Interviewing the Flock, featuring: Ms. Aldrich
Zach: What would you like me to call you?
Gillian: Anything you like! Well not anything, most people call me Gillian or Gill.
Zach: What does Kaaaaatie call you?
Gillian: Gillybeans lol
Zach: SO GOOD!
Zach: Alright. What is the dumbest thing you have ever done?
Gillian: I tried to swim a half frozen river once on a dare....that wasn't smart.
Zach: Oh. Oh wow.
Gillian: I wasn't sober, in my defense.
Zach: What did you learn?
Gillian: That whisky does not make you superman, and that water is very, very cold in winter.
Zach: Both are life lessons.
Gillian: Very important ones!
Zach: So I hear you like Dark Souls. When did that start? What is it like to you?
Gillian: I got into Dark Souls when my brother dared me to try the related game, Bloodborne. I was a very casual gamer until then... I got very into the DS lore, which led me to meeting Katie. So now, the games mean a huge amount to me.
I actually thought I was good at them until I watched Katie play....she's insanely good at them.
Zach: We are all candles that dwindle in comparison to her beaming flame.
Gillian: I'd agree to that. She once said she'd beat a boss while I made mac and cheese....this fight took me 2 weeks to beat. She did it by the time I was done making the sauce.
Zach: ....huh.
Well alright then.
Zach: Let's go back to how you said you were a casual gamer before you started with Bloodborne.
Are you saying you dove into the punishing combat mechanics of the Demon Souls series from no prior experience?
Gillian: Yup! I played a few games like Mass Effect & DragonAge....but really slowly on the easiest setting. I didn't really want a challenge. I went from that to Bloodborne....quite the learning curve. And now the Bioware games get played on nightmare, it's changed how I play, and my confidence, a lot.
Zach: I believe you. Wow.
Zach: Alright, so hypothetical: Say you were booked at 2am in an overnight prison cell. What were you charged with?
Gillian: Probably assault with a weapon, I swing a mean ice block!
Zach: " 'Defending your Woman's honor' Alright that's the explanation you're sticking with, where did the weapon go?"
"What do you mean it melted? Did you see the bruise? They're going to have scars!"
Zach: Who, among the Flock, would be your one phone call?
Gillian: Definitely Diesel~she'd drive the rescue snowplow, and we can go bar hopping after she's b̶r̶o̶k̶e̶n̶ ̶m̶e̶ ̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶j̶a̶i̶l̶ paid my bail.
Zach: Okay good, I wanted to append that question with "-and why would it be Diesel?"
Excellent response.
Zach: Is the phrase "I love you" used too loosely, or no?
Gillian: Not by me, that's reserved for my love, and my family, and very,very close friends. People kinda throw it around, but to me its a phrase with a lot of meaning.
Zach: When should it be used, do you believe?
Gillian: Whenever it feels right, I think. It depends on the person, too....I mean, Katie and I make a point of telling each other that once a day, I don't do that with my best friends~but I sometimes think it needs to be said so people know how much they matter.
Zach: Do you think it gets thrown around when the circumstances don't necessarily need it, yet doesn't get vocalized enough when the circumstances do?
Pointed question, recognized after the fact.
Gillian: I think again it depends on the person. I know people who say 'Byeeee, love ya' to pretty much anyone~and that's perfectly OK. To me, those words mean a lot, they mean that the person I say them to matters, that they are deeply important to me, and that I do love them.
Zach: That's a very good reason.
Zach: Alright, now I'm going to ask a question that I don't have prepared. Instead, I'd like you to pick a number that correlates to questions in a book.
Zach: Do you believe in any sort of god? If not, do you think you might still pray if you were in a life-threatening-situation?
Gillian: I don't believe in a god, but I believe faith is very important to people. Religious texts universally tend to give admirable moral guidelines about how to treat our fellow man, and that can be an important framework for people. I don't think I'd ever pray in a life-threatening situation, simply because it wouldn't occur.....but I don't know for certain.
Zach: Well put. Very clear, solemn response to a highly opinionated question.
Gillian: I try. I like to make sure I don't step on toes with discussions like that, because I know how crucial faith is to a great many people.
Zach: Of course. You treated it quite respectfully!
Zach: Do you have any scars/tattoos with stories behind them? If so, what are they?
If not, do you want a tattoo or scar if it would provide a meaningful, or at least entertaining, story?
Gillian: Hmmm, No tattoos yet, although I'd love some! I've got a lot of scars....some funky medical ones from spinal surgery and a chunk they cut off my leg a few years ago. Lots of remnants of an ongoing struggle with self-harming. I'd love to have some ink though, something moon related because of Katie would be nice.
Zach: I know that you and Katie have had a thing about nomming legs because, namesake and such, but you've already had some nibbled off??
Gillian: Hahaha, well she had to get her revenge....
Nah, I had some weird marks on my leg, so my doc told me I had cancer and lopped them off. About thirteen stitches later, they discovered I had a heat rash.
Zach: WHAT
I have so many questions.
Gillian: My doctor got a talking to for that one.
Zach: Yeah I bet he did.
Gillian: Admittedly, it was a weird heat rash.....but still.
Zach: He probably could have gotten an ice block in addition.
Gillian: I wonder if a retroactive ice-block wouldn't be in order.....
Zach: Not sure, could it hurt to ask?
But in quasi-seriousness, you seem to have taken that remarkably well.
Gillian: I didn't at the time, at this point it's just a good story.
Zach: Another life lesson!
Trust your doctors, but also maybe ask them to take a second look before grabbing the scalpel.
And by ask, we mean demand them with an icy stare lest they get ahead of themselves.
Gillian: And take an ice block, just in case!
Zach: Either way it's getting used.
Zach: Alright, last question.
Would you like it to be lighter or heavier?
Gillian: I'd like me to be lighter, and my wallet to be heavier!
Zach: Yeah, me too...
Gillian: Universal goals!
Unfortunately, there is Chinese takeout that keeps stalling this goal....
Zach: Delicious obstacles, must consume them to defeat them.
Gillian: Exactly! I must do as my namesake would do!