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THE BLOGGER

INQUIRER

ISSUE # 46

"For Blogging Minds Who Need To Know" ...

Founder: Lucy

Editor: Bookworm

  Interviews 

Anexplorer:  I flew into Minneapolis with some trepidation. A mystery fan, 

I’ve read all of John Sanford’s “Prey…” series that usually feature

serial killers stalking the citizens of Minneapolis. But that was all fiction, 

I kept telling myself.

I was to meet Dalpha in south Minneapolis at 50th and Penn Ave in a

quiet little neighborhood flanked by the highbrow Lake Harriet and the hip /

young Lake Calhoun at a little place called Pierre’s Bistro. It looked

safe enough.

http://www.pierresbistromn.com/

I wasn’t certain I would recognize Dalpha, unless she brought one of

her Major Danes with her. But in the end it was no trouble at all, there

was one woman who seemed to be the center of attention and appeared to be 

carrying on simultaneous conversations with all the other patrons at

the same time. The restaurant was alive with laughter. That had to be

Dalpha!

Dalpha:  “Anex! I hardly recognized you without the buckskins and

snowshoes!” She smiled and looked around the room. “Do you like it?  I

wanted to go with a French theme since you traveled all the way from Toronto

 and I thought you might be homesick.  You know, I heard once that this 

place used to be part of a Cabaret style playhouse and once a year the 

cast comes in here to reminisce over some escargot and red wine.  

Plus they have the largest collection of miniature flags of the world in the display

case between the bathrooms, so be sure to check that out if you have

the urge while we’re here.  I hope its ok I picked the table?  I once sat

here and watched a Honda hatchback blow the light and come right through

that window in front.  Ever since, I only sit at THIS table.  Oh you look

concerned Anex?  See no one got hurt, but a few of the display plants

were never seen again.  I like to say they were sacrificed for the cause.

That’s also around the time they took away any advertisements from

The windows in front so driving by you wouldn’t guess this restaurant

sits behind the glass.  The owner still believes it was a contract hit of

some sort, hence the secret passage way we used in the alley coming

 through the loading dock, but I told him no self-respecting hit man

 would drive a Honda hatchback?!

Anexplorer:  Talk of hit men had reawakened my “prey” fears.

 I pushed thoughts of Sanford’s novels to the back of my mind but it 

wasn’t easy.

They’re fiction, I kept telling myself and I’m just a little dizzy and

Suffering from jet lag. I sipped the latte the waiter stealthily slid next to me

and idly wondered how many lattes Dalpha had had since she woke this

morning. She had turned her attention back to the other patrons in the

restaurant and people were laughing all around us. I decided I’d

 better launch into the interview as quickly as possible.

Anexplorer:  Dalpha, what do you feel you bring to the Stream?

Dalpha:  Geez, that’s a good question.  Can we start with an easier one, like

what’s my favorite type of chocolate?  That might be better for me…

get the juices flowing so to speak. (everyone in favor say “I”… - muffled 

murmurs in the background… -

Opposed? –silent.   )Good then it’s settled!

“Uh, waiter?  Yeah, two more lattes.  Thanks.”

Let’s see… my favorite type of chocolate is Nutella – the blue

Ribbon winner of after-school snacks in my opinion.  I spread it on 

Waterford Crackers and continue eating until the sugar buzz kicks in. 

 Ahhhh! Can you feel the endorphins in here?  Oh yeah - groooovy! 

 The Mr. makes certain to ALWAYS have ample supply of Nutella

 in the house to keep me happy.  Whatta MAN!

Anexplorer:  Okay, that went well, let’s try the second question. Have

 you always loved dogs and why such big ones?

Dalpha:  Luna was my first dog.  I figure if I start with the biggest, I’ll

work my way down in size.  I have ALWAYS loved dogs and have 

been good with them, but never had any growing up.  My mother

 (God love her) is deathly afraid of dogs, and resisted EVER

 allowing us to have pets when we were kids.  One of the most 

memorable backhand slaps of my childhood happened when I 

chose a cat over my mother when it was up for a vote.  She feared

 the traffic near our home would lead to a horrible conclusion and 

wanted to protect us from heartache.  Meanwhile, relatives died off 

left and right, but no one protected us from that?!  I always warned her 

I would be getting a big dog  someday and to remember she loved me 

no matter what the size. Of course, I go out and get the BIGGEST dog 

I can find, but hey I figured it was cheaper than therapy for her.  But this 

story has a happy ending.  My mother had grown quite fond of Luna, 

and asked frequently for pictures to display on her refrigerator.  AND 

THEN, she freaked again when I added Ava, but given enough time 

she has come around and now loves them both. As for why such big

 ones – I have to say that looking into a Great Danes eyes the first time, 

I just melted.  No other dog breed has ever touched my heart in the same 

way.  They are such wonderful animals and when I was

offered the chance to rescue one, I took it.

