Before coming here, I’d never been interviewed before in my life.  Now I’ve had 4 interviews… and maybe more to come.  One of them wasn’t a real interview, it was just a lunch with a friend of Jane’s that works at the paper, but he had a new camera he wanted to try and and said that he wanted to prove to Jane that he met me… I told him I was sure she’d believe him. He did ask me a bunch of questions anyway, but just mostly to be friendly.  However, it felt like an interview because I knew the camera was on for some of it.  

All these interviews have got me thinking.  I interviewed with Gina for her “Body Stories and she asked all about my body and sex and stuff like that.  I was really kind of uncomfortable, especially the questions about sex.  I’m just a private person about some things.  But when I got over being on camera, it felt like just girl-talk.  Because I got my lips and teeth done and I’m trying to lose weight, I felt a little stupid and superficial at times, but really I just want to look my best and I haven’t done anything drastic. 

On Friday I had an interview with a reporter for their Q & A section.  She audio recorded everything.  Two of the questions that really got me thinking were, “How are you and Jane similar or different?” and “Are you a feminist?”  

The second one kinda threw me.  I don’t think I’ve ever been asked that before, and I had to think about it.  It’s not that I didn’t know the answer but that I wasn’t sure what “feminist” means to her.  So I answered, “Well, on the most basic level, men and women being equal, yes I’m a feminist.  But on the man hating, bra-burning level, I’m not that kind of feminist.”  

I like men and want to get married and have kids and if I had enough money, I’d probably stay home with the kids until they went to school.  I know some people think this isn’t very feminist, but I think there’s room for everyone in feminism, and I’m traditional about some things.  Only for myself though.  I’m glad that other women can choose a different path.  I think what Jane has done with her life is good too.  She’s travelled all over the world and never married and doesn’t care if she has kids or not.

I guess that’s how we are different.  I’m a homebody.  I’m the girl next door.  I’m just a little less adventurous and ambitious or career oriented than her.  My artwork is important to me too.  I’m a good and successful painter,  BUT it’s not the driving force in my life, it’s not the end all be all for me.  Just stepping into her shoes for a couple of months makes me realize how crazy and obsessed she is with her work.  Since I got here all I’ve done is work on her MFA stuff, and that’s after her working on it for a year and a half.  To me… that’s just crazy.  I don’t want my life to be just Art.

When I was talking to Jane’s friend over lunch, he asked me how I saw myself in the future.  I said, “Married with kids.”  To be honest, I thought I’d already be married.  I thought I’d finish school, get a good job, work for a while, meet somebody and then get married and have some kids.  This summer I’m going to turn thirty.  I am not married.  I don’t have kids.  There’s nothing wrong with this and I like my life, but I just imagined that I’d already be married and starting a family.  

For some reason things haven’t worked out that way for me.  I’ve dated nice guys and been in love, but something always happens.  Either we weren’t right for each other or something else happened.  My longest relationship ended because he went to Germany for grad school… and I didn’t.  

The truth is I don’t want to be forty when I have my first kid.  

So that is why I decided to come here and help Jane out with her MFA.  To try something different, live somewhere different, meet new people and shake myself out of my rut.  Also, she promised to set me up with someone nice, and I think she did a good job. 

Example of my life in Tucson:


MMMMM… COFFEE


MY WALKING BUDDY/HAIR DRESSER!

Now that I’m done working like a crazy woman on Jane’s MFA show, I’m hanging out with friends, taking walks and (as Always) drinking coffee.  Mmmmm.

-Delia