Over the past couple months I have become a big fan of Facebook. It is an invaluable use of technology to get back in touch with people who have regrettably drifted out of your life and a fun way to interact with people you were already staying in touch with. There are also some cool applications on the site, no doubt far more than I'm aware of, certainly much more than I bother to use. But in spite of getting destroyed by friends who seem to play professionally, I've enjoyed playing Scrabble at a very leisurely pace on Facebook. Another FB application is TextOnPhone which happens to feature several of my short stories. Apparently I'm one of the most widely read authors on TextOnPhone, which I do not have on my outdated cell phone, but I do get to check out reader's opinions of my writing on TOP via Facebook. So far readers have been pretty generous with their praise. Recently a chain mail of sorts was circulating on FB asking people to write 25 random things about themselves and forward the list to 25 of their friends. I typically ignore this kind of thing but my wife got caught up in it and her enthusiasm proved infectious. Next thing I knew, there I was crafting my own chain mail list and highly enjoying every minute of it. I may even write a sequel someday. Since I'm rather pleased by the result of my nudged introspection, I've decided to repost it here on A Line A Day. Certainly it was an interesting way to let people know more about me than they may previously have realized, but perhaps more importantly, it was a great exercise in self exploration that I highly recommend to anyone who has not already done anything like this, whether on FaceBook or your own blog or simply a pen on ink list to keep in a drawer somewhere at home. Those who already know me may find the list of interest. And perhaps those who do not may as well, which is why I chose to post it beyond the radius of my friends. Happy reading, and if you end up being inspired, happy writing of your own.
1. I can touch my tongue to my nose and hold my hand with the grip of a left handed person when writing, even though I write with my right hand. These are my two physical marvels. I wrote the Justice League about them and it turns out that neither qualifies me for superhero status.
2. I decided I wanted to be a writer and that I was a feminist on the same day. It was after I had read my first full length novel, either 10,000 Leagues Under the Sea or Journey to the Center of the Earth, by Jules Verne. The fact that someone had managed to thrill, enthrall, amaze me with nothing more than words on paper convinced me that writing was the noblest of all professions. I assumed Jules was a woman’s name and the book therefore was proof that women really rocked. I came to learn that the author was a man, and eventually learned my mistaken belief was correct after all because women really do rock.
3. Certain phrases amuse and/or fascinate me to no end for no apparent reason. “French Canadian” is one example. Don’t know or care why.
4. I dig quotes and have countless memorized. Actually I probably could count them if I put in the effort, but I have no intention of doing so. “Poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese”. – GK Chesterton. “I have naturally curly hair.” – Charles Schultz
5. My list of pet peeves is fairly short and most are related to commuting via public transportation. One non-transit related peeve I have is when someone remembers that they really loved a book but can’t remember the name of its author. The names of those who have provided you with great reads or great orgasms should always be memorized. I am guilty of breaking my own rule.
6. I understand racial/national pride, but I don’t understand using such arbitrary measures to define yourself. I’d still be Roy if I was Samoan, although I might weigh a little more.
7. The less you think and the more you act instinctively, the better off you’ll be. Works great in tennis, and in many aspects of life as well.
8. I loathe the green line Outlook puts under a sentence it doesn’t feel I have properly phrased, despite the lack of any typos. Has Outlook never heard of poetic license? Can’t anyone program that in? If they can, let’s give him or her a medal. Probably will be her. Women, like poetic license, rock.
9. If you’re at all entertained by this list so far, keep in mind that I’m quite narcissistic and therefore keep constant tab of random things about myself. I’m probably kidding though. I’m rather facetious. I had to look the word up when first described that way, upon which I promptly agreed wholeheartedly.
10. Still, 25 is a pretty big number. I’m running out of material already. Fortunately I’ve now remembered that I love to watch fish in an aquarium, though watching them in the ocean would of course be preferable. It’s my form of meditation, observing wingless underwater flight. Also meditative and cool is being able to populate new worlds with new people through my writing, and permanently capturing slivers of time through photography, such as a moment when Ava has the perfect expression on her face.
11. The opera and ballet were impressive concepts. The radio program was pretty cool, particularly because it made you visualize, now a dying art. Then television shows (sitcoms, dramas, variety, reality, whatever) and movies moved to the top of the passive entertainment list. But it wasn’t until the advent of the infomercial that true majesty was achieved. If it has an infomercial, chances are I own it or have seriously considered buying it.
