (It was in the 70’s and their first trip to Australia. (An amazing light show.) I saw them in Melbourne where I was born and raised. I moved to Queensland about 20 odd years ago.
I have been lucky enough to see Metallica, Fleetwood Mac, REM, Alice Cooper, Page and Plant, AC/DC, Sex Pistols and my favourite live band Pearl Jam.
Pearl Jam are having their fifth tour of Australia at the end of November and my son and I will be going to see them for the fifth time.
All the Big Day out concerts have been memorable . Up until a few years ago I went to all the ones in the Queensland leg of the tours.
So many artists over the years, some of which I didn’t know were playing until we wandered past some of the stages at the outdoor venue of the Big Day Out.
Aussies will know about those outdoor concerts, everyone else can Google about it
In no particular order and in different years - The Ramones, Marilyn Manson, Devo, Sean Lennon, Korn, Ministry, to name just a few of the International musicians and heaps of Aussie bands.
No particular music hero that I can think of. Just anyone who can make me lose myself in their music.
Mutchisman
Which sports do you like to watch and do you follow any particular team(s)?
I always watch Aussie Rules (Melbourne Demons are the team I barrack for) and in their off season I get my football fix with the NFL. (The Indianapolis Colts are my team in that code of football).
I have a few Fantasy Teams in the NFL and even get myself up early Monday mornings to watch the games live.
Formula One is another I like to watch.
I tend to watch Womens basketball and the International Netball Games.
I used to play Netball and Basketball several times a week when I lived in Victoria.
I did join a netball team when I moved to Queensland but it just wasn't the same and after a couple of seasons I stopped playing.
Tennis is another sport I don’t mind watching on TV.
BxBarracuda
If the Colts were to play a game near where you live, who would you go to the game and who would you like to see them play against?
I would go and see the Colts play anyone, but would especially enjoy seeing them beat the Pats.
I would go by myself if I had to, but would love to have my American friend who introduced me to NFL (and got me hooked on Fantasy Football) to accompany me.
Mutchisman
How disappointed were you when Australia lost The Ashes in 2009 (teehee)
Cricket is not really my cup of tea (much too slow for me – I like sports with action in them LOL) so losing the Ashes didn’t affect me at all except I wasn’t able to ‘rib’ my English friends.
I guess they have to win sometimes!
Pagiedamon
What are your favorite types of quizzes to play?
I love any type of Wordplay quiz.
Schoonie
What would you consider to be the high point of your life, the moment you're most proud of?
Never having been out of Australia before, I would have to say when I went to China by myself and was the only foreigner in the school.
I was quite proud of myself for just reaching my destination without getting lost or stranded despite having to find the correct flight connections.
Leith 90
Teaching English in China sounds fascinating! How did you get into that? How long were you there for?
A friend I worked with was going to China to teach with her husband. I was very dissatisfied with my life and thought I needed to get out of my rut so I got the Recruiters number, applied for my passport and within a couple of months was on my way to Macheng, Hubei Province central China.
I was there from September 2004 and returned to Australia in February 2005 with the intention of doing a TESOL course and returning to China.
Unfortunately, after completing the online part of the course and one day of the weeks in-house intensive in Brisbane events prevented me from continuing.
RMG
Faye, you obviously get a kick out of riding the bike with your son. Is there anything else that gives you a 'thrill'? And keep it clean.
These days about the only thing I get a kick out of , apart from the bike rides, is attaining a Badge on FT or having a win in my Fantasy Football leagues.
I also enjoy talking to my friend in the USA via the computer through IM.
After the Pearl Jam concert last week I found I still loved seeing live bands especially when they play in an outdoor Stadium.
Schoonie
Has there ever been a time while motorcycling where your heart leapt into your throat?
Only when ignorant car drivers change lanes without looking when on the highway and almost take the bike out.
It doesn’t happen often but once or twice was enough.
Going fast, or going down winding mountain roads just makes me feel alive.
My son has said a couple of times “did that scare you” but I haven’t even noticed things that might make his heart leap into his throat as I just sit on the back and look around and enjoy myself.
He does all the work and worrying about road/traffic conditions LOL
BxBarracuda
Your avatar, the peek-a-boo giraffe one, is one of the more unique ones on the site, more than a few times in the past I tried to get the giraffe into a longer conversation with different approaches, but she would drop her insight into a thread and move on. How did you come to have this avatar represent you on the site?
The giraffe apologises for not realising you wanted to converse more when she put in her ‘two bob’s worth’ into a thread.
A friend of mine sent the giraffe to me (amongst others) when she was trying to cheer me up.
I tried several avatars before deciding the giraffe might give other people a smile as it does me.
BxBarracuda
I had the pleasure of getting a brief listen to an Australian guitarist Orianthi Panagaris while she was doing a radio interview. Is she a huge star in Australia, have you heard her music, did you like it and how would you describe her talent and style?
Not having heard of her, I looked her up and listened to her on the net.
As far as I am aware she is not well known in Australia but I could be wrong.
I quite liked her singing and guitar. She puts a lot of ‘life and guts’ into it. A real ‘rock-chick’ – as we would have said in years gone by before music was labelled into such tight categories as it is now.
BX
Is there anything else you would like to add to let the FT community know about yourself?
The only thing I have to add is that when I volunteered to do this interview I had no idea anyone would want to ask me so many questions or know so much about such an uninteresting, un- creative person as myself.
Much thanks to all involved, especially Faye.
Edited by Pagiedamon (Mon Dec 31 2012 12:48 PM)
Interview with Ozfei
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