Good day to all in the Steemiehood!
This post is a bit of a special one really.
Because this woman is doing SO much for this community it's pretty damn incredible.
And that's her cat Fawnya in the photo because we respect the wishes for those who want to remain faceless.
ENJOY!!
Q&A
| Who are you? Tell us anything and everything you’d like us to know about you! |
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I’m a 59 year old Canadian living near a small Ontario community of about 2500 people. My husband died about 30 years ago and I currently live on my own with a couple of cats, Dawn & Fawnya, which I talk about a lot. As I write this, Dawn is laying on her back on my chest and I’m typing around her. Fawnya is curled up against my leg. This is a pretty common morning routine. Sort of them getting their cuddle time while I do some work.
I’m the middle child of five. Two sisters younger and two brothers older, sort of like living the role of being between the rock and the hard place. My oldest brother, my youngest sister and I tend to be a lot like our dad was and the other two a lot like our mother was.
I like to read. A lot of non-fiction but when a novel grabs my attention, I’m all in except for brewing and drinking my coffee that I drink while reading it. From reading came an interest in writing which I’ve fed on and off for most of my life. Since coming onto Steemit, I’ve been doing a lot more writing.
My formal education is as an Electro-Mechanical Technician with a Robotic speciality. I worked in the engineering department of a large pharmaceutical firm for ten years. Liked the work, hated the politics and the sexism. Eventually left there for a life of low income and living tight to the line but a whole lot more peace of mind.
I’m involved in the Royal Canadian Legion, a veterans organization. I’m a civilian member as the daughter of a WW2 veteran of the Italian campaign and the spouse of a Korea War veteran. Over the last 40+ years I’ve gone from just wanting to be a paid up drunk to a hardly drinking member committed to service to our veterans and the community. Fifteen of the fourty years I’ve served on the executive has been as the Branch President. The only woman to have held that position in the local branch.
| What makes your heart smile? |
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Seeing good things happen for good people who have gone through tough times.
Watching the innocence and wonder a child experiences as they explore the world around them.
Watching a gentle snowfall, as long as I don’t have to drive in it
| How did you get onto Steemit? |
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I was exploring looking for something and came across a reference to Steemit in a comment section of a blog post. I got curious and came looking. Didn’t think it was real or would last at first but, it’s grown on me and I’m all in.
| Where do you want to die? |
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Die? Dying is for old people and you aren’t old until you get to 100 years of age. So, what are we talking about dying for? Ask me again in about 50 years.
| What’s something you DON’T like about all this new technology? |
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It’s addictive, damn addictive. You get comfortable with one part of it and something else comes along and it’s time to learn that. Then the outside world starts to invade and cut into the learning time. So, is the problem technology or that damn outside world?
| What mistake do you keep making and why? |
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My biggest mistake would be making the same mistake over again, knowing why I make it, and not fixing it.
Some people would tell me that I make the mistake of shooting from the hip on what I have to say. I’m not convinced that is a mistake as much as they are uncomfortable hearing me speak unvarnished truth. The jury’s out on that.
| Is there anything you wish you could unlearn? |
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Probably that Santa Claus and the easter bunny aren’t real. Terrible loss of innocence when the wonder of their magical giving is replaced with the commercialism of the real world. Rudolph’s demise when Santa became unreal was a terrible blow to the red-nosed people of the world’s self-esteem. I have red hair, not a red-nose so life is okay for me, well, except the red is becoming grey.
| If there was something you could un-do, what would it be? |
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Some moments of red-hot anger I exhibited in front of my niece when she was young. I don’t show anger very often and I felt badly that she witnessed it. An apology doesn’t take away the moments of fear and uncertainty that behaviour can invoke in a child even though it wasn’t directed at her.
| Imagine that you magically have the ability to keep being alive without sleep, what would you do with the extra time? |
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Read, write, read, write some more, learn a thing or two, write some more… did I mention write?
| What’s the stupidest thing you’ve done that actually turned out pretty well? |
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Man, I do a lot of stupid things. Sometimes I get really lucky. No one gets hurt and something good happens. Could I come up with an example… man the list is way too long. And, I do need to protect the innocent.
| What makes your belly ache with laughter? |
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Red Skelton, Victor Borge, Foster Brooks — Don’t know who they are? Google them and prepare to laugh you young grasshopper. OH yeah, look up the original Karate Kid and watch that too.
| Tell us about 1 significant event in your life that really made you who you are. |
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There are a lot of significant events in my life that shaped the person I am. Most of them I almost never talk about.
