Carrie and Jess "We Are Proud Of Our Intergrity"

Name: Carrie and Jess
Age: 35 and 31
Sign: Leo and Aries
Occupation: Student and artist
I grew up in: Wyoming and Florida
I currently live in: Wyoming
You can find me: In the Library or on the Highway
You will never find me: at a Republican convention (LOL)
Your website or Charity you are passionate about:
Http://creativediversitybycanj.blogspot.com

1 Who or What inspires you? Art and Literature inspire us. We are very big fans of Gertrude Stein and the West Bank in Paris. We try to keep art in our lives and enjoy Beauty in pictures and places…anything that evokes that spark of creativity among the mundane.

2. What are you most proud of? We are the most proud of the distance that we have come given the childhoods that we had. We came all of that way together and work very hard to ensure that our children don’t have the same kind of lives. A lot of school and education. We struggle anyway…working very hard to get out of here. So, I guess that we are proud of our integrity.

3. What has been your greatest loss in life?
There have been so many great losses. However, I guess that loss of society that we have had since moving to a place so rural. The loss of culture and option.

4. Who would you like to meet?
There are quite a few people that we would like to meet. Carrie would like to meet Jane Goodall and spend some time with Johnette Napolitano, and Jessie would like to meet Jimmy Buffet and probably Madonna…she already got to meet Hillary Clinton. We would Both like to meet Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley.

5. What is the hardest part of your day? What is the best part of your day?
The hardest part of the day is getting up to go again…we are always on the go…school,driving, kid’s activities, and work. The best part of the day is cuddling in bed and going to sleep.

Sue "Trees are an Inspiration"

Name:Sue
Age:40
Sign:Scorpio
I grew up in:Grand Rapids Michigan
I currently live in:Western Maine
Occupation: customer service manager in aviation
You can find me:usually at work, or if it's warm and I can pull myself away from there, I'm outside somewhere.
You will never find me:at the Republican National Convention or working in a meat packing plant/slaughterhouse




Your website or Charity you are passionate about:
MAPS.org

1.)Who or what inspires you?

There are a few inspirations in my life. It's really hard to choose just one. Trees... as silly as it may sound, are a big inspiration to me. Where I live, I'm surrounded pretty deep by them. Everytime I go outside, I'm overcome with a sense of 'ahhh, this is how life is supposed to feel'.
Nature, in general, is up toward the top of the Inspiration List. It's the treehugger in me. :)

A beautiful little 6 year old girl... she makes me fight for what's fair and right. I do my part to make the world a better place, because I know she's in it.

Before the job I have now, I did hospice care. The people I once cared for... everyone else in the world who takes on death with grace and strength... they're way up on the list too.

2.)What are you most proud of?

Where I am in my life and the strength I had to muster along the way to get here. So many things stood in the way to having peace of mind and a good sense of balance.
I've learned from life. I've grown.
I'm proud of that. :)

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

The love of my life died 9 years ago. Cancer. It devastated me beyond anything I've ever known.

4.)Who would you like to meet?

Dead or alive?

Dead, I'd like to meet Mary, mother of the infamous Jesus. I don't really believe that story she was telling. I think there's much more too it. I have questions.

Alive, I'd love to meet Bono. Bono, a crazy lil' man he may be, shares my vision of wanting to save the world. I admire him for so much more than his music and would love to give him a few questions as well.

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

Shutting my brain off is nearly impossible for me to do. When I close my eyes at night, the thoughts are still rushing around a zillion miles an hour. That kinda makes for difficult sleeping...

The best part of my day? Besides waking up and having another day to be alive, walking outside for the first time each day would be the best. I've lived here for almost 8 years and it still catches me every time I step outside. Love it, love it!

Veronica "Passionate About Living"

Name: Veronica (Ronnie )
Age: 46
Sign: Peace
Occupation: Office Manager by day/Artist all of the other hours in between
I grew up in: Born in Boston but grew up in a suburb south of there
I currently live in: That same suburb
You can find me: In Pawtucket, RI making art at my studio
You will never find me: Hunting, Water Skiing, Wearing high heels
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: I am not active with any charity or cause. They all seem to resonate in one way or another. The one issue that seems most significant to me seems to be distribution of wealth and economic justice type issues. I think www.kiva.org is on the right track.

1.) What is your lifelong dream? I am not sure I have had a dream to be or do anything ever. I am not even sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing anymore. I am sure at one point I had some ideas about have a successful relationship, getting a house, maybe having a family or something like that but these are so far away or never evolved in the way I thought they might have. What has ended out happening instead is that I have this vision and it comes back to me all of the time. I imagine myself sitting on a porch somewhere and I am 80. Along the way of my life I have made these friendships and they are still there. That me and this group of people whoever they turn out to be have spent either a lot of time together or have been pivotal people in each others lives. For some reason I imagine we all live near each other and at about 5 or 6 o'clock on most evenings we hang out and talk about our lives, our pasts and how we got to be there together. Every once in a while some one random person who was there then or played some smaller part will show up. These are the people who have boosted me up and I them. That we can sit there and actually know each other in a palpable sense and be still and present for each other. This is my dream. That these people, and I have a few in mind already, will be there ,will be there still laughing with me when I am old.


