If this was your site what would be the first thing you'd change? (if any)
I think the membership. There are so many on there that have not played games. Just dead wood. Fencer may have a reason for it. Double nics is another thing that bothers me. You get attached to a person and then find out they were not even a person. Some of you know I get attached to the friends I make here. As far as the site itself.I think Fencer has done a great job in putting the best game site on the internet of this type.
How did you find about BrainKing? What made you stick around?
I was playing at another site. IYT I think it was. Someone mentioned it and thought I would try it. I have Webtv and some games were not working well for me in the beginning. I left for awhile because real life was much better. I wanted to do other things. :) When I came back to try it again..Fencer had it worked out so well for those of us that have Webtv. I really appreciate being able to play here. Why I stayed around?? I made up two fellowships..One is The Friendship Club 2 other is God's Place. How could I leave such good friends I made thru my fellowshps. I thank all who have helped me with my fellowships.. because of surgeries and illness. Some still are helping me out.
I hope you still have the same name by the time your interview is published because I was wondering how you picked your new name. Do you make bubbles in the bath tub? ;))
Few months before I tried Bpete..That lasted 2 hours. I was always Pbarb2.. I decided to stay Pbarb2. One day I thought I needed a change again. I wanted to write Bubbly Pbarb2..I wrote Bubbles instead. By the time I noticed it..Fencer had approved it. It made me think of when I used to blow bubbles with my grandchildren. I like it and decided to keep it.
I can see you are one of the veterans - you're here almost since the beginning of this site. When you first arrived did you ever imagine the site would be what it is today? How do you feel about BrainKing's evolution?
I don't know if Fencer remembers but I played a game with him when I first joined. I told him he was going to have a great site here. His answer was..I know it. He had such a good attitude in making this site the best... I think he did it. Like I said before we did not have many places to play and very thankful we have this site. He has done so much to try and keep it for Webtv to play here. When you are very limited in places, I guess we appreciate it more than some of those with PC's. Thanks to Rod that has done so much to help Fencer and having the Webtv fellowship. It sure helped all of us to understand things more. We feel like a family here.
Which games do you like to play best? Why?
I love the gammon games and reversi. I think Hyper is my favorite. The boats are fun. Just shut your eyes and shoot. Of course the ponds.
Do you think BrainKing helped you increase your skill in some games? Which games did you learn the most from and did you get better in?
Anything, is better than when I first started here. Especially, the gammon games. I get a pretty decent amount of wins now. I was doing great in Dice poker. Then all at once I started going down hill. Finally figured out people were learning the game. LOL Ponds and reversi are my best. I love them. I'm not that high in ratings but enjoy them. Without the Ponds Fellowship I don't think I would have taken such an interest in them. I feel so happy when I see Rod, Vikings, or2ak.com, Czuch, Bernice and Coan and many of the other good ones falling in the pond before me. Pedro was the one to beat. I beat him a few times. Miss him lots.. :(
Do you know many people from BrainKing in "real" life?
I met Not A Floosie. First visit we met at the Red Lobster. She lives about an hour and half from me. The last few times..we met we went to the mini casino's here and go for free food. That is the best, anything free. I met Backoff..Very nice young man. He has moved out of Florida now. Then there is Funtobewith. His name is Paul. He is a guest here. He lives about 20 miles away. Judy and her husband. We had breakfast at Perkins. Then they left on their motor cycle ..They are from Ohio. His aunt lives where I do. Nice couple. Last but not least is my dear friend..Roy..He goes by Wheels and sometimes by Rebel Rider. On BK, I think he is Roy Boyz. I am posting two sites about him. The most rewarding time Jon and I had was visiting with Roy. What a wonderful person he is. We still keep in touch by phone. and IM once in awhile.. TheRealMrWheels
What is your ideal meal?
My best meal is shrimp and more shrimp. I love it. Not the best for a person, but you only live once. :) Red Lobster is the best place to go..We have other great shrimp places in Florida, as well.
What crafts do you enjoy doing?
