25 Random things you +
don't know +
want to learn +
thought you knew +
heard +
feared was true +
about me.
2. I think everyone's role model are their parents by default. Therefore, the person (non-related) I look up to the most is a man named Wayne Kitchen. Simply put, if not for him I would not be in the position I am today. He is the former Director of Cal-State Hayward's Upward Bound program, and has had the most influence on me.
3. In 2007 I had three different people (all peers) genuinely tell me they admired me, and looked up to me, and I really valued that.
4. My best friend Kwesi is getting married in 2010. Other than getting my Master's degree 1 month later, that is hands down the biggest thing I am looking forward to in the near future. I have been best friends with him and one other guy for 12 years this July. I consider them both my brothers.
5. I can't remember the last time I've been under 200lbs. Right now I am 5'11" 225lbs. and I feel good as ever. A lot of that is muscle because I am stronger than I have ever been, too. And my body has never been as cardio-efficient as it is now. Yes, everybody say "cardio-efficient"
6. I cried during President Barack Obama's Election Night speech. I secretly only moved to Texas to help in the efforts to get him elected. Haha I told someone that once, and although I soon mentioned it was just a joke, I think that person still believes me to this day =)
7. I think anyone who tries to act hard while in college is a fraud! A wanksta, if you will. You are f*cking up the game, wanksta! Real thugs are out banging and don't have 8:00am class in the morning. Just be yourself. How can you getcha thug on, but be in college? You can't.
8. I stopped watching BET and MTV about 3 years ago. Thank goodness for digital cable which carries channels/shows for specific targeted groups, and not just sheep who believe everything they see or hear. I remember when VH1 was considered only for old people...you probably think I'm old just for saying that
9. I think a lot of people are naive, and truly have no clue as to what exactly is going on around them, and, often in front of their own very eyes. I think a lot of people are satisfied being told what to believe. It's hard to think for yourself sometimes, but it is necessary, in order to have meaningful discussions.
10. After reading #9, the thing I admire most about people is their ability to be an individual. I have always been an individual. As soon as too many peole beging to do something - I stop. I used to wear a lot of Triple 5 Soul, used to rock braids/cornrows, listen to certain music, etc., but when the bandwagon got too full, I got off at the next stop. I guess you can argue that those were phases in my life, but I would argue against that. However, there are some things that are just too good to stop loving, regardless of the number of people who jumps aboard.
11. Kinda going along with the individualism theme, I cannot come to understand why soooo many people (girls) rock Coach bags, with Coach shoes, Coach sweaters, sunglasses, earrings, etc. Oh lord, you can see the most unpolished person in the streets jeans, flip flops, and white t-shirt, and almost always expect to see a Coach bag, like the bag just goes with every outfit, and completes everything they're trying to accomplish. I'm not trying to offend, but it's pretty nauseating.
12. The reason I am never stressed is because I have already gone through the most toughest, most distressful, times of life. This is the easy stuff now. Ask the people who have known me the longest and they will say that cannot remember a time of me "snapping" or "losing it."
13. The first instrument I learned was the alto saxophone which I played for 2 years, and was first-chair in my high school orchestra for two years. Then I picked up the piano, and the rest is history.
14. I think a person can be too smart for their own good. Once you start overanalyzing and thinking too hard, I think the message gets muddled through all those metaphors and similies and brain processing activity which eventually leads to another question...which eventually leads to another question, and then another, and then....
15. Whenever I go online, there are (4) websites I absolutely must visit. In no particular order http://sfgate.com, http://huffingtonpost.com, http://mail.yahoo.com, http://bankofamerica.com.
16. In 1999, I created a website called Tha FreakStylaz Board, which is essentially a huge message board where writers/emcees submitted and posted their work, only to be critiqued and and reviewed by other emcees. This year August 12, 2009 will be the 10th Anniversary. I never quite figured out how to generate revenue off it. This site isn't mentioned in #15 because it's a given ;-) Also another interesting fact about this is I never even owned a computer until last year (2008)!
