Creedy
Hello Leonie, just relax and enjoy this. This won't hurt a bit. Can you tell me: how important do you think a sense of humour is in getting through life?

A sense of humour keeps you young. I think it helps a person to relate to others and can help you adapt and 'move with the times' - like when your kids call you a dinosaur and you can remember when you called your parents the exact same thing. I can laugh about things like that with my kids and know that the lines appearing around my eyes and mouth are NOT wrinkles - they are markers of laughter and happiness.


Pagiedamon
Tell us a little about yourself. Are you married, divorced, or single? Kids?

My husband and I have been together since high school - so now you can either say 'awwwwww' or make retching noises at how disgustingly sweet it is! We have two children who have both been the light and the bane of our existence. They are fantastic and loving one minute and ripping each other's throats out the next.


Creedy
What do you think are the most important factors that parents should concentrate on in bringing up happy, settled children?

Consistency. If you aren't consistent with rules, fairness, etc, then all the effort you are putting in will come to nothing. It also helps if both parents are on the same page when it comes to what is appropriate and what is not. My husband can't seem to understand why I think it's not appropriate for him to play zombie-killing PlayStation games in front of our four-year old. My husband is a bit more relaxed about parenting than I am - 'good cop/bad cop' parenting can be beneficial at times - but for the most part, we are pretty much agreed on how to bring up our little monsters. At the end of the day, I consider we have done a good job if our kids grow up to not have drug or alcohol problems, and if they haven't seen the inside of a jail cell by the time they have their own kids.


zorba_scank
Do you have any pets or would you like to have any?

We don't have any pets at the moment. The last fish died a couple of months ago when we went away for the weekend. The fish before that died when we went away for the long-weekend before that one - I think it's nature's way of telling us we shouldn't have fish! Before that, we had a couple of guinea pigs - one died of old age and the other one got heat stroke. Before that again, we had fish which we gave away (only a few deaths that time!) before we moved house so we could move the fish tank. The big fish tank is about 1.8m (6 feet) long and super-heavy. We didn't get around to filling it again when we moved so after six years of the kids using it for throwing their toys into, I filled it with part of my Lego city.


Creedy
I know you come from Western Australia. How would you personally feel if Western Australia, as it has done in the past, really pushed to be considered a separate independent country from the rest of Oz? (For those who don't know this, WA is separated from the other main population areas of the country by several simply enormous deserts.)

Perth (where I live) is also the most isolated capital city in the world. It doesn't feel like it to live here though. We are three hours from Adelaide (I have family there) and about four hours from Sydney - that's by air, not car. We have forests in the south of the state and deserts and tropical weather to the north we also have some of the most beautiful beaches in the country and (I think) the world. It is the perfect place to live. I don't really have any opinion either way in regards to Western Australia separating from the rest of Australia. It's already cheaper to go to Bali (Indonesia) than other Australian states, so unless travel to the rest of Australia was cheaper, I'd be happy to stay how we are. The only difference the average person would see (after a separation) is possibly not so much of the antics and goings-on of the politicians who are supposed to be running the country.


shuehorn
Where have you traveled in the world? Where would you like to go if you had the chance to go anywhere (no limit on vacation time or funds)?

I've travelled mainly in Asia, although not too far from home. Bali, Phuket, Penang, and Singapore are the places I've been. We are going on a cruise holiday (with the little monsters) in a few months' time to the 'other side' - we are going to Vanuatu and around the small islands in the Pacific.

Once we own our house, we are planning on saving up to spend six or so months travelling the world. From there, we'll probably decide where we like best and plan to spend more time discovering those countries. First on the list for me is New Zealand; first on my husband's list is the Czech Republic.


Pagiedamon
What is your real-life job or occupation?

I just started a new job doing accounts and office administration, but am also studying a double degree in Librarianship and Corporate Information Management. Nope, I don't want to be a librarian - I just have to do that part of the course to get my qualification in Information Management. Working and studying (along with ferrying kids around the place) is hard work - but very fulfilling.


zorba_scank
What would your dream job be?

I've already had two dream jobs! My first job out of school was as a lifeguard and I loved it. By the time I started having my children, I had decided that I didn't want to be responsible for people's lives any more, so quit my job and concentrated on being a mum for a few months.

After I had my son, I found an entry-level job in reception that I loved. It was a small family company but I worked my way up through the ranks to eventually leave nearly eight years later when the business was closing. I loved that my bosses encouraged me to follow in my dreams and inspired me to learn more about what I was doing and found work around the business for me that suited my strengths and passion for 'playing' with computers and applications. This eventually led to the degree I am studying now.


zorba_scank
Outside of FT, what is a typical day in the life of lones78 like?