I love making Plastic Canvas things. Our house has lots of things hanging made out of the canvas My favorite is making lighted Christmas trees out of Safety pins and beads..beaded candle holders and little hurricane lamps. I don't do crafts as much anymore. I used to teach crafts for about 6 years when we first moved to Cape Coral.
What is your favorite color of tootsie pops? And do you prefer the fat tootsie rolls or the long skinny ones?
I love the Chocolate tootsie pops.. Who wants a Red or Blue mouth? I know..you NOT a floosie.. haha As far as the tootsie rolls..fat, thin.. anything that is a tootsie roll. The owner of the casino was so nice and let us fill our pockets. I usually filled my mouth as well. They don't have them much at the casinos, anymore. I miss them. Funny how the toostie pops and rolls spread around BrainKing fellowships. Webtv was when you and I first introduced the tootsie rolls and pops. Sure had great fun with them. Such good memories.
What's the worst trouble you have gotten yourself into?
Oh SR there were so many, but this comes to mind. We lived in Venezuela.. The police stopped us for no reason. My husband and our friends spread out on the hood of the car.. Dumb me.. I got out of the car and this Policeman was waving a gun in my face. I told him to look at our plates which were American Embassy. He kept waving the gun in front of me. I told him to stop..put my arm up somehow and the gun flew out of his hand..Now he could not speak English...Wrong.. He picked up his gun and said crazy woman.. and grabbed the other policeman they ran to their car. Jon and our friends were still on the car. They looked like they were pro's at this. I got yelled at. You could have gotten us killed they were yelling at me. We are all still here.
How is your health these days, and your husband's?
I am doing much better..The foot Dr. did a bad job doing surgery on my foot and tendon. . Had to stay off it for a year. I really had to learn to walk all over again. I will not get the other one done. Not going thru anymore. Am a very slow healer now since I am older.. Just learning to live with it. Jon had Melanoma on the shoulder..They got it in time. Had another type cancer. And the last ones were skin cancer. He keeps getting checked every 4 months. He still runs 5k races. He ran a turkey trot with our daughter and grandson on Thanksgiving Day. Then our twin grandsons ran a kids trot. They are 5 now. They all had fun.
How did you meet your husband?
I was dating a guy for two years. We broke up..Knew we could be friends but nothing more. Then he met my best girlfriend.They started dating and later married. Jon and my ex worked together. He was looking and my ex told him about me. My ex told him just don't let her get her marrying hooks into you. Jon said he was ready if I was the right one. Well, we went on a double date with my ex and best friend. Rest is history.
How long did you date before you got engaged?
Jon and I started dating Feb. 1960. He gave me my ring 9 days before my birthday.Which was end of July..1960 ..He couldn't wait..Oh! how foolish that was..Jon gave me my diamond ring outside the roller skating rink. I remember we were parked under a street light. His brother was skating and we went to show him my ring. Jim looked at it and asked if Jon got it at Brickers? Now Brickers is one of those trash..junk dime stores. Jon was so upset. Jim said just joking. Jon had to pay payments. LOL I wear it everyday and looks as nice as when it was given to me. We married May 21, 1961.
When you met Backoff, did you want to pinch his cheeks?
Not sure what cheeks you mean. hehe Let say this..He is better looking than his picture. Was so glad I got to meet Bob.
What is the best thing about being a grandparent?
We are so thankful we can watch them grow up. Each of the 7 have their own thing they love to do. Oldest is in college now. Don't see much of him...he got his Eagle Scout last year of high school. Youngest are twins..5 years old. We now have a little great grandaughter born Oct.25th, 2007.
What is the worst thing about being a grandparent?
I think the raising of them. It is so hard to raise children now days. They seem to get everything. My 4 children didn't get everything. Our life living overseas helped lots because most of the things we could not buy. By the time we got back to the states on leave.. they were outdated.
What is the one thing that you hope your children learned about parenting from you?
