Autumn "Charitable Fundraiser"

Name: Autumn
Age: 33
Sign: Leo
I grew up in: Willits, CA
I currently live in: Long Beach, CA
Occupation: Marketing
You can find me: on the 405
You will never find me: At a sports bar
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: KIVA.org


1.)What is your dream job?

I have no idea. I love my job now, even with its frustrations. I like its mixture of glamour, creativity, intelligence, pressure and charitable fundraising. It's hard to find. It would improve with a promotion. :) In the future, once I'm past my peak earning years, I see myself running a space or restaurant that fuels community and socialization with some political/philosophical/musical/literary leanings. If I can interact with art and conversation every day, I feel satisfied.

2.)What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of my loving nature. I fought against some pretty vile tendencies in my early twenties to break through and realize that every person bears their own burden and deserves to be treated like a human being with empathy and compassion.

3.)What has been your greatest loss in life?

My grandmother, Hripsime Nazarian, died when I was ten.
I have always felt extremely cheated out of time with her, especially since she was sick for many of the years preceding her death. She was an immigrant with countless stories and wisdom. Her experiences included growing up wealthy, then losing everything and learning to deal with the realities of poverty. She was restless. She was an entrepreneur and had a successful dress shop that she ran out of her basement in Boston. She did this despite the fact that my grandfather was wealthy and many of her social peers looked down their noses at a working wife. I am connected to her in ways that go deeper than DNA. I even put her in my cell phone - listed with my number. She is always the guide I turn to for assistance when reason and logic seem useless. Losing her too young was a tremendous loss.

4.)Who would you like to meet?

So many people. The Clintons and Obama of course. I would LOVE to meet someone like Karl Rove just to pick his brain to discover the motives... The mind reels. I would love to have dinner with Richard Branson, Richard Dawkins or Warren Buffet. Also Stephen Hawking. I would love to meet the scientists at CERN. Ok, I'll shut up now.

5.)What is the hardest part of your day? What is the best part of your day?

The hardest part of my day takes place on the 405 freeway, resigned and frustrated. The best part of my day is waking up with my girlfriend, our dog & cat and maybe pressing the snooze button.