Question Time - who is Annemarie Lloyd?

This week's guest is a woman I've never met, but whom I feel I know.  We met over the virtual Scrabble board on facebook over a year ago and she's been beating me regularly since then!  As we started chatting, we discovered we shared quite a few passions - music being one of them.  

I'm yet to see her perform, but it's on my list of "must do's"!  

Lately, we've been pondering the popularity of the Shades of Grey books (we don't really get it) and talking about the appeal that the city of Darwin holds.

1. Who is Annemarie Lloyd?

Annemarie Lloyd as herself

Annemarie Lloyd is a complex individual. While I think I’m hilarious (and am not shy to admit as much), I’m also a quiet corner dweller when it suits the mood. I am at once creative and analytical, and this can cause some internal arguments. I am a capitalist and a hippy all at once. Confused? Try it inside my head.

2. What inspires you to perform?

I love to sing. I love to make people smile and laugh. I am inspired by great songs, great sound and a room full of people waiting to see what you have in store for them. Using my voice in as many different ways as possible is a real turn on for me. If I had to sing the same style/genre every day I would have stopped performing years ago.

3. What's your work routine?

I have two jobs. One a vocalist/entertainer, the other being Remedial Massage. The early/middle part of the week belongs to remedial massage and the business side of my endeavours. So apart from a couple of days a week in my massage rooms, there’s cleaning massage towels (along with costumes and wigs), computer work – accounting, BAS etc along with learning new songs, invoicing and marketing for the months ahead in the music industry. Also reminding/re-reminding people about their massage appointments (via SMS) and then changing and re-arranging according to their responses ….

…. Sorry, just had to take a call about another appointment change …

Later in the week (generally) are the gigs/shows. If it’s a show, the whole day leading up to it might be in preparation – packing costumes, arranging charts for musicians, early setup/soundcheck etc. If I can, I get a rest in the afternoon prior, even if it is in my car. If it’s a simple duo/solo gig, there’s not much prep, just packing, driving & setting up.

4. What's your favourite word?

Cumbersome. A high school English teacher used to use it all the time. I never knew what it meant when she started, it was just this word that rolled around the classroom and has a satisfying amount of consonants and syllables.

5. If you could script your dying words, what would they be?

Ok, that was interesting … what’s next?

6. What gets your hanky in a twist?

People who walk behind reversing cars in shopping centre car parks.

7. What do you want to be when you grow up? Is the answer the same as it would have been when you were 8 years old?

Hmmm..."grow up". There’s a notion. I often wonder why people who are the same age as me seem older. Does it mean I haven’t grown up? I don’t know. I guess I want to be a singer and I did when I was 8 so that worked out ok. As I actually do (kind of) grow up though, I realise that what you do is not who you are.

8. What are you reading?

I’m reading a trilogy that I stumbled upon when I first did a Kindle search for “50 Shades of Grey”. More adventure than dominant/submissive with a lot more wearing of clothes. Definitely a light-weight series, but fun. Entitled the Alexis Stanton Chronicles, the books are called: Colour Me Grey, Shades of Grey and Reflections of Grey.

These books came up on the same page at Amazon Kindle when I first typed in 50 Shades of Grey and have held my interest more. Mind you, I have a healthy sex life so do not feel the need to live vicariously through a submissive to “save my marriage” or various other justifications that I’ve heard on the radio about this fascinatingly dull series of books.

9. Finish this sentence, "If I wasn't singing I'd be a lot wealthier!"


IT'S MY BIRTHDAY & YOU GET THE GIFTS!
As I contemplate renewing my commitment to divacultura for another year, I feel excitement and affection.  Thank you for sharing some of your time with me. As a thank you gift - and so I can gain a better sense of who's out there - I'll be giving away a pair of my hand knitted socks to two very lucky readers, where ever you are in the world (ie two readers will receive a pair of socks each).  To be in the running, leave a comment on this post by Friday 17 August 2012, stating why you like reading divacultura. My favourite responses will receive the prize (my decision is final).  Why not take the opportunity to sign up and follow too! 

And there are still passes to see The Sapphires available here for Australian-based readers.