Please give a short bio of yourself for our readers.

A lesbian and a libra who likes to write, has blond hair and blue eyes, hates bras, is EXTREMELY funny (no really, I am! or try to be at least) and is in love. Is that short enough?
Seriously though, all the above is true. But I am too complex a person to shmush my life into a paragraph or two.

Why did you choose this username?

My username is really easy. I have used this name as my email addy for about 10 years now. My name is Jennifer and my initials are J.E.N. so I like to the nickname Jenn. Eve is my middle name and my birthday is on 10/17. Pretty simple huh? JennE1017.
But, my stupid, non-functioning brain didn't get me to realize it would be easier for people to find my journal using MY real username...duh! But I think not being anonymous helps the people who read me idntify with me better.

Why do you keep a diary online?

I like to refer to it as a journal or creative outlet. Diary seems SOOOO 3rd grade!
I was randomly talking to some stranger on AOL one night and we fought like two rats over the last piece of cheese. We couldn't agree on anything, but it was fun. She sent me to her site to read up on her and I thought it was a pretty neat idea. When my mother was normal (well, more normal than being in an old folks home because she had a 3rd heart attack, kidney failure and stroke all within 3 weeks of each other 2 years ago and having the mental capacity of a 12 year old), I started writing to escape. Some of my little diaries from 3rd grade are actually just filled with curse words about my mother (have you gotten that I don't like her yet or that we never got along? I have issues, I know). And I figured, writing online would last a few weeks. But, I started to look around and started to teach myself HTML and I made so many friends that I decided to stay.

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

I can't lie. Although I would like to think they are NOT important, they are. I know I like to read those people's journals that have linked me as a favorite or just randomly recently updated ones. But when there is a template and about 8 million rings that causes the page to load VERY slowly, it deters me from getting to the actualy writing. I run 2 rings and I hate having to wait for a page to load to see if they put the snippet with their rings. I know I am missing out people, but I like instant gratification.

My layout was once a template. Then I paid off a few people to do it for me. But I wasn't really happy with it. No one could get it quite the exact way I wanted it. When my girlfriend brought over her other computer to hook up in my house, I was elated. And started to learn Frontpage and Photoshop. I made my first true layout a few months back and have been changing it ever since. Sure, the layouts are simple, but that reflects my personality. I love daisies and I just (as in recently) proclaimed them as my favorite flower. So I used them in a layout. Thought we can all use some cheer in times like these.

You came out recently to your family about your sexuality. What have been the main consequences of this action with regard to you and your family, and how do you feel in hindsight about your decision?

It was the best decision with the worst consequences that I have ever made.
For me to answer that question, you must understand my family.
My brother and sister are twins. My sister loved out to live with her now ex-boyfriend and his family (she's still there) due to a fight about missing money with my father. MY brother is in the Coast Guard. My mother is in a home and she and my dad should have gotten a divorce when I was in 8th grade. They never did and she really got the last word by getting sick and my father having to pick up the bill. He has not seen her in the full 2 years. My mother's brother and his family (who do not know) and I reconnected last year for the first time in about 10 years (they live about 2 hours from me). That was my mother disowning them. And my father's sister and family (who I am getting ready to tell) live 8 hours from me. We recently reconnected with them after 5 years of not speaking (my mom certainly had a knack for that huh?)

Oh and one more important fact, we were all terrified of my mother.

I told my sister that I was a big 'ol lesbian while I was still in college. She was fine with it. I told my brother over AIM and he was fine with it (he wants me to keep an eye out in case any of my girlfriends have hot, straight sisters).

My dad's reaction was disheartening for me. We grew very close as my mother grew more bipolar. And this was the one thing that could make or break us. It did break us for a while. But he is slowly speaking to me again. He never brings up the fact that I am a lesbian and hasn't asked me any questions, but time will tell. I didn't want to hide something so important to me from him. And I don't regret telling him.

What was the best date you've ever had? And what would be your ideal date?

You have to ask me THIS question? Nothing about working in the government or even writing a novel? You ask about dates when you KNOW my girlfriend will be reading??? Damn....Ok, let's see. How do I get myself out of this one? Tee hee.

I have never really had a "date." Sad right? I mean, I call things dates, but it doesn't mean they are.

If I would have known then what I know now, I would have to say that the day that I decided to go meet my girlfriend for the first time was my best "date."

I drove out there (she lives about 1/2 hour away, so she kinda lives with me now) on the spur of the moment and was SOOOOO nervous. That is the best feeling, having that tickle in your tummy. We talked outside her house (she didn't even offer to go into her house) for about 2 hours. And the tickle was there the whole time (I don't like butterflies so I don't really use that word).

We kissed and it was kinda bad at first. I was so nervous as this had been the first person I have WANTED to kiss in a while. So we tried again and again until I got it right. And the rest is history.

If you had to describe yourself to someone you'd never meet in person, how would you do that? What parts of you do you place the most importance on?

I am an independent, robust gal, with a great sense of humor and well, kinda what I said up at the first question, no?

I like my personality. Sometimes I tend to be a little rough, but all in all, I am cool. My pyhsical appearance is another story. I am a heavy gal and have 38H boobs. So, that adds some pounds. Of course I would like to loose weight, but it has taken me a long time to be happy with who I am and that is what I want to stay. NO, not fat, HAPPY! I have always been independent (got my first job in a deli when I was 12 and not been in my parent's house since I was about 17) and tried to be strong. thought sometimes I am not. But that's ok because we all need to be able to depend on others. It's all about trust, baby!

What was the best 24th birthday present you got???

Hmm, this is a hard one. The check from my dad was nice as I got to buy some work clothes (which is where I am now, in the Senator's office writing this. I hope no one comes in, especially her!). But my girlfriend got me Cranium, among lots of other things. It is a wonderful board game, a combination of Pictionary, Charades, and Trivia Pursuit. And so much fun!

The whole birthday sucked as I work in the Capitol and was on Cipro for the anthrax stuff and my office was (and still is) temporarily displaced. So I saw no friends either. But I got taken to lunch and dinner on the 17th and dinner again that Friday. So you were wondering why I was a hefty gal??? Need to anymore?

Thanks to all!

Interviewed by Witchgirl

most recently:

11:17 a.m.
2001-11-10
jenne1017

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