I frequently search the webfor one more to add to the pack, but the MR. 

threatens to take away myNutella, so I have to approach it with 

caution.“Waiter… can I see the dessert menu?”All this talk of Nutella 

and me so far from my kitchen cupboard?!

Anexplorer:  What would we find you doing in your free time?

Dalpha:  I have a pottery studio down in my basement where I throw 

functional forms.  I love making casserole bowls and teapots, 

plates and trays.  I also love to do calligraphy.  Both serve as 

meditative creative processes for me.

Anexplorer:  “Where did you get your sense of humor?  Umm,

 Dalpha, you got somethin’ right there between your teeth.  

It looks like coffee grounds.”

Dalpha: “oh GREAT?  [thsss, thssssss, thsSSSsss] Did I get it?  No?

[THSSSSSSS!]  How bout now?”

“Well, the coffee flake is gone, but you have lipstick on your teeth

now. Uh-huh right there and there too.  Unless you WANT that there? 

 I mean, who knows you could start a fad or something!”

Dalpha:  [rubbing teeth vigorously and using knife blade as a mirror]

“oh yeah, sign me up for that one!  We could call it the “Dalphiesque”

and top it off with some runny mascara and last year’s pump.  No thanks –

even the blog-fashion police would pull me over and put a stop to that one!

  Ok, sorry what was the question?”

Anexplorer:  By now I was lost in the image of Dalpha wearing bad

 pumps, mascara running down her cheeks, and smiling with a huge

 lipstick smear across her teeth… I shuddered, cleared my throat and 

decided to move on to the next question.

Anexplorer:  Would you share with us a favorite memory from childhood?

Dalpha:  Well, I was about 4 and I had always been drawn to color, and

Imagination was my greatest asset for keeping out of trouble,

 except when it came to my Dad’s tools.

One day, I went into the shed and started sorting all the tools in the

various boxes and drawers.  I loved all the different color handled

screwdrivers, my Dad had quite the collection.  Looking at them, they

reminded me of toadstools I had seen in books and decided to make a

fairy village by pounding the screwdrivers into the ground in small clusters.

This was thrilling to me, but as anyone will tell you, pounding

screwdrivers into the ground is NOT what they’re intended for – but

what do kids care of such nonsense?

Well, there I was kneeling on the ground, humming a little tune,

occupying my time with what seemed to me a constructive activity

 and staying out of my Dad’s way, when he wheels around the corner,

 throws his hands in the air, and starts swearing up a storm, pulling up

 all the screwdrivers one by one.  “Oh now… Jeeeeepers, 

sassafrassin’ blim-blam kids, I told you before – stay out of 

my flim-flammerin’ tools – muttin’heads

– flootin’ up my tip-top tools – pounding them into the grippin-grapping 

ground.”

Meanwhile, I’m thinking, oh yeah now I remember him saying that!

Still makes me laugh!

Anexplorer:  What is the greatest lesson life has taught you?

Dalpha:  To value my “dees and effs” (think report card grades).

I heard a professor speak briefly about this once and I agreed.  Loads

of people fear failure today, but when I look back and tally all the

pivotal moments of my life they are highlights of my failures, (quit staring

– I’m sure you have just as many as I do).  Those times when I grew and

learned the most, struggle, challenge, and even failure, were

 the catalysts for change.  Now, I value my Ds and Fs and no 

longer live in fear of them.

Anexplorer:  And now we come to the Mandatory Questions. 

What brought you to Blogstream, and what did you hope to get out of it?

