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Redhead Revealed: Gaelic_Girl
Submitted: 09/16/04

If you could choose any place in the world to live, where would it be?

That's easy. Queenstown, New Zealand. I was lucky enough to spend five weeks traveling the back-roads of this unbelievable country with my brother in a camper so small I actually had to sleep in the storage space over the back seats. New Zealand is a nature photographer's Fantasia, and Queenstown is one of those places where people are so friendly and there's so much to do that anyone who hasn't been there refuses to believe such a place exists.

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a movie star. Four years in Los Angeles quickly purged me of that illusion. Although I am still a film-addict and go at every opportunity. Plus, I still have a great admiration and respect for actors - both struggling and successful. Many of my closest friends fall into both categories, and I marvel at their conviction!

Your occupation now?

I'm a photographer. In fact, I'm getting ready to return to school and get my masters in photography.

What are some of your interests and hobbies?

This is where the list gets too long to hold anyone's interest (other than the occasional blatant fascination at just how many interests/hobbies one person can have). My major ones include (other than photography) travel, nature, animals, movies, books (reading and writing), history, languages (sign language, French, and Gaelic in particular) any channel I can learn something from - such as the Discovery Channel, Science Channel, History, Biography, and Health Channels, Animal Planet, TLC, etc etc etc., martial arts, hiking, food, dancing - I've got to stop here or I'll take up too much space.

What would you say are your character strengths?

Strengths? Let's see . . . I'm very independent and self-sufficient, but not anti-social. I listen well, and usually am pretty adept at seeing the bigger picture. I'm highly organized and can be very rational (very good for business). I laugh at myself easily, but rarely at others. However, I think my best qualities are probably empathy and generosity. I don't think you're ever supposed to call YOURSELF generous, but I also don't think there's enough generosity in the world. So I work at it.

Weaknesses?

Ooh, another long list. I'm emotional at all the wrong times. I don't confront people very well, and I don't always stand up for myself when I should. I'm too sensitive (hence the failed acting career). I overanalyze almost everything and tend to think more than act. I start a lot of things I never finish, and I have a bad procrastination habit. I'm terrible at returning phone-calls (this is the one I get the most in trouble for). And I'm a hypochondriac.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Physical or Character? I guess I'll answer both. Physically I wish I had better skin. I picked photographs where it's hard to tell, but I'm 27 and still fighting acne like a teenager. Character-wise, I wish I either had a stronger backbone or was less high-strung. Either way I wish I wouldn't take things so personally.

Do you have any quirks you think are strange or amusing?

My whole life is one big quirk. Specifically . . .hmm . . . I hate using silverware. The material that they make seatbelts out of makes my jaw lock up when it's rubbed together (like some people with fingernails on chalkboards). Same thing with whatever they make pantyhose out of. I compulsively pick up every penny I see on the sidewalk. I have a cat named "Emperor Fabulous" (from Eddie Izzard's Dress To Kill tour). My fiance says I need to include that I take more showers in a day than most people in half a week.

Who is/was the most influential person/role model in your life?

I was never big on "role models." I never wanted to put that kind of pressure on anyone. It kind of prevents them from being allowed to F*** up, you know? Right now my fiance is the biggest influence in my life. He understands and supports me more than anyone, and I trust him completely. It terms of who I admire most, probably Lance Armstrong. I've read both his books, and I just think his life is a tribute to what a human being is capable of, even in the face of death or the word "impossible." Regardless of his personal life choices, no one can deny his inner strength is extraordinary.

What are your achievements/accomplishments that you are the most proud of?

I'm most proud of being able to face up to my fears. I'm terrified of heights and willingly jumped out of a gondola in Switzerland on the end of a 600ft. bungee cord (and, by the way, I was the only female in my group). I stood up to my boss who was professionally abusing me and walked out - then I refused to return when he called and begged me to reconsider. I asked out the first man my heart had stopped for in three years, and now we're engaged.

