A wee bit ago I and my friend Ian came up with the idea of interviewing strangers in the park. A way of talking lots of pictures and doing lots of interviews, all at once.

So after advertising on a few websites, I photographed and interviewed anyone willing to show up.

It quickly dawned on me that a full interview would be cost prohibitive, so I came up with a questionnaire:

Here now, the people who sat down to write up some answers:

MELISSA:

1. Yeppers! photography, psychology

2. photographer/create

3. create. photos. learn new things

4. hopeful. elated

5. sleep. regroup

6. to have fun. find inspiration. meet new people

7. amanda gillian via flickr/supergrass/radiohead message board.

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DANNY:

1. music and poetry

2. barista

3. studying advertising, nature walks

4. I felt that, socially, times have definitely changed, but it’s difficult to focus on it when things today are so uncertain.

5. I thought it would never work, but journaling really helps. Turns out my mom was right. About that.

6. I enjoy meeting creative, good people, so I thought I’d stop by. I don’t go out of my way for creative jerks. That’s just me, though.

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VICTOR:

1. Survival, it’s a tough world

2. Build things, constructing

3. Honestly, drugs

4. That was the first time I actually understood the Hope pitch

5. More drugs

6. to help support art

7. Best site on earth

FLICKR

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HEATHER:

1. Making something out of anything. Anything design-oriented.

2. Interior Designer

3. Spend time w/friends, bike, movies, photography

4. For the first time that I can remember I was proud of our leadership and where our country was heading.

5. Talk to family or friends, focus on doing something I enjoy.

6. Ian forced me. threatened me really.

7. The death threats under my door for the past two weeks.

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SAM:

1. I do! Several. Writing, art, comics, Azetcs, technology

2. I got laid off! But I was in tech marketing. Now I am a writer, but I wouldn’t say I do it “for a living”. Yet.

3. Spend time with my awesome friends. Adventures. When solo, reading, watching movies, running.

4. Amazing. One of the best moments of my life. I felt personally victorious for the revolution.

5. See 1 & 3. Most crucial: running and other self destructive activities.

6. Curiosity, sunshine, meeting new people.

7. Took a right at the basketball courts.

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CAMERON:

1. Music, Exploring the outdoors, Science

2. Student, Computer Consulting

3. Surf, Skate, Snowboard, Backpacking, Play music, Motorcycle

4. I was pretty indifferent. I do appreciate that Barack is stirring the pot and renewing lost inspiration in this country

5. Play guitar and piano

6. I love photography and trust Melissa’s judgement in finding new people and experiences

7. Melissa told me about it

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DEAN:

1. photography and living life every day

2. currently an self (un)employed freelance photographer. I’ve also recently worked as a freelance animation/vfx producer

3. attending art shows/studying, going to bars, watching/attending hockey games, live music (attending/shooting), bowling

4. great. positive. relieved. excited. nervous (a little)

5. usually stay at home. sometimes go out drinking. talk about it. move on

6. Sarah Froelich sent me the details, well, she posted them on Facebook. I liked the idea, so I showed

7. I wandered around the park til I saw you with a camera

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ANDREW:

1. I am passionate about music. It sounds clichéd, but discovering a gem of a song or an artist drives me and makes me happy.

2. I’m a Solutions Engineer.

3. Jam with my roommates.

4. Proud to be an American, again.

5. Smoke a bowl and watch The Shawshank Redemption

6. Meet some new people!

7. Google Maps

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EURRI:

1. Yes! Traveling & Photography

2. Personal Assistant.

3. Bake, hang out w/friends, watch movies.

4. Hopeful

5. Eat & Sleep.

6. Try something new & different

7. Came here through Flickr

BONUS: Noticed the Red Vines first.

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DAVE:

1. I like making silly movies, and get passionate about saying yes to different suggestions and experimenting.

2. I’m a freelance producer/editor, finding most of my work in web-based short non-fiction videos.

3. Encourage friends to make videos, hang around avoiding being too serious, making silly movies.

4. Real excited. There’s so much energy behind it.

5. Listen to good music. Find fun people to distract me or a good TV show.

6. Sounded interesting. Ian comes to Movie Night.

7. Ian Broyles is my internet friend/IRL friend! He posted about it.

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BRITTNEY:

1. Capturing moments in time (photography) (thought I’m still learning!) & helping/listening to others! (psychology)

2. Behavior therapist

3. take pictures! travel!

4. Intense

5. write, talk, go running, take photos

6. to have my photo taken by a “professional amateur” :)

7. someone recommended you on Miss Aniela’s blog!

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DREW:

1. Bicycles & photography & cooking

1. Photo Assistant

3. Shoot photos, cook, build/ride bicycles. Also I high five lots of people.

4. Hopeful. Nervous. Weepy.

5. Drink & listen to music that makes me more depressed.

6. because I wanted the lens to be turned on me.

7. via a Flickr search for “Hot women”.

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STEPH:

1. Cooking

2. Cook! (I work for a chef)

3. Dancing, cooking, hanging out w/my insane friends, cosplaying

4. Excited/relieved

5. watch Pixar movies

6. To get my picture taken! :)

AMIN:

1. DJing, mixtaping, organizing bookshelves.

2. Writer/editor/reporter.

3. See #1. Also, I watch shitloads of TV. Also eating at nice restaurants.

4. Bittersweet. Glad the good guys won. Sad the bad guys got away.

5. See #1 & #3

6. I’m terribly vain.

7. I’ve always been here.

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LAURA:

1. Photography, yes!

2. I work at a restaurant & take photos.

3. Take photos, see movies, go to flea markets, eat out.

4. Proud to be an American for the first time. It was my first year being able to vote and I really felt like I was taking part in something bigger than myself. It was really thrilling.

5. Take moody self portraits, watch The Office and eat food.

6. Because I love Lou, photography & Obama.

7. I AM US.

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WES:

1. Photography

2. I am a financial analyst at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. It’s a fantastic day job.

3. I take photos and go to a lot of live shows and galleries.

4. Incredibly relieved. I left NYC of all places because I couldn’t take the post 9/11 sentiment and moved back from Madrid once I felt things had changed. They have.

5. I watch comedy.

6. To help another.

7. Flickr.

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DOMINIC:

1. Design, music golf

2. A student @ Art Center

3. Eat too much, listen to music too loud, hang out with good company

4. It made me smile at the fact that a lot of people believed in CHANGE

5. listen to sad music or watch one of these movies, Fast Times at Ridgemont High or Ferris Beuller’s Day Off. I know that’s a complete 180

6. I was sitting outside with Cameron, then Melissa drove by and said to come to the park

7. walked the park for 25 min

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CHELSEA:

1. Photography, music, psychology

2. I’m just a student right now

3. Concerts, potlucks, dive bars, random adventures with friends

4. I cried. It’s time for change!

5. I listen to Jose Gonzalez and I see my friends. And I bake.

6. Any reason to come to the park on Sat.

7. Melissa

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ERICK:

1. Love & art.

2. Record children’s audiobooks.

3. Pictures & video. Shenanigans.

4. Tears of joy.

5. Ride it out.

6. Tempting fate.

7. Flickr lily padding.

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HILARY:

1. yes, design & drawing

2. design movie posters

3. run & play

4. hopeful

5. go for a run

6. to hang with friends

7. through a friend

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KRISTA:

1. music

2. web design

3. live

4. proud

5. listen to music

6. to do something fun

7. a friend

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Thanks for everyone who came and participated!!!! And for more shots (outtakes, folks who came but didn’t fill out the questionnaire, group shots), CLICK HERE