Interview Monday

At what age is a person an adult? Why?
Zane: About 23, maybe? Or when they get a car. Because they just seem really responsible with a car.
Katrina: 21, because that's more mature than 18, but you don't have to be 25. I think somewhere in your twenties is when you got married?
Houston: 22, because that's the age at which you can make responsible decisions, usually.

Of all the things you're learning, what will be the most useful when you're an adult?
Zane: Science stuff, because if you become a scientist, then it'll be really useful, and even you don't become a scientist it'll still be really useful because if you have children, if they ask you how plants work, you can tell them.
Katrina: Probably math, because you use it for all sorts of different jobs. Like if you're a construction worker, you need to measure how much stuff you need, and if you're a scientist you'll need math, because you need to know how much you need of this or that.
Houston: Probably social studies, because you really need to know the country and world history to understand half of the stuff they're saying on NPR or whatever.

What is the hardest thing about being a kid?
Zane: Being bullied a lot. Two boys in my grade chase me around at recess and shout, "Be normal! Be normal! Be normal!" at me.
Katrina: Going through that stage when you don't have any friends. (Me: Have you been through that stage? Katrina: Yes. I think when i was in fourth grade. Me: Wasn't that when you couldn't narrow your birthday party list down to ten girls? Katrina: Yes.... But still!)
Houston: Having to do what people say, but still having freedoms, but only when they want you to have them. So it's really confusing.

Where is your favorite place in the world?
Zane: Home or the forest - or nature, pretty much. I just think that nature is really cool and i really like home because it's where i feel safest.
Katrina: I really like it at home, in the woods, or Grandma's house. Home because i live here and it's really nice and i like it and i know everywhere and i grew up in it and there are so many memories. The woods, because i know everywhere and i just really like it and everything is very adventure-y. And then i really like Grandma's house because i've been there so many times and i really like it there and it's very memory-filled.
Houston: The front room and my bedroom. I feel like this room has a comfy couch and comfy places to sit and computers, and my room has my bed and all my stuff.

What 5 words most describe you?
Zane: Kind, energetic, nature-liking, friendly, and loving.
Katrina: Artistic, animal-lover, smart, loved, and loving.
Houston: Happy, weird, thinks-that-inanimate-objects-have-personality-traits, family-guy, and friendly.

If you could give one gift to every single kid in the world, what would it be?
Zane: A puppy! Well...except that lots of people are probably allergic. So...a personal little robot, maybe. Because if they were feeling lonely, the robot would always be there to comfort them. Like Baymax.
Katrina: The gift of flying. They'd be able to fly, because everybody wants to fly!
Houston: A friend.

How would the world be different if animals could talk?
Zane: Well, it would be really noisy, that's for sure! Because there would be animals talking like, "No, please!!! Please don't eat me!!! NOOOOO!!!" And they'd be like, "Feed me! Feed me! Feeeeeed meeee!"
Katrina: It would be annoying. All the humans would be wearing earmuffs or headphones all the time, because they wouldn't want to hear, "Give me food! Give me food! Give me food! Pay attention! Pay attention! Pay attention!" and other annoying stuff.
Houston: Well, it would probably be very obnoxious all of the time. Like, imagine if Emma could talk. We'd just be sitting here and she'd go, "I WANT FOOD! FOOD!!" And you'd be in the jungle, and you'd hear, "I want to eat you!" It would probably be bad for the animals, though, because the cheetah would say, "I'm going to eat that lion," and the lion would say, "No you're not!" and run away. Except that cheetahs don't eat lions.....

What is something that makes your family special?
Zane: They're all really weird. Not in a bad way.
Katrina: We don't have "only Mom bakes the food" or something, and nobody comes down in the morning to make eggs or pancakes. (I don't want you to! You like sleeping and i want you to sleep!) We don't play video games very much. And we don't watch the news. And we have a lot of computers.
Houston: We all have awesome personalities and we love people and we probably talk a lot more than other families do. I think other families are centered around technology a lot so they don't get to be with their family members much.

What is your favorite thing to do?
Zane: Probably be with the people that i love. Because i always feel safest around them, because they won't bully me, so i'll always be happy around them.
Katrina: Draw and read. How about change draw to "anything with a pen a paper." No! Anything art. There. ART!
Houston: Talk to my friends and my family and play with my friends.

What do you think you'll be doing 10 years from now?
Zane: So i'll be 19.... I'll be old enough to drive a car. And i might have a bank account. Well, i won't be getting drunk, definitely. I'll be getting presents for people on their birthday.....?
Katrina: Sitting in my zoo.
Houston: So i'll be 24? I will possibly be married. I will have a job. And i will maybe own a house and a car and i will have written a couple of books.