Nicole Drumheller Gargus, MFA

❧ Q&A

Photographer: Kyle Kielinski
Nicole
Q
Where did you go to college?
A
I achieved my BA degree at Eastern University and my MFA degree at Rosemont College School of Graduate and Professional Studies.
Q
What did you study in college?
A
My BA degree is in history and my MFA degree is in creative writing.
Q
What is your cultural heritage?
A
English, Swiss, German, & Polish.
Q
Do you have a hero?
A
My husband Nathan, my parents, and CPT (Ret) Dawn Halfaker.
Q
What are your activities/interests?
A
Writing, horses, dance, travel, Christian mysticism, cultural anthropology, literature, mythology, tea rooms, costuming, modeling, pin-up art, fashion, American veterans, literacy, education, Gothic, steampunk, nature walks, patient care, animal welfare, and women’s studies.
Q
What kind of dance are you interested in?
A
Ballroom dance especially tango, belly dance, and burlesque.
Q
What are your favorite animals?
A
Horses, cats, dogs (especially pit bulls) & dolphins.
Q
Where did your love of horses originate?
A
I grew up in rural Pennsylvania on a small horse farm. I started riding at age four with my Grandpa.
Q
Which riding discipline do you prefer?
A
I grew up riding English and Western. Western is my favorite...These days I prefer relaxing trail rides.
Q
Have you ever suffered an injury as a result of falling from your horse?
A
I have been thrown off a few times in my life. I’m thankful that my injuries were not severe. I do not take crazy chances on a horse. I choose to ride calm and well trained horses. However any horse can bolt or spook. I promote riding with a good safety helmet such as Charles Owen or IRH.
Q
Do you have a favorite race horse?
A
Phar Lap, Seabiscuit, & Seattle Slew.
Q
Do you support any causes?
Q
How many states have you lived in?
A
Pennsylvania and Georgia.
Q
Where are your favorite places?
A
In the USA: Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Salem, Massachusetts. Savannah, Georgia. North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii. International: JERUSALEM, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, and County Kerry, Ireland.
Q
What irritates you most about yourself?
A
I often worry too much about the small stuff and I underestimate myself at times.
Q
What helps you relax after a bad day?
A
My husband Nathan, spending time with my horse, talking with friends, bubble baths, and sometimes a few glasses of Riesling wine, anything with Baileys Irish cream or a margarita with 1800.
Q
What upsets you the most?
A
Ignorance towards handicapped people, animal cruelty & those who have no respect for the United States military.
Q
What is your favorite time of year?
A
Summer nights.
Q
Are you religious?
A
I’m Episcopalian. After years of searching for my spiritual path I have found my Faith in Christ. Although I will always respect and continue to learn about various religions, I know with absolute certainty my heart and soul are home in the light and love of Christ.
Q
Are there any famous people who inspire you?
A
Jesus Christ, Mother Teresa, Florence Nightingale, Albert Schweitzer, Albert Einstein, Johnny Cash, Bettie Page, John Wayne, Princess Diana (Lady Diana Spencer), Elizabeth Taylor, Madonna, Dita Von Teese, Loreena McKennitt, and Lady Gaga.
Q
Who are your favorite writers?
A
Homer, Dante, Tolkien, Steinbeck, Anaïs Nin, Emily Bronte, Margaret Mitchell, Alice Walker, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Jhumpa Lahiri, Kristina O’ Donnelly & Madeleine L’Engle
Q
What are your favorite books?
A
The Iliad by Homer, The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, Parcival by Wolfram Von Eschenbach, Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, Little Birds by Anaïs Nin, Dracula by Bram Stoker, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell, Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck, Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri, The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Walking on Water by Madeleine L’Engle, The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Andromakhe by Kristina O’ Donnelly, The Horse And His Boy by C.S. Lewis, The Faraway Horses by Buck Brannaman with William Reynolds, Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George.
Q
Who are your favorite music artists?
A
Madonna, Loreena McKennitt, Johnny Cash, Sarah Mclachlan, Enya, Jewel, Celine Dion, Cher, Tori Amos, Lady Gaga, Eminem, Godsmack, Nickelback, Carrie Underwood, Sugarland, Gretchen Wilson, Dixie Chicks, Tim McGraw, Trace Atkins, and Garth Brooks
Q
Are there any characters from books and/or movies who highly interest you?
A
Hector, Andromache, and Hekabe (The Iliad), Mina (Bram Stoker’s Dracula), The Khaleesi - Daenerys Targaryen (Game of Thrones), Scarlet O’Hara (Gone With The Wind), Shug Avery (The Color Purple), Morgaine - Morgan Le Fay (The Mists of Avalon), Aragon/Strider, Arwen, Eomer, and Sam (Lord of the Rings), Bree (The Chronicles of Narnia), Padme Amidala (Star Wars), & Spock (Star Trek)
Q
What are your favorite movies?
A
The Quiet Man, Lord Of The Rings, Star Wars, SeaBiscuit, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Gladiator, Scent of a Woman, Cinderella Man, Star Trek, Black Hawk Down, Walk the Line, Braveheart, The Man from Snowy River, Return to Snowy River, Gone With The Wind, The Notebook, Phar Lap, Chronicles of Narnia, Titanic, The Color Purple, Forrest Gump, Dances with Wolves, The Prince of Tides, Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken, & The Black Stallion
Q
Who are your favorite actors and actresses?
A
Actors: Al Pacino, Eric Bana, and Russell Crowe. Actresses: Monica Bellucci, and Natalie Portman.
Q
Who are your favorite painters?
A
John William Waterhouse, Thomas Kinkade, Patrick Ching, Kaziah Hancock, Bombshell Mandy, and Karen Brenner.
Q
Do you collect anything?
A
Breyer horses! I have collected them since I was a child.
Q
What are your favorite shows of all time?
A
Game of Thrones, Sons of Anarchy, Rome, Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Sex and the City, Animal Cops, & Xena Warrior Princess.
Q
What are your favorite sports teams?
A
Army Black Knights and the Philadelphia Flyers.
Q
What are your favorite games?
A
Chess, Poker, & Monopoly.
Q
What are your favorite foods?
A
Mediterranean, Mexican, & Japanese. Also I love chocolate!!
Q
Are there any quotes or religious passages that inspire you? If so, would you share them?
A
Yes:
If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
~ Mother Teresa
Patience is the key to joy.
~ Rumi
Imagination is more important than knowledge.
~ Albert Einstein
You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.
~ Johnny Cash
There is nothing noble about being superior to some other person. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self.
~ Hindustani Proverb
What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
We must fight against the spirit of unconscious cruelty with which we treat the animals. Animals suffer as much as we do. True humanity does not allow us to impose such sufferings on them. It is our duty to make the whole world recognize it. Until we extend our circle of compassion to all living things, humanity will not find peace.
~ Dr. Albert Schweitzer, The Philosophy of Civilization
To write is to plumb the unfathomable depths of being. Writing lies within the domain of mystery. The space between any two words is vaster than the distance between heaven and earth. To bridge it you must close your eyes and leap. Ultimately, to write is an act of faith.
~ Elie Wiesel
Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace which the world cannot give, this is my gift to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
~ Jesus Christ (John 14:27)