2.) What are you passionate about? A million things. As many things that I can in one day. It's exhausting sometimes. Art, travel, friends, family, love, work, reading. If I had more time in a day I would walk around and look at things, anything really. I just think maybe I am passionate about living.


3.) How do you measure success? I was working at a hospital once. A psych unit. A patient came in with $4,000.00 in her pocket book. All money and valuables are taken from patients under these circumstances. I was in charge of this patients property and I was the person to envelope the money , seal it, sign it with the patient and deposit it into the night safe. A safe. Locked up gone, Safe. When I got to work the next day the money was missing. My supervisor came up to me to tell me it was gone. I of course sunk, she on the other hand didn't blink an eye. Not for one second did they think I did not put the money in there, not for one second did the think I had anything to do with the missing money. This to me was one of my most successful days. I think success can be measured by ones character. That being trustworthy and people being able to identify that almost immediately upon meeting you is to me how I view success.


4.) What has been your greatest achievement? Getting and staying sober and never forgetting for a day that I was gifted with a second chance at life. That even though somedays it can be a real pain in ass to have to deal with some of the realities of life I would never want to go back. Though, let me acknowledge that I didn't achieve this alone as I do believe that in order to keep this gift I have had to turn it over to something a lot bigger than myself.


5.) Is there something you would do differently if you could go back in time? I wouldn't have made fun of anyone in elementary school. I know it's crazy and though I still may gossip or may drag someone through the mud, it was incredibly enlightening to learn that by doing so I was only trying to boost up my own false self. I'd like to throw a shout out to Rosemarie whom I still for some reason think about whenever I reflect on these moments. The truth is, is that I wasn't even a really mean kid. I was being picked on too I assure you, I think I was just passing the buck to them.

Veronica "Love For Everyone"

Name:Veronica
Age:48
Sign:Leo
Occupation:Retail General Store Manager
I grew up in: Indiana
I currently live in:Virginia
You can find me:always at work
You will never find me:in a bar
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: anything to do with animals

1.) Who has been the most influential person in your life? My husband Rick

2.) What would you want to change about yourself? Lose 50 pounds

3.) Is there something you would do differently if you could go back in time? I would never have married my first husband

4.) How do you measure success? oh god that is easy...... happiness

5.) What is your most prized possession? Material? would be my studio.... non material would be my love for everyone

Chi "Everyone Have A Great Story Inside Of Them"

Name: Chi
Age: 33
Sign: Gemini
Occupation: Small Business owner
I grew up in: Rockville, MD
I currently live in: Hermosa Beach
You can find me: at the beach
You will never find me: eating turkey bacon
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: Business: www.SpartanDirect.com, Offtime: helping Veterans

1.) Who or what inspires you? Everyone. I think everyone has a great story inside them

2.) What is difficult for you? Balancing that belief with the fact that most people are ignorant or choose not to pursue things outside their comfort zone

3.) What is your biggest regret? Losing too many people in my life without letting them know how important they were to me

4.) What are you most proud of? That my family/friends/people I have worked/served with know they can count on me

5.) What do you want to do before you die? Find inner peace

Jen "Dream Job is No Job"

Name: Jennifer
Age: 27
Sign: Gemini
I grew up in: Charlotte, MI
I currently live in: Long Beach, CA
Occupation: Outside Sales rep for Waxie
You can find me: Working, Studying, Working out, having fun ....
You will never find me: Drunk at noon on a weekday..well...unless its a Holiday or something :)
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: I love Organizations dedicated to keeping kids of drugs and alcohol and off the streets. A local Charity I admire is www.standupforkids.org


Dream Job- My dream job would be NO JOB...I would love to have enough money where I wasnt required to work..if that were the case then I would love to Volunteer with babies somewhere. Either sick or orphaned infants....

Most Proud of- Getting into college. The last couple years of HS were pretty tough. I didnt have much parental guidance but I still got good grades and got into a great college. I went to school and finished in 4 years and then moved out to California :)

Greatest Loss in Life- My greatest loss would have to be myself... I have had moments, short and Long...where I lose myself because I am too worried or involved with someone else...Its a slow process...but today I am working on not losing myself for anything.

Who would I like to meet- I would love to meet... Barack Obama, P!nk, myself in 10 years..and God when the time is right!

Hardest part of my day- My day is not all that hard. I have an amazing job.... The hardest part would be to stay in the moment. Keeping my mind in the same place as my feet :)

Best part of my day- The best part of each day is everything. Knowing I have another day to live, breathe, work, laugh, and so on....

