Neil's "The Great Interview Experiment"

Neil has the coolest ideas... the Annual Arts & Crafts Fair, the Holiday Concert, and now, his The Great Interview Experiment.

I hadn't met Tatiana before and since her blog is so new, I decided to go back to the beginning and read it in its entirety. I wanted to get a "feel" for her personality and writing style. After reading just a few posts, I realized she has a great sense of humor.

Without further ado, I bring you my interview with Tatiana...

1. Your good friend has been blogging for a number of years. What is it that inspired you to start your blog just this past October?

Yes, Karel initially got me into the idea that I could blog. I actually had two blogs before this- one while I studied abroad in Australia and one during my senior year of college. But they were more of the 'this is what I had for lunch today' kind of blog. Though, to be fair, I did have kangaroo in Australia, which is much more exciting that pb&j!

2. I like the way you mix-it up with your fun sense of humor. Yet, you also talk about the challenges you face -- both as a graduate student and personally. Do you regret that your blog is no longer anonymous?

Sometimes. I do like the fact that many of my friends and family read my blog (hello, friends and family!). We talk about it in the 'real world'. A lot of the things that I post about are things that happen to me or that I talk about with friends, so even if the blog didn't have my name on it, they would be able to figure things out.

But I also don't talk about a lot of personal things that I would like to write about. Moving back home for school shifted a lot of things in my life but since I know a lot of my readers and my name is all over the place, I don't share those things online. I am lucky to have good friends to talk to about recent life events, but I have been contemplating a personal site where I could just spew out all the other thoughts running through my mind. I've never been terribly good about keeping a journal but if I don't hold myself to writing in it everyday, I may pick that up again. Besides, I think that I've set the tone for my site and it is usually pretty upbeat.

3. You've titled this particular blog "Rizado". Where did that come from?

Rizado means curly in Spanish. I have curly hair and am half Colombian.

4. Your studies have taken you from private Catholic school in Maryland, to England, Australia, and Boston. What was the most important thing you learned from each place?

Oh man- well, Catholic high school was also all girls, so I feel that contributed a great deal to my outspokenness. As far as being from Maryland, I have a LOT of state pride. I learned how to open a crab, take the metro, roll my kilt, and hate humidity.

I was in England for seventh grade, where I learned a lot about Henry VIII's wives- seriously, they were my obsession for awhile. I loved just the sheer amount of built history in England. Coming from the US where things over 100 years old are considered very historic, I was blown away, walking through old churches and cemeteries that dated back hundreds of years.

Australia was an amazing experience. I would go back in a heartbeat, if someone could guarantee no turbulence. There, I was more flexible about my time and not so rigid about my scheduling- something that I've defiantly fallen back into now.

As for Boston, I learned the importance of layers and layers of cold weather gear.

5. You mentioned that even though you were raised Catholic, if you had your choice you would become a Quaker. Yet, in another entry you say that you feel you're agnostic. Do you feel that you're in a state of flux at this point in your life?

Yes, totally. I said I would become Quaker if I had to raise my children in some sort of religion, if my husband didn't feel strongly about his own. I do feel that there is a g/God, I'm just not sure which organized religion I can get behind.

6. Once you've completed your studies, what is your dream job?

Oh... dream job. I would love to work for an exhibition consulting firm that works with various museums to help them research, write, and put up exhibits. That way, I could work with a variety of different museums, since I enjoy so many. There aren't too many of these firms floating around, so I will probably end up doing in house exhibits for a larger museum- also, totally cool with me.

7. You seem to be a traditional-values type of woman. Let's say you've landed that dream job and you're loving it. Then one day, you realize that you've met the love of your life who must move to Abu Dhabi (or some other remote locale). Would you give up the career that you've worked so long and hard to achieve for someone else's aspirations?

Whoa. This is a total cop out, but I don't know. Part of me wants to think that after all the time I put into getting my degree and landing my ideal job would make me want to stay put. But, I know myself and am a total romantic and sucker for love, so I would probably go. Though if I did go, I would want to work once I got out there. But again, I don't know until I'm in the situation. And the location probably matters as much as the man!

8. You've mentioned that you would love to have children. How many would be ideal for you and would you want to be a stay-at-home mom or stay on your career path?

Children are so far away in my mind, but yes, I do want them. I am a huge wimp, so I may be only able to have one. I think I would like 2-4. I would most likely stay at home while they are tiny babies and then work part time until they go to school. Though, like #7, I just don't know. I may want to be with them all the time or I might go crazy without serious and daily adult interaction.

9. I think it's very cool that you've at least stopped in Singapore on your way to Australia, and I'm currently living here (not much longer, though *sigh*). Let's pretend that money is plentiful and you can travel anywhere. What are your dream destinations?

So many! Well, I defiantly want to go back to Australia and New Zealand. Ireland because my father's family is from there. I've always wanted to go to Vienna because John Irving writes about it in so many of his books. Prague. Greece. Back to Italy and Spain. Egypt. Madagascar. Canada (I've never gone!). All the 50 states. Colombia, specifically Cartagena. Brazil. France. Sweden. India and China, though I would have to avoid major cities due to my intense dislike of being jostled. Virgin Islands. Cayman Islands. Pretty much any balmy island.

10. You've chosen not to you capitalizations on your blog. I am "kinda old". Would you reconsider using them in the future?

I do capitalize in my correspondence and all formal writing. I do capitalize when I write with a pen. But I don't on my blog out of habit. I tend to have a lot to say- A LOT- and ever since I started using AIM to talk to my friends, I have left capital letters in the dust. I just can't be slowed down by the shift key! It is something I've transfered to my blog. I also think it makes the blog, overall, more lax and less formal. The funny thing is I am a HUGE stickler for correct grammar.

This entire exercise was fun for me because you're just getting started and we're on the "downside" of the bell curve, but we take that to mean that we're in the enjoyment phase. We don't have to prove ourselves anymore, we can do whatever the hell it is we want (to a certain extent).

Oh, one more question please.... How did you find Neil's blog?

I can't remember! I know it was through a link from someone else's blog but I can't for the life of me recall.


Thank you, Neil, for sharing your creative ideas; this has been a lot of fun for me! And, thank you to Tatiana for answering my questions.