Lane Russell interview

Recently, I spoke with U.S. soldier Lane Russell, 34. He was visiting the UK for the first time and had chosen Reading because it was central but altogether cheaper to stay in than London.  I had seen him performing at an open mic night in the town a week earlier.  He was singing the Blues and playing perhaps the strangest guitar I’ve ever seen.  I knew I had to interview him.

Lane Russell

Lane, what made you come and see England?

I’ve always been interested in the culture of the UK.  I read C.S. Lewis and I began to wonder why words that I knew such as ‘color’ were spelled differently plus having read about the American Revolution, I became interested in the UK’s involvement with that.

Where were you born?

I was born in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Were you from a musical family?

My Dad is a great guitarist, from the Chet Atkins school.  He’s a fingerpicker and far better than I will ever be.  My Dad’s brother was also a musician and he very nearly recorded an album.  The men in the family are all pretty good musicians but none of the women are at all interested in music.

What kind of musical influences did you have growing up?

Rev Andrew Pakula interview

Rev Andrew Pakula is minister of the Newington Green and Islington Unitarians, London.

Rev Andrew Pakula

Could you tell me a bit about your upbringing? Were you from a large family? Were you brought up within a religious and/or spiritual tradition?

I grew up in a suburban New York Jewish family. We were culturally Jewish really – not particularly religious. In fact, we had a Christmas tree every year, which was a good deal because my sister and I got presents for both Hanukkah and Christmas. I suppose that sort of mixing of traditions was the beginning of my journey toward Unitarianism!

My family and I moved to the UK in 2006. We had never lived outside the US before, but have been very happy here in London.

You trained in an altogether different field to where you now find yourself didn’t you?

Oh yes, it’s been quite a long journey. I was a scientist and businessman. I have a lot of initials after my name (B.S., Ph.D., and MBA). To make a long story short, I studied and trained for many years, worked in Biotechnology for a while and then put all of that aside to become a Unitarian minister.

What led to you to become a Minister?

Natalie King interview

Natalie King is a cinema manager and based in Brighton, England.

Natalie King

I believe you were raised in an old people’s home as both your parents were nurses – what are your recollections of that?

Many and varied! I didn’t know it was strange to live in an old people’s home when I was little. Both my parents trained as nurses but my father became the matron of an old people’s home just before he married my mother, and we all (dad, mum brother and sister) lived there until I was 16. Most of my memories are about Christmases – they were important to my dad and we never had Christmas dinner early he was always downstairs working. I over heard him talking to one his staff about it once and she couldn’t understand why he put such effort into it. He explained to her that his mother was still in Barbados and he would want someone to look after her if she was ever in a home – and the standard that he expected for her he should give to other people’s parents.

You now live in Brighton. What drew you there and what do you like/dislike about living in Brighton?

Simple – university! I came down here, met a man and liked the sea and I haven’t left! I love Brighton and now have spent most of my life here – the only dislike is the crowded beaches in the summer.

We met through Facebook because you’re a Robben Ford fan. Funnily enough, I discovered Robben whilst living in Brighton. I heard his album Mystic Mile playing in HMV on Western Road and just had to have it. How did you find out about him? You’ve seen him live haven’t you? What’s your favourite album/song of his?

My husband played me some of his music and just fell in love – it was the Supernatural album. I’ve seen him live 3 times (the best gigs were in the Jazz Cafe – I can actually say I have been inside a smoky jazz club!) I love the track Supernatural – especially live. And I am quite partial to the Blue Moon Album with Handful of Blues in a very close 2nd!

What bands/musicians are you into and what are you playing lots of currently?

I am listening to quite a lot at the min and it’s all quite varied. I am loving Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings, Joe Bonamassa – The Sloe Gin album and am reliving my teen years by listening to Soundgarden and Guns N Roses – sad but there you have it! To be honest any music is good – if it moves you, listen to it.

You’re musical yourself aren’t you? What instruments do you play and what attracted you to them? How long have you been playing? You’re left-handed, does this mean you approach playing differently?

Caroline Creasey interview

Caroline Creasey is 30 years of age and based in Australia.   She lives with Tourette Syndrome.  She returned to study this year and is happily married for the second time around.  She took time out of her schedule to be interviewed.  Thank you Caroline.

