An Interview with Janie Emaus

A 'woman's woman'

Janie is a Graffiti Artist and an active member of the PRG community. Her warmth and easygoing charm make her the sort of person you would want to have as your best friend. She is the archetypal 'woman's woman' - yet she has been married to the same man for thirty years!

The Basics

1.    Name

Janie Emaus

2.    Web/Blog address if applicable

http://fabulously40.com/fabulously/janie5010  

www.janieemaus@aol.com  - coming soon

3.    Where do you live?

a.    Are you from there originally?

b.    Where else have you lived?

I live in Los Angeles. I was born here and have lived here all of my life, except for the five years that I lived in Grand Rapids Michigan. Was that cold!                                                                                                

4.    What is your living situation?

a.    Partner?

b.    Kids?

I live with my husband of thirty years. I have one daughter and two stepchildren. Between them we have six grandchildren. Two who live about five minutes away.

5.    Job?

a.    How long?

b.    What other jobs have you had?

Bookkeeper and writer. I've had my accounting job way too long! Twelve years at the same place. Past jobs include working at the zoo, for a hockey team and in the adult video industry.

The Tough Ones

1.    Summarize your entire life in 10 words or less.

An optimistic ride through the world - seen through my imagination.

2.    Tell us what your typical day is like currently.

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday I get up at 5:15 and go to my exercise class taught by my daughter who is taking out on me all her years of teenage frustration. Harder. Work it. Keep going. Then I come home and work until 1:00 at my accounting  job. The rest of the day I spend writing, checking emails, playing Scrabble on Facebook (I'm addicted). In the evenings, I like a nice glass of wine or a martini. And then I'm often writing some more until late in the evening.

3.    Tell us about the person that has had the most profound impact on your life:

a.    During the last five years

b.    From the very beginning

a) During the last five years, I'd have to say it's my mom. She is the most inspiring person I know. At 84, she runs a book group at her local library, sends out newsletters, emails, comments on blogs, swims, walks. My parents have been married for 65 years and the love between them fills up the room. She taught me to look at the world in a positive way. If I am like my mom when I'm in my eighties, I'll feel very blessed.

b) From the beginning, I'd say it is my sister. Of course, I was here first, so I had  twenty-one months on my own, but once she arrived, my life was changed forever. In the best way. She was my first listener. Laughing at my stories and always asking for more. If not for my sister, I may not be the person that I am today.

4.    What is the greatest trauma you have ever experienced in your life and how did that impact you?

I have been very fortunate not to have had many traumatic experiences in my life. But I did fall apart completely when my first ‘real' love broke up with me back in college. I couldn't function. Eat. Sleep. Talk. Write. I even left the country and went to Israel. But of course, that didn't solve anything. My problems came with me, snuggling up with me at night, and riding along in my backpack during the day. With time, I came to realize that I couldn't wrap my identity around that of a man. Ever since, I've been a much happier person.

5.    What is the greatest joy or achievement you have ever experienced in your life and how did that impact you?

Giving birth to my daughter. I can still feel those wonderful moments after she was born, holding her in my arms, tears running down my face, falling onto her full head of hair. From that day forward I added ‘Mom' to the list of names that  I was known by.

6.    Let's pretend your life is a blank slate for 1 year - no partner, kids, job, baggage of any sort. You can reinvent yourself completely and take a year to do exactly what you want without any consequence to your current life. How would you spend that year?

This is easy. I would spend it traveling and writing. And of course, by then my agent would have sold one of my books and I'd have to make TV and book store appearances. I'd take my sister along as my manager and my husband as our chef. While in Italy, we would invite all our good friends to come share our villa. Ah. I can see it now. Like my mom says - think positive. I hope someday I can make this a reality.

7.    What (if anything) are you able to do better now than at any other time in your life?

Letting go. I don't play the ‘what if' game as much anymore.

Rapid Fire

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