So, what should I call you?
Beverly. Bev. Bevy. Bevita. I've heard it all, and been called other things too. They include, but are not limited to: "Kitten," "Kitty," "Teacup," "Asian Not Oriental," "Carlota," "Eights," "Zorak," "Eight foot spider wearing a disposable diaper," "Finger Cuffs," (I’m going to kill you, Janssen) and last but certainly not least, Drinkman!
Are you Chinese or something?
I am mostly Filipino. My father's side is Filipino with a touch of Chinese. My mother's side is Chinese and Spanish with a touch of Filipino. Both parents grew up in the Philippines. I was born there, but grew up here.
Why do you take so much offense to being called an "Oriental"?
The term "Oriental" is stupid, outdated, and degrading. Not as blatantly as some other of the racist terminology out there – it's subtler; not degrading in a "I'm going to kill you because you're from another race" way, but in a patriarchal sort of way. It's reminiscent of colonialism, a period were Asians were thought of and treated like children, and subsequently trivialized. As much as I hesitate to quote myself: "Don't call me Oriental! What do I look like, a f*cking rug?"
How would you describe yourself?
In a nutshell: physically, I'm petite and curvaceous, and mentally I'm passionate and enigmatic, and though I'm relatively friendly and make an effort to be civil, I border on misanthropy, anti-sociability, and perpetual rage. I have the soul of a poet and an artist; though sadly, lack the patience of a saint. I feel everything on an extreme scale – loathing, sadness, and jealousy, but fortunately, also love and concern. The pursuit of knowledge, enlightenment, and the purest form of justice, as well as the elimination of human suffering wherever I can, is what drives me. I'm not all seriousness, though; contrary to the image I just put forth in the previous sentences. I can actually be rather silly, even flighty and ridiculous – it's a necessary balance so as to prevent myself from being morose all the time.
What are your favorite movies?
While I'm not a religious person, I assert that cinema is one of God's gifts to mankind, and thus love all sorts of movies – yes, even really stupid ones, which would explain my collection of favorite films. They are: The Killing Fields, The Usual Suspects, Fight Club, Clerks, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Monty Python's Life Of Brian, Dr. Strangelove, Rashomon, American Beauty, Dogma, Spaceballs, O Brother Where Art Thou?, Bottle Rocket, This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, Hombre Mirando Al Sudeste, My Cousin Vinny, City Slickers, South Park the Movie, and Life is Beautiful.
TV Shows?
Law & Order, The Twilight Zone (the old one, hosted by Rod Serling), and South Park. In that order. The Simpsons is up there, as is Aqua Teen Hunger Force, The Chappelle Show, Futurama, The Family Guy, The Brak Show, and Iron Chef.
Musicians?
I listen to just about every kind of genre of music out there, though admittedly, I'm not a fan of most bubble-gum pop (Britney, Christina, Justin, et. al.), crossover country (Faith Hill, Shania Twain most of the time, et. al.) or most "God bands" (Creed, et. al.). But to give you a very condensed list of some of the artists I listen to on a regular basis, in no particular order: Ben Folds (Five), Dave Matthews Band, Third Eye Blind, Counting Crows, Matchbox 20, Goo Goo Dolls, Eminem, Billy Joel, Metallica, Type O Negative, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tori Amos, U2, REM, Vast, System of a Down, Radiohead, Weezer, They Might Be Giants, Santana, The Police, Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, Van Morrison, The Who, Queen, Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, Chopin, Jewel, Alanis Morissette, Jeff Buckley, Shakira, Juanes, Styx, Sublime, and Andrea Bocelli. Ha HA! Never thought you'd ever hear Eminem and Andrea Bocelli mentioned in the same sentence, did you?.
Songs?
This question is always rather difficult for me to answer. "With or Without You" is definitely my favorite song of all time, though. Among my other favorites:
"Motorcycle Drive-By," - Third Eye Blind
"Lightning Crashes" - Live
"Aerials" - System of a Down
"Push" - Matchbox 20
"Yellow" - Coldplay
"Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman
"Square Dance" - Eminem
"Mr. Jones" - Counting Crows
"No More I Love You's" - Annie Lenox
"I Can't Make You Love Me" - Bonnie Raitt
"Nobody's Fault But My Own" - Beck
"One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces" - Ben Folds Five
"New York State of Mind" - Billy Joel
"Lover Lay Down" - Dave Matthews Band
"Touched" - Vast
"Neither One Of Us" - Gladys Knight & The Pips
I hear you read a lot. Who are some of your favorite authors?
I'm a big fan of Gabriel García Márquez, and have seriously read almost everything he's ever written. Actually, I'm more than just a fan - I'm something of a... well, a groupie. Except I don't go to Aracataca, Colombia to stalk the poor man and tell him that I want to have his children. Though that's not for lack of trying. ^_^ (Hey, I don't care if he's 85 years old - the fact that he wrote Love in the Time of Cholera just does it for me.) Some of my other favorite authors: Karen Armstrong, Edward Said, John Irving, Chuck Palahniuk, David Henry Hwang, and - yes, I must admit - J.K. Rowling. I have a great deal more favorite poets, though: Federico García Lorca, T.S. Eliot, Allen Ginsberg, and Pablo Neruda are simply the best.
Do you have any books to recommend to me?
Of course I do. Here's a "short" list of some of my faves:
Love In The Time of Cholera - Gabriel García Márquez
The Battle for God - Karen Armstrong
The Prophet - Kahlil Gibran
The Light of Other Days - Arthur C. Clarke
M. Butterfly - David Henry Hwang
Germinal - Emile Zola
Snow Falling on Cedars - David Guterson
The Bible (no, I'm not religious, but read it anyway, if only for the profound effect it's had on our society, and if only to look at it critically to see the way people misinterpret it all the time. But make sure you read Oxford's version, cause it's annotated, thorough, and absolutely amazing.)
Rain of Gold - Victor Villaseñor
Cry, The Beloved Country - Alan Paton
All Quiet On The Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque
And that is what I consider a "short" list of books.
What is your religious persuasion/philosophy?
Update pending.
What is your political philosophy?
See above.
Who are your role models and influences?
And again.
Will you marry me?
Can you catch a falling star and put it in your pocket? Can you tell a rainbow to stop being a rainbow? Can you say to an earthquake, "Hey - hold still for just a second?" NO! Such is Bevy.
Are your breasts real?
Yes.
But a Chinese transvestite waitress told me...
Shut up.