Please give a short bio of yourself for our readers.

i was born on valentine's day, of '73 on a very small indian reservation in a remote part of the central british columbia coast. i grew up very poor, and with alcoholic, abusive, atheist parents. much of my life has been dedicated to overcoming those things, and molding myself into the opposite of them. i knew, from a very young age that i would someday get out of that situation, and make a better life for myself, no matter what the odds were against me. i WAS going to go to university - no two ways about it. i'm a deeply spiritual person, i trust in God and give him my gratitude for everything i have now. i've come through a lot, and managed to be a pretty decent person, i think.
i'm a professional artist, the road to that has been long and hard, but i wouldn't trade it for anything else. i consider myself lucky, and very blessed.

Why did you choose this username?

my indian name is translated as "white frog." it was given to me by my grandfather, when i was 8. white (as always) stands for truth and purity - and frogs symbolize friendship. i've always tried to live up to the name, and be the best friend i can to anyone who needs me. the "astral" part actually was stolen from my boyfriend at the time i started chatting on IRC. he was "astral light," and i changed my nick from whitefrog, to astralfrog as a sort of cutesy, (read: putrid) gesture. it grew on me though, and i haven't wanted to change it yet.

Why do you keep a diary online?

well i'm a follower. a bunch of my chat buddies decided at one time we would start diaries, as a way of keeping up with each other when we didn't have time to chat much (what with time zones and all.) i never dreamed i would keep up with it for long, but before i knew it i was altering my html, and making new friends through all of my diary reading. i enjoy writing every day, just as much as i enjoy peeking into strangers lives for a while, and learning about all the different perspectives people have on any given subject. i'm intrigued by the idea of a forum like this, and i just find myself loving it more and more the longer i stay.

How important do you think a layout is for a web-based diary? Would you also comment on yours?

for me, it was very important that i learn how to change my layout, because i found the templates much too spartan for my tastes. i wanted something that matched my personality, and i enjoyed learning something new in the process. i feel better having bridged the age/technology gap a little.
as far as the diaries i read, if the design is too busy, or i find it hard to navigate i don't usually stick around long. otherwise i judge the author by their words. i've found some incredibly talented writers who don't have a clue about html, and don't have the kind of free time i had to learn. i'm much more turned off by a diarist who over-does it, than one who doesn't bother.

You are quite the world traveler, having been to 18 countries. Which country is your favorite, and why?

i wouldn't really call any of them my favourite, because you can't very well say any culture is better than the next one. i either enjoyed my time in the place i visited, or learned a lot there. i've learned to appreciate my home more after spending time in haiti and iraq. people like to complain about america and canada, but they have no idea how much they have to be thankful for until they've been outside of them. we tend to take a lot for granted, and i'm grateful that i learned not to do so. it's made me extremely patriotic and proud, and i don't think that's a bad thing.

Tell me about Gabe,and how he has changed your life?

gabe is my beautiful adopted son, born in november of last year. i assumed custody of him in april, after his mother decided she just couldn't handle parenthood. it was the best thing she could do for him, and i respect her for being an adult about it. he has completely changed my life, and my outlook on life, in so many ways i couldn't even begin to touch on. i've had to learn patience, responsibility, selflessness, and how to keep going on two hours of sleep sometimes. he's the biggest joy in my life, and i wouldn't want it any other way.

You are an accomplished artist, please share with us what inspires you?

everything inspires me. i think that the world is a beautiful, marvelous place. it's full of natural wonders - and wonders created by man. i'm always accused of looking at the world with a childlike fascination, maybe that's true. i still believe in magic, and feel that even things that science can explain for us are wonderous. i find myself constantly asking "why?" and "how?" about everything around me. my hope is that i can somehow convvey the great love i have for all life through my art.

What's the weirdest Google Hit you have ever received?

"naked pictures of astralfrog" was pretty interesting, but my all-time favourite that sent me into fits of laughter was "gay republicans sneaking into mcdonalds to talk about God"

Interviewed by Trinity63

most recently:

12:33 p.m.
2001-10-17
astralfrog

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