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Demented Delusions of a Wannabe Writer
1. You've mentioned on your blog that you're working on a black belt in the martial arts and you've mentioned something about the pine board that wouldn't break. Exactly how does a board not break when hit at high speeds with fragile body parts?
Very painfully.
As a martial artist yourself, I'm sure you are well aware of the injuries you can do to yourself and/or others if you execute a technique incorrectly. In the Case of the Board that Wouldn't Break, the fear and adrenaline were in total control of my body, leaving no space for thought, planning or technique. I was supposed to break with a front snap kick for orange belt. So I kicked it. Nothing. I kicked it again. Again, nothing. I was getting more and more embarrassed, and my foot was starting to hurt. I kicked it again. After that, Master Choung took pity on me and said I should try drop kick. I kicked it. My foot landed with a sad, hollow thud on top of the board. I would have kept kicking that piece of pine all night if I had to, but they finally told me to sit down. I did pass my grading though, and since then I've broken with a roundhouse, a walk-behind side kick, a two board back kick, a combo elbow strike into a tornado roundhouse and a three board back kick. For the black belt rading
I'm working on spin hook kick and a bunch of others I haven't decided on yet. With any luck, The Case of the Board that Wouldn't Break has been solved.
2.I've always been curious about your screen name, Garnigal. It brings to mind a garnet stone for me every time I read it-- dark, rich, and full of depth. Where does your screen name come from?
I really like that. I'm going to use it as the explanation from here on out.
Actually, Garnigal has been my nickname since elementary school. My last name is Garniss, and in our school almost everyone went by surnames or nicknames, even the girls. I went to school with Ed (Mark), Bruiser (Brandon), Psycho (Sherry), Chet (Ryan), Jard (Darryl), Bird-brain (Krista) and Hussey-girl (Micah), among others. Since grade 1, I've been Garnigal, Garni, Garn or even The Gal. My great-aunt was also Garni when she was in nursing school 80 some years ago, and my brother is Garno.
3.Which Reality Show would you be on: Real World Austin (drink alot and have sex), America's Next Top Model (let it all hang out for the camera), or My Big Fat (Fake) Fiance (lie for money)? And yes, I purposely made this a choice between worse and worse, I'm evil like that. :)
Oh, that's mean. I think I'd have to go with America's Next Top Model. I'd have to be at least six inches taller and 90 pounds lighter, and that would be good. The episode that made me really want to be there in person was when the judges were giving them emotions and props and telling them to slip into that character instantly. There wasn't a girl in the pack that knew what aloof meant. I think I could win, just by knowing the vocabulary!
4.What is the most extravagant single item purchase you have ever made, other than a house or car?
I get really nervous spending more than $100 or so at a time, so buying a suit for interviews always seems really extravagant. Other than that, the one that stands out is the $400 sign I commisioned for my parent's place for their 25th wedding anniversary. They live on a farm, so the sign was big, probably 5' by 4'. It's cream coloured, with green lettering and scroll work and says "Maitland Air Farm - Doug and Shirley Garniss and family". The Maitland is the river that runs through the property, and that is the name the farm was incorporated under when we still had a Dairy herd.
5.Have you ever had a psychic experience? Seen a ghost? Had a vision?
I wish I was more sensitive to that sort of phenomena than I am. Psychic abilities are very interesting to me. My favourite romance writer, Amanda Quick/Jayne Castle/Jane Anne Krentz, often uses psychic or spectral phenomeno as a plot device.
The only time I did have an unusual experience was in 1997. At 6:00 a.m. on October 2nd, I sat bolt upright in bed from a terrible nightmare. It was different from my usual nightmares and dreams, which are always very complex and detailed. This one was nothing but shattering glass and screeching metal. About 30 minutes later, the phone rang. I instantly knew something bad had happened (whose going to call at 6:30 in the morning on Thanksgiving?) When Mom came downstairs to tell me the bad news, I was already sitting there, lights on, and half dressed. My cousin had been killed in a car accident.