A weekday consists of me yelling at the kids for a while to get out of bed, get dressed, have breakfast, brush teeth, etc (ugh! I'm getting tired of just thinking about tomorrow morning!). The kids get dropped at school before I go to work - I am lucky in that I only work during school hours and can then pick the little 'angels' up from school at the end of the day. The rest of the afternoons are spent ferrying kids between football, dancing, swimming lessons, teeball, baseball (depending on the season), before my husband and I do our own things in the evenings - sports training, committee meetings, and the gym if I have any energy left. A weekend is similar, minus me working!


zorba_scank
If you had one day just to yourself, free of all work and family commitments, what would you do?

I have my favourite day spa and would spend the day there - pedicure, massage, facial, etc - aah, it calms me just thinking about it...


Pagiedamon
I know that one of your hobbies is netball. Can you tell us a little about it? Are you any good?

Any good? It depends on who you ask! I have been playing since I was nine and the only time I have taken off from netball is when I was pregnant, tore ligaments in my ankle, broke my foot and tore the tendons in my hip (not at the same time, mind you). I play a couple of times a week and have even been convinced to play 'real' netball this winter season (competitive netball).


shuehorn
I think you are one of the site's best authors. Do you find it easier to write in combination with others or on your own?

Awww shucks - thanks Sue! I like writing both by myself and as a group. The first group experience was the Amazing Race and I loved it. It was definitely hard with us all being in different time zones but I think we handled it well, even though my patience got a bit of a work-out. Poor Kyle - having to deal with the demands of having authors in different time zones to keep happy - it must have been much harder on him than on us. I'd like to do something similar again - I've lost my writing mojo for now and even the Adventures in Authoring challenge hasn't inspired me yet. I am hoping I'll get my mojo back soon and can write some more quizzes.


shuehorn
How do you find the inspiration for writing a quiz in a subject area that is not one of your "usual" choices?

It's difficult. Usually I'll start with Wikipedia (yep, because everything on there is 100 percent factually correct ;)) then I'll keep working until I find an interesting angle on a topic and go from there. One of the hardest quizzes I wrote (and didn't have much motivation for) was the one I have an EC on - I nearly fell off my chair when I saw my badge and the congrats from the Editor who awarded it to me.


shuehorn
Which of your quizzes do you feel is a neglected gem?

I love my quizzes on parody and alternate religions. I am not religious at all and found them both really interesting to write. I still have fun and a chuckle thinking about some of those religions out there that have been 'invented' for the entertainment of others.


shuehorn
You are a FT team leader. How was your team Vegemite Sandwich formed? What are the dynamics of the team? Do you enjoy team competitions? I am also a member of a team with just a few active members. What are the challenges of being on a small team?

The reason I started Vegemite Sandwich was that I was irritated by the constant messages to join random teams with people I had never 'met' before. I also couldn't play the two team games. So my sister and I (who email each other constantly at work) came up with the name and the team was born - mum and both sisters, and then a few others along the way. There are pretty much just two of us who 'report for duty' each day, but the others drop in every now and again to join in the fun and say hello. The main challenge I find is that none of us can get team points because not enough of us log in each day and play.


Creedy
Do you think it is important that people should contribute, in every way possible and to the best of their given abilities, to a fully functioning and compassionate society?

I think, in general, that most people do that. Be nice to others and the universe will be nice to you.


Pagiedamon
Which three words best describe you?

I was thinking of writing "awesome, awesome and awesome", but I think I'd be better going with "loyal, enthusiastic and determined".

Thanks everyone - the questions were fun to answer and some really got me thinking!


Thanks to all of the participants.

It's not easy keeping up with so much, not just team-wise, but individual author-wise. Having to scan through three dozen authors constantly, refreshing the front page for immediate clue send-outs, etc. TBH it would actually be easier to do it with my current schedule since my day is split by two five hour naps and two seven hour blocks of awakeness. What's that all about, eh? XD

We miss you in the Lounge. Come back to the madhouse.

Very nice interview.

What committees are you involved with, why did you chose those committees and do you hold, or have you held, any positions in those committees?

Good interview. You're hired!

Love the comment about the pollies running our country. You were too kind

At the moment, I am the Secretary of the local teeball club. For those of you who don't know, teeball is a modified version of baseball for kids under the age of 13. The main difference is that they hit the ball off the tee, the pitcher doesn't pitch a thing, and the catcher is there as a base-man, not a catcher like in baseball. The kids also can't steal bases.

I've been the Secretary of that club for 3 years now and I love it. It's hard work but very fulfilling. I did my first stint of coachin last year and the fact that I have never played the game myself made it a challenge. I am also the team manager for my son's team that plays in the state league - they played very impressively to win the U11 state championships.

I try to stay away from committees and helping out in winter sports to give myself a break, but I've ended up as First Aider for my son's football team this season. It seems I can't leave well enough alone!

Thanks Kyle - when Uni breaks for the semester, I will be back for a while. It's pretty quiet where I work so I'll need something to keep my brain engaged!

Creedy - I was trying to be nice You really dont want to get me started on what I really think!

