INTERVIEW: THE VITALS? 8-17-53 .. blue .. blondish .. small of stature but large of heart .. eternal optimist .. determined and resourceful .. handy around the house .. computer-smart .. fun at a party. WHAT'S YOUR HISTORY? self-taught artist and pack-rat .. first reading group to english major to typesetter to paste-up artist to freelance graphic design .. to owner and chief bottle washer of shadowbox! WHEN WAS SHADOWBOX STARTED? fulltime in 1989, that being 20 years ago. HOW DID YOU BECOME YOUR OWN BOSS? frustration with inefficiency .. a desire for more control, and a belief that life grows where you plant it. HOW CAN I BECOME MY OWN BOSS? luck .. optimism .. perseverance .. in that order. self confidence and esteem are a bonus .. family support, even better .. view the struggle as a challenge .. enjoy the small successes .. question rules .. learn to do research .. ask for help .. FAVORITE WEB SITES? ani difranco (righteousbabe.com) is my favorite musician/poet/prolific person.. i could go on .. ron and joe.com .. i am proud to call them very good friends and their art and design site is well worth the visit .. BOOKS TO RECOMMEND? i love to read and am always looking for recommendations. for those of you with similar affinities to well-written, psychological, poetic, historical, surprising and occasionally disturbing fiction .. let me know. here are some of my favorites: The God of Small Things / Arundati Roy Cloud Atlas / David Mitchell Black Swan Green / David Mitchell Brief Interviews with Hideous Men / David Foster Wallace American Pastoral / Phillip Roth A Fine Balance / Rohinton Mistry Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight / Alexandra Fuller The History of Love / Nicole Krauss Middlesex / Jeffrey Eugenides House of Sand and Fog / Andre Dumas III Enduring Love / Ian McEwan Poisonwood Bible / Barbara Kingsolver The Weight of Water / Anita Shreve Cats Eye / Margaret Atwood Alias Grace / Margaret Atwood Feather Crowns / Bobbie Ann Mason The Bone People / Keri Hulme Oscar and Lucinda / Peter Carey The True History of the Kelley Gang / Peter Carey Poison / Kathryn Harrison MOVIES? to kill a mockingbird / traffic / crash / children underground / slingblade / the piano / fargo / the english patient / one flew over the cuckoo’s nest / harold and maude / crumb / american beauty / a patch of blue / who’s afraid of virginia woolf / outrageous / woman under the influence / the heart is a lonely hunter / she's so lovely / vanilla sky / the constant gardener / witness / ethan frome FAVORITE PASTIMES? treasure hunting through surplus warehouses, flea markets, second-hand stores, anything remotely similar .. inventing .. designing .. making art .. solving problems .. learning .. listening to and recording spoken word .. reading .. playing with my dwarf hamster .. making people laugh .. eating good food .. learning french .. hanging out with kids .. getting to leave without them ..