From Studio 1A in New York City...

Yes, it's the interview thing that's going around. I have two sets of questions to answer. I'll do it as separate posts. These are questions from Bob bobaloo who's digging in here...

1. Did you kill Laci Peterson? Ummm.. When we met and after reading your journal, you seem slightly shy and seemingly in need of coming out of your shell. Kind of like you need little nudges here and there to let loose...Is this assessment correct? If not, correct me....if so...what do you need to trigger the more open side of you?

On the first part, I plead the fifth. Me shy? Yes, and I think I've actually gotten shyer over the last several years. To let loose I just need to feel comfortable, and assured that I'm going to be alright. New situations terrify me, especially if I think I'm going to be embarrassed or hurt. I guess that's why I have a problem if I feel like I'm in a situation that's out of my control, or I'm not getting my way on something. I put barriers up that keep me from being more outgoing.

Case in point...At TBRU when we went to TMC, I got the nerve up to go dancing, mainly because Chris, Jamie, Richard and Matty were all dancing. I had a blast because I was in a comfort zone. When they left, so did I. I suddenly shut down when I found out I couldn't find you (since you had already left for the hotel) and the shields went back up.

I just have to get better at handling unfamiliar situations, and that's what 2003 has been about. It's a challenge.


2. Tell me about you favorite movie and why you love it so much in detail. No "Well, it was COOL!!" answers either! :)

Hmm. favorite movies shift all of the time. I'd have to say the consistent favorite is Monty Python and the Holy Grail I've always loved it. Great attention span movie since each scene is a little sketch, there's a paper-thin plot to the whole thing. Pretty consistently funny, and got me interested in the Arthurian legend and of Medieval times. Probably the main source of my love of Ren Fests.

3. What was the worst experience you had as a child in general?

I was the picked-on kid. When we moved from Seguin to Nacogdoches, that's when I started gaining weight, when we moved to Conroe, I was the fat, shy kid. My mortal enemy was Scott Levantino, who was a bully who had moved from New Jersey, and he was an ass. I only confronted him when I had to. I was a wuss. I swung a mean lunchbox in my day, though.

I would love to go back in time and fix some of that mess. My self-esteem issues led to me being the victim of Scott's taunts and crap.

4. If you could teach the world one thing and be the mentor to everyone about one subject or thing, what would it be? And if you were chosen, would you share your knowledge with anyone and everyone?

I would love to be able to teach people to love themselves. Strange that I want to do it, when I have such a hard time with it myself. I'm always the comforter, the consoler (is that a word?) and the encourager, yet I can't do it for myself. I guess that's just a role I have to play.

Sharing. I believe in the good of most people, kind of Anne Frank of me, but you get the idea. Yes, most people would share in the knowledge and the love. There would be notable exceptions - Osama Bin Laden and Scott Levantino can both go to hell.

5. Do you have any self-esteem issues and if so, what would you change and why?

Well, I guess we've already proven the first part. So that's a yes. Weight, shyness, believing in one's self, all lessons I need to learn. I guess it's my challenge on the road to nirvana, so to speak. If i knew what to change, I would have already done it. Diets, workout programs, they haven't seemed to take, so I'm not deriving anything from those activities. If I magically could change myself into a musclebear and have hundreds of friends would it really change anything beyond the superficial? I don't know. I still have to learn what it takes to be me, and when I get there, then I guess I'll solve the puzzle.

Alright, we will break for commercial now...

And we're back with Michael

Alright, it's Randy's lostncove turn to interview me...

1. What breakfast cereal should they bring back?

Well, it's not really gone, but Sugar Smacks. Not Honey Smacks, and not just Smacks, real, honest to goodness SUGAR Smacks and they were intended to be made by the creator.

I guess Quake cereal, of Quisp and Quake cereal fame comes to mind.

2. What makes you nervous these days?

Making a fool of myself. I really get upset if I don't feel I made a good impression. Something in me just feels I have to work really hard at it, and I get upset if people don't seem to like me right off. Since i've been meeting so many new people lately, this one's been getting a workout. I just have this need right now to be liked...the comfort factor I guess. I won't open up to people if I don't feel comfortable around them, so i feel I have to start strong so I won't feel stupid or distant later. Nervousness.

Of course if I overpower someone on the first meeting, then I've blown it, haven't I? I guess this is why I tend to stick with a group of people I know, so I don't have to go through the initial getting-to-know-you phase again.

3. What person on your friends list should I add to mine (who isn't already on it, obviously) and why?

Wow, there's a few, but i guess the one I'd pick is dakoopst. Stephen is just a really nice guy, a teacher(of math - ugh), which fascinates me and his posts seem to really come from the heart. I identify with him a lot, even if I don't reply to his posts much. I'm excited that i'll get to meet him this October.

There's many more, but that's one that stood out. For a kindred spirit in theater, you should add scotbear to your list.

4. You discover a bonus $5000 in your checking account. You decide you are going to spend it frivolously ie not on bills, debts, etc. How do you?

I can't pay the bills, huh? Well, I'd probably use it as a down payment on a house. I've been wanting to buy a place of my own, but the down payment is something that has been out of my reach. Otherwise, I guess I would travel to the British Isles. I've always wanted to go to Scotland and London.

5. What's the naughtiest thing you've done in the past month?

Heh. Well, a few weeks ago (but still within the month) I was involved in a threesome in a very bad hotel at a bear run. (Yes, a real threesome, Randy)

No, that's not the shocking part of it, and yes, one of the other two people is on LJ and reading this. The naughty thing is that we left the curtain open and we got our share of admirers. I think I was more embarrassed than turned on by the show, but I let it go after a bit. If I looked up at the window, all of our admirers would scatter away from the window

The fun part was finding out later that one of our admirers is also on LJ. Wow! That's a real leap for the clueless newby. What a first impression.

And we're out...if anyone would like to be interviewed by me, just leave it in a comment, I'll be happy to get some questions going after work!