1. You've mentioned on your blog that you're working on a black belt in the martial arts and you've mentioned something about the pine board that wouldn't break. Exactly how does a board not break when hit at high speeds with fragile body parts?
Very painfully.
As a martial artist yourself, I'm sure you are well aware of the injuries you can do to yourself and/or others if you execute a technique incorrectly. In the Case of the Board that Wouldn't Break, the fear and adrenaline were in total control of my body, leaving no space for thought, planning or technique. I was supposed to break with a front snap kick for orange belt. So I kicked it. Nothing. I kicked it again. Again, nothing. I was getting more and more embarrassed, and my foot was starting to hurt. I kicked it again. After that, Master Choung took pity on me and said I should try drop kick. I kicked it. My foot landed with a sad, hollow thud on top of the board. I would have kept kicking that piece of pine all night if I had to, but they finally told me to sit down. I did pass my grading though, and since then I've broken with a roundhouse, a walk-behind side kick, a two board back kick, a combo elbow strike into a tornado roundhouse and a three board back kick. For the black belt rading
I'm working on spin hook kick and a bunch of others I haven't decided on yet. With any luck, The Case of the Board that Wouldn't Break has been solved.
2.I've always been curious about your screen name, Garnigal. It brings to mind a garnet stone for me every time I read it-- dark, rich, and full of depth. Where does your screen name come from?
I really like that. I'm going to use it as the explanation from here on out.
Actually, Garnigal has been my nickname since elementary school. My last name is Garniss, and in our school almost everyone went by surnames or nicknames, even the girls. I went to school with Ed (Mark), Bruiser (Brandon), Psycho (Sherry), Chet (Ryan), Jard (Darryl), Bird-brain (Krista) and Hussey-girl (Micah), among others. Since grade 1, I've been Garnigal, Garni, Garn or even The Gal. My great-aunt was also Garni when she was in nursing school 80 some years ago, and my brother is Garno.
3.Which Reality Show would you be on: Real World Austin (drink alot and have sex), America's Next Top Model (let it all hang out for the camera), or My Big Fat (Fake) Fiance (lie for money)? And yes, I purposely made this a choice between worse and worse, I'm evil like that. :)
Oh, that's mean. I think I'd have to go with America's Next Top Model. I'd have to be at least six inches taller and 90 pounds lighter, and that would be good. The episode that made me really want to be there in person was when the judges were giving them emotions and props and telling them to slip into that character instantly. There wasn't a girl in the pack that knew what aloof meant. I think I could win, just by knowing the vocabulary!
4.What is the most extravagant single item purchase you have ever made, other than a house or car?
I get really nervous spending more than $100 or so at a time, so buying a suit for interviews always seems really extravagant. Other than that, the one that stands out is the $400 sign I commisioned for my parent's place for their 25th wedding anniversary. They live on a farm, so the sign was big, probably 5' by 4'. It's cream coloured, with green lettering and scroll work and says "Maitland Air Farm - Doug and Shirley Garniss and family". The Maitland is the river that runs through the property, and that is the name the farm was incorporated under when we still had a Dairy herd.
5.Have you ever had a psychic experience? Seen a ghost? Had a vision?
I wish I was more sensitive to that sort of phenomena than I am. Psychic abilities are very interesting to me. My favourite romance writer, Amanda Quick/Jayne Castle/Jane Anne Krentz, often uses psychic or spectral phenomeno as a plot device.
The only time I did have an unusual experience was in 1997. At 6:00 a.m. on October 2nd, I sat bolt upright in bed from a terrible nightmare. It was different from my usual nightmares and dreams, which are always very complex and detailed. This one was nothing but shattering glass and screeching metal. About 30 minutes later, the phone rang. I instantly knew something bad had happened (whose going to call at 6:30 in the morning on Thanksgiving?) When Mom came downstairs to tell me the bad news, I was already sitting there, lights on, and half dressed. My cousin had been killed in a car accident.
