--An Interview: KWorthy--

I was scheduled to meet the mysterious KWorthy in a selected pub in downtown Dublin. I arrived at the dark and dingy place running about 2 minutes early and sat down at a table facing the door. The pub was bustling and smelled of good food. I've heard that the pubs are the only places to get a decent meal in this part of the world, and promptly ordered a local favorite burger and chips. I attempted to order anything less than a pint of Guinness but they didn't seem to understand what I was asking for. So I ordered a Dr. Pepper instead. Just then I noticed a woman at the door looking around and promptly put my hand up. She saw it and walked over to my table and we shook hands; her hand was icy from the impending North Atlantic winter coming and her cheeks and nose were rosy-pink as well. She took off her scarf and took a seat as a steaming cup of tea was placed in front of her by a large red-faced man who greeted her like an old friend. I noted that she was probably a regular here and probably sat somewhere else on most days, ordering a tea and reading the newspaper on her break from work. I then asked if she was ready for my interview...

[KWorthy] I have a cup of tea. I am ready for anything.

space> A cup of tea? Nifty! I've got a bag of Munchos, so I'm ready too.

[KWorthy] I thought about drinking "Clear the Mind Tea" but it had caffeine. I thought it would be useful for those tough questions.

space> Ooo.. yes maybe. tough questions... note to self... make up some tough questions... yes yes... let me see... I'll start with the standard procedure. First, do you like to be called K Worthy? Kirsten? The Kaiser?

[KWorthy] I like them all...only its KWorthy...no space.

space> Now tell me, just who is KWorthy? Where did she come from? Where is she now?

[KWorthy] My God!

space> Where? Uh... is there writing on the wall?

[KWorthy] How odd? I've been going through this identity crisis lately. I've been trying to answer that question myself.

space> .... you have amnesia?

[KWorthy] Well, my father is retired Navy so I grew up in lots of places. Born in Texas, but I never lived there. Then there was VA, CT, FL, MS, AL, LA.

space> Man!

[KWorthy] I like it here in MS, though. I think this is where I'm going to stay.

space> That's a lot of moving!

[KWorthy] Tell me about it! I moved 5 times between '98, '99, and '00.

space> So MS is... Michigan?

[KWorthy] No. Mississippi. I am a Southern Girl. :-)

space> Ah... (and I work for a shipping company... I should know these things!).

space> Are you culturally a southern girl or is that just the current move location?

[KWorthy] I like to associate myself with the South culturally. I love our heritage. I know it has some really dark areas, but who doesn't? God is restoring the South, though. Don't be surprised if the bulk of the reconciliation movement stems from the South.

space> Hey, and the south has Flannery O'Conner... need we say more?

[KWorthy] Please don't! LOL!

space> So tell me when and where were you born the second time?

[KWorthy] You know, I grew up in the church, but it wasn't until a year and a half ago that I decided to quit playing games and doing my thing and to start being a Christian. God is so awesome. I'm not sure I can give a date. I remember the situation of the whole conversion, but not the date.

space> That's cool. I know lots of people who don't know "exactly" when they got saved, but know the general time when it happened.

[KWorthy] Well, its a heart change. Sometimes it happens with the whole going to the alter and sometimes it happens with a person just quietly resolving that they are going to live for God and then making a public confession.

space> Yeah! I understand... it is a heart change. Its awesome to see it happening even to people who grew up in the Christian environment.

[KWorthy] I'll be honest. I wasn't kidding when I said that I was going through an identity crisis. Right now I'm trying to figure out just Who I am in God, where I am going and how. It is tough for me. I know how far God has brought me. I am amazed when I think of who I was a year ago and who I am now. I'm totally different, but I have sooo far to go and I get overwhelmed sometimes. That was a long paragraph.

space> I don't know if you can be in a better place than a seeking one... sounds like you're in it full throttle.

[KWorthy] My problem is that I can be so impatient. I'm so hungry for God to just shake my world and right now I feel like I am in a very sedentary place. I know I'm here for a reason. I'm probably having to learn a hard, but very valuable lesson. :-)

space> Oh fun! :D

[KWorthy] You?

space> Oh yeah... I'm impatient with God very often... I want to know him more intimately, and I want quick results but its like a slow erosion...

[KWorthy] That is so me! *sigh* Good thing He is patient. I just laugh when I try to think of His expression when He sees the stupid stuff I do!

space> Yeah really... we really are sheep, aren't we?

[KWorthy] You know, God is working in the lives of His church today differently than He has ever done. He's moving to bring us closer to Him than ever before and that is requiring some major purging and sacrificing on our part. The Bible says that in the end times there will be a major distinction between those who serve God and those who don't. I think that is because now more than ever, we have to be totally surrendered to Him. I feel called to the church where I am at. It's vision is almost identical to mine. I do believe that God will have me travelling to all Nations to share the Gospel, but I will be home-based here.

space> I'm also feeling that need to not move every semester... do you have somewhat of a permanent residence now as compared to the last few years?

[KWorthy] You can always get in touch with me through my parent's address. I'm living there right now, but just till I get some bills caught up or get married or something like that.

space> Well that's snappy! Does your parent's house have decent drinking water?

[KWorthy] Yes. Does yours?

space> Bleh! No... but my roommate's is really great. We import.

[KWorthy] We also have one of those filters...

space> You don't know how lucky you are to have good drinking water. How much water do you think you drink per day?