17. I believe only boring people, get bored. When I was little, I never had shit to do, and was tired of feeling that way. So, I just learned a bunch of things that would occupy my time. Everyday, my older brother and I stayed home alone while my mom was at work, and there just wasn't shit to do. So I learned piano, write poetry/raps, read books, moved furniture, watched the news (we didn't have cable), styled my hair, played stickball, memorized and wrote out lyrics to songs, flip through Eastbay magazines, cleaned toilets, watched Jeopardy, did push ups, folded clothes, learned to DJ, re-laced my shoes, all kinds of stuff - just so I wouldn't be bored. I This may explain my cleanliless habits now haha
18. The first "movie moment" (you know the type of thing you "once saw in a movie") of my life came in 1997 when I was in 7th grade, and I dated this girl whose parents didn't exactly approve of her dating, and we were getting "close" in her parents house one afternoon, when she heard them return home from wherever they were. Luckily her friend was in the living room and was able to stall them. So I jumped out of the window and sprinted down the block, glad to still have my life. They later found out all about what happened and about 1 month later we split. I think the ruined window screen, shrubs and bushes outside the window, tipped them off.
19. My "brush with death" came two years prior when a kid in my complex was really drowning in the 6ft-deep end of the pool, and I jumped in to try to save him, and instead ended up almost being drowned myslef. Once I got ahold of him, he climbed on my back and kicked me underneath the water, and all I remember is seeing the light from the sun, from under water, and seeing legs, arms, and bubbles, everywhere, and waking up on the side of the pool hyperventilating. Turns out someone else jumped in and got him off of me, and I pulled myself from the water, and passed out. There was no supervision.
20. I sacrificed a lot, I mean A LOT, of fun, to make my mom happy, because I had a feeling it would dissappoint her. She once told me, "it's a sin to make your mother cry," and I still believe her today. She also told me when I was in kindergarten, "if I didn't wear my glasses, I would be blind in 2 years," and she TWICE locked herself out of the car and called the Fire Dept. saying, "she locked her baby in the car," so they would come faster. Wild, but true! That last one sooooo puts things into perspective.
21. My 1-yr older brother and I didn't truly become "close," until he moved out. Prior to that, we had an okay relationship. I think if I was ever in trouble, he would have my back and the same for me, but other than that, we weren't that cool
22. My longest relationship was 2 years during high school. Very unique relationship it was. The closest I've ever come to that was 8 months.I like a variety of types of women so I usually don't categorize the specific characteristics. But I will fall in love with a woman who wears glasses, plays basketball, is passionate about something, understands herself, fashionable, as comfortable at night as she is in the day ;-) and can dance! A little bit of self-steem, wouldn't hurt...j/k
23. The four years I spent studying at the Univ of San Francisco was hands-down the best four years of my life! I enjoyed everything about it, and I am so thankful for the people I met, things I learned, and to have gone their and survived. It is actually true what they say about "learning more outside the classroom" than inside, because the people I met, and things I learned, helped me to become the influential person I am today. College was truly the bridge from childhood to adulthood. I left college with an entirely differenet outlook on "how life should be lived," than what I originally believed.
24. I would describe myself as artisitc. I certainly appreciate academics and smart people, but I think the truly amazing folks are those who make us laugh, smile, cry, and laugh some more, admire, grow, love, and all those other emotions and sentiments you feel when your eyes open wide, jaw drops, and knod with approval
25. It would be nice to be married with children...someday. I think too many folks fall victim to the idea of having to be married and beginning families, as if that is what will validate their successes and happiness. There are plenty of people who are perfectly happy (or at least they say they are) single and without kids, or one of the two. I think there are benefits to both but ultimately, everybody wants to be loved. Same thing goes for home ownership versus renting. This all goes back to #9, 10, and 11 - about people not thinking for themselves, and just believing the whole notion that "if everyone else says you must own a home, get married, and have kids," then it must be good. Not asking you to think, just use your head
I know I am late with this whole 25 Random Things... list, but thank God I finally finished it. It's been lamping on my Treo for weeks
1 comment:
u seem like a very interesting person
&& i agree on a lot of things, like the part about being bored
&& the college gangsta thing lmao
love this post
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