Jen (Lady_Vienna) is a veteran Vienna CL who has also worked in the Athens neighborhood. She has been active and dedicated and is currently leading the Vienna CL training team. Jen also campaigns for the POW/MIA cause. Read more about it...

User Name(s) in GC: Lady_Vienna, LadyJen
Real Name: Jen
Birthday/Age: Have one ;P
Vocation and/or School Situation:
Full-time wife & mother; POW/MIA activist; medievalist; author; royal genealogist; & webpage designer
Geographical Location: California, USA
Family: Husband and two sons : )

URL(s):
http://www.oocities.org/Vienna/9064
http://www.oocities.org/Athens/2519
Email Addy: ladyjen@oocities.com
Neighborhood(s) you are a CL in: Vienna & Athens

Favorite Composer(s): -
Favorite Composition(s): -
Instruments You Play: Guitar
Favorite Instrument(s): Guitar

Keith: Welcome to the Zineterview, Jen. Would you like to start by telling us how long you've been a CL?
Jen: I've been a Vienna CL for approximately two years & an Athens CL on & off for about 3 years.

K: When did you become a GeoCities homesteader? What’s do you like best about GeoCities?
J: 1997. [I like] the community atmosphere.

K: What would you tell someone who can't decide whether or not to become a CL?
J: I would say that if you enjoy helping folks create webpages and being part of building a community, then being a CL is for you! There is nothing like getting that help letter from a homesteader, and being able to help them, or discovering a really great site and nominating them for an award...then being the one to give them the great news when they win!

K: I must agree that the sense of satisfaction that we derive from our work simply cannot be described. Besides your ordinary CL duties, how else are you active in GeoCities?
J: I'm the training coordinator for the Vienna CLs and I also I run several Yahoo!Clubs and webrings, giving me an additional chance to really get to know the folks in GeoCities.

K: What do you think is most important in a good website?
J: Not all will agree with me, but my personal pet peeve are sites that only certain browsers can access. I think a number one priority of all websites should be that the site is viewable by everyone. The second most important thing in a good website, in my opinion, is fast loading (not heavy graphically.) The third and probably equally important thing in a good website is providing either entertainment (stories, music, brain teasers, or something fun) or good information (facts I would not necessarily have known otherwise if not for this webpage *smile*.)

K: You say you’re a POW/MIA activist, and that’s what one of your websites features. What led you to champion this cause?
J: About three, almost four years ago, I came across a site on Internet about some of our POW/MIA's not coming home. I had thought they were all home! I learned to research and ask questions and in doing so, I was also able to learn about my great uncle, an MIA from WWII. Our family had always accepted one story, but with the help of some great folks on Internet, I was able to learn and uncover much more of the truth.

K: Besides maintaining a POW/MIA site, what else do you do to increase awareness about the POW/MIA cause?
J: We run several POW/MIA awareness projects. One is done every February 1st where we encourage everyone on Internet to blackout their webpages for 24 hours. Other projects like our POW/MIA Balloon Launch; our POW/MIA Flag Campaign (getting every city to fly the POW/MIA flag more than is mandated by law); our POW/MIA Plaques Across America (get POW/MIA plaques up at highway rest stops and getting folks to adopt sections of the highway in honor of our POW/MIA's) and other such projects get folks in the community actually involved in this issue.

K: That is a lot of work! How do you hope the POW/MIA issue to be resolved, and when do you think this will be achieved?
J: Families have been trying to resolve this issue for over 25 years. All we can do is continue to work toward getting answers to the familes; getting home any recoverable remains; and bringing home any of those that may still be alive and want to come home. And the most important thing we need to achieve is to insure this never happens again. I have two sons, and should either of them choose to serve our country, I want them doing so knowing with all certainty, that should something ever happen to them, Lord forbid, they will not be left behind!

K: What will you be doing, five years down the road? What will your sites be like?
J: I run two vastly different sites within Geocities, one on writing and medieval studies and one site on the POW/MIA issue. There will always be a need for good information on writing and medieval studies, but I hope that in five years, there will no longer be a need for a webpage about the unresolved POW/MIA issue.

K: What would someone never suspect about you in a million years?
J: Hmmmm...good question. *smile* Well, I think most would be shocked to learn that I played in a rock & roll and jazz fusion band for 11 years (starting when I was 17.) I have traveled and played all over the world, singing old jazz standards and rock & roll classics along with our original jazz fusions compositions : ) I do wish to say [that] the road life is NOT as glamorous as it seems in the movies!

K: Sure, the movies like to dress up reality. =) But you must have seen quite a bit travelling around the world. Any particularly interesting experiences that you'd like to share?
J: I can't think of anything really good right now...I remember it being a hard life. We worked whether we were sick or not. One time I came down with laryngitis and called my vocal coach in California (I was in Alberta, Canada at the time) for advise. Another time we had gone to a local carnival during the day before our show. The guitarist in our band tried one of the game booths where you would throw a ball and try and knock down the milk bottles. Well, I was standing next to him watching, and one of his throws bounced off the wall behind and headed right toward me! I got a black eye! Black eye, headache and all, I got up and performed that evening. We had one day off a week and that was to break down equipment and then travel to the next town...set up and be ready to start the next night. I was the only female in the band and I remember that it was very lonely for me.

K: What are some of your favorite pastimes?
J: One of my very favorite pastimes is coaching my youngest son's soccer team. I adore soccer! I also love to camp and fish with my family, and try to get away to nature every chance we can : )

K: If I ever win a trip to California, what sights should I not miss? Besides the obviously famous Disneyland, of course. =)
J: Oh goodness, I would recommend going the nature route and visiting all the beautiful natural sites in California: the beaches, the mountains, the rivers and lakes. Just stay away from the freeways. Lots of traffic!

K: Well, the traffic is the same everywhere, isn’t it? =) What's the best thing about living in the Golden State?
J: See above : )) Where I live, I am 30 minutes away from the mountains to ski in the winter and camp in the summer; about the same distance from river and lakes to fish, water ski, and sail; about 45 minutes from the beach to swim, surf, and/or cuddle around a campfire pit and roast hot dogs and marshmallows : )) We have the best of all seasons : )

K: Lucky you! I must visit when I have the chance. =) Well, it’s been a really really enjoyable zineterview with you, Jen. Hope to see you around the neighborhood.

Keith (klassiks) would love to have you visit his site at Vienna Strasse/7645 and to sign the guestbook! Also check out the various sections on classical, jazz and more!