Who are the People at Ross Creek? Chris O'Neill

Name Chris O’Neill

Current occupation Executive Director

What are you doing at Ross Creek? Executive Directing

What book are you reading now? Cleopatra, A life, by Stacy Schiff

Favourite music on your MP3 player? Sarah Harmer, Josh Ritter

Favourite website/ podcast? Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me, Wiretap

Which living person do you most admire? Bishop Desmond Tutu

What is your current obsession? Gardening

What or who is the greatest love of your life? My family

When and where were you happiest?
A moment with my children and husband around me having breakfast and laughing.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
My need to say everything that comes across my mind and work things out verbally.

Who is your hero of fiction?
Oskar Schell from Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathon Safran Foer

Who is your hero in real life? Thoreau

Which living person do you most despise?
Anyone who intentionally, knowingly does harm to another living being, especially if they have political power. Also, people who design, market and sell violent esp. first person shooter video games.

If your life were a mix tape, what songs would be on it?
Desperado by the Eagles;
Vienna by Billy Joel;
Jack and Dianne, John Cougar;
Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves by Cher;
What have they done to my song, Ma by Melanie;
Nellie the Elephant by the Toy Dolls;
You Don't Own Me/Falling in Love Again (Can't Help It) by Klaus Nomi;
If I had a Rocket Launcher by Bruce Cockburn;
The Jeweller by This Mortal Coil;
Talkin’ bout a revolution by Tracy Chapman;
No frontiers by Mary Black;
Dirty Old Town by the Pogues;
Memories of East Texas by Michelle Shocked;
Kids are gonna be alright by Wyckham Porteous;
I am a mountain by Sarah Harmer.

Your favourite qualities in a man
Curiosity, intelligence, humour, kindness

Your favourite qualities in a woman
Humour, kindness, intelligence

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Needing a close deadline to be motivated.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Terrible eating habits. I wish I didn’t care but it drives me crazy!

What is your greatest extravagance? Kitchen tools and gourmet cheese

On what occasion do you lie? To make someone feel better.

What do you dislike most about your appearance? Sigh.

Which talent would you most like to have? Novel writing, sewing or woodworking instinctively

If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?
To be slightly less inclined to talk over each other.

What is your most treasured possession?
I don’t have one.

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be? A willow tree – cut it down, it keeps coming back.

What is your motto?
Yeah, yeah, yeah (said enthusiastically, not sarcastically)