Dalpha:  **I was looking for a creative outlet.  I was in the middle of writing

my final process paper for my grad work, editing my script, casting the

staged reading…  and I used my laptop for it all.  I knew I would

eventually DREAD sitting in front of my laptop and wanted to associate

it with something positive.  The Misfits (over at Blogspot) were my

inspiration to focus on the danes and post on how the canines have

influenced my world.  Once I walked in the front door of the Stream,

Sherry was the first to welcome me – and it was her kindness that

kept me here.  I knew I wanted to be part of the community and 

not just Blog for the sake of Blogging, but find a connection to 

others on the Stream and get to know the community already 

established here.  I enjoy the

community and am happy to be part of it.

Anexplorer:  What 5 CD's are currently in your player?

Dalpha:  Van Morrison, Henry Thomas, The Band, Oxford American and

Tom Waits

Anexplorer:  Then of course the 5 bloggers you want to meet.

Dalpha:  I love this question, because no one every sticks to just 5!

Now that I’ve met you Anex… I think Sherry, BiGGie T, Taylor,

Mouse, Sole, n. lynn, Bella, Lucy, Heide, June, MISTY, 

TAB, Bookworm, Hawk, Raspberry Toast, Miss Lou, 

Dragonflower, DiXie, Johnny P. and Polar all top the list.

Anexplorer:  Favorite alcohol beverage?

Dalpha:  Gin and Tonic.  I have a very special stock of a discontinued

 recipe that only comes out for special occasions.  The MR 

and I sometimes think the world systematically gets rid of all

 the things we finally settle on as

favorites.  Then the universe gets out the white out pen and starts

making them disappear.  Maddening I tell you!

Anexplorer:  What is your nationality? Ethnic background?

Dalpha:  I was adopted at the age of 5 days old so my past is a mystery

 to me. My mother (the woman who raised me) thinks I should 

look into it and predicts some kind of theatre people lurk there. 

 Hearing that, I just envision

wagons and gypsies with tambourines all dancing around a fire and since

I hawked my jingle drum a few years back, I would so stick out.

Anexplorer:  Last book you read?

Dalpha:  The Enchanter – V. Nabokov

Anexplorer:  What was the best and worst book you read?

Dalpha:  Crap.  Now I have to admit to reading the JD Robb -In Death series.

 Anyone else (polling the tables within earshot of us), come on raise

those hands high and proud!  I have read EVERY single one of them.

 I have the new one the day it comes out in hardcover and finish it within the

first two days of the book release.  Hi, I’m Dalpha and I am a JD ROBB

addict. (crowd mumbles in semi-unison: Hello Dalpha…)

Anexplorer:  Who is your favorite actor or actress?

Dalpha:  No! Better yet… these are the two actresses I hear often that I look

Like  Kate Winslet and Drew Barrymore.  Not really sure how to take that

sometimes.

Anexplorer:  Yes, now that you mention it, I can see the resemblance. 

Speaking of movie stars, what was the last movie you saw at the theatre?

Dalpha:  I only go to the movie theater once a year for the midnight 

showing of the next installment of the Harry Potter films. 

 My favorite part?  When

the movie is over, and the credits roll, everyone applauds and no one

leaves until the credits have ended.  More than once I have turned to the boy

and said… “Ahhhh.  Now these are OUR people.”

Anexplorer:  Most embarrassing moment you remember?

Dalpha:  Once when I was in college I suspected two friends of mine 

of sleeping together.  One afternoon, I arrived home and swung 

open the door (like Kelso on THAT 70’s SHOW trying to catch

 Donna naked!), only they

really WERE naked and in mid-conjugal visit position.  I was in shock and

quickly slammed the door, grasping for reason.  My first instinct was to

apologize.  Only, let me be perfectly frank here, I was in shock and

not thinking clearly… so I OPENED the door AGAIN to let them know

 how sincerely sorry I was for the door thingy, and the you-know-what, eek

scary thing, invasion of privacy, yada-yada… and to my horror, as I

stood there babbling - I was doing it AGAIN?!!  There I was standing 

there talking with them frozen in mid thrust of the missionary position as my

own private captive audience.  No matter how many times I wash, that

image is SEARED to stay.

(Anex – I WAS going for PG-13 here but I might have to change some

euphemisms to tone it down!)

Anexplorer:  Favorite recipe that you would be willing to share?

Dalpha:  AA’s Artichoke Dip

One 8 oz brick of cream cheese

1 pkg of fresh grated Parmesan cheese (1½ cups)

1-cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise

I recently switched back to Hellmann’s from using Kraft for a long

time,

and I definitely taste a difference with Hellmann’s…. much better!