Are you currently single, involved, or married?

Currently engaged.

What qualities do you find the most attractive in other people?

Confidence, humor, compassion, intelligence, humility, artistic ability, and loyalty.

What is one thing you would change about the world?

ONE thing??? Wow, I guess the biggest thing would be tolerance. I wish people wouldn't insist that everyone has to look or feel or believe the same thing. I wish we could celebrate our differences rather than hate them. Also, I wish people were kinder and more compassionate towards animals of all kinds - that they would recognize the value of life, regardless of the species.

What is your favorite food?

I love cheese. Cheese and sushi (but not together).

If you could meet anyone, dead or alive, who would you choose?

If we could have gotten past the language barrier, I would have loved to have met Boudicca (also spelled Boadicea by the Romans). She was a first-century Celtic warrior queen. I'm fascinated not only by her culture and her strength, but by the entire time-period.

If you won the lottery tomorrow, what would you do with the money?

It depends on the size of the lottery. One personal thing I want very much is my own house. I'd love to live in a large ranch house with a lot of land for animals and space for my future children to explore. In terms of philanthropy and/or entrepreneurship, I've always wanted to create an animal shelter (or several) that would focus on helping make animals more adoptable, on pushing for stronger laws banning pet-mills, and encouraging laws requiring strict permits for breeding and selling animals.

Do you consider yourself a spiritual person?

Very much so.

Is there any particular historical era that you feel drawn to?

North America of pre-European settlement, and the Britons of post-Roman occupation.

What are your favorite books and authors?

I have several. My current top five (in no particular order) are: The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel, Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, Illusions by Richard Bach, Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, and It's Not About the Bike, by Lance Armstrong and Sally Jenkins.

What are your favorite movies?

Another long list. Current top five (again, in no specific order): Braveheart, Fight Club, Dangerous Beauty, Terminator 2, and the Lord of the Rings (all three).

What is your most prized possession?

Assuming we're not referring to anything living . . . My replica of Julius Caesar's sword that was made in Toledo, Spain (where the finest swords in the world are made - western swords, of course, not Japanese swords).

What is your favorite color?

Red (no kidding! It's not a redhead thing)

What are your favorite television shows?

Alias, CSI, Southpark, and just about any documentary I can catch on the channels I listed under "hobbies." I also love to catch reruns of X-Files, Xena: Warrior Princess, M.A.S.H., and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

What are some of your pet peeves?

People who don't listen (but just wait for their turn to talk). People who make judgments about things they know only one side of. People who think their opinions make them superior. People who think animal cruelty is funny. Bragging. Mumbling. People who like to command rather than ask. People who blame all their problems on everyone else. People who complain, but never do anything. Reality shows.

What are some of the issues that you are passionate about?

I'm passionate about equal rights for everyone, for better treatment of both domestic and wild animals, and that education and patience are two of the most important tools a person can have.

Do you have any tattoos or piercings?

Yup. My ears are double pierced (I tried twice to pierce the cartilage of my left ear, but it got so infected both times that I finally had to take it out and scratch the whole idea altogether). And I have a tattoo of a fledgling dragon on the inside of my right hip with two Chinese symbols that mean "Integrity" and "Faith."

What is one thing you hope to accomplish before you die?

First, I hope to raise at least two children. Second, I'd love to have my photographs recognized in a major publishing or gallery.

What is something you've always wanted to do/try but haven't yet?

I'd love to go skydiving (again, it's a heights thing. I'm working up the courage). Also, I want to go on safari in Africa.

Where do you see yourself ten years (what are your goals)?

I hope in ten years to be married, have a beautiful home with two or three children, both natural and adopted, with dogs, cats, horses, and my bearded dragon - Jake. I hope to be making a living as a freelance photographer, traveling and working half the year while being a stay-at-home mom the rest of the time.

What is your favorite quote?

Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they're yours. (Richard Bach, Illusions)