by mayBe-Cara

Gail

Gail Adams is 45 years old and works as the practice administrator for a group of architects. She is married to Ian and is mother to three wonderful young people. Gail was also involved in the birth of mayBe community.
How are you feeling at the moment? in the words of James Brown ‘I feel good, so good’ Lots of really positive things going on in my life at the moment – see me for the details!

What are you reading / listening to / watching at the moment? I’m reading I’m not scared by Niccolo Ammaniti. I am listening to Radio 4 in the mornings at the moment with my daughters who are studying Government and Politics – they would much rather be listening to Chris Moyles and the sad thing is I miss Chris too! I’m watching the swans at work on my lunchtime walks who now have only two signets remaining from the six original offspring thanks to mr fox who has spotted their supper sized potential – how fragile life is…

How do you describe mayBe to people? mayBe is a wonderful, playful, inspiring, vulnerable community trying to encourage the best and challenge the worst of what is going on inside each one of us in the light of Jesus Christ. However, words don’t do it justice so I would encourage people to ‘taste and see’

What’s good about mayBe? sharing my journey with the lovely mayBe people and the freedom to explore and deepen my spirituality

What’s not so good? making very large puddings for the lovely mayBe people (I love you really guys) – would really like to ditch the whole pudding thing but am experiencing true grit and resistance to the idea – so that’s as bad as it gets at the moment

Would you like to draw a self-portrait here? no, can’t draw for toffee…

Gail

what actor would you pick to play you in a film of your life? Caroline Quentin and her sense of humour hit the mark

what song(s) would feature on the soundtrack long legs by Magic Numbers – my CD of the summer (Caroline Quentin can only be filmed from the waist up then!)

I’d be lost without… the Adams family

My favourite place in the world is… in bed – with tea, toast and a good book (sorry Ian)

My favourite place in Oxford is… 33A home sweet home….. actually this interview is making it sound like I don’t get out much so can I also mention Quod, the Jericho cafe, Georgina’s, Port Meadow and down by the river

My favourite smell is… a roast dinner being cooked by my wonderful mum

……..is the new black… who cares? I used to be bothered but now I’m not bothered (do I look bothered) – liberation

by mayBe-Cara

dave

Dave Richards is a 41 year old journalist married to Sam. He has been with mayBe community since September 2005
How are you feeling at the moment? Peaceful and excited at the same time

What are you reading / listening to / watching at the moment? Reading Mirakl (The Miracle) by Josef Skvorecky, listening to Antony Heggarty and Wagner, watching fuel prices

How did you discover mayBe? I saw mayBe in the Greenbelt Festival programme – then waited in frustration during the fire alarm disaster

Would you like to draw a self-portrait here? Yes…

dave: self portrait

How do you describe mayBe to people? Like coming home

If you were a superhero what would your special power be? I’d be Supermech and his special spanners that could fix anything, and the ability to read my wife’s mind

I couldn’t live without… Sam, reading, beauty

My favourite place in the world is… Wittenham Clumps / under a duvet / big skies of Suffolk / ski slope in winter / North Wales / behind the wheel driving the B4077 and A338 – but I want to visit Mongolia

dave @south park frisbee

My favourite place in Oxford is… The High on Easter Sunday – students are at home, no foreign visitors or language students around yet, only the people who live in Oxford full time are left and the city has a peaceful rest before the busyness of the summer – and the Kasbah on a Saturday night…all human life is there

The meaning of life is… complicated

If I had a million pounds I would… be a freelance writer and mentor

dave’s interview

by mayBe-Cara

niamh

Hello Niamh! How old are you? 3

What have you been doing today? I didn’t like my hat. I didn’t want to wear it.

Oh. Um…fair enough. If you were a super hero (like in the Incredibles), what would your special power be? I would be brave when I see a big spider.

What makes you feel happy? I like Winnie the Pooh.

What makes you feel frightened? Rich and Tracy’s cat, Mina.

What makes you laugh? At nursery Lucius did a big burp and we all laughed!

What’s your favourite… …animal? Zebras. They stand still and look at me and swish their tails.

…colour? pink pink pink pink PINK!

…food? Potatoes and broccoli

…toy? “Rabbit”

…thing to wear? Dresses and skirts.

Can you draw a picture of yourself?

The latest of our mayBe in conversation with… was with Justin Wark, Professor of Physics (Atomic and Laser Physics), University of Oxford and Professor, Tutor, and Fellow in Physics, Trinity College, Oxford. We asked Justin to tell us something about his research in the area of lasers and the quest for alternative energy sources. Justin has a great ability to explain very complicated stuff in very memorable and accessible ways, and he left us gaping in astonishment at what seems to be going in the universe (and in every atom). Lively discussion around global warming and the need for action. Psalm 8 was read by Justin in our closing liturgy/blessing: I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous…then I look at my micro-self and wonder… Inspiring stuff

The first of our mayBe in conversation with… was with Si Smith, top illustrator, all round creative bod, Leicester City fan and big friend of mayBe – his encouragement was one of the key things that kept us going when we looked unlikely to happen. We were really chuffed to have Si’s comic strip meditation on Christ in the wilderness on our website throughout Lent (the 40 days leading up to the Easter period). Si created 40 as part of a worship resource that Revive – the Christian community in Leeds to which he, Sue, Eddie and Jo belong – developed for Greenbelt Festival last year. The inspiration for 40 came in part from the artist Stanley Spencer who began (but never completed) a series of paintings on the same theme, the idea being to do one painting for every day in Lent. CD copies of 40 [PC-only at this stage] are now available to purchase for a very reasonable £5.50. For more details send an email to Si Smith’s 40 and check out his new website simon smith illustrator