PA Member Spotlight September 15, 2009 - GBSfan278

[Jguy1964]

What was your most challenging Pogo badge to get?
Any of the Hearts badges were hard. Also the entire “What's Your Sign?” album took me a while.

Have you ever won anything other than wallpaper or screensavers in the Pogo Jackpot spinner?
Tokens?! Lol... only joking, no

If you could offer more choices for Pogo Tokens, what would they be?
I'd love to be able to buy gems or premium badge albums with them.

What new game would you like to see come to Pogo?
CANDYLAND!! It's a hasbro game & I used to love it as a child.

How long have you been a member of Pogo? Did someone introduce you to it or did you find it on your own?
I think I used to play Hearts on yahoo games & went looking for a new site with friendlier people & Pogo appeared in the google engine. I've been a Pogo member since August 1st, 2008 & Club Pogo member since August 23rd, 2008 (didn't take much did it?).

How did you find PogoAddiction?
I THINK I found it through someone on Pogo, but I'm not entirely sure.

What type of PA contests would you like to see in the future? What kinds of prizes would you like to see offered?
I'm 100% happy with all contests & prizes offered on PA. The staff is so incredibly sweet & generous. I don't really think it could get better (even though it does everyday).

What do you do first after logging into PogoAddiction?
If I have messages I check them, after I usually check the Social schedule, Manic Monday (if it's Monday) & badges.

Do you think being a member of PogoAddiction has helped you on Pogo? If so, in what ways?
Yes, absolutely!! I've learned numerous tips for some of the games I was never good at (Pogo Bowl for instance) & meeting tons of people to play with, especially for games like slots.

Do you participate in the PA Badge Challenges?
Most of the time, unless it's something really nasty looking.

What do you do in your free time?
Free time?! I'm a student let's remember. I love hanging out with friends, reading, watching movies/tv, listening to music, shopping, etc.

What is you most memorable vacation or trip?
A road trip down the west coast of the USA when I was 8 (around 1993). It was a summer trip, which included Seattle, Portland, Disneyland & the Grand Canyon. It was memorable for me because in Disneyland I met my penpal & best friend, Amy. We just starting chatting during the Main Street Electrical Parade & exchanged addresses. We still keep in touch & have been friends for 16 wonderful years.

What is your favorite snack food?
I'm a huge potato chip junkie, I love anything salty. I also love sour candies & chocolate.

Do you believe there are intelligent life forms out there, other than earth?
I'm optimistic, but I don't have any permanent/for sure beliefs.

Have you ever met anyone from the internet?
Yes, I met my ex over the internet. He's local here & we're still really good friends.

Do you have any siblings?
Nope!

Who is you favorite actor/actress?
Sir Ian McKellen, Johnny Depp, Viggo Mortensen, Hugo Weaving, Kate Mulgrew, Kate Beckinsale, Cate Blanchett... I'll stop now

What movie can you watch over and over?
Lord of the Rings Trilogy! & Harry Potter

A genie grants you 3 wishes, What are they?
1) To end poverty around the world
2) To end wars/conflicts, etc.
3) To find cures for deadly diseases (cancer, etc.)

Tell us more about yourself.
Ready? I'm Mariko, 23 and live in St. Catharines, Ontario. I was actually born in Regina, SK & didn't move to Ontario until October 2001. My name (real) comes from the James Clavell novel, Shogun. My mom read it while she was pregnant & loved the name because she wanted me to have a Japanese name to go with my heritage. I'm very proud of my half-Japanese heritage, and tell most people about the importance & severity of the Japanese-Canadian Internment during WWII (which my mom's family was involved in). On the Japanese note, I love any Japanese food & am a huge fan of sushi (especially my 92 yr old grandma's homemade). I'm currently in school studying Tourism & Environment. I transferred after studying for 3 years at another school out-of-province. When I have my Tourism degree, I want to return & finish my other degree (which was French & Spanish). I speak French fluently, and Spanish pretty well, but would love to learn Irish & Japanese. I also consider myself to be a very helpful, friendly person & I love to volunteer. I am always willing to help someone and/or point them in the right direction. On one final note, I have an addiction to Great Big Sea (most of you should know this) & will tell anyone that'll listen all about them & their music.

On a final, FINAL note (yes I lied)... I'd like to thank the PA Staff & members for such a wonderful experience so far! I've only been with PA since April 2009, but it's been such a memorable & wonderful few months.

[BelleFromGa]

Very nice getting to know you better, all I knew before was GREAT BIG SEA, lol.  Great interview!  

[kikihellman]

how wonderful to read all about you!  i love asian anything--food, decor, art, ideologies (well, most of them anyway), did i say the food??  a good friend is japanese and before she moved to sausalito, we would get together on the weekend and she'd teach me grand traditional dishes--sushi was a fantastic if messy experience and i love chawan-mushi!  i even have all the dishware and table settings, so come on over any time--there's lots of lessons i still need to learn!  

i love your playful demeanor and exuberance, and i loved learning more about where those qualities come from.  

[olivia]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm candyland i can picture myself now sliding down that big long ladder!  

very nice to meet you!    

[paintnut2]

It was nice getting to know a little bit more about you GBS.  Thanks for sharing.

[Lguy1967]

Congrats for being in the PA Spotlight, GBS!  It was very nice to read about you, and to get to know you better.  Enjoy your time in the Spotlight.

[Bear Rabit]

Congrats, Mariko!!

[SusyQ151]

Congratulations GBS for being chosen for the spotlight.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading your interview.  It sounds as though you have a knack for learning languages.  Good luck with your schooling and thank you for sharing.

[sac101652]

Congrats GBS for being chosen for the spotlight. I enjoyed learning more about you. I, too, love sushi. My mom used to have make-your-own-sushi parties before it became cheaper to go out for sushi.

[LookieLoo4u]

GBS nice to meet you

[harleygirl_mc]

Congrat's GBS enjoy your time in the spotlight

[kyhillbillygirl67]

Thank you for sharing a bit of yourself with us GBS...it's always nice to get to know the person behind the screen name...enjoy your time in the spotlight

[bttrfly2268]

OMG i love your name
and from one harry/lotr fanatic to another... lotr movies > harry potter 1 & 3 movies lmao.
 

[HANNELORE]

Congrats on making the spotlight.. When you have a chance I would like to hear about the GREAT BLUE SEA...  あなたに会ってうれしい！In Japanese .. Means nice to meet you!  

[LisaMarie]

Congrats on your spotlight GBS!  It's nice to learn more about you.  

[EricCedras]

 Congratulations for being chosen to the PA Spotlight, GBS!!!
  Enjoy your time in the Spotlight!!!

[FLCruise7]

Mariko - Great learning more about you.  You look like I imagined - very upbeat & fun!  It was nice not only putting a face with a name, but getting more insight into your life.  As for the sushi - I'll repeat the line that was in the commercial -- "back home, we call that bait!"  

[FreddieB]

A very nice spotlight interview, Mariko! I am always interested in how people made their way to Pogo and PA, especially our socialites.  And I love your choice of vocation - languages and tourism are right up my alley. All the best of luck in school this year.  Glad you will have time for a social now and again inbetween assignments. Thanks for sharing.  

[MJClark5]

Congrats and WTG GBS!!
It's always nice to get to know our PAples a little better.
A great interview hun, thanks for sharing more about yourself  
(I love LOTR and Harry Potter too, two of my favs  lol)