Having said that, I think the eighteen months during which my husband was dying was a significant learning experience about death, dying and grief. I wasn’t yet thirty and had only ever had an aunt die in the family. Losing a spouse was tough. In those days people didn’t talk about death or the dying. I met some good people and was introduced to the writings of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, a pioneer on the subject.
| What would be the scariest monster you could imagine? |
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Life is the biggest scariest monster you could ever imagine. It is there looming over us at every moment and we either tame the monster or it eats us. I think I have experienced both.
| What does Steemit mean for you? |
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Steemit has become proof that I can reach for a dream no matter how old I am and find it. It currently makes the difference between the income I receive offline and what I need to meet my needs. I believe if I keep on being a productive part of this community that I’ll get to be part of us all seeing continued growth in the investments we make with our time, talent and treasures.
| If you could change your name, what would you change it to? |
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To ShadowsPub… Oh wait. I already did that on one discord. If you mean my birth name. I wouldn’t. For better or for worse, it is who I am and how I am known. If I changed it, I’d have to become that person and it’s hard enough work being me.
| Which person inspires you the most and why do they inspire you? |
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Not so much a person as some of the qualities I’ve observed over the years.
The veteran who went and fought a war for my country and my freedom, came home and continued to serve in a myriad of ways. Especially those veterans who I served alongside in the Legion who after having served this country continued to serve fellow veterans and their needs until they died. That motto “They served til death, why not we?” made more than words.
The person that life delivers blow after blow to and they get up off their knees, shake themself off and carry on with grace and dignity.
The person in a position of power and authority who doesn’t forget he or she is still a person in service to others. That others are to be treated with respect, dignity and kindness.
The person who stretches out a helping hand, quietly makes good things happen and finds no reason to claim credit or draw attention to themself
More gets accomplished through quiet determined action than loud stump speeches and pronouncements.
| What are you insecure about? |
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Sheesh .. What am I secure about would be sweet bugger all. So, I guess what I’m insecure about is just about anything. I could never be accused of being overly confident.
| Describe your ideal life. |
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I could wish to live a more financially comfortable life but, other than that, I think I already live that life. I don’t have to get up and go to a job I hate every day. My needs are met. My health is good. I get to meet and interact with people from all over the world every day or, I can just turn off the computer and spend time with myself.
| Have you ever saved someone’s life? |
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Yeah, actually, I did. Back in the days of the IRCs I ran a support channel. I became really good friends with a lady from the US who was struggling with some serious issues that she couldn’t bring herself to tell her family or seek help. We were chatting in private one day. It was a particularly tough day for her and she suddenly left the keyboard. I waited for a while, maybe 10 or 15 minutes, and then picked up the phone and called her. I got her on the phone and could sense something was really wrong. I also knew her husband was due home in about 20 minutes so I was focused on getting her back to the keyboard until he got there. She agreed to return to the keyboard and I hung up. She told me later that when I called she was standing in her kitchen with a handgun trying to decide where she could kill herself with the least mess. When she confessed that to me I insisted that she had to tell her husband or I would. She told him and discovered her fears were without basis, he was wonderfully supportive. We remain in touch to this day.
| What do other people think is weird about you? |
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A lot of things but they put up with me anyways. My interests are not the same as others in my generation or more accurately in my circle of acquaintances. I was talking about the power of the internet long before it became part of their lives. Since I joined Steemit, I get the same rolled eyes and tolerant smiles when I talk about cryptocurrency and blockchains that I got when I talked about the internet. They never learn.
| What do you think is one of the best things about you? |
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Loyalty. It takes a lot for me to consider someone to be a friend. When I do, I’m fiercely loyal to them. Doesn’t mean I wont call the person out when I think they may have done better, but I will support them because we all make mistakes. On the downside, I can be just as fierce when I learn that someone I trusted enough to consider a friend has betrayed that. I ended a thirty year friendship in recent years because of that.
