The current FACL Liaison
goes
"Under the Pen" of AnarchyAlien
January 2001
It was a hectic morning in the FACL building. We had just gotten back from a winter break that was really just working at home. Everyone was hustling around, trying to complete projects, handing in reports, and updating their databases. I myself had a big pile of papers on my desk.
“Alien, there you are,” yelled Laura, waving a paper in the air. “Here’s the new info I want you to put on my bio.”
“Okay Laura, thanks. I can’t do it now, I’m going to conduct my next Under the Pen interview.”
“No problem. Do it when you can. I understand if you’re busy. Real life first, remember?” That’s what I like about Laura, the new Liaison2 of Area51. She understood the new motto of real life first. In fact, everyone in the FACL is very understanding.
“Okay, bye.” Walking up to Larry’s office, I realized I forgot my Palm Pilot in my office. Yes, I have an office now since I began work on the new Entertainment Supercell, The Lounge Room. Not only did I get a new office, but I also got my name on the door and a shiny new nameplate. I entered my office, and saw the huge stack of papers on my desk. Rather than dealing with them now, I left as quickly as possible, before I let the ton of work get the best of me. I ran to the elevator, which was about to close.
“Do you work here?” It was a web page owner. “I’m looking for the Site Critique Committee. Where is it?”
“It’s on the Area51 floor, down the hallway, to the left, and three doors down.”
“Thanks,” she read my nametag, “AnarchyAlien.”
After what seemed an eternity of this woman telling me about how she couldn’t get her tables right, because she crossed her TD’s with her TR’s, the elevator door opened and I sped out. It’s not that I meant to be rude, but I was late for my meeting with Larry. After a sprint down the hall, I finally arrived at Larry’s office.
In front of the large, oak doors, his two secretaries, Ebony BlackCat and Abby WhiteCat, were working busily. They were two hard working cats, and according to rumor, some believe that Ebony and Abby get into Larry and actually control Larry. I asked Ebony to announce me. I sounded more important if I was announced. Then I entered.
It was a large office, with simple décor, a couple of Navy souvenirs, some model boats in jugs, just the basic things a fifty year old man would have in his office.
“Ah, Alien, how are you on this fine morning?”
“It’s hectic this morning. People are running like chickens without heads. Membership is down (join today!), my desk has a stack of papers, and according to rumor, one of Angelicangel’s friends is tied to a pole with saran wrap. And how are you?”
“I am fine and dandy. Alien, I’m going out to my boat today. It is a 22-foot Aquasport, which allows my friends and I to do practically anything we want, from fishing to snorkeling. It is great to relax on. You can conduct your interview from there.” He pulled out a large duffel bag, and walked out the door. “Are you coming?”
“Larry, Silverus is running back and forth between everything. Cerrenes is having trouble with the FTP upload. I can’t get the member application forms on the Lounge Room page to work. We can’t go, everything is falling apart.”
“Don’t worry Alien. It’s just first day chaos. I believe in people. I'm an optimist who thinks and believes we should encourage not discourage, include not exclude, and give everyone a chance to help others no matter how much they can or can't do at any given time. Let’s go. Abby, call the docks, tell them to prepare my boat.”
After a short ride down the information superhighway, we arrived at the Florida Keys, and Larry’s boat. It was a grand boat, and better than he had described to me. We got on the boat and sailed away. After a while, he handed me a pair of swim trunks, and I got out and bathed in the sun, as my Puerto Rican skin got nicely tanned. I fell asleep, and after a while, I awoke to the sound of a fold up chair opening next to me.
“This is the life,” I told Larry. “I love being on this boat. How does life treat you?”
“Life treats me well. I enjoy as much life as is possible. I believe in living a lifetime each day!” Larry handed me lemonade, and sat down.
“So, what do you do all day?”
“I get up, read the newspaper, go out on the boat, write, manage my companies, do FACL stuff, and go to sleep. In between all that, I watch the NHL religiously and soak up lots of sun in paradise here in the Florida Keys. Online, I download all my email from my 20 e-mail accounts, many business and company accounts. I update my time from atomic time. I answer all my email. I read all the posts and answer as many as I can in the FACL Forum. I process all my business and company web accounts. Then I talk with anyone on ICQ or MSN Messenger who calls me.”