Kyle "Proud Of Following My Dreams"

First Name: Kyle
Age: 26
Sign: Taurus
I grew up in: Torrington, Connecticut, United States
Occupation: Musician, Author, Entrepreneur
You can find me: On just about every social networking website, on stage, running, exercising, in a bar, in a studio, on the beach, hard at work, playing Nintendo.
You will never find me: In church, out hunting, eating seafood.
Website/Charity: The Reason Project, The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science

1.) What (person, goal, dream) gets you out of bed each day? Many things! My passion for music and writing, my list of goals and things to do before I die (see below). Breakfast is also my favorite meal of the day...that might help!

2.) What would you want to change about yourself? I have a perfectionist expectation for myself which I rigidly enforce. I tend to beat myself up when I fall below my par. I also have onychophagia which I am treating right now.

3.) What do you want to do before you die? Skydive, bungee jump, play the Download festival, meet Metallica, write and publish 10 books (I've got 2 down), write and publish 10 albums (I've got 3 down), learn how to fly, become a black belt in martial arts, master meditation, get a PhD (have an AS, and BA so far), the list is huge and filled with variety.

4.) What are you most proud of? My decision to follow my dreams instead of settling for less than what was expected of me. I am proud to have made a career of out the things I truly love in life.

5.) What is your most prized possession? Figuratively: My artistic ability. Literally: Probably, my iMac! But my Casio Privia digital piano is a very, very close second.

Gina "I Love Writing About Inspiring People"

Name: Gina
Age: 35
Sign: Scorpio
I grew up in: Downey
Occupation: Journalist/Fiction Writer and Disneyland Guest Research Assistant
You can find me: At the movies or writing at Starbucks :)
You will never find me: at church
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: I'm very passionate about animals. I'm a big advocate for homeless animals. My three cats, Simon, Stewart and Frida are all rescues as well as Harley, my big golden retreiver whom we rescued from the pound. I love the the Amanda Foundation and the spcaLA

1.) Do you love what you do? Why? Yes, I love being a freelance Journalist. I love writing about inspiring people who have a voice, who beat the odds and make something of themselves. I'm also very passionate about screenwriting and fiction writing and I love sharing my articles with anyone who loves to read! I also love working at Disneyland. Why? Because it truly is the happiest place on earth. It's a beautiful world full of fantasy and the ice cream and waffle cones are heavenly! I love the smell of popcorn, churros and the coffee when I'm walking down main street and the lights are just gorgeous!

2.) What are you most proud of? I am most proud having returned to college two years ago after having given up on college because I just could never pass the math classes! I finally decided to go back and try and take the math at Rio Hondo Community College. While I was there, desperate to pass the last few units I needed toward my bachelor's in English, at Cal State L.A. I found out I had a learning disability. I could have easily given up at 33 years old out of devastation of the news but thankfully, I was determined. After reaching out for help, I finally completed the units I needed. While at Rio, I also became involved in the Journalism program and I'm most proud of actually finishing the program and receiving an A.S. in Journalism and an A.A. in Liberal arts after all these years! Now, I really believe it doesn't matter how long it takes you to accomplish your goal as long as you follow through until you actually do!

3.) What life experience has strengthened you the most? Having worked for Forest Lawn Cemetery for three years really made me appreciate life. Being around so much death made me realize how precious life really is and I definitely don't take friends or family for granted anymore because you never know when a person you love might be taken away from you. It definitely made me a stronger person.

4.) Who has been the most influential person in your life? I think the most influential person in my life is my mom. She has always been there for me and her sincere love and respect for people is definitely something I admire and I strive to be more like her in that way. She is truly a positive person and is so kind to everyone she meets I'm grateful for her having been such a positive influence in my life.

5.) What would you want to change about yourself? I would definitely want to change the fact that I am such a procrastinater! From the time I was 16 to the age I am now, I could have written at least twenty novels by now and ten screenplays! Luckily, I've finally started to work on disciplining myself every day. Changing that part of myself is a slow process but I definitely hope to get there one day!

Pam "Sweating At A Hot Yoga Class"

Name: Pam
Age: 41
Sign: Pisces
I grew up in: thriving metropolis of Salisbury, MA
I currently live in: concrete jungle known as Houston, TX
You can find me: sweating at a hot yoga class
You will never find me: hunting animals

1.) Is there something you would do differently if you could go back in time? Absolutely – avoid my most painful relationship with a horrible mean woman

2.)What do you want your future to be like? Like a tropical vacation – hot and full of beer, babes and tequila

3.)What is your most prized possession? She’s not a possession, she’s my life…my dog Franny.

4.)What has been your greatest loss in life? My Mom, the most amazing person I’ve ever known

5.)How do you want to be remembered? Kind hearted.

Joey "Promoting Friends And Family"

First Name: JoAnn "Joey"
Age: 38
Sign: Gemini
I grew up in: Santa Clarita California
I currently live in: Santa Clarita
Occupation: Sales
You can find me: promoting friends and family.
You will never find me: supporting an unworthy entity.
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: The Talbert Foundation for kids. www.thebeabcoffeecompany.com for fundraising.

1.)What (person, goal, dream) gets you out of bed each day? My daughter, passion to evolve and the life I will have!

2.)What would you want to change about yourself? Fear of failure

3.)What do you want to do before you die? Travel!!!!!

4.)What are you most proud of? My daughter and my moral and ethical values!

5.)What is your most prized possession? My Conscience!

Tricia "A Planner That Likes To Live On The Edge"

First Name: Tricia
Age: 33
Sign: Pisces
I grew up in: The OC
I currently live in: San Diego-somewhere under the rainbow in Hillcrest
Occupation: Area Director of Sales and Operations for The Regus Group
You can find me: making lists (on the beach) and checking them twice, yes i am a planner that likes to live on the edge...oxymoron, i know! just want to pack as much into life as possible.
You will never find me: inside on a sunny day
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: HRC

1.) What (person, goal, dream) gets you out of bed each day? OBILIGAtion that grants me VACAtion! I do have an extremely hard work ethic and an extremely harder play ethic!

2.) What would you want to change about yourself? Nothing...I'm quite happy with myself.... but on second thought, I could be a bit fitter and slimmer, and ... now I think about it... more confident, taller, richer, kinder, wiser,... yet i wouldn't want a magic wand to take these things away that make me me today. That would also take away the life lessons we learn while trying to become better people in the process.

3.) What do you want to do before you die? visit the 7 continents and do something unique (large or small) to positively impact the land and people before i leave. guess i should start at home..

4.) What are you most proud of? "resilience"... my ability to bounce back

5.) What is your most prized possession? my faith and my super ball collection

Melinda "bob" - "Never Is A Dangerous Word"

Name: melinda "bob"
Age:32
Sign:cancer
Occupation:program director for youth programs
I grew up in: La Habra, CA
I currently live in:Spokane, WA
You can find me.
You will never find me: Never is a dangerous word.
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: I am passionate about making the world a better place; where presence and reality is important, cherished, and practiced; where shame doesn't exist; where differences are celebrated. Enter hyperlink here for any website that promotes that type of living and sharing.

1.) Who has been the most influential person in your life? I am privileged to have many mentors. The most recent influential person is Sali Combelic.

2.) What would you want to change about yourself? I am working on changing my thighs. They've always been a work in progress.

3.) Is there something you would do differently if you could go back in time? Yeah...definitely!

4.) How do you measure success? I don't.

5.) What is your most prized possession? Myself, when I realize it's all I have.

Jen "Being Better Gets Me Out Of Bed"

Name: Jen
Age: 32
Sign: Aries
I grew up in: Fort Collins, CO
I currently live in: Fort Collins, CO
Occupation: Graphic Designer
You can find me: Online at www.jensmithcreative.com
You will never find me: in a voting booth checking a republican's name
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: www.larimerhumane.org


1.) What (person, goal, dream) gets you out of bed each day?
The goal of being "better" gets me out of bed each day. That could mean being a better partner, artist, daughter, sister, aunt, friend... a better person. Well, and honestly, I'm also a work-a-holic so I also get up every day with the goal of making enough money while I'm young so I can have financial freedom and do fun things when I'm older.

2.) What life experience has strengthened you the most?
Being a college athlete strengthened me the most. I learned how to communicate with people, I created a strong work-ethic for myself and I learned how to set and achieve goals.

3.) What would you want to change about yourself?
I would want to change my metabolism!! I can't even look at food without gaining weight.

4.) How do you want to be remembered?
I want to be remembered as a kind, funny, intelligent woman who was one hell of an athlete in her day. I want to be remembered as a hard worker and a family person, a dog-lover and a good friend.

5.) What is your most prized possession? My family is my most prized possession.

Jermiah "Wildland Firefighter"

Name: Jeremiah
Age: 31
Sign: Taurus
Occupation: Wildland Firefighter
I grew up in: Marquette MI
I currently live in: Salt Lake City UT
You can find me: at the ski hill, the rink, or home
You will never find me: in a dance club
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: www.tetongravity.com/forums

1.) Who has been the most influential person in your life?
My mother

2.) What would you want to change about yourself?
I'd like to have confidence and fewer insecurities.

3.) Is there something you would do differently if you could go back in time?
Instead of putting countless hours and immeasurable energy into becoming a competitive skier in Michigan, I would have applied my natural athletic ability (and my 6'3" body) to hockey, where with the same amount of dedication and work I could have paid for college, possibly made some money, had some respect in my hometown, and been able to have a wife and kids. If I were as good a hockey player as I was/am a skier I could have made a life out of that sport. There are no skiing wives, there are no coaches in freeskiing, there is no draft, no college teams, no fans, no games on tv...just a bunch of bums who get nothing out of it but a ruined body and a lonely life of financial struggle. Every half decent hockey player I know of has an education and a good job and a family by my age.

4.) How do you measure success?
By the ratio of time spent enjoying oneself vs. otherwise.

5.) What is your most prized possession?
My home.

Dani "Shoot For The Stars"

Name: Dani
Age: 47
Sign: Aquarius
I grew up in: Chicago, IL
I currently live in: Brooklyn, NY
Occupation: Personal and Professional Life Coach
You can find me: www.shootforthestarscoaching.com
You will never find me: Making out with a guy
Favorite charity: St. Jude’s Hospital

1.) What has been the most life altering experience for you?

• At 15 years old, somehow finding my way to, and graduating from, a boarding high school in Colorado where the mission, vision, and values were in complete alignment with my own even though, as a city and suburban kid, I had never been exposed to this type of culture – a true learning environment that cultivated personal excellence, respect, responsibility, sustainable living, and community-building – set in the middle of magnificent natural, and awe-inspiring surroundings.

This experience opened me up to so many worlds completely
unknown to me before then. It was life altering, beyond
words: www.crms.org.

It’s also where I had my first girlfriend, at 16, so it’s sometimes
hard to know whether it was my drama group activities, the mountain-climbing, and my after-school work crew that made me love CRMS so much, or if it was the sneaking away with Natasha behind the bales of hay or down to the Roaring Fork and Crystal Rivers, for as long as we could get away without our constant and mysterious disappearances being too suspicious. Ok, like everyone knew. It was very “don’t ask, don’t tell”. The part that wasn’t so pretty was my bi-monthly (hitchhiking) trips to the Aspen mental health clinic in my senior year, always attempting tell the therapist of my “condition” – I could not get the word out, but I went every week to try and all I came away with from her was a book called, “The Guide to Rational Living”. I’m not kidding…1978.

• When I was in my late 20’s, getting a really cheap one-way ticket to Europe, letting go of my apartment, putting all my belongings in a friend’s basement, buying a used Bianchi bicycle, borrowing panniers and other various camping equipment, and meeting up with my American girlfriend in London where she was working as a bike messenger (we met eight months before in basketball class in college and I was hooked from the minute she jumped onto my back from behind, with no warning, in order to shoot a basket while riding me piggyback… and she was practically twice my height and weight. I was smitten.

For six months, we went everywhere and anywhere, all over
Europe, on our bikes, and sometimes taking trains (hauling our
bikes on with us) – sleeping in orange groves, cotton sheds, on ferries, farmer’s lands – waking up surrounded by hundreds of grazing goats, empty beach coves (until the “La Guardia” would poke us awake at sunrise), strangers’ homes who became like best friends overnight (thanks www.servas.org!), pensiones, hostels, chambres, cortijos, you name it. It was a wild ride.

2.) How do you measure success?

HEART and SOUL! I need to be in my life, full on, heart and soul, every moment or I feel like I’m not even alive. It’s impossible to be a failure if your “skin is in the game”. I attribute all of my successes to having listened to my heart and followed my gut and that frees up my soul to be on a journey that gives me more satisfaction and fulfillment than I could have possibly conjured up from my mind.

Like everyone else, I grew up being told how I was supposed to be and I don’t know why, but I have always refused to follow any of what I was told unless it really made sense to me. There is another word for this attribute and it’s called “stubborn”, but, for all it’s downsides, I have reaped the rewards of its upsides too: that I do whatever I believe to be right for me at the time and I have never gone wrong. And there’s a certain pride and sense of accomplishment that goes with doing that. By listening to myself, I take full responsibility for everything that comes into my life and that is freedom to me.

3.) What are you most proud of?

I’m proud of so many things, but, right now, I’m most proud that I fulfilled my dream of having my own successful business as a Life Coach. And that I get to make a huge difference in people’s lives - in how they view themselves and the world and how they then live lives that are authentic to who they really are and their true purpose. I am astounded every day that this is what I get to do for a living and I am supremely grateful. I’ve also worked very hard to be get to where I am and, for this, I’m very proud.

4.) How do you want to be remembered?

Bravehearted: as someone who, with all her heart, lived an authentic life - never settling, regardless of how much those around her give in to following the status quo.

That she passionately and confidently lived from her values of loving-kindness, open communication, caring, respect for herself and others, integrity, open-heartedness, joyful dedication to humanity and all living beings, love of learning, appreciation for all of life’s lessons, and making a positive and significant difference in people’s lives.

And, as a result of living true to the qualities that most mattered to her, she created a sense of peace and well-being, inside and all around her.

5.) What do you want to do before you die?

I want to share the rest of my life with someone who, like me, has a heart of gold – we’re crazy in love and she’s also my best friend – I want to grow old together and build memories with her. And, every day, we love being together and I know I’m the luckiest person in the world that she found and chose me and she feels exactly the same. We see each other’s strength and beauty, and foibles, and vulnerability, and embrace and appreciate all of it.

And, every day, no matter what life throws at us, we never doubt our love, deep friendship, and unwavering commitment to each other and to an open, honest, and fulfilling life together of fun, adventure, joy, laughter, and learning, while supporting and inspiring each other all along the way to be the best we can be.

Sounds cliché, but it’s pretty simple and I want it. I’m old enough to know what I want and crazy enough to believe I’ll find it!

Ocea "A Little Out There"

Name:Ocea
Age:50 Today
Sign:Aries/Gemini/Leo
I grew up in: Kentucky
I currently live in: California
Occupation: Business Owner
You can find me: In Nature
You will never find me: In a Church
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: www.TravelWellness.com


1.)What would you want to change about yourself?Not be so self-critical. Stay on task more, to be better at following through on what I start.

2.)What is difficult for you? Describe a difficulty you went through and tell how you got through it. Not having my mom on this planet anymore. She passed away in 2001 and taking care of her for 4 months helped me get through her passing.

3.)How would your friends describe you? Generous, patient and a little "out there".

4.)What has been your greatest achievement? Developing an herbal throat spray "Vocal Eze".

5.)What life experience has strengthened you the most?Selling everything I had and moving to Hawaii in 1987 to discover myself.

Gabriel "Feel Real Love"

First Name:Gabriel
Age:2
I grew up in: Katy, Texas
I currently live in:San Antonio, Texas
Occupation: Cook
You can find me:email
You will never find me:ok
Your website or Charity you are passionate about:facebook
1.) What (person, goal, dream) gets you out of bed each day?none at the moment
2.) What would you want to change about yourself?my personality
3.) What do you want to do before you die?feel real love
4.) What are you most proud of? That all of my family is together
5.) What is your most prized possession? My life

Sherri "Turning my Stubborness Into Determinitaion"

Name: Sherri
Age: 42
Sign : Pisces
I grew up in : Oakland, California....but not in the foothills
I currently live in: Desert Hot Springs, California....now in the foothills but it doesn't mean the same
You can find me: in the garden, at the dojo or doing yoga....if I'm not on line
You will never find me: wanting to live in any of the multi million dollar country clubs that I work in
Occupation: Owner Operator....Gardener / Landscape Contractor
Website: My Space and my favorite charity is Coachella Valley Rescue Mission and Feed the Children

1. What or who inspires you most? When people aren't afraid to show their heart and live by it instead of just social and religious rules.

2. What are you most proud of? I think turning my stubbornness into determination. Like when I said at 40 I'd be at the so called top of my game. I finally finished a 2 year degree in Plant Science although it took 20 years, passed the landscape contractors license, earned my 4 th degree black belt, and still had my first customer after 17 years of service

3. What has been your greatest loss? In mid life I lost my social inhibition and discovered I was gay, that was a good lose. But then finding out that my first love would not be my last....that's been the greatest loss to deal with

4. What has been your life altering experience? When I was 19 and watering in a greenhouse I heard helicopters circling outside. Next thing I heard was come out with your hands up....we have you surrounded as over 30 armed men waited outside. Shortly after that and tutoring from the Chaplains' wife that followed I went to college (after dropping out in the 8th grade) and returned to training in the marital arts

5. Who would you most like to meet? I'd like to meet my friend Sandra on MySpace ....yep even before Obama or the Dalai Lama

Becca "Light Inspires Me"

Name: Becca
Age: 22
Sign: Capricorn
Occupation: Theater technician & divinity student
I grew up in: Santa Cruz, CA
I currently live in: Northampton, MA
You can find me: Backstage or in the booth. At least on headset.
You will never find me: Supporting discrimination
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: Dr. without borders, the United Church of Christ, The Chartwell School

1.) Who or what inspires you?
Light inspires me. There is nothing more beautiful, simple, and complex all at the same time. The highlight off a snow drift. The ripples of shadow from light reflected off of one window and shining through another. The way you feel late at night when you're walking home and the streetlight right in front of you goes out. Birthday candles glowing under your sister's chin. The perfection reflection of a tree in a shallow puddle on the sidewalk.

Light is everywhere, in everything. Physically it affects what we see; without light we can't see. More than that, light profoundly affects how we feel about what we see. Think of a forest or a park. Now imagine you're in the middle of it, at night, alone. pretty scary, isn't it? Now imagine the same place only now it's early morning and you're walking somewhere. The light is cool and soft; maybe it's misty out. pretty different? It feels cold, alert, maybe you feel rushed. Now think of it at high noon. Now imagine it at sunset. They are all different and the major change has been in the light. Isn't that cool?

Taking a VERY CLOSE second is music, specifically vocal harmony. But that's another topic for another time.

2.) What is difficult for you?
Not being able to "fix it."

During the show a light or a mic or something breaks beyond repair and we are 5 minutes into act 2 with an hour to go. In my life I mess up a relationship and "I'm sorry" doesn't cut it. I see people I care about hurting beyond words and all I can do is tell them that it's ok to hurt. My friends are divorced by the state because of an unjust law. I rip the seat out of my favorite pants. The computer freezes and dumps my file.

When something is broken and I can't fix it, it makes me crazy.

3.) What is your biggest regret?
I honestly can't think of one. That's not to say "I have no regrets." It's just that, of the small handful, none of them seem all that big. For now, let's go with this: I transferred in the middle of high school (the best decision of my life) from a school that started its science curriculum with physics and ended with biology to a school that started with biology and ended with physics. SO: I regret not sticking to my guns and fighting the college counselor at my second high school to be allowed to take 9th grade biology as a senior. To this day I have not taken a biology class and I feel like I missed out.

4.) What are you most proud of?
I am immensely proud of the fact that I can read. I am severely dyslexic. I got to the 3d grade before anyone figured out that I couldn't read and it wasn't until 8th grade that I could read at my grade level. I still read very slowly and sometimes it even feels like work. But I cherish the fact that I can do it and I am proud of the hard work it took to learn.

I will forever be grateful to the dedicated and gifted teachers at The Chartwell School who taught me so much and to whom I owe all of my academic successes and to my mother who first differentiated between the ability to read and intelligence. When public school told her I was too "delayed" and that she shouldn't have high expectations, she told them they were wrong. Now I am a graduating senior at Smith College and heading for a Masters of Dignity program in the fall.

5.) What do you want to do before you die?
I want to serve God by working within the church to cause radical social change. God loves everyone; not just straight, white, middle class, men. God doesn't call us to punish those who are different or to harbor hatred towards anyone. We are called to "seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God." I think it's time for people of faith to fight for justice and kindness. If we were focusing our energy on gaining civil rights, ending poverty, and even bigger things, rather than trying to use the bible to justify hatred and discrimination, I think this country, and probably the global community, would be in better shape.

It would also be nice to learn to play the guitar or be a roadie with my favorite band for a tour. :)

Allyn "Don't Take Anything Too Seriously"

Name: Allyn
Age: 30
Sign: Taurus
Occupation: Teacher, Writer
I grew up in: NYC
I currently live in: Prague/NYC (soon relocating to Western Mass)
You can find me: exploring
You will never find me: jumping out of a plane
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: http://wanderingallyn.blogspot.com/

1.) Who has been the most influential person in your life? My husband. He came to the US when he was 19, he didn't know anyone and hardly knew the language. He has worked hard to make something of himself (he's now a nurse). He's taught me to be adventurous, to enjoy the outdoors and to push myself and try new things. And to always smile and find the humor in things, and not to take anything too seriously.

2.) What would you want to change about yourself? I'd like to stop being scared of things.

3.) Is there something you would do differently if you could go back in time? I would have gotten my driver's license when I was younger... I'm about to get it now and I'm a little scared of driving!

4.) How do you measure success? Happiness - if you are happy, truly happy, with your life and your decisions, then I think you are truly successful.

5.) What is your most prized possession? Pictures of my family.

Jen "Going to bed Alone"

Name: Jennie
Age: 25
Sign: Taurus
I grew up in: Waldport, OR
I currently live in: Portland, OR
You can find me: Usually at home or on the softball field
You will never find me: At a Men's Club
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: Breast Cancer Awareness

1. Who inspires you?
My mom inspires me the most. She is always encouraging me and pushing me to excell. Whether I've done it or not that is another story. We have gone through tough times but she was always positive to me and my sisters. You don't need material things, name brand things to be happy. She always did the best she could for us. As long as you keep trying no matter how hard it is things will and do get better. My mom inspires me to be a better person and try my hardest because she's the best mom you can have and I have a lot to live up to.

2. Who are you proud of?
I am most proud of my sisters and my two step-brothers. They have all moved out of our home town, including myself, except my youngest step-brother (who lives with his girlfriend in a apartment in town). They have there own places or live with roommates. They are either in college and working or just working. They may not have the most glamorous job's or places to live but they did it. They are out on their own living in seperate cities away from each other. Happily living their lives. I love and miss them all.

3. What is your greatest loss?
My greatest loss in life is my mom's parents. My grandpa past away in 96'. He was a great, successful, loving, funny man. My grandma past away in 01' four day's after I graduated high school. Everyone kept telling me she was waiting for me to graduate cause I was they oldest blood grandchild. She missed my grandpa so much that she finally got to go see him. They lived just down the rode from us growing up and my family was the only one's that lived close enough to see them everyday. I still get the urge to call them after my sporting events.

4. Who would you like to meet?
Honestly there is not just one person who I would like to meet, famous or not. I would like to meet as many people as I can. If they happen to be famous that's just a perk. Anyone with a kind heart and good sense of humor is alright in my book. LoL

5. What is the hardest part and best part of your day?
The hardest part of my day is knowing that I am going to bed alone. Hopefully that will change in the future. The best part of my day is when I wake up because I'm alive to live another day. To see what new adventures or even the old have in store.

Hope "You Can Find Me At DSW"

Name: Hope
Age: 40
Sign: Virgo
Occupation: Human Resources Analyst
I grew up in: San Diego
I currently live in: San Diego
You can find me: At DSW
You will never find me: Cycling the coast
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: wwww.blacksandiego.org + Gay & Lesbian Equal Rights

1.) Who or what inspires you? CJ Lucke and Felicia English
2.) What is difficult for you? Writing

3.) What is your biggest regret? Not getting married when I had the chance
4.) What are you most proud of? Completing Education
5.) What do you want to do before you die? Travel to as many countries as I possibly can

Wahine "Inspired By People"

Name: Wahine
Age: 29
Sign: Libra
I grew up in: South Bay (Los Angeles Beach Cities)
I currently live in: Long Beach
You can find me: In West Hollywood, on a beach somewhere, at work or hanging out at home with my honey bear.
You will never find me: In a Mormon church, at my dad's house or in a cardboard box.
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: www. myspace.com/lauradre(I write lyrics and make music with that chick.)

1.)Who or what inspires you?
I am inspired in general by people and how each contribute to society. I like to think that the majority of people are valuable.The ocean is what inspires me most. It is everything I fear and also everything that I need. It's larger than life so it feels like something I must conquer, even if only a small fraction of it. So I surf it and swim it, being a part of something bigger than me or anything else.

2.)What are you most proud of?
I am proud to be good at what I do. I work hard to excel at my profession and my hobbies. My grandfather was my example of what a great person should be. I guess everyday I become more like him. That makes me proud.

3.)What has been your greatest loss in life?
My grandfather was my greatest loss in life. He was truly my role model. He was very sick towards the end of his life. I guess I was happy for him when he passed away. I did not like to see him suffer. When I was younger, I always thought that I would die or want to take my own life, if I lost him. He wouldn't have wanted that. Even though I loved him more than anything, I still have not cried about the loss.

4.)Who would you like to meet?
It may sound narcissistic, but I would like to meet someone like me. Since that probably will never happen, I'd settle for Rochelle Ballard (a woman surfer).

5.)What is the hardest part of your day? What is the best part of your day?
The hardest part of my day, depends on the day. If I'm at work, it is watching someone die and their family grieve. If I'm at home, it probably waking up in the morning. The best part of my day at work is when I can give someone hope, who is either ill or badly injured. The best part of my day at home is when I get back from the gym or surfing.

Erica "I Would like to Meet Jesus"

Name: Erica
Age: 33
Sign: Capricorn
I grew up in: California, mostly Southern
I currently live in: The Inland Empire
Occupation: Air Traffic Control Specialist
You can find me: Jumping from airplanes
You will never find me: In Prison
Your website or Charity you are passionate about: Adopt-A-Family


1.)Who or what inspires you?
People living with no fear inspire me. People who quit their jobs to travel the country for instance :)

2.)What are you most proud of?
In myself, I am most proud of my accomplishments in my career. I have come a long way in a short amount of time because of my determination and I am doing what I love!!

3.)What has been your greatest loss in life?
My mother was in an accident when I was 12 rendering her quadriplegic. She lost all movement and voice leaving me with a shell of a mother. Never being able to go to her for advice, never having her support growing up was and is my greatest loss.

4.)Who would you like to meet?
I would like to meet Jesus. I am not and have never been a religious person because I find it very difficult to believe in something that I cannot see, something that I do not know to be fact. I find it hard to believe in a religion that can wholeheartedly support discrimination while preaching god loves everyone. I would love to sit down with him and find out the truth. I would like to ask him how he feels about Prop 8! :)

5.)What is the hardest part of your day? What is the best part of your day?
The hardest part of my day would have to be sitting in L.A. traffic. While it gives me time to think, talk on the phone or listen to music, I would much rather be spending that 12 hours with my daughter.
The best part of my day is in the evening when I am tucking my daughters into bed. You never truly can get enough "I love you's"!

Jimmy "I don't believe Money buys Happiness"

Name: Jill a.k.a. Jimmy
Age: 42 TODAY!
Sign: Aries
I grew up in: Great Falls, MT
I currently live in: Portland, OR
Occupation: Master of Disaster of Data Analyst
You can find me: In the Kitchen
You will never find me: at a Republican convention

1)Who would you like to meet? I'm still hoping to meet the love of my life but in fantasy land, I would like to be friends with Madonna.

2)What has been your life altering experience? Moving to Great Falls when I was 10 years old; I believe in nature vs. nurture in some instances but exposure and influence keeps things interesting.

3)What would you want to change about yourself? I will just flat out admit that I had Mastopexy & Mammaplasty surgery as my 40th birthday present. It was the best thing for me to do for myself!

4)What has been your greatest loss in life? I haven't lost alot I'm happy to say, but I have lost three jobs. Altho I don't believe money buys happiness, the loss of an income can cause some undue stress.

5)What are you most proud of? I am proud of the friendships I have built and kept for 31+ years. But of late, I'm proud of my mother, father and brother during a tough time of recovery for my mom. You don't know how you will handle a life threatening situation until you are in it. I love my family and friends.