2 cans of quartered artichokes, drained

I like the artichokes chunky, so I don’t chop them further.

1 4 oz can of chopped jalapeno peppers, drained

I don’t use the whole can; sometimes half (spicy!), sometimes just a

third (nice kick)…..modify to your taste.

2 heaping tablespoons of minced garlic

For convenience I use the jar of already minced garlic, but I suppose

ou could certainly press your own fresh garlic, to taste.

Few dashes of cayenne pepper to taste

Few dashes of black/red pepper blend to taste

Mix all ingredients together, pour into baking dish, and sprinkle

Paprika and pepper blend on top.   until golden brown and°Then bake at 350

bubbly on top  (usually 45-55 mins).

Serve with your favorite crackers, tortilla chips, or fresh French

bread/baguette slices.

Anexplorer:  Your middle name?

Dalpha:  *Agnes.  Named after my Grandmother and aunt.  It may have to die with my generation.

Anexplorer:  What is your favorite word?

*Feisty and Frolic are two of my favorite f-words (no pun intended).  I

have a bunch of Z-words and W-words too… but those are REALLY long

stories.

Anexplorer:  What is your least favorite word?

Dalpha:  *Tolerance.  I heard Judy Shepherd (Mathew Shepherd’s mother) 

at an open forum once and she talked about how she never uses the word 

tolerance when talking about another human being.  It suddenly made sense.  

We should never TOLERATE difference, but embrace it.

Anexplorer:  What turns you on [creatively, spiritually or emotionally]?

Dalpha:  *Mastering a new skill, passing it along to others, having AHA! 

moments of inspiration, and sharing insight with those hungry for knowledge.

Anexplorer:  What turns you off?

*People who lie to themselves so often that they eventually believe it

and then try to convince you to believe the lie too.

Anexplorer:  What is your favorite curse word?

Dalpha:  *Damn it.

Anexplorer:  What sound or noise do you love?

Dalpha:  *The rain

Anexplorer:  What sound or noise do you hate?

Dalpha:  *Screeching brakes of a vehicle

Anexplorer:  What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Dalpha:  **Some day I hope to make the hop to directing theatre productions. 

 I remember watching a drag show once and commenting to a friend how 

the performer was working the crowd all wrong, that she would gain 

popularity if she just made a few minor adjustments in her routine, and

 then I rattled the suggestions to my attentive friend. It seemed like the most

natural thing to just know those things at that moment, but apparently

not everyone has those insights.  I have directed and produced both theatre

and video shoots, but would embrace the opportunity to do it as an on

going profession.

Anexplorer:  What profession would you not like to do?

Dalpha:  **Gigolo gig•o•lo n

1.         a man who receives payments or gifts from a woman in exchange

 for being her sexual or social partner

2.         a man whose job is to be a dancing partner or escort for a woman

Why?  They seem really sincere, like ALL the time.

I have such a sarcastic tongue in me, I would fail miserably if I had to 

be nice like that. Need an example?

Well, I once took a job waiting tables at a bowling alley when one

night, a leaguer (that’s bowling lingo – for the middle aged guy with the

stringy hair comb over, nerdy wrist wear, spends hours polishing his

 balls with a special towel, and owns WAY too many shirts with his name 

on them), snapped his fingers at me, cleared his throat loudly, pointed and said,

“Uh, [snap-snap] WaitresSSSSS?” with a snide undertone.  So I

snapped my fingers back at him, pointed, and with a voice steeped in 

pity replied,“Uh, [snap-snap] Booooowlllller.” and kept on walkin’.

What?!  I thought it was a naming game?!  It was an honest mistake,

could’ve happened to anybody!

Anexplorer:  If Heaven exists, what would you like God to say to

 you when you arrive?

Dalpha:  GOD:  “Man… were YOU lost!  It clearly stated, ‘take a left at

Albuquerque.’  Never were good with directions were you!  Exhibit A:

Kindergarten Report Card [waves it in my face] Hey listen, we’re

lucky we got you here at all, can’t even tell you how many favors had to be

called in for this one!  Now here [pause hands me a garment] put this on, walk 

with me, and whenever you hear me say ‘lovely day today’ cluck like

a chicken.  I’ll explain everything later.”