Lori Anderson is just another of the dedicated community leaders (CLs) here in Vienna. Besides performing the regular CL duties, she also prepares quiz questions for the "Classical Quiz" section of the new Vienna Online Players’ Page. See what this tough gal has to tell us about her experiences in GeoCities and in the military.

VCL Lori

User Name(s) in GC: Death’s Wind
Real Name: Lori Anderson
Birthday/Age: Dec. 29, 1961 hmm, do I have to? lol I’m 38
Vocation and/or School Situation:
Associates in Science in Basic Computer Programming, also military related schooling as well
Geographical Location: Asheville, North Carolina
Family: single, no children, 4 bratty brothers, I’ll get killed for that one, lol; pets eh? does that count brothers? lol, both parents

URL(s): http://www.oocities.org/desrtwnd
Email Addy: desrtwnd@yahoo.com
Neighborhood(s) you are a CL in: Vienna/Strasse

Favorite Composer(s): That varies, I have always been partial to Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Beethoven and Mozart
Favorite Composition(s): Fur Elise, Beethoven’s 5th Smyphony
Instruments You Play: Have played clarinet while in junior high school
Favorite Instrument(s): That would have to be the flute and percussion

Keith: Welcome to the Zineterview, Lori. Tell us, when did you become a GeoCities homesteader?
Lori: I started with Geocities back in 1999, when I built and designed my homestead in the Vienna area. I was browsing around the internet, looking for another place to start up a web site again, and came upon Geocities. Since I had two other web sites, I found that minimizing it to one worked a lot better, so I chose to remain with Geocities and get rid of the others.

K: What’s the best thing about GeoCities?
L: The best thing(s) I have found to be excellent is the variety of area one can choose to build a homestead in. Also, there are awesome things that one can place on homesteads, that not many other servers have available. You have to go to outside sources to get them.

Lori on duty in W. Germany. Nice truck. =)

K: Why did you become a CL and how long have you been one? What’s the most enjoyable part of it all?
L: At first, my initial plans were to help protect the young children that use the internet, make it safe for them to surf the net and not be harassed by those that would cause them harm. I also wanted to put my security experience to work. I have four years of security experience, monitoring sites that would possibly be offensive to others. I have been a community leader for almost a year now, and I love what I do.
I have had fun doing things, helping people, maybe not with web sites here in GeoCities, but those that request my assistance, to help make their homesteads better, placing images, etc.

K: What advice would you give someone who can’t decide whether or not to become a CL?
L: First, take a look at yourself, and ask, “Why do I want to become a CL?"
Then after you examine yourself and filter out the irrelevant things, such as ego, power hunger, and so forth, look at the positive things you can do to assist those that work hard trying to make GeoCities better everyday. Then look hard at the experience you bring to the table.

K: What do you think a good website should be like?
L: If I were to answer that question, I would have a lot of good web sites that I would recommend for viewing. I have seen great web sites, ones relating to Mozart, ballet, and the most recent that comes to mind is another CL’s homestead in the Vienna/Strasse neighborhood. This young lady has worked very hard on her site, and I was greatly impressed with her diligence, patience and dedication. Guessed who it is yet? It is Connie Sunday’s homestead.

K: It’s really a good site with plenty of content. But enough of GeoCities. =)
You’re into programming! I’d expect your career goals to be in computing?
L: Quite possible, but my initial goals are leaning towards law enforcement. That has been a dream of mine since childhood. But, who knows, I may just get to use my computer skills in that field.

K: With IT penetrating into every field nowadays, it shoudln’t be too difficult to find some use for your computer skills, whatever job you should take up.
Do you have any achievements you’d like to share?
L: Well...I do possess two tours of active duty with the U.S. Army, probably the only woman to hold that honor, and recently enlisted for the U.S. Naval Reserves.
I am especially proud of my military achievements, also participated in Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm.
Also, within my experience as a security officer for The Wackenhut Corporation, in Miami, Florida, received several Letters for outstanding achievement.
I worked hard and long to make the most of my military and professional career.

