Lit-Net Member Interviews

[Pensive]

Did you really have to tell them I had to force him at gunpoint?

That's what we, litnet-intrviewers do, anything for an interview whether it include throwing Turnips or gun-pointing.

[RobinHood3000]

So long as it gets the interview, eh?

[Koa]

virgiiiiiiiiil???

i CAN'T wait!!!!

i should think of some questions...how much time do we have for that?

good job Aimus&gun!

[AimusSage]

You'll have at least a few days, I'll repost when the deadline for questions approaches, but since I am a bit busy myself, I can't give a definitive deadline.

[RJbibliophil]

Good interview Robin!

I was just at the Post office today. They have Superhero stamps now - Green arrow included. I think. I know I've seen in your avatar.

I heard about those -- the United States Postal Service receives major bonus points from me!

Yup! There's Superman, Flash, Green Lantern, Plastic Man, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Supergirl, Bat Man, and Hawk Man.

[RobinHood3000]

At last, some old-school recognition, eh, Pendragon?

[TEND]

You know, now this may offend ya Robin and thats the last thing I'd want to do, but I gotta say I prefer Marvel's Hawkeye as far as the superhero archers go. Not to mention the Avengers are quite the team .

[Pendragon]

Darn right! These guys are classics! I also found this interseting set:

Now as to TEND's thing about Hawkeye

The comics trade ideas back and forth all the time.

This noble archer is Manticore from the City of Heroes:

[RobinHood3000]

Feh -- Green Arrow has a much cooler costume.

[Shannanigan]

Robin, that was wonderful You should REALLY take some archery lessons, it is so much fun!!!

If you love writing, get a job you love, and just keep writing...I love the fact that as long as you have time, you have time to write...

[grace86]

The "Enigmatic" Robin!

That was a wonderful interview...you gave some good information about yourself but I think you left out quite a bit of info that people were dying to know.....huhhh...ohh well!!


I cannot wait for Virgil's!!

[TEND]

I concur, I'm quite excited to learn more about Virgil.

And to Robin, all I can do is laugh, a mono coloured costume come on. Not to mention Hawkeye's wicked mask, it can't be beat.

[AimusSage]

Question for the interview with Virgil can be submitted until Tuesday.

Send your questions to me in a PM before the end of Tuesday, and they will be included in the interview.

[AimusSage]

Presenting to you, the long awaited interview with
Virgil

Introductory questions

How are you today?
I’m fine thank you.

What is your username?
Virgil.

How did you decide on your username?
I believe when I joined I had just finished Virgil’s Aneid and had been reading Dante’s Divine Comedy, and Virgil is Dante’s guide. I really liked him as a character and I really love him as a writer. So he was on my mind at the time and thought he would make a cool name.

Why did you initially join the lit-net?
I love literature. It had been slipping as a part of my life, and when I came upon this great forum, I thought I found what I needed as a fun way to keep me thinking about it. Plus the company is great. And the games got me hooked.

What would you say is the best aspect of the forum?
I really used to love the poem of the week discussion. It was great and educational and cantankerous. We would get pretty heated when we disagreed. It would get intense and while it would raise my blood pressure it was a lot of fun. Unfortunately most of those who participated are no longer with us. I would still love to revive it. I now really like the poetry contest. It’s write a poem of a picture and everyone submits a poem, and a winner is picked.

How do you feel about smilies? (suggested by Nightshade)
They make for a better day. I love Nightshade’s smiles. If anything is true in the world, it must be that Nightshade walks around with a smile for everyone. That’s how I imagine her. Oh, and don’t forget Pendragon’s. He’s got the coolest ones.

Personal Questions

What is your date of birth?
December 15, 1961. I’m getting old.

How would you describe yourself, your personality?
Curious, combative, petulant, opinionated, gregarious, fun, compassionate, creative. And don’t forget egotistical. If I were doomed to Dante’s Purgatory, I would be doomed to the Terrace of the Prideful

What do you do in RL? Student, work?
Oh, I work as a mechanical engineer.

Could you tell us a little more about what you do?
I’m a project manager (I prefer project leader as a title) of items that are somewhere between research and production. Some one has done the research and I take the idea and either prove it could work (sometimes referred to as proof-of-principle) or once that has happened develop it through qualification so that it goes into production and out to the world.

What made you become an engineer after having completed a degree in Literature? (Suggested by Schokokeks and Nightshade)
Actually I got my engineering degree first and then while working went back to school at night for a Master’s in English Literature. As an undergraduate I did double major in both mechanical engineering and English, but my undergraduate degree was in engineering. It took me six years to get my undergraduate degree. LOL It normally takes four years, but there were classes that were exclusive. Frankly I didn’t plan it this way. I just could never make up my mind. But what made me want to be an engineer was watching on a black and white TV as an eight year old boy the Apollo 11 astronauts walking on the moon. It’s still ingrained in my memory.

As an Engineer, What do you think of the way engineers are portrayed in literature? (Suggested by ClaesGefvenberg)

You know I don’t recall too many novels with engineers. I really should read some. I would guess they run the extremes from Dr. Frankenstein, who is overly ambitious for his own good, and someone from H.G. Wells who thinks he has all the answers for a better future. Ayn Rand I believe has major characters who are engineers. Unfortunately I have never read Rand or Wells.

