Loose Leaf Notes

I agreed to a 5 question interview with J&J’s Mom at Millersville. I just got finished telling her, after viewing her wall mural art (posted at her site) that she could have a new career as an artist…or maybe as an interviewer, which is another art form, according to a book I recently read, titled “The Art of the Interview.” It’s not as easy as you think to tailor questions to the person you’re interviewing, but J&J’s mom is an all around artist at it, and today I’m her subject:
1. You’ve had your share of difficult times. Two such events being the loss of your brothers, one right after the other. This prompted you to write what turned out to be a book called The Jim and Dan Stories about them, your loss and growth afterward. How did writing this book help you move through the rough times? What are one or two things you learned about yourself after living through something most people never experience?
Writing the “Jim and Dan Stories” helped me to avoid overwhelming grief (by keeping me busy), while at the same time processing it. Is that what art does? I learned through losing my brothers that I’m surely and truly going to die and that I will never KNOW for SURE whether I will see them again in a recognizable form. That’s hard to accept. I also learned (can I name 3 things?) how deep my roots go and that my love for my family is the most important thing in life.
2. If you had the opportunity to do anything in your life over again, what would it be and why?
I would get therapy sooner!
3. You have one hour to spend with any one of your Irish ancestors. Who would it be and what would you ask them?
I would like to know more about the Dineen part of our family (my grandfather’s mother’s family). I have information about my Bergin and Murray ancestors, but I don’t even know what part of Ireland the Dineens were from. The oral history goes…that my father’s aunt (from South Boston) was in touch with the Dineens via letters. But she exaggerated how well she was doing in America, so when the Dineens actually came to this country, rather than face the truth, she didn’t go to meet them…and we lost all contact after that.
4. Write a short poem about “Buttons”.
I actually have a poem about a button, but I can’t find it. Off the top of my head:
No Comment
I should know by now
how to button my lip
just go zip…
and close it.
5. You have a choice, $1,000,000, or a conversation with the President wherein he will do any one thing you ask him to. Which would you choose and why?
I had to think about this…it’s like one of those 3 wishes trick questions. I would forfeit the $1,000,000 for President Bush to be inflicted with what Jim Carey had in the movie “Liar Liar” and have to tell the truth. Then I would ask him questions about how and why we got into Iraq and about the 2000 and 2004 election and more. I’d take donations or charge admission for people to watch him answer, thus recouping some of my financial loss. But it would be worth the money to change history and hold those in power acccountable.