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THE BLOGGER INQUIRER ISSUE # 22
"For Blogging Minds Who Need To Know" ...
  
( Speakers on pretty please & don't forget to check out this week's Overheard In The Stream Saturday one posts prior to this one)
SHERRY from RAINDROPS MAKES THINGS BEAUTIFUL
 INTERVIEWS
BOOKWORM from THE LIBRARY CAT
I needed to get away, and a drive to St. Louis to interview
Bookworm was just what the doctor ordered.
The weather is holding up nicely.
After a couple of days on the road and some time spent in motels on the way, I'm really looking forward to getting to this St. Louis Library Cafe he chose as the meeting place.
I will be right on time because his directions were excellent. Men may not be able to ask for directions, but they sure can give them.
This looks like the turn he told me to take and..yes...there it is in the middle of the block.
Looks like I'm going to be early. Getting a place to park is going to be...well... someone just smiled at me a spot opening up right in front.
I'm a little early but I guess that will be fine. This is a bookstore/cafe after all and I should be able to find something to do if he isn't here yet.
I walk through the door and am totally surprised by the place. It's really quaint, with library tables that appear to be mission style. A couple of seating areas with side tables and really comfy looking chairs. Books, books, and more books. On shelves, on tables in chairs...they are all over the place and is that a CAT I see? No, it's two cats. How does the owner get away with running a cafe and have animals on the premises?
He said the place was owned by an older Bosnian gentleman, and this must be him coming towards me now.
"Welcome Madame, may I be of assistance ?"
What a lovely accent he has.
"My name is Sherry's Cherries and I am here to meet Bookworm, he said he has a reservation. I know I'm early, I can just look around until he comes if it won't bother you."
He smiles and motions me to follow him. We appear to be heading for a curtained area that I hadn't noticed before. He pulls the curtain aside exposing another one of those comfy chair seating areas.
One chair is occupied by a man who stands upon my entrance.
"You must be Sherry, I'm Bookworm, pleased to meet you. Won't you join me?"
He gestures towards the adjoining chair and as I walk toward it another cat decides to make itself known. Claiming the chair as it's latest bed the cat proceeds to curl up in it. Bookworm kindly lifts the cat and I get to sit down. I guess kitty isn't fussy about where he sleeps, a lap is as good as a chair, apparently. Well, maybe Bookworm's lap is.
"I'll have decaf diet coke, Zlatko. What would you like Sherry?"
"I think I'll have the same, thank you Bookworm.
While we're waiting for our order, would you mind if we get started?"
With a nod he indicates he's ready and I ask the first question.
What brought you to Blogstream and what do you get out of it ?
What brought me to The Stream ?
I heard and read alot about the blogging phenomenon. I started checking out different sites and found that Pioneer had made Blogstream really user friendly.
I was going to use it as a journal...maybe a place to vent and blow off steam about the issues of the day and my pet peeves. I decided that others on the Blogstream were doing a much better job.
My site kind of blends humor, faith, music and other assorted oddities. I didn't expect to find the sense of Commuity that exists here.
I, myself, never expected that sense of Community so it sounds like we both are getting the same thing out of our experience.
As for me, I find your sense of humor one of the most interesting things about you. It gets a bit frisky at times, which leads me to believe that you have a sense of yourself and your faith and how it fits in your life.
I know that you are a guest pastor for the Blogstream Community Church.
How do you see your role in that respect? Do you feel at times that the Word is falling on deaf ears, both here in The Stream and in the real world ?
I think Girlpreacher had a great idea in starting the Blogstream Community Church. My role is that of any assistant or associate pastor to fill in as needed.
Because of my own pastoral experiences in the past, I’m not a big believer in organized religion whatever the denomination. The Cyber Church has been a place of personal healing for me. It helps me keep my faith grounded.
The Word has always fallen on deaf ears to a certain extent. It has been ignored or persecuted since the days of the early church. At the risk of offending somebody…anybody, it seems like the disagreements on faith, politics; etc takes on a personal note.
I was on someone’s site and made what I thought was clearly a joking comment. They disagreed so I’m a bit more careful now.
Sometimes it is hard to know how people are going to react to what we say to them.
Click HERE to access The Blogstream Community Church
I have a hypothetical question here, one that occurs to me because so many people in the real world play the big lotteries.
If you were walking down the street and found a PowerBall ticket for that nights drawing, ould you pick it up or leave it there?
When I’m walking, I’m not the most observant person in the world. I probably wouldn’t see it on the ground in the first place.
If you picked it up and it turned out to be the big winner of say
25 million dollars would you claim it ?
Yes.
If you claimed it, how much would you give to charity, and which charity would benefit ?
If I didn’t use the money to start a charitable foundation, I would like to think we’d give away 15 million to charity split between:
The Salvation Army, American Cancer Society and The American Diabetes Association.
What within the family would you use some of the money for?
