By Robert Farley (cl_kaulana) | cl_kaulana@oocities.com | Vienna Strasse/7000
KATIE BETTS
|
User Name(s) by which you are known in GC: kbetts
Real Name: Kathryn Betts (Katie preferred!)
Geographical Location: Sydney, Australia
URL(s):
http://www.oocities.org/Vienna/1116
Email Addy: kbetts@oocities.com
Birthday/Age: September 26, 1976 / age 22
Neighborhood(s) you are a CL in: Vienna
Family (ie spouse, kids, and/or parents, siblings, significant pets):
Parents (Mr. and Mrs. Betts), and brother (David) and sister (Caroline)
Vocation and/or School Situation: Professional Musician, Violin Teacher
(and student...)
Favorite Composer: At the moment, it's Brahms
Favorite Composition: don't have one
Instruments You Play: Violin, Viola, Piano
Favorite Instrument (whether you play it or not): Cello
cl_kaulana: When did you become a GeoCities homesteader?
Katie Betts: Can't remember when I first joined.... 1995/6
cl_k: Wow. How much space did they give you in your directory in those days?
KB: I think it was one meg, and I got upgraded to two megs when I became a CL.
cl_k: What made you decide to become a CL and how long have you been one?
KB: I decided to become a CL in the days when Vienna only had one other CL
(that was over two years ago). I wanted to do it because I had enjoyed setting
up my homepage, I thought that the idea of free homepages was excellent, and
I wanted a chance to give something back to the people who made it possible,
i.e. by helping out other new homesteaders.
cl_k: Was that Bassist or Mike -- the lone CL at that time?
KB: It was Bassist.
cl_k: So, soon afterwards you became a liaison, right? What made you decide
to become and how long have you been a liaison?
KB: I really decided to become a liaison because I had been a CL for such
a long time, and I wanted to add another dimension to the way I could
help GeoCities -- being a little bit more "behind the scenes." I can't remember
how long I have been a liaison. I'm sure I have the welcome email somewhere
in my archives, but I can't locate it easily. Maybe about a year and a half.
Unfortunately I was ill for some time in the middle, and had to step down for
a while, and since I have been back it has been hard to fulfill the duties
that I would like to, mainly because I was finishing off my bachelor of music
degree, which is now complete!
cl_k: What are the main duties of being a liaison?
KB: It's a bit like being a "senior CL." With so many CLs in the program
these days, the neighbourhoods need a person or committee of people to
act as go-betweens for the CL group and the people at GeoCities.
Basically a liaison has a bit more insight into what goes on behind
the scenes at GeoCities, and has to work hard at making sure the concerns
and interests of the other CLs are heard and met by the "powers that be" in GeoCities.
cl_k: What's your favorite thing about GeoCities?
KB: The facilities for building homepages and the friendly atmosphere.
cl_k: If someone were to ask you why they should become a CL, what would you tell them?
KB: It is a great opportunity to 'meet' other people with similar interests -- a big part
of that is working with the other CLs, but there is also the interaction with other
homesteaders in your area.
cl_k: In your opinion, what is the one most important aspect of a good page?
(List some other important aspects, if you want.)
KB: A good page is one that presents its content clearly and accessibly.
Presentation is everything! Content is also important. As far as personal homepages
are concerned, I like the ones that have something individual to say.
cl_k: Me, too. I like to look at pictures and read about what the person
who created the site does, where they do it, stuff like that. I like creativity.
What about strange or out-of-the-ordinary experiences while scanning or meeting
people in GC or on the Internet?
KB: There's been nothing specific that was strange, although it is always kind
of cool to find other Australians on the Web. The Internet is still a fairly
U.S.-dominated area (as far as English speakers are concerned), so it's somehow
a pleasant surprise to be contacted by or to discover other Aussies.
cl_k: Where do you see yourself in five years, what will you be doing,
what will your site look like?
KB: In five years I hope to have a good job in an orchestra, such as the Sydney
Symphony Orchestra, also doing some conducting work on the side and the
occasional solo and chamber music gig. As far as personal life is concerned,
I hope to be married and fairly settled, although I hope there will be some
travel in my future. I hope my page will reflect the changes in my life and
will contain more graphics!
cl_k: I see your vocation is listed as professional musician. Where do you play now?