Caroline Creasey

Whereabouts were you born?

I was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A.  I was supposed to be born in Scotland a month later, but my parents miscalculated the due date.

Do you have any brothers and sisters?

I have a younger brother.  When he came home from the hospital I thought Mum and Dad had bought me a new toy: one that went “meep” when I poked him.  He now has four children, but still goes “meep” when I poke him!

You’ve spoken about living with Tourette Syndrome. When was this first noticed and did you get a swift diagnosis?

I first showed tics at age 3 months, an eye scrunching tic.  My parents (who were on their first child, and therefore panicked about everything) took me to an optometrist, who tested my vision and found it to be fine.  I then had tics, very little ones and intermittently up until I was 12.

Then the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder kicked in, and I began to worry about taps being left on, and leaving books at my desk.  The stress of not being able to control these urges lead to my tics coming out in full force.  I was taken to a Psychologist, two Psychiatrists, and an Ophthalmologist before I saw a Dr Marriage (Psychiatric Neurologist) who diagnosed me in about three seconds.

How does your TS manifest? Are other conditions present alongside your TS? Do you take meds to control your tics?

Michael Hamar interview

Michael Hamar is an openly gay man and a successful Attorney At Law.  It was through his highly informative and thought-provoking blog Michael in Norfolk that he first came to my attention.  Michael talks about coming out in mid-life, life itself, love, as well as his religious beliefs and political convictions.  I contacted Michael with regards being interviewed and he very graciously agreed.  Thank you Michael.

Michael B. Hamar P.C. Attorney-At-Law

What was/were the trigger(s) which made you begin to question your sexual identity?  Was it one of those eureka moments or was it a succession of moments/events which brought you to the realisation of who and what you were/are?  Was it a relief to discover the truth about who you were/are?

I think I always knew in my heart from about 12 years old.  Did I accept it?  Definitely not given my upbringing in conservative upstate New York and my traditional Catholic background.  It was only after a chance event that I found myself forced to face the reality of my true sexual orientation.  Yes, after the initial freaking out phase, it was a huge relief and I truly felt as if a huge weight had been taken off me.

I know you’ve touched upon the difficulties contained within making the very personal decision to come out and live truthfully and you went through an incredibly painful divorce.  Was there ever a point during that process when you thought it would have been easier to just go back to living as you had been or were you resolute in your convictions from the outset and determined to see it through no matter what?

During the coming out process I think many of us have our moments during which we wonder if life would have been easier if we had stayed in the closet.  But overall, I knew that I could not go back in the closet.  In fact, the ex-wife  told me to either go back in the closet and pretend nothing had happened or to get out and I decided that I had to move out.  I simply knew that I could no longer live my life as an actor playing a role others dictated for me.

What comes across clearly through your blog are your religious convictions.  Some would argue that being a practising gay person and a Christian are wholly incompatible?  What would you say to those people?

Paul Harfleet interview

This was one of my first interviews (from back in November 2008) and a more worthwhile project you’d be hard pushed to find.  Thank you Paul.

Paul Harfleet is a Manchester-based artist who in 2005 devised and created The Pansy Project.  With it he revisits locations where homophobia has been experienced and plants pansies.

Paul Harfleet - Artist and Activist

Could you tell me a bit about The Pansy Project? How did that come about? I presume you’re reclaiming the term ‘pansy’ with your project title – what strengths do pansies (the plants) have and how does this feature within what you do? You use self-seeding pansies I see.

A string of homophobic abuse was the catalyst for The Pansy Project. The day began with two builders shouting; “it’s about time we went gaybashing again isn’t it?”; continued with a gang of young boys throwing abuse and stones at my then boyfriend and me, and ended with a bizarre and unsettling confrontation with a man who called us ‘ladies’ under his breath.

Over the years I have become accustomed to this kind of behaviour, but I came to realise it was a shocking concept to most of my friends and colleagues.

It was in this context that I began to ponder the nature of these verbal attacks and their influence on my life. I realised that I felt differently about these experiences depending on my mental state so I decided to explore the way I was made to feel at the location where these incidents occur. What interested me was the way that the locations later acted as a prompt for me to consider the memories associated with that place. I wanted in some way to manipulate these associations, In order to feel differently about the location and the memories it summoned.