They all made mistakes and learned from them. Seeing our married daughter and son in law raise their 4 boys.. They are very strict... sometimes to much, I think.. I told Julie you never were raised that way. Her answer is I don't want them to make the mistakes I did. They are turning out to be wonderful boys. They respect their parents. They also see that their children go to church and Sunday School. Kody is 16 and teachs a class of middle school children. They all look up to him. The other one lives with a boyfriend. Not as strict and they are having problems with two of the three. Not so much with church or Sunday School. It does show.
What is the one thing that you hope you can teach your grandkids about life?
I hope to think God is a very big part of their lives. Kody has such high goals for his life.. Kody has a girlfriend..He is 16..He told me tonight she is so nice..I told him remember God is with you at all times. He told me I won't lie to you grandma. I do kiss her. Oh my..What a sweetheart he is.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I wanted to have a good life. Get married and have a couple children. Never thought I would leave Iowa.Always said I never wanted to marry a farmer. Instead we lived in 8 different countries all over the world for 28 years. Altogether diffrent then I ever thought of.
What is your favorite childhood memory?
I can remember being very little and riding pigs at the neighbors...also the spanking I got after the fun was over. Being able to go to the movies almost every Sunday afternoon. We had no TV.
Did you ever fulfill any of your childhood dreams? If so which ones?
Going to college..becoming a nurse. Ended up being a Lab tech. Worked a couple years and then we left the USA. Getting married and having two more children then thought I would. Having a great family life. Really came true for me. Traveling all over was never thought of. Never would change any of it
Is there any one person you feel strongly encouraged you to achieve something... and if so... what was it you accomplished and who was the person... in general terms... (such as mother, father, 1st grade teacher, etc)
I would say my father and Aunt. Dad was a Pastor for over 50 years before he passed away in 1981. My mother passed on when I was 1 1/2 years old. My father wanted us to stay together.. His sister came to help him raise us. I had 3 older brothers. Dad taught us all we know about our faith, which is Lutheran. He taught us never to lose the site of God. I am so thankful to him for that. I was very lucky to have such a wonderful father. Many do not know theirs.
What do you think of todayâs standards of morals? i.e.: Sex before marriage, living together versus marriage, teenage parents, general teenage misbehavior like drink and drugs.
I think it is very sad the way so many have forgotten about morals as I knew it in my day. I think sometimes the girls are worse than the boys. In our day the girls waited to get a call from a boy. Now the boys wait for the girl. If anyone had sex in my day you didn't tell anyone. I was a virgin when I got married. Now if you are a virgin.. they laugh at you. A boy never married the girl who they had sex with before marriage. They had a name for those type girls. I don't think it is getting better as far as drugs and drinking..Very sad today. My day was to drink a beer before 21. Big deal for any of us..I was no saint either. After 21 no fun anymore. There are so many living in Florida without being married..They don't want to lose everything they have by getting married. I have one daughter not married and living together. I don't agree but it is up to her and she has to answer in the end. My husband has a hard time excepting it. This is still after 12 years. Don't think he is going away.
You have been in many places in the world. What was the best place you ever seen? :)
I would say Greece. Such great history to see and learn while there.
I remember you traveled a lot in the past. Do you plan to travel more or are you satisfied to life where you are now and value the memories you have?
Theo..There are so many places I wish we could see. With health and age, I think we are happy we got to see what we did. We have a timeshare at the Dominican Republic. I would love to go back there once again. We shall see..maybe next year we can.
If you would move to another country, where you would like to live best? Why?
LOL Are you hoping I say Prague? That would be nice.. but I am enjoying the United States after so many years away.
If you were granted three wishes, guaranteed to come true, what would you wish for?
That our grandchildren grow up to have the goals they set for themselves. A couple got side tracked but think they will do well now. That our unmarried daughter will find a nice young man to make her happy someday. Our son is a truck driver..hope he stays safe during his travels all over the USA.
What question(s) did you hope would be asked, and what would your answer(s) have been?
Coan after looking at all this.. I don't think much more could be asked. I do thank everyone that did ask questions and thought enough of me to do so.. CYA at the games..
What question were you secretly hoping that nobody would ask?
I guess if any.. It would be do you ever sleep nights? I do sleep but lately it is when I want to see something good on TV. Then at midnight not tired anymore.