KB: At the moment I play as a casual in various orchestras in Sydney. I am hoping
in the next couple of years to get a full-time job.
cl_k: Plans to marry?
KB: Well, I am pretty keen to get married, hopefully before I am 25, but my
boyfriend and I have only been going out for a few months, so he and I haven't
really talked about it. But I think I've found the right person!
cl_k: How did you and your boyfriend meet?
KB: I was playing in a production of "West Side Story" and he was one of the backstage crew.
cl_k: That's great. With similar yet different interests, you sound
like a good match for each other. What would someone never suspect about
you in a million years?
KB: In high school I wanted to be a physics teacher!
cl_k: What happened to that dream?
KB: Well, I really had to choose between music and science, because if I were
doing a degree other than music, I wouldn't realistically have the time I needed
to practice, and since I couldn't imagine my life without playing the violin,
I had to go in that direction.
cl_k: Besides music or band, what is your favorite class in school?
KB: Um...think I am too old for this one :) My favourite classes in school
were French, math and physics.
cl_k: Those are interesting choices. A rare combination, that when put together,
turned into a musical career!
KB: Yes, it's not really what you would expect! I love languages -- at school
it was just French, but since then I have studied German, Italian and Polish, too.
cl_k: What do you like to do to "get away from it all"?
KB: I love to lose myself in a good book, or to go to the beach. The best
way I "get away from it all" these days is to spend time with my boyfriend.
cl_k: What's your favorite book? Last book you read?
KB: At the moment I am reading Seize the Night by Dean Koontz. It's
a science-fiction/psychological thriller. It's pretty scary, but I just
can't put it down! My all-time favourite book, though, is a little different.
It is Possession by A.S Byatt. It's more of a romance (not one of your
trashy newsstand ones, but an excellent read!).
cl_k: What do you plan to do to mark New Year's Eve 1999?
KB: Not go anywhere near the city (downtown) -- there were way too many people
there this time -- next New Year's will be a nightmare!
cl_k: People went berserk here on Oahu, too. Firecrackers, rockets,
and all sorts of incendiary devices went off for eight hours or more.
You literally couldn't see 50 yards down the streets in some places at
some times. Half a million dollars in property damage. The city may
outlaw fireworks this year, but I don't think that will stop most of the people.
What about the Olympic games being held in Australia this year?
Any plans to attend or participate?
KB: I am a bit nervous about being in Sydney for the 2000 Olympics.
Like many Sydney residents I am considering going overseas at that time.
I just don't like crowds and I can't begin to imagine what the traffic
will be like. But you never know -- I may be in some orchestra that is
performing at the Games.
cl_k: I feel the same way about crowds, just don't have much use for them.
When I was younger, I was more gregarious, but nowadays, big crowds, traffic
jams, all that stuff seems like a colossal waste of time.
What's your favorite part about living in Australia? Favorite
Australian destination? Best place to go in Australia that's not on the
usual tourist itinerary?
KB: My favourite thing is the lifestyle. Although life "down under" is not
quite as laid back as people think, there is definitely a relaxed atmosphere.
I love the sense of space. Sydney is one of the best cities in the world --
certainly we have the most beautiful harbour! Most of the best destinations
I know ARE on the usual tourist itinerary, but they include Queensland's Great
Barrier Reef and NSW's Blue Mountains. Both places have the real tourist spots,
as well as slightly more out-of-the-way, quieter places.
cl_k: Have you ever met up with MusakMaster?
KB: No, not yet :)
cl_k: What is your favorite band joke?
KB: I like the one "what's the difference between a bull and an orchestra? --
a bull has the horns at the front and the bum at the back..."
cl_k: ROFLMB(um)O. I appreciate your time and candor in being interviewed.
I know you've been very busy, but it has been a pleasure getting to know you.
Robert (cl_kaulana) Farley is married to Debbie, a U.S. Army lieutenant stationed
at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, on Oahu. cl_k works part-time as an administrative
assistant for KAAH TV-26
in Honolulu, but still has plenty of time for geeking out on the computer.
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