Interview with "theteach"

The best interviews -- like the best biographies -- should sing the strangeness and variety of the human race.

~Lynn Barber~

My friend and fellow New Yorker, Daryl, sent me the following interview questions:

1. As another NYer who also photographs everything she sees, do you find you take more planned photos or do you happen across photo ops? And which in your opinion works out better (like if you planned to go shoot something, like The Water Falls and it rains vs being out and about and seeing something that you know will work for Ruby Tuesday)?

When I started photographing for my blogs I just photographed everything I saw. I loved carrying my camera in my bag and whipping it out and clicking when something caught my eye. Photographing with a 4-gig card in a digital camera lets you shoot anything, positively anything, and never have to worry if you have enough room left (as I used to worry if I had enough film left!). I have begun to annoy my young grand-nephew because I can't be in his presence without pointing my camera at him.

Now I tend to plan my photo ops (like two recent trips to shoot cemetery statuary in my neighborhood) but my camera is always in my bag. I'm beginning to spend a lot of time looking at the shots I've take and wondering how I can make them better. That takes up a lot of my time. I've gotta stop that. :)

2. You are a teacher which is a truly special vocation in my opinion .. but did you always want to be a teacher? What made you want to teach?

My first teaching job was at an all-girls Catholic high school in Brooklyn. I sort of fell into it and didn't know if I'd be good at it or if I'd like it. When I started I was just 4-5 years older than the students I taught (I was 22 and the seniors were 17-18). I didn't let that get to me though. I loved teaching the girls - I taught Speech and Humanities. Now I teach Senior citizens in the Continuing Ed Department of a local community college and I love teaching even more. I really facilitate discussions of classical and contemporary literature more than teach. I have 3 sections with 20 or so people in each class. We all really enjoy learning (I learn just as much as the class members do).

I think I'm a good teacher, lots of people tell me so. Hope that doesn't sound like bragging...

3. If/When you retire will you stay in NYC? Why? Or will you move? If you move, where would you go?

Right now I think I'll stay in New York City. Where is there a better place to live? Ha! I bet a bunch of you out there are calling out your hometown's name to me... There might be a possibility of going to Florida for the winter though - I'm finding cold weather to be more and more intolerable.

4. Do you like to travel? Where have you been that you'd go back to again? Where would you like to go?

I love to travel. Vinny, my hubby, and I have been to Australia, Hong Kong, Hawaii, Paris, London, Italy. I'd certainly go back to Australia if the flight wasn't so terribly long. Since I started blogging I've "met" some really great people from Singapore - that's where I'd like to visit next. Talk about a long flight though! Also I'd like to visit more of the U.S. I've been to Arizona, and very briefly to California and, of course, Florida and Georgia but I haven't been to the middle of the country. I'd like to see the Mississippi River and maybe even take a trip down the river.

5. When/how did you meet your husband?

I met Vinny at college a long, long time ago. He was at a party that I was at and he asked me to dance. Later he told me it was the RED sweater I was wearing that caught his eye. Does anybody see the irony?

Now if you'd like to be interviewed

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the
questions).
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview
others in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask
them five questions.

Like Daryl, if you tell me when your interview is posted I'll link to you from here so everyone will go over to your blog and read your interview. Okay?

Sound like fun? C'mon get interviewed!

theteach

UPDATE:

This is an e-mail I sent to Terry who asked why I didn't mention Canada in the places I've visited or would like to visit:

Terry, oh I apologize for not mentioning Canada in my interview! I have been to Canada many times! My honeymoon was spent on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls for goodness sake! I've been to Quebec and I think Toronto way back when I was a kid!

I think I didn't mention Canada because I feel you're RIGHT THERE at my right hand (if I'm facing California) ready to receive me with open arms and a welcoming "Hi there!" Your friendship has only proved that to me!

Visiting Canada again would be a delight!

Love and hugs!
Mary :)