Interview By Dawn of Carpe Diem Blog

 

In a message dated 9/11/2007 1:44:41 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, AOLAlerts writes:

A comment has been posted to the Journal:
Carpe Diem - Seize the Day
Theme from Forrest Gump (I hit enter before I put in the title, duh!)
Comment from: sdoscher458
"Oh I love your answers. Yes, please interview me. Also no rush I can wait..you've got quite a few responses...love, Sandi"

Okie dokie...

 

1.   What did you find to be the biggest challenge in raising bi-racial children and how did you incorporate their dad's cultural while raising them here?  I ask this because my cousin has an adopted son who is Korean, and they are entering the teen years... any advice would be great about cultural integration, etc.

 

During the late sixties people were not as accepting of mixed race children as they are today.  When I moved from Chicago back to New York, finding a house in my old neighborhood Richmond Hill, Queens...I had quite a shock to my system.  The sale of the house depended on whether the neighbors would accept us! I mean the owner of the house actually went up and down the block poling people on whether we could buy the house. She said after living there for over thirty years she did not want them to be upset with her.  They gave her the go ahead, little did she know that my Mother's best friend was one of these neighbors..that's how I found out about it in the first place.  So in the beginning I was concerned how my little two and four year children would be treated.  It turnedout fine.  In fact my house became a focal point for all kids...I felt like a piped piper.  I believe in family traditions and taught both kids how to cook Japanese, I constantly reminded them of their grandmother (Obasan) in Tokyo, once a month we would bite the bullet and call her...(it cost $14 a minute back then). My own Japanese was limited, but they learned a few words. Takashi traveled a lot so it was up to me to make Alisa and Kenji aware of their heritage. Both of them still cook Japanese and Kenji has been to Japan twice for a visit.

 

2.  What was the best job you had outside the home?

Oh, I have had so many jobs but the most exciting, thrilling - never knew what was happening next kind of job (which I love) I was the Public Relations Director of Sunken Gardens, here in St. Petersburg, Florida.

I had to deal with birds, animals, crazy people, brides, grooms - beastly motherinlaws, not to mention the darn alligators. For instance, once I had a wedding party ready to do their rehearsal.  The bride would approach over a little bridge with water underneath it. The little flower girl and ring bearer were about two years old (lol) cute as all get out.  I'm in the back making the line move forward in the procession I look over the rail and OMG a huge alligator is sunning itself on the bank right below the bridge.  Thank God I had a working radio....I had to be discrete no one had noticed the alligator yet, but I was scared about the little ones. I was able to get the alligator show guys down there in nano-seconds. As they jumped in the water to try to grab this thing I swept all the people off the bridge saying we have to see how it works up by the arch first..then we can backtrack.   I don't think they ever realized what was going on.  I did gain a few gray hairs that day.

 

3.   What gives you the most pleasure in your daily life right now?

Other than hubby, I have to say I love my computer. I never thought I would learn as easily as I did, and I have to thank my Sis for that. She had an old laptop that she gave me, I was able to learn on it and about a year later I bought my Dell.  I love writing and am still working on my story about my life in Japan...I am pretty close to getting it done.

 

4.   If you hit the lottery and money was not an issue, would you move back to the NY area (you could keep a FL condo, of course)?

 

Oh in New York minute. I wouldn't even need a jet to get there Lol. I miss my kids so much. I am missing out on my little grand babies growing up and if I could go back in time I never would of moved down here.  A Florida condo would be nice though.  Joe would never be able to take the cold winters anymore though...perhaps I could pull a Shirley McClaine?

 

5.   Starting tomorrow you can only eat the 10 specific food items you list here, what are they?

 

Grape Leaves    Nuts          Rice

Eggs                Chicken      Whole Grain Bread

Olives              Fish           Gyoza

Cheese

 

Of course, I would also want my Olive Oil, condiments such as Lemon juice, mustard, soy sauce...now you have made me hungry.

 

Thanks for the interview...Sandi

 

 

Dawn
"Behind every successful woman is a substantial amount of coffee!"
My blog: Carpe Diem

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