I believe in honesty and integrity. I expect the same in others.
| What’s one responsibility you really wish you didn’t have? |
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Responsiblity? You mean I have responsibilities?
After having stepped down as Legion President last spring, there are several responsibilities I’m relieved to have handed off to my successor. So, I can say, none at this time.
| If you had a personal flag, what would be on it? |
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OH, I think I’d need a ‘mood flag’.. Remember the mood rings that used to change colour based on your mood?
I’d need one white, one checkered, one with an upraised finger and one with a rainbow for the days when I’m freaking lucky to be still standing.
| If a genie granted you 3 wishes right now, what would you wish for? |
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Let’s see. Wish number one to lose the weight I need to lose. Wish number two, a new wardrobe for the new person I’d become and number three, well, three wishes for the new person of course.
| What do you think about when you’re by yourself? |
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Well, since I live alone. Anything I think about is what I think about when I’m by myself. Trust me, some days the last place you’d want to be is knowing what I’m thinking about.
| What would you want to be written on your tombstone? |
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Tombstone? Are you obsessed with death or what? No tombstone until I’d old and that doesn’t happen until I’m 100. Check back in about 50 years.
| Who is the person you trust most? |
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Well, as I mentioned earlier. In recent times I terminated a 30 year friendship over betrayal. So, trusting anyone is not very high on my list these days. Any trust I grant is cautionary at best.
| What’s your favourite word? |
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Depends on the situation. Well, actually and/or freaking are likely my most popular words. Being Canadian, the correct use of ‘eh’ is also popular.
| Who is your fave (or one of your favourite) Steemians and why? |
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Damn, oh damn might be a popular word of mine too. There would be a list of Steemians I really regard well for different reasons. I’m likely going to miss some, so I’ll apologize in advance to those unspoken of. Here goes:
For some of them, there are different reasons, but the one common thread for all of those people is their presence on Steemit makes the platform a better place and a community to be proud of.
| If you were arrested with no explanation, what would your friends and family assume you had done? |
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The old girl finally lost it and strangled the crap out of someone.
| When you looked in the mirror first thing this morning, what was the first thing you thought? |
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Damn that bloody universe gave me another day to live.
| What is something that you just recently realized that you are embarrassed you didn’t realize earlier? |
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How little I know about the music and culture of my generation. Mostly because I’ve had little interest in it. When someone mentioned Bob Dylan during PYPT and I asked who that was … yeah, I know little LOL
| What is your nickname? |
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Beyond the names I use on Steemit, I don’t allow nicknames. I’ve had enough names inflicted on me during my life. My name identifies who I am.
| As a Human Of Steemit, how do you contribute to Steemit? |
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Without trying to be presumptuous, I hope that what I write contributes some value to those who take the time to read it and that is becomes part of the quality material on the platform.
I manually curate posts into the Steemit Ramble that I publish periodically (and not as often as I’d like to). Since October I have run two post sharing sessions on Thursdays called Pimp Your Post Thursday where any member can join in sharing their post or the post of others and getting to know fellow Steemians. Some great connections for collaborations has been made during those sessions. That was a really great unexpected result. People enjoy attending and I enjoy doing them.
I help out some in some of the other discords and help to support the activities of different communities which have formed on discord.
, woah this has blown me away!
Your story about saving that woman's life had me in tears!
Do you know what a wonderful human being you are?
How giving and loving you are?
It is real treasure to get to know you.
Thank you for being so open.
Thank you for being such a giving soul.
Thank you for participating on Humans Of Steemit!
You should DEFINITELY follow
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I had help with editing by the lovely 
You should go talk to him.
BIG love,
Ashley
My LoveProject is 