K: You seem to take a lot of pride in your work. Would it be convenient for you to say what roles you played in the military? What did you do in Desert Storm? How do you feel about what you did then, or about the whole operation?
L: I played many roles while in the U.S. Army. I held several positions ranging from Unit Training NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer), Assistant Unit Training NCO, Energy Conservation NCO, Squad Leader, Assistant Unit Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Warfare NCO, Class Nine Platoon Transportation NCO, as well as performed my main duty which was Motor Transport Operator, in short, I drove trucks, anything ranging from small vehicles to tractor trailer combinations. Basically, I can drive anything on wheels or tracks. I mainly transported supplies and fuel while in Desert Storm. Insofar as how I feel, I hope that what deeds I did to help the Kuwaiti people while at a remote airfield on the Kuwaiti / Iraqi border helped. We had to set up a refugee camp for them. As far as for the rest, I feel good about what I went there to do.
As far as the operation as a whole, I feel that we could have done more in order to shut down this man (Hussein). Reason being is that I feel in my gut that he will try again, but this time, it will be costly, not only to the Iraqi people, but to the U.S., and whomever allies themself with us.

K: I agree. Never liked Saddam myself, especially after reading about what he did to the Kurds.
But let’s change the subject. What other types of music do you listen to, besides classical?
L: Well, that varies, I like Southern Rock, Heavy Metal, Country music, Comtemporary.
I hate Rap to the hilt...it holds no substance, motive, plot, or even meaning.
I also like Alternative, like Red Hot Chili Peppers. Stone Temple Pilots is one of my favorite rock groups, other than KISS and Aerosmith.

K: What are your other hobbies? Favorite sports, either playing or watching?
L: Hobbies...well, as you guessed, I like computers, I also like testing and debugging beta software. Sports, my favorite is HOCKEY,...yeah!!!
Football used to be good, when they played in the snow and when tackled, they slide about 20 yards from the line of scrimmage.
Soccer is also another fave of mine, but I also like wrestling, as you would have guessed by my homestead...other hobbies include movies, reading, studying everything I can about legal (law enforcement) related material. Another hobby of mine is having fun with the cops, trying to see who can out-scare who first, hehehe.

K: Careful you don’t frighten a police officer to death. =)
What would no one ever guess about you in a million years?
L: That I am a relatively quiet person, my family wouldn’t admit to that especially my dad, lol.
That I also like staying to myself, as opposed to getting out and partying the night away.
I find that I can learn more on my own as opposed to being taught, or ordered to learn.
I taught myself the computer, from the first Packard Bell, ughhh, that I owned.

K: I’ve always thought that learning by discovery is better than spoon-feeding, too.
Tell us about where you live. What kind of a place is Asheville like? What’s the best thing about living there?
L: Asheville is located in the mountains of North Carolina. The best thing I like about it is to wake up in the morning and see the mountains off in the distance. It is especially nice when the mountains are covered in snow.

K: That must be really beautiful. Are there any attractions that a visitor to Ashville should never miss?
L: Well, we have The Biltmore Estate, owned by the Vanderbilts, Beaucatcher Mountain, The Vance Monument. There are also ski lodges, if you are into skiing, the Cherokee Indian Reservation, Grandfather Mountain, Mt. Mitchell, which is the highest point east of the Mississippi, Chimney Rock Park.

K: Where do you see yourself in another five years, and what will you be doing?
L: Well, my hopes are to be in the U.S. Naval Reserves, achieving my goal towards law enforcement. Possibly, owning and operating my own business, which I have tossed around a few ideas but settled on one area, mainly desiging an internet-based server specifically orchestrated for the Armed Forces, active and reserves. The interim plans are in the process, but hopefully it will get off the ground soon.

K: Now, that’s what I call ambition! I wish you the best in whatever you undertake. Anyway, thanks for your time. It’s been great fun zineterviewing you, and I’ll see you around the clubs soon.

Keith (klassiks) thinks the first two months of the year simply bypassed him -- it’s March all of a sudden. But heck, at least he managed to rework parts of his site at Vienna Strasse/7645. Check it out, and remember to sign the guestbook!