Pay off the mortgage.
Travel.
Assist our foster daughter and nephew.
What if anything would you buy solely for yourself ?
New cars for both my wife and myself.
Well all right, I'll let you squeak by with the last answer, it was supposed to be solely for you.
We must be keeping the cats awake, that one seems to be bored with us.
I have just one more question before we get to the mandatory part of this interview.
Another Christmas came and went last month, I had a great time wandering down memory lane with my family about things that occurred when we were kids. You know the gifts we wanted and didn't get, the ones we did and didn't want. Mostly just the fun that Christmas was for us when we were younger, a LOT younger in my case, so I think I'd like to know;
What was the best Christmas you had as a child ?
That's the toughest question yet.
You always carry emotional baggage with you from childhood. Mine is simply I really hate holidays. There always seemed to be a major upheaval or fight between my parents while I was growing up. So I have to work at it to enjoy the holiday season even now.
I guess the best Christmas I remember was when I was around
11-12 years old. It was the first time I was in a Christmas play at church.
The true story of Christmas sunk in for me during the rehearsals and performance. Christmas isn't about the number of gifts you get....It's all about the Babe in the manger.
Funny. Important things I need to remember like phone or pin numbers, I struggle with sometimes. Even after all this time, but I remember my line from that first play.
I was a shepherd.
The line was:
" Dost thou mean the Son, of David, the Star of Jacob, the Deliverer of Israel? O, that He may come this very night ! "
 (Returns to Present)
I just realized Twinkletoes and Alex are missing. Do you see my cats anywhere? There's Twink looking up into the tree and Alex....No Alex...don't jump for that ornament...
(Crash...sound of breaking glass...cursing in the Bosnian language)
Sherry...aren't cats wonderful?
When I finally catch my breath, and can keep from breaking into peals of laughter again I have to agree, Bookworm is right, cats are wonderful. I look at Bookworm to say so, and we both begin to laugh. Finally we get a grip and can continue with the interview. Sort of.
I guess we better get on with the mandatory questions, especially since Zlatko is eyeing us with much less patience that he did before Alex attacked the tree. I hope there weren't any Christopher Radko ornaments on that tree Bookworm, this interview could end up costing you some money.
First of the mandatory questions:
What 5 CD's are currently in your player ?
Ray Stevens Greatest Hits
Christmas Carols of the Young Messiah
Avalon Joy - A Christmas Collection
The Beach Boys - Surfer Girl
and
Carman - I Surrender All
Then of course the 5 Bloggers you want to meet ?
Only 5 yeech…I noticed on your interview you fudged a little.
1 Girlpreacher, Prisoner of Hope, Sherry’s Cherries
2 Grandma Baba, Whispered Promises & Lucy
3 Topaz, Coloconnect & Edward
4 Taylor, Kool Kat & Big Dean
5 Mindpower, Mickey & Scratch
That'll work Bookworm, see, 1,2,3,4,5.
I count 5.
If I can fudge, you can fudge.
Favorite alcohol beverage ?
Rum and Diet Coke
What is your nationality ?
Caucasian
Last book you read ?
Shape Shifter by Tony Hillerman
SHERRY: Color of your underwear ?
BOOKWORM: Hmmmm. Wait a minute I have to check.
Pale Green.
Sherry: OMG, He really looked !
Your middle name?
Ronald
What is your favorite word?
Sherry…You stumped me on this one.
Perhaps favorite phrase would be
"The Job Pays The Same"
What is your least favorite word ?
I hate it when God’s name is used as a curse word.
What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally ?
Preaching.
I love filling in for Girlpreacher in the Blogchurch.
What turns you off ?
Profanity especially the “F” word.
Can't people speak without the laziness of profanity ??
What is your favorite curse word ?
I try not to curse but "damnit" has been used on more than one occasion.
What sound or noise do you love ?
A purrrring cat.
What sound or noise do you hate ?
Rap music
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt ?
Author
What profession would you not like to do ?
Teacher
(I don’t have the patience for it)
If Heaven exists, what would you like God to say to you when you
arrive.
Child, welcome home.
Wow, Bookworm, I've had an absolute blast with this.
I know Twinkletoes and Alex did as well.
I had better get a move on, Zlatko is making faces, unnnnh I think he may need to speak with you privately. I guess I'll mosey on out of here before the fireworks start.
Thanks for your patience with me, and for opening up enough for Blogstream to get a feel for the man behind The Library Cat.
Sherry, I've enjoyed this.
Thanks for picking me as your interview.
As I leave Zlatko rushes past me to speak with Bookworm. I don't think I want to have to pay the bill that Bookworm is going to be getting for the damages.
Oh, if you could only have seen the look on his face when it happened.
It was almost as if the cat was doing exactly what he expected it to do. Cat companions know that sometimes when you are having fun, there's a price to be paid.
Whoo hoo, I'm going home !
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