Wonderful! I'm trying to plan some fun stuff this summer (probably around anniversary month in the Lounge/July). Fun!

This is a nice one, but all that energy and rushing about wore me out just reading it! How do you do it???

Thanks,

Teeball is played in the U.S. now as a lead up to Baseball with coaches pitching in between.

I'm sure the leauges your involved in are much better for it.

I enjoyed your interview Lones78 and quite agree with your parenting philosophy. My four children are grown now and have children of their own. It amuses me (proudly) to see them using with their little ones so many things I tried to teach them, but thought they weren't listening! Would love to visit Australia - maybe someday...

Ren - sometimes I wonder how I manage to do all that stuff as well! I usually fall into bed at the end of the day completely exhausted. At least I sleep well

MadMartha - I cring sometimes when I hear myself saying things that my parents used to say to me. It's even scarier when I hear my husband say something my Dad would have said to me when I was young - he died before I met my husband so they never had the chance to meet.

Bx - I didn't realise they played teeball in the US. I thought the kids went straight to Little League? I'm not sure how it works in the rest of Australia but in West Aus, we have teeball, then Little League, then 'proper' baseball.

In the late 70's, which were my little league days, they weren't offering Teeball or having coaches pitch in game situations before starting Little League where the kids do all aspects.

Now they have Teeball and pitching by coaches in the first few years.

I'm not sure the age groups for each form of the sport though.

Wow, Leonie! You make juggling a full time job with further studies and raising two little kids seem like a piece of cake. I'll have what you're having. :p

Great interview Leonie! I'm chuckling about you noting those particular comments and sayings that filter down through the generations - I suspect that might be universal. I love having some mature-age students in my classes as they tend to be more focused, engaged and willing to share their perspectives and life experiences. How are you finding the lecture environment, or is your course mostly on-line? Do you get the opportunity to interact with younger class members and how is that going?

(PLEASE, this is not suggesting you are old in any shape or form :-) but rather, recognition that you're not going into the course straight from school)

Great interview Leonie. I can't imagine how you do it all. Like Zorba scank can I have some too

Thanks Zorba & playmate I find that exercise helps to raise my energy levels and helps me sleep, although I do spend a lot of time tired



Mike - my course is fully online - I don't have time to make it into uni for classes.

We sign up for a unit (similar to learning in person) then have access to an online discussion board and our assessments, grades, etc for each unit we enrolled. We then get marks for participating each week in discussions started by the tutor or lecturer (as well as for set assessments).

There is also an intro thread where we all learn about each other so those close to each other sometimes form study groups or work on assessments together. Last year, four of us used Skype and a few other online tools to collaborate in a group assessment. There were two of us in Perth, one in Melbourne and one in Rockhampton.

I find online learning easy as I can do it in my own time and when I am in the mood to do some reading or listen to lectures.

I am kind of in the middle in regards to age groups doing my course. There are a handful straight out of school and many my age and older. Most people tend to choose Librarianship as a change of career, it's not generally a career choice for those straight out of school. Stereotypes have a lot to do with that - something we have been discussing this semester in one of my units.

I have been to uni before (straight out of school) but found I wasn't really ready and didn't do so well. Going back was a huge step but I have found that I am now ready to learn at this level, and I love it!

Hello Leonie,

Nice to hear more about you. I visited Australia in 1982 and Perth was, (do not launch anything at me here in California the rest of oz!) the Australian city I preferred. We got to rent an actual apartment with kitchen etc so it was very homelike. Plus you've got the nicest swans!

Do you find librarian work or information science to resemble what you enjoy in the trivia world? I found it very similar. I was trained to catalog in my university job in Hawaii and it suited me for that reason. I was always learning something.

Stereotypes of librarians? You mean the pince nez glasses and twin set and skirt?

A very outdated stereotype - I did my work experience (in a public library) with a girl who looked more at home on a stripper pole than in a library!




I find that I am interested in knowing 'stuff' - I think that has been my inspiration for pursuing a career in information management. I like to know where things go, where they fit, how they work together to make a whole... I also found that I loved the logic and organisation of filing things (here's the part where I hear people saying "are you serious?!" ).

I think there is a correlation between trivia and information - but only for me in the sense that I like to absorb as much of it as possible. I would be happy being a full-time, permanent student - because I love to learn so many differnt things - but I don't think my husband would be impressed (too much money out, not enough coming in!).

How dare you talk about my sister like that!



Seriously, I absolutely agree with you. If I were to rank the ten most libertinous women I know well, roughly three of them would be librarians. And this is me we're talking about.

LOL!

Entertaining interview. Love your sense of humor!

Lol at Stu

Lol at you too "Lones", you quite often say the most amusing things

I love all the interviews, but thank you Leonie for making this one one of the most interesting for me. My best friend since 1974 is also a librarian. You remind me of her (and that's a "good thing")

: )

Thanks Jakeroo.

Life would be boring with no laughter in it