Volume 2, Issue 2 The online magazine for the GeoCities Vienna neighborhood September 1999

Lauretta Teoh-Lim By Robert Farley (cl_kaulana) | cl_kaulana@oocities.com | Vienna Strasse/7000 This month I journey outside the usual Vienna community leader forum to interview one of Yahoo!GeoCities' community coordinators, Lauretta M.Teoh-Lim. A three-year veteran of GeoCities, Lauretta (probably better known as Laura) helps to keep eight neighborhoods functioning smoothly, acting as a sort of liaison's liaison to Y!G upper management. She is the one who helps CLs and liaisons look like they know what they're doing when she solves their problems. Cheerful, fun-loving, intelligent, busy, and beautiful, Lauretta always seems to find time to field another question, and even the graciousness to take time for a zineterview. Lauretta Teoh-Lim User Name(s) by which you are known in GC: tweety, lauretta Real Name (at your discretion): Lauretta M. Teoh-Lim Geographical Location: Santa Clara, California URL(s): www.lauretta.net Email Addy: vienna@geostaff.com Birthday/Age: 23-years-old Neighborhood(s) you are a volunteer coordinator in: Athens, Bourbonstreet, Broadway, Paris, Soho, SouthBeach, Tokyo, Vienna Family: Tom, my boyfriend, and Java, our cat (she's a girl) Job and/or School Situation: bachelor's at USC (the University of Southern California) and been working for GeoCities (now Yahoo!) for three years Favorite Composer: Bach Favorite Composition: Fur Elise Instruments You Play (the radio counts as half): piano, clarinet, trumpet Kaulana: When did you begin working with GeoCities? Lauretta: August 1996 K: Is your education background in computers or social sciences or something completely different? L: I have a b.s. of psychology =] K: How has your email communications been affected by the merger? Gotten larger? L: Not really. 'Bout the same, I would say. Got a bit large in the beginning... but back to normal now =] K: Is there a major emphasis with CL questions these days, or does the emphasis shift as each problem is overcome? L: The major emphasis of questions right now is shown in the interest of the CLs (community leaders) about the future of the CL program. They really care about the work that they do and the program that they are participating in and -- understandably and most appreciatively by us here at Y!G -- would like to know more about what's in store. K: If someone were to ask you why they should become a CL, what would you tell them? L: The most important message that I would give -- you should become a volunteer because you want to or have the desire to do the following thing: Meet and help new people from all over the world that you might not otherwise have the pleasure to ever meet. K: What's the funniest (printable) experience you've had at GeoCities? L: One time I was walking toward David Bohnett [a former GeoCities officer] in a hallway and I blanked out on his name. I'd been working for the company for well over a year already at the time! I ended up saying, "Hey, Phil. How are you doing?" I felt like such a dork!!! K: *g* I think we've all had that happen. It's probably a good bit worse when it's your boss you can't remember, though. Besides memory enhancements, do you have long term goals that other technology-oriented Malaysian girls could emulate? L: *lol* I just had to laugh at that question! sorry =] My long-term goals are anything BUT technical! ~hehe~ I want to become an elementary school teacher someday. I'm working my butt off right now to save up and earn the money that I can, since teaching isn't the most financially lucrative career... unfortunately. It's pretty sad that the most noble profession is treated as the most lowly position =[ Anyways, I digressed. I could totally tangent on that! That's what I want to do later in my life, probably before I hit 30, hopefully. As for whatever advice I could impart on "technology-oriented Malaysian girls" (that's going to crack me up every time! *lol), just follow your own dreams and make sure that whatever field you choose, you will be happy in. Don't burn out early and always remember that you have your options open and the whole world ahead of you. Being a female makes life a bit harder... but it's a challenge that I take up happily! =] K: That sounds like good advice ... for everyone. What would someone never suspect about you in a million years? L: I have nine tattoos, the biggest of which is Thumper on my left ankle and Tweety on my (forget which side) buttcheek ... 'bout the size of a 50-cent piece. I love to go to shooting at the range. (That's right, we're talking guns here. Hey, guns don't kill people, stupid people kill people!) I can get by (used to be fluent) in three languages, none of which are Asian: German, French and Spanish. I don't speak a lick of any common Asian language, unfortunately. I'm HUGE on thrift store shopping (I'm a cheapskate!) and I *abhor* wasting money on name brands. HEY, my body ain't no walking advertisement! K: Wow. I think we'd probably not have guessed all that in two million years! I wouldn't have guessed any more than eight tattoos. :o) What do you like to do to "get away from it all"? L: Camping! It's all about Mother Nature when you get down to it =] K: What's the best thing about where you live? L: I love the new city that I just moved to. It's got EVERYTHING I could possibly want... every dining and retail establishment I could possibly dream of: Goodwill store, Wal-Mart, Chili's Bar and Grill, AMC movie theatres and more! K: Ah, all the necessities of sentient life. What's the best thing about where you work? L: The people =] I love my co-workers. They make it all worthwhile. Without them, I would have gone insane a long time ago and would likely not be here today. K: That's an excellent testimony for your co-workers. Sounds like a fun place to work. Thanks very much for your time. This has been a real pleasure. We'll look forward to your monthly newsletters and information, and wish you all the best in your life. A two-year resident of Vienna, Robert (cl_kaulana)is a former newspaper editor and editor of a former newspaper now living in Hawaii, where he enjoys golfing, bicycling, snorkeling, rollerblading, writing, photography, computers, movies, exercising, restaurants, reading, etc.

Zineterviews Josh Musakmaster (reprise) Ashlee Katie Klassiks Bandgrrrl Flotiste MusakMaster