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Born: April
16, 1965 in Kearny, New Jersey, a town just a stone's throw from New York
City. Famous for its soccer players (Tony Meola and Jonathan Harkes),
and as one of the frequent locations for "The Sopranos." |
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Education: Kearny
High School. Did a year and a half of film school at NYU.
Took various night classes at UCLA after moving west. Finally buckled
down and received my bachelor's degree in anthropology from California
State University Northridge. Currently doing grad work at CSUN in
archaeology. |
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Parents:
Robert Charles Valenta (deceased) and Gladys Valenta nee Zoeltsch.
Mom is currently living in Tennessee with her second husband Ed Kowalski. |
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My significant
other:My fiance, Thunder Levin (it's his real name--long story).
He's a filmmaker, currently working on a number of projects. Check out
his website here. |
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Pets: Tiki
the kitten (a Bengal). Two finches, a male and a female. In
the past: a cat named Navarre after the lead character in the film "Ladyhawk";
dogs (Mickey, a toy fox terrier; Cindy, a terrier/dachsund mix; and Buster
I and Buster II, both Brittany Spaniels), other cats (Sam, Snapper), squirrel
(Wendy), pigeon (Jimmy), hamster (Hector), fish, snakes, and two turtles
(Fat Man and Little Boy). And numerous injured baby birds nursed
back to health and set free. |
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Right now:
Working as a senior project coordinator for field projects at the Getty
Conservation Institute. Some of the projects I've worked on
include the Mogao Grottoes in China and the Fifth World Archaeological
Congress in Washington, DC. I used to be a production coordinator
for Roger Corman's film company but burnt out fast and ended working in
architecture offices for a number of years, which I loved. |
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Interests & Hobbies:
Aside from archaeology-Jane Austen, Lord of the Rings, dolls and miniatures
(making and collecting), camping, hiking, sailing (I'm still a bit nervous
at the helm), fencing (just started taking lessons), sewing, drawing &
painting, etc., etc., etc; |
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Likes: Thunder,
sleeping late, pine trees, coffee, English pubs, Halloween, cuddling my
cat when he lets me, playing Jenga or Twister with a bunch of close friends
and a big bottle of cheap red wine, New York City pizza (not New York-style
pizza from places like Pizza Hut), specifically Famous Ray's of Greenwich
Village or Lombardi's. |
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Dislikes: George
W. Bush (actually the whole Bush clan scares the crap outta me), overpopulation,
gum-chewing, whistling (I have dog's ears--whistle a few bars and I go
nuts), and people who don't use their turn signal when making a lane change
(it's the LAW, DAMMIT!!). The list is longer when I'm cranky. |
