Below is one of my first posts on this forum from May 10, 2010.
I don't believe I've ever updated it, so the updates follow the original text. Like Jaimie noted a few posts back (*waves at Jaimie*
), a lot has happened in many of our lives since then. Sometimes it seems like last week we were planning & preparing for that very first ever magical mystery metal cruise in 2011 and other times it seems like another lifetime ago.
City/Country:
Chicago, USA
***update 2015: ditto - I've lived in the city proper (not the suburbs) my entire adult life and plan to stay here always (outside of traveling of course). As much as I've enjoyed visiting other cities (I'm a "big city gal" and particularly love Paris, Stockholm, New York and Denver), there is no place I'd rather live permanently than Chicago.
Age:
40s
***update 2015: 54. I find it a tad funny that my original post said "40s."
I guess I felt uncomfortable stating my exact age of 49 at that time. Since then I have zero qualm about stating my age - this is a good thing.
I've "been there, done that" mid-life crisis stuff.
I am completely satisfied with my life path from birth to now & look forward to living the rest of my life with passion & gusto!
What first got you into metal:
Several years ago, I read about the fact that Steven Wilson (of Porcupine Tree – one of my favorite non-metal bands) produced Opeth’s Deliverance, Damnation, and Blackwater Park. On a wim, I bought a ticket to see Opeth in the fall of 2005 (not even knowing their music!). Needless to say, I was totally blown away by them…and, well….life has not been the same since.
***update 2015: Opeth and Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree remain two of my top favorite bands of all time. After seeing both several times in the past 10 years (and most recently in Dec 2014 and June 2015 respectively), both bands/artists continue to nearly move me to tears. I've had the pleasure of meeting Steven twice and told him the second time that it was entirely because of him that I became a metal fan due to his Opeth connection (which changed my life in many ways). He smiled.
Top metal experience to date:
Wacken 2009 (and I’m my way to Wacken 2010 which I have a feeling may surpass 2009!)
***update 2015: I can not answer this now because I've had
many "metal experiences* that are tied for "first place," that is, they are all special in their own way & I can not rank them per se.
Play any instruments?
Played acoustic guitar a bit long ago – would like to pick it up again at some point.
***update 2015: our 16 year old daughter Genevieve has been playing my old Martin acoustic for about a year now. I still plan to pick it up again myself sooooon.
Top 5 (metal) bands:
Opeth
Dimmu Borgir
Pain of Salvation
Tyr
Epica
***update 2015: I am somewhat surprised I put Epica in my top 5 since I'm not as much a fan of the band anymore. I think I saw them around that time & really enjoyed the gig, so they were top on my music radar. The others are still in my top faves list without question - especially Opeth & PoS who are tied for my number 1 spot. If I remove Epica from the top five, I could swap in....hmmm - Ulver, Agalloch, Rammstein, or Enslaved. I also feel the need to mention Rush, Yes, & Led Zeppelin as they are all in my top 10 fave bands ever list and have "been with me" 40 or more years making them all the more special.
More metal fave bands (would be way longer if I included non-metal): Agalloch, Amon Amarth, Arcturus, At the Gates, Behemoth, Borknagar, Dark Tranquility, Dir en Grey, Dream Theatre, Eluveitie, Emperor, Ensiferum, Enslaved, Ex Deo, Finntroll, Goatwhore, Heaven and Hell, Heidevolk, High on Fire, H.I.M., Hypocrisy, Immortal, In Extremo, In Flames, Kamelot, Kivimetsan Druidi, Korpiklaani, Lamb of God, Leaves' Eyes, Machine Head, Marduk, Moonsorrow, Motorhead, Municipal Waste, Napalm Death, Nightwish, Obituary, Orphaned Land, P.O.D., Paradise Lost, Primordial, Rage Against the Machine, Rammstein, Riverside, Samael, Satyricon, Scorpions, Septicflesh, Slayer, Strapping Young Lad, Swallow the Sun, Symphony X, Testament, Theatre of Tragedy, Therion, 1349, Tiamat, Turisas, UFO, Volbeat, Walls of Jericho
***update 2015: lots more I could add since this 2010 list, but won't bother at the moment....but wait! Gotta mention The Ocean and Kvelertak!! <3 <3 <3
What do you do?
librarian/historian/researcher
***update 2015: I have been at my same job now 26 years, up 5 years from 2010 & getting much closer to retirement now.
A big change that happened in 2014 was the merging of the formerly separate arts & music departments, so now I am both an arts
and music librarian (which I love!). I like to think of myself as the "heavy metal librarian."
What do you do in your spare time?
With full-time work, a house, and family, I wish I had more spare time! I especially enjoy going to museums and other cultural institutions, dance performances, concerts (metal and other genres). I also like to read – mostly non-fiction.
***update 2015: ditto, with the addition that I have always traveled as much as time and money allows.
What deck are you on?
K – deck 6
***update 2015: only did 70K in 2011 & 2012...since then I have pursued other adventures. I did love 70K though, and may be back in a few years or more.
What’s a creepy think I can say when I see you that no stranger should know and will weird you out that I do?
Hmmm….well, I saw the American Idol Tour in 2008…does that count?
***update 2015: "tell me about your recent
vision quest"