This line from the movie Auntie Mame is something that Christine Mounts takes to heart. Throughout her life, Christine has taken on many challenges, hobbies, and interests in the spirit of living life to the fullest.
Originally from Peoria, Illinois, Christine moved to Minneapolis in 2003 to the city she calls the "best kept secret of the midwest." She lives with two roommates and her 3-year-old cat named Action Jack. Her niece is living with her temporarily also.
Christine has two bachelors degrees. Her first degree is in aviation management from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Her interest was sparked because her father flew in the Navy and was "obsessed with aviation."
She even has her Commercial pilot's license, but doesn't fly much because it's expensive and she hasn't maintained her required flight hours. "If I had kept up my CFI, I could teach people how to fly," she said. "Flying is easy, landing is hard."
Christine's second degree is in information technology from DeVry University. "My focus on my second degree was on web design, but I basically developed skills to become an IT generalist," she said. "I can do desktop repair and software support as well as some web design."
This degree has guided Christine in many of her past jobs and her current job in OCM. Before coming to the University, Christine worked in Information Technology at various nonprofits in the Twin Cities and in Chicago.
Her most interesting job was at a nonprofit in Chicago that focused on small business and workforce development. She can remember once providing a workspace for a business that built things for NASA and another business that only made dance clothes. This nonprofit was also heavily tied to local politicians. A Christmas card from Rod Blagojevich, former governor of Illinois, floated around her office.
Since 2009, Christine has worked as the Scheduling Reports Coordinator in the Scheduling unit. She is the primary trainer for the scheduling software, including the new Astra Schedule program. She is also the the primary help desk contact for scheduling software issues and helps manage internal communications to departments regarding the scheduling software system.
She considers herself very cultural. Growing up, she frequently went to museums and concerts with her family. "My parents are very cultural and educated," she said. "I went to a million museums and performances with them. I developed a great appreciation for the arts."
Christine's arts include singing, playing the piano and clarinet, acting, dancing, writing, and photography.
She has seven novels written in various stages of draft. She primarily writes science fiction, but also enjoys writing literary short stories. If she could be anything, Christine would be a successful, professional novelist.
"I've been published in a journal, but getting a book published is very difficult," she said. "Anne Lamott said in her book Bird by Bird that you should not write to be published because getting published is not going to change your life in quite the way you think it will."
Christine also calls herself an amateur photographer. "I see beauty in patterns," she said. "I like to take pictures of nature from different perspectives."
She also spends a lot of time reading. She especially enjoys books that get her thinking about life. "I'm very existential," she said.
Traveling is also a big part of her life. Her most memorable trip was when she lived in Berlin, Germany for four weeks with her college roommate. She went and spoke minimal German. "I lived with the people but didn't speak fluent German," she said. "When you're there, you just remember and pick up the language as you go."
But, no matter what Christine does, she always brings everything in perspective and remembers to "live, live, live."
Christine's Culture
If Christine could be any character for a day, she would be Harry Potter. "It'd be a great time to be able to fly and use the invisibility cloak."
Growing up, she wanted to be a timpani player in an orchestra.
Christine's two favorite foods are anything Indian and steak, medium-rare.
Her favorite vacation spot is Santa Rosa Island, Florida.
Her favorite movie is Auntie Mame.
She really wants to dress up as Gossamer from Looney Tunes for Halloween.
Her favorite book is Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl.
Christine likes interesting music, but doesn't like lyrics much.
Peter Gabriel and Led Zeppelin are two of her favorite artists.
She doesn't like country or rap music.
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