Interview Meme and the dLife Top 10!

Art-Sweet has started a new Interview Meme, which I think is pretty fabulous. I am lucky to be one of the commenters to which she has posted interview questions. After I answer her questions I will post the instructions for how you can also play along.

What do you want to do after you (drum roll please) graduate?

Learn to play the guitar and start a rock band.

Well, alright, that's not true. My goal is to work for JDRF (surprise, surprise). I'm majoring in journalism, with an emphasis in public relations, and I have a minor in Non-Profit Administration. So hopefully they will think I'm just fabulous and start paying me!

A couple of people have suggested that I become a diabetes educator, at which I laugh. I've looked at the requirements and I would basically be in school for another 6 years since I would need to get another bacherlor's and then a master's degree. No Thank You. My dad suggested that I work for Minimed as a pump rep, but I don't think I would do a very good job. I'm not very biased when it comes to insulin pumps, I just happen to wear a Minimed and think it's pretty cool. I can just see my first day on the job:

Allison the Minimed Rep: So as you can see, we are the most kick-ass pump company in the world, everyone loves us and you should, too.

Prospective Pumper: Well, Minimed is cool... but I kinda like the Cozmo.

Allison the Minimed Rep: That's great! My friend Kassie wears the Cozmo and she loves it!

Uh, yeah, I don't see the going over very well with the Very Important People down in Northridge.

Many (though certainly not all) of the people I've met who are as upfront about their faith as you are tend to have more conservative social views than you do. You've blown my stereotypes out of the water, for which I'm most grateful. So I'm really curious how it is that you've arrived at your particular blend of faith and politics.

Are you sure this is an interview question and not a suggestion to write my first best-selling book? I could spend a couple of hours with this one, but I will try to be brief. I think the most important thing that has shaped my attitude and behavior towards people who are different from me is how I see Jesus interacting with people who were different from Him in the Gospel. Jesus was friends with prostitutes and tax-collectors (who were not very popular back then... still aren't, actually). He met and taught the people that the Pharisees, who were richer and in league with the Romans who were in control of Israel at the time, wouldn't come near. He was the epitome of love and kindness towards those who were different.

However, he didn't condone or approve of their behavior, and I want to make it clear that just because I don't constantly berate people who have different lifestyles than my own means I approve of the lifestyle. Sadly enough, people have come to look at Christians as the spokespeople for Jesus and I think we do an amazingly sucky job at it. Honestly. The majority of us are really terrible at being Christ-like most of the time. He said not to store up treasures, but instead feed the poor (Matt. 19:21) and most Christians only think of helping their church or fellow Christains. We could probably eradicate hunger in Africa if Christians as a whole worked on that one issue. Jesus said to love those who persecute (Matt. 5:44) but we often lash out when we feel insecure. He never mixed spirituality with politics (Matt. 22:21). He told us to never judge or condemn (Luke 6:41), but Christians are notorious for self-righteously judging others.

I have an unwavering belief that Jesus is the Son of God, and that those who believe in Him will not perish but have eternal life. But I also believe that Jesus wants us to love those who sin (which is everyone), like He loved those who sin. We are not perfect creatures, even the Saved ones. But we should at least trying to be more caring about how other people feel.

Politically, there are several different issues in which I believe either go against what Jesus would have done (the war in Iraq) or that religion has no real legimate vote (gay marriage). My nutshell opinion on gay marriage is: If athiests can get married, why on earth can't lesbians? I mean, seriously. If you're going to pull the God card, pull it on everybody.

That, and have you listened to Bush talk? Forget graduating Yale, how on earth did he manage to graduate primary school? Seriously. Ok. I'm done.

What is your absolute, least favorite thing about diabetes?

Middle of the night lows. Hate them with a bloody passion. There is nothing more irritating, in my opinion, than interrupted sleep.

What are you planning to do with your summer vacation?

Hopefully getting an internship at JDRF (::crosses fingers::) and I'll also be attending CWD's Friends for Life conference in Or-LAHN-do Flor-EE-da! I'm quite excited. I will also be volunteering with some community service projects that my church in Portland, Imago Dei, does around the city and hopefully catching up on some leisurely reading that seems to disappear during the school year. I hate that.

Would you marry someone who did not share your religious faith?

No. Being a Christian is probably the number one requirement after being male (sorry, I just don't swing that way). First reason is that the Bible does say not to become unequally yoked. Secondly, I think it would be difficult to raise a child Christian if their father did not also believe the same. I also think my husband would have a hard time really understanding me as person if he wasn't a Christian. I have a hard time discussing certain deep, personal matters with non-Christians now because they don't understand the conflicts I face. I don't think a relationship would last very long if my boyfriend, let alone a husband, was not a Christian.

But rest assured, I will not marry a Republican.

~*~

Now it's your turn! Here are the instructions:

Leave me a comment saying “interview me.” The first five commenters will be the participants.
I will respond by asking you five questions.
You will update your blog/site with the answers to the questions.
You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Here's another idea: If you have already been interviewed and posted the questions on your blog, you can ask to be interviewed again. However, instead of posting that interview on your blog, post it as comment on the interviewer's blog and then you can mention on your blog that you were interviewed again and give a link. Does that sound reasonable? Or you can do it however you want. Just a suggestion.

Got it?

~*~

Also:

dLife is holding their new dLife Annual Top Ten Awards! Go to www.dlife.com to vote. dLife's editorial board has nominated 24 individuals or organizations who throughout 2005 were making a difference in the lives of people with diabetes. No registration is necessary and you'll find a lot of really cool people who are doing amazing things in the diabetes community. Go vote! Go, go, go.