“I’m a hockey fan too. Go Rangers.” I wasn’t just a Rangers fan, but an avid New York fan.
“Rangers versus Panthers in the Conference?”
“I’ll drink to that!”
After a while, I popped in some Bob Marley on the stereo, and Larry got up and went inside. I followed, and saw him sitting at a computer. “What are you doing?”
“I’m managing my companies. I’m a publisher.”
“Really? What do others say when you tell them of your profession?”
“When I tell them that I am a published author and poet plus publish others, they think that I am fantastically famous. Of course, that is not true. I don't think I could handle any real fame. I just enjoy writing and publishing others.”
“Life sounds busy for you. What are some of your hobbies?”
“Life is my hobby, but specifically cats, chess, NHL, NASCAR, boats, PGA, swimming, snorkeling, hiking, walking, jogging, biking, and reading lots of books among other things that I don't seem to have enough time for.”
I searched through the notes I had made on my Palm Pilot. “You said you were optimist when it came to dealing with people. Do you believe that your optimism can sometimes be a weakness and get the best of you?”
“When dealing with some people who don't have a brighter outlook on life, my optimism can keep me from seeing something obvious. As far as my optimism being a weakness, I don't believe that it is most times. Look, Unicus, the former Liaison, just e-mailed me.”
“You have been around in the Area51 hood for a long time. How did you first get in?”
“When I first applied to be a CL, 4thRock and Araber, Area51's first liaisons, visited my website and said I needed to be more Sci-Fi and Fantasy. I initially couldn't figure that out, since I was a published SF&F author. I took a good, hard look at my website and realized that I did not have much direct SF&F on the site. So I added some art, stories, and other SF&F content. Soon I was assigned as the CL for Area51 Corridor blocks 1000 through 2000. I just wanted to help others and have a little fun. I never thought that over four years later I would be Liaison of such a fine, wonderful help community. Let’s go make something to eat.”
We went to the small kitchen and began to get some stuff out. I began slicing some chicken breast and skewering it. Larry got out some meat and made burgers. Before we knew it, there was enough food for the whole FACL staff! “It doesn’t matter Alien,” said Larry, “now I don’t have to cook tonight!”
“Larry, what are your best and worst characteristics?”
“My best characteristic is that I am extremely good with people having had experience with thousands of people while in the US Navy for over 25 years. I think my worst is that sometimes obvious things get by me.”
“Yes, you’ve told me you were in the Navy. How was your time in the US Navy?”
“The time in the Navy was the second best time in my life. My best time is right now.”
“What was the weirdest experience you ever had in the Navy?”
He thought for a while. “It had to be watching Vietnamese civilians abandoning Vin Dinh when North Vietnamese Regulars overran their city.”
We went out and ate the huge lunch we had prepared. Afterward, we sat and soaked up some rays. “So, seen any good movies lately?”
“The recent Dune Miniseries on the Sci-Fi Channel. I thought it was better than the first Dune movie.”
We spent the rest of the day, just hanging out. Larry got back on the computer, and I went for a swim. At the end of the day we went back to shore.
“So, let’s say you have to spend a month on a desert island to win a million dollars and they already gave you basic supplies. You can take one person and three objects. Who and what would they be?”
“I would take my brother, because he makes me laugh. I would take my laptop, a generator, and a huge tank of fuel for the generator.”
“Funny, I would take those things too. I can’t stand to be offline for more than a few days.”
We drove back to the FACL building, rested and relaxed. I had another excellent interview, and a nice tan. Larry got sunburn. Going up the elevator, Larry realized that his hair was all messed up and put on a hat. I didn’t have to, although my hair is long, I happened to have my hair braided. “So, thanks for the interview. I’ll get in touch if I need any more information.”
“Good. I enjoyed it very much, and I like the way you interview. It was very neat and professional."
I got back to my office and looked around. It was late, and I could always do that work tomorrow. Later.
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