Do you think that a poet has a mission he got to convey through his poetry or are you more with those who think that poetry should merely be there to express what the poet feels and experiences? (Suggested by Miss Tenderness)
Good question. I think a poet writes what he’s best writing about, or what turns out best. I guess that’s inspiration. Sometimes a poem turns out from what he feels and sometimes not. Perhaps that’s the point of view from an amateur like me. Perhaps a great poet like William Butler Yeats has the ability to write greatly on anything. I certainly think Shakespeare did.

Would you to tell us a bit about your various hobbies?
I like to garden. I cook when I have some time. I love to drink red wine. Of course reading and attempting to write. I think learning is my favourite hobby, and I usually dedicate a year or two to learn a specific subject, like classical music or ancient history.

Do you like sports, if so do you play sports yourself?
I love baseball and American football. My playing days are long, long gone. I jog and do some light weightlifting to keep in shape, but I’ve been really slacking off lately.

Do you like to travel?
Yes, but the older I get the more of a hassle it seems. Once I’m there I do enjoy being away and experiencing the beauty of the place.

Which countries have you visited? And which ones would you really like to visit someday?
Most of my travelling has been in the United States. My only international trips have been to Italy, England and Scotland, and a little Caribbean island named Aruba. I would love to visit almost everywhere in the world. But lately I’ve been thinking about Spain.

Could you tell us something about the countries you have visited? Like the culture, environment, etc.
Well, I am Italian-American. Actually I was born in Italy and my parents immigrated to the U.S. when I was three years old. I still have lots of family there. I’ve been to Italy several times and every city has its own distinct ambiance. Venice is the most beautiful city I’ve ever been to and Florence is the most comfortable. My wife, who is not Italian in any way, loves Italy. England and Scotland is like you read about. Aruba is an adorable little island with lots of beaches, but unlike other Caribbean islands it has a desert landscape rather than tropical. It never sees hurricanes.

What about your own country? What do you like about where you live?
I live in New York City, not the sky scraper section that you see on TV or movies, but in a residential area which has normal houses. I love New York in that it has everything, museums, orchestras, Broadway shows, parks, zoos, you name it, even a restaurant for every ethnic food in the world. And it’s on a bay so we’re by the ocean too. For our recent anniversary, my wife and I took some boat rides around and saw the city from the water’s perspective.

Do you have a personal hero, or someone you look up to?
Well, my father is the bravest man I know, facing personal struggles with such courage. There are lots of historic heroes. Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington. Anyone who puts honor above the easy and faces life with courage.

Have you ever been to one of those wild life parks where you can see real wolves and if so, how did you like it? (Suggested by Sleepywitch)
I’ve been to several wild life parks, but I’ve never seen wolves in the wild. Only in zoos. My wife and I went to Yellowstone Park several years ago and I drove her crazy by driving everywhere looking for wolves. We saw coyotes, bears, bison, elk, even moose, but we could not find a wolf. They hide themselves well and they are shy.

And related to the above question, do you like cute little wolf puppies as well, or only grown up wolves? (Suggested by Sleepywitch)
Oh I would love to play with a wolf pup. That would be great. I did meet a man once who showed me his dog who he claimed was half wolf. He looked it.

Tell us all about your dog!
Brandi is a yellow Labrador Retriever, almost three years old. She comes up and licks my face whenever she needs to go out or when I get angry at her and yell. She’s a hundred pounds (45.5 kg) and very rambunctious. I take her to a field on Saturday and Sunday mornings and play fetch with a tennis ball. She never quits, no matter how hot it is. She hasn’t met a person yet she didn’t love to death. When she’s tired, she climbs on the couch and cuddles with my wife.

To be continued in next post

[AimusSage]

Continuation of the interview with Virgil

Favourites

We can’t have an interview on a literature site without asking the obvious questions, so who is your favourite author?
Hard question. Amongst my favourites are Shakespeare, Dante, William Faulkner.

And your favourite book?
Oh, let’s just say Dante’s The Divine Comedy.

What kind of music do you enjoy?
I grew up with rock n roll but now I’ve branched out into Jazz and Classical. I’ve recently gotten into medieval music. It sounds very different.


Which are your favourite bands/singers/composers/etc.?
Band: I love The Rolling Stones; Singer: Frank Sinatra; Composer: Mozart, Beethoven, Verdi.

Tell us something about your favourite movie.
I can’t make up my mind whether my favourite movie is “Casablanca” or “Ben-Hur” I love Humphrey Bogart and Charlton Heston. I tend to like epic movies where the underdog overcomes great odds.

Your favourite game in the Games sub-forum?
I love Haiku game and I really like the Compliment the Person Above You. It seems to warm the heart to compliment another person.

Amazons or Dastardly Stans?
Hahaha. I started out with the Dastardly but I became a traitor and left for the Amazons.

Any other favourites we should know about?
Only that all the members of lit net are truly wonderful people.


[b]And now, the most important question of them all[b]

How do you like your turnips?
I cook turnips in my beef stew. It gives the stew a tasty flavor.

Thank you for the interview
Thank you. It is a real honor.