Featured Member Interviews - [hannes]

_{By [Linderel]}

Subject: [hannes]
Real name: Hannele
Age: 22
Place of living: At the moment, I live in Helsinki, Finland where I moved four years ago to study biology at the university.

Q: What will you do after you graduate?
A: After I graduate I hope to travel and work for a year, after which I'll probably start my PhD: preferrably somewhere else than here. So, what I want to be when I grow up is a researcher or wildlife guide.

Q: How long have you had a fascination for biology and nature?
A: I grew up on the country side, always close to nature. I spent the summers with my family at our summer cottage, far away from civilization. Therefore, I always took it for granted: until I realized that this was not always how it was. Through school, I also became very interested in biology, how to explain the things we see around us: I also grew more environmentally aware with time.
So the interest grew out of an intellectual challenge to understand the world around me, and also from disturbing news from around the world, and the realization that because there are so many of us, even the seemingly harmless actions damage the environment we and other organisms depend on.

Q: How did you find Elftown, and what made you join?
A: I first met [Keii] on another fantasy discussion board and through her, I found Elftown. I joined on her recommendation, and because it seemed like a very nice place with active, artistic people - which was true, and still is.

Q: Based on your house, you write a fair number of poems as well as take a lot of photographs. When did you first discover these hobbies?
A: I've written ever since I can remember.. It was a literature/poetry project in senior high that helped me get started with poetry, though, and ever since I've continued writing.
My interest in photography I've probably inherited from my father, who did a lot of photography in his youth and also bought me my first camera. And again, it was a photography course that truly awoke my interest in it and helped me get started.

Q: Do you have any other important pastimes?
A: At the moment, I'm doing my master's degree, so there isn't time for much more.. In my freetime, I write grant applications and plan experiments. At the same time, I study at another school to become a wildlife guide. That takes up most of my time, but I also find time for reading books, the occasional sauna and sometimes even just hanging out with friends (often a combination).

Q: What are your favourite houses and wikis? Why?
A: One of my absolute favourite houses is that of [Lady Chaos] - it's impossible to be bored whilst visiting her house. She also has some wonderful wikis with poetry, comics and photography. [Keii] also has a very nice house - and what else can you expect from such a great photographer and general artist? [pelv13]'s house is ever changing, and is the house of Miles, which is why I have a look there quite often.
Wikis I enjoy are mostly related to poetry and photography, but also other subjects, such as atheism, interest me.

Q: How do you occupy yourself on here?
A: I mostly talk to friends, rearrange my house and read poetry, sometimes commenting on other people's art.

Q: Any comments or suggestions on a specific Elftown matter? Critiques even, perhaps?
A: I truly enjoy seeing the creativity that can be found here. There are a lot of great artists, developing artists and many art appreciators. There are also quite a few members who don't seem to have much to do with the fantasy/art theme, but that's how it must be. They can't be and shouldn't be kept out - people can always be ignored if you're not interested. Anyway, those who come here for the wrong reason hopefully are bored to death after a while and disappear to other communities.

Q: What would be your message to fellow Elftownians?
A: Art is a means of communication, and through communicating we develop and grow - so make art, not war!

Thanks for the interview, [hannes]!