12. There are so many things I haven’t tried and places I haven’t been to yet. That would apply no matter how many things I had tried and places I’d gone to already. Soon as I’m done typing this list I’m going to try something or go someplace. Unless the Knicks are playing or I don’t feel like it. Gotta love freedom of choice.
13. My earliest memory of a memory is running up a hill to my mother’s waiting arms.
14. I can’t grow a proper moustache or beard. This is a shame and humanity’s great loss. But that’s okay because I have naturally curly hair.
15. I have my regrets but will never let them paralyze me. Keep moving. The shark has the right idea. Speaking of which, if you’re ever trying to keep two or more kids headed together in a relatively straight line in spite of their disorganized inclinations to stop and stare and goof off, just tell them to pretend to be sharks. Works every time. Well, it worked the one time I tried it. No doubt it will eventually come in handy again.
16. I believe that we are all in some way, shape or form philosophers, poets and royalty. But not all of us can carry a tune. I consider it fortunate that my curly headed, beardless self can.
17. I firmly believe in bracing myself for the worst case scenario so I’ll either be prepared or else pleasantly surprised. But usually I don’t truly believe the worst case scenario will occur. My glass is neither half empty nor half full. It’s filled to the brim with champagne.
18. For years I vowed to one day have 6-pack abs (hence the majority of my infomercial purchases) and be able to dunk a basketball. I’ve just about given up on dunking, but it’s not a surrender to age, just transfer of aspiration. Now I want to hit a 100+ mph serve. For all I know I’ve already done so, though I seriously doubt it. I’ve served many aces anyway because placement can be even more valuable than velocity. This too is as true in life as in tennis. Never underestimate the value of being in the right place at the right time.
19. I’ve tried a lot of diets, most of them self created. The dumbest was thinking I could lose weight by having a Starbucks Frappuccino for breakfast each morning in spite of the fact that it wasn’t even replacing what I usually ate, because I tend to have no breakfast at all. For the most part though, I’m a pretty smart guy. I just happen to love sugary beverages so I’m adept at coming up with reasons why I need to have one.
20. Throughout the years I’ve been led to believe that my family bloodline descends in part from Jewish, Irish, and Spanish (Spain) heritage. One, some, or all is probably the case. Good thing I have # 6 on my list.
21. I obtained my second tattoo (an angel) because in case I was hit by a truck (the clean underwear rationale) I didn’t want my first (a skull on fire with a dagger going through it) to be the only artwork adorning my body. Seemed too evil a representation, and since I’m a relatively nice guy I decided this was false advertising. What I am is contradictory, so getting the opposite imagery on the opposite arm made perfect sense. Yes, I am Radio Raheem from Do the Right Thing.
22. I once thought I was just about the fastest person in the world until my dad effortlessly beat me when I challenged him to a race, toying with me until pulling away at the end. This was one of those defining little moments that I’ll never forget. Life is basically a series of such moments linked together by the thread that is our journey from cradle to grave. I will definitely have to re-use that last sentence in a novel or short story, or at the very least, a profound text message. I think I was about 10 at the time of the race, which would have put my dad in his early 30’s. No wonder he was able to demolish me and my delusions. I bet I could beat him handily today, but I wouldn’t think that makes me the fastest guy in the world. Apparently another word for that necklace of moments is wisdom, which will come in handy now that I’m dad to the smartest kid in the history of the world.
23. When you have to be the best of the best simply to earn a place on the same playing field, epic greatness is the result that possibly may not otherwise have occurred. Jackie Robinson had it pretty rough. Made excellence look easy though. Same deal with Jack Johnson. Same deal with Obama. I’m not sure that I’ve ever had to be a pioneer at anything other than my own existence. I’m the first guy ever to be me at this particular point in time. Hard damn work, yet to the outside observer it looks like I’m in cruise control.
24. I felt before ever hearing it said that the genius of Miles Davis was not in the notes he played, but in his pauses, the space he left to appreciate what was around it. I’m pretty sure I can make good use of such knowledge, not only in art but also in the art of living, even if I haven’t quite figured out how to do so just yet.
25. I am the son of an amazing woman, the brother of amazing women, the husband of an amazing woman, and the father of an amazing woman to be. