Kerry from Fairfax

What is your name?
Kerry

What is your hometown?
Fairfax, VA

What is the best thing ever and why?

Well, the best thing ever is kitties, of course, because of their whiskers, and their ears, and their tummies, and their noses, and their paws, and their purring, and their napping. Oh, their paws; I love them so. And their TUMMIES! My kitties let me rub my nose in their soft winter tummies, and it's like the softest, fluffiest powder puff. Katha Pollitt wrote an amazing poem called "Two Cats" that truly captures what I love about them. You can find it here: http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php?date=2009/10/06

What is a band people have never heard of that they would probably love?

I currently have a tie here. My two favorite bands right now are Wembley (http://www.myspace.com/wembleystadium ) and Veelee (http://veeleemusic.com/ ). Both are local to the Triangle (of North Carolina), Wembley from Hillsborough, and Veelee from Carrboro. I am consistently shocked that Wembley doesn't play on late night talk shows since they are so amazing with their beautiful, haunting vocals and hooky melodies. Veelee is a duo that blows my mind with their grinding rhythms and dueling vocal harmonies. Brilliant!

What is an animal related memory from when you were little?

I have two. When I was about 4, I was "attacked" by a "bear" in the side yard of our house. As an adult, I now know that this "bear" was a giant hound named "Bear" that knocked me down once in an effort to lick me to death. I was terrified of all dogs, regardless of size, from that day until I met my now-husband's late dog Cindy when I was 27.

As a child, my sister had a cat named Vermicious Knid (we called him "Kitty"), and he had delightful cat ears. One year for Halloween, I received a pair of large purple clip-on earrings that looked like big purple Milk Duds. (You see where this is going.) Well, I put the clip-on earrings on Kitty's ears. Within 4 seconds, he was shaking his head in that way that cats do, sending the earrings flying in opposite directions at 40 mph. He was so put out. Didn't he care how glamorous he was? I'm still laughing about that one.

What is something that "kids these days" are doing better than "adults these days?"

Sucking. That's what they do better. They suck. Kids today are better at being distracted and having no manners. They ignore all common sense and decency. Other than that, kids have always worn clothes that older people hate and enjoyed hobbies that older people hate. They are becoming better at marketing their arts, courtesy of computer technology, and they have access to much more information than I did. They are slightly more worldly. But their best talent is sucking.

Do you have a blog or website that you'd like to plug?

http://www.angelsamongus.org/
http://www.myspace.com/actualpersonslivingordead

My blog of musings is forthcoming.


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Just for the record I knew how she'd answer, "What is the best thing ever?" When I told my husband who I interviewed and what I asked he said, "I bet she said kitties!"

I didn't get a cat until I was in my 20's and I had developed a healthy fear of cats by then. I'd only met one cat who didn't try to maul me when I attempted to pet it. (That cat was named Pepper and she met a tragic end. I can't talk about it.) Growing up my mom always grouped cats into the same category as rodents. My husband loves cats and we have two floofy rag doll cats around the house. What can I say? I'm converted. I have seen the light.... and it has a fair amount of dander floating around in it.