[KWorthy] I used to drink at least 6 glasses. Now, I have no idea how much I drink. Not enough.

space> 6 glasses is pretty good!

[KWorthy] I started drinking coffee again and that shot my water consumption down. I don't know why... you should drink 8 a day as a minimum but that is a lot of trips to the bathroom.

space> Yes, I am trying. Its hard to find the time... to go to the bathroom that much. What's your favorite Newsboys song?

[KWorthy] I don't like the Newsboys. I don't even know any of their songs.

space> But you must be broken up over John James leaving the band!!....

[KWorthy] Was he the original singer?

space> Yes.

[KWorthy] I hear that the band has actually improved since he left but what do I know?

space> No... its much much worse!!!

[KWorthy] Really? And they still sell albums? Interesting...

space> Would you buy John James solo album if he had one?

[KWorthy] No

space> Would you date John James if he asked you out to the Outback Steakhouse?

[KWorthy] LOL! You know, right now I can't imagine dating period. There is someone that I wouldn't mind spending time with, but dating is just plain weird.

space> Would you.... snob John James?

[KWorthy] I would be friendly, but also very sure that he understood that he didn't stand a chance.

space> Hmm... good way to avoid my question... I just found out that "snob" is "kiss" for the British.

[KWorthy] He's Australian. Would it still mean the same? I interpreted "snob" as "give him the silent treatment."

space> Well, his ancestors were British prisoners so.. is there really a difference?

[KWorthy] LOL! NO.

space> But then again, we're just a bunch of British rebels (well... some of us were) myself not included...

[KWorthy] I'm mostly a German trying to find a better life.

space> Yeah... we were Visogoths eating kase while all that was going on...

[KWorthy] And a Scotswoman trying to obtain FFRRREEEEDOOOMMMM!

space> So this must be (ha)... so this must be the Kaiser part of KWorthy.

[KWorthy] Yeah, well I'm told that I have German Jew and Nazi in my blood line. Eat them apples.

space> German Jew nazi-sozi? Wowzer! Does the "W" stand for anything other than "Worthy"?

[KWorthy] My last name is Weber, but that really has nothing to do with Worthy.

space> So its just a coincidence that you are Kirsten Weber, KWorthy, and Kaiser? All names having something to do with alphabet letters K and W?

[KWorthy] Worthy was and still is my favorite word. I became obsessed with it in high school. I used to pick dandelions and color the backs of peoples hands and write the word "Worthy" on them. If I did that and gave them a green pixie stick it meant that I liked them and wanted them to be my friend.

space> Very nice! Start your own hierarchical system! I can see how this could easily become an obsession.

[KWorthy] I never connected the K and W thing. Good analytical skills. What do you read from it?

space> I don't know... maybe you're destined to be linked with K and W nicknames... the next could be Knight Woopy or Kangaroo Wasobi... you never know!

[KWorthy] I like being in the dark.

space> Could you speak a little about the creation of Wormfree (yet another W title) what gave you the idea to do this?

[KWorthy] Honestly? It was a total Ego trip. I couldn't get over how cool I was and people kept telling me that I was cool and I thought, "Hey! I'm going to start a Fan Club," and Wormfree was created. I've been humbled since then.

space> That's the greatest inception of a club I've ever heard of...! So it just kind of spun out of control... and here you are, just posting along with the rest of us. The inspiration might have been an Ego thing, but for a founder, you sure do a good job of staying out of the spotlight.

[KWorthy] Its really very funny. I wanted a fan club, something to call mine. I didn't proclaim it as a fan club for me. My thinking was this: I wanted Wormfree to be a house-hold name. I wanted people to know it, but not know why. Am I making sense?

space> Yes... like a bumper sticker that no one understands but everyone has. like the lava lamp...

[KWorthy] That is another funny thing. I never hid the fact that it was a fan club. When KVanGo and I invited people to join, we announced it as our fan club, but it soon became obvious that we enjoy claiming to be fans, but not of anyone in particular. We were/are a fan club for fan clubs.

space> Wow yes, I remember when it was a message board room full of band fan-clubs... and there was "Wormfree" down in the midst of it all.

[KWorthy] Yeah. We got kicked off because we weren't a band. LOL!

space> I dare them to try and prove that Wormfree isn't a band!!!!

[KWorthy] Crazy. Before that we used to get in trouble because we would never stick to discussing about the band. We wanted a place where we could talk about whatever we wanted. Yes. We are a band in another reality and we are more famous than the Newsboys.

space> Yes... very famous... and we're sexier than Beck.

[KWorthy] LOL! I don't think that is possible.

space> Maybe not... but in another dimension... maybe WE are Beck!

[KWorthy] I would rather be David Bowie Or Tears for Fears.

space> Oh dear...

[KWorthy] LOL! "Ground control to Major Tom. Take your protein pills and put your helmet on." I probably shouldn't be quoting that.

space> Should I leave it out of the final draft?

[KWorthy] I'm not sure. But please check my spelling.

space> Oh yes... I will check both of our spelling very thoroughly.

space> I'll wrap this up and say thanks for letting me interview you!

[KWorthy] Will the people be enlightened?

space> Yes... they will be enlightened... they may even find their place in the middle eightfold path way.

[KWorthy] Do you remember my original description of Wormfree?

space> "Slimy yet satisfying"? No...

[KWorthy] I also said that we were a jigsaw puzzle: a bunch of mis-shapened pieces that came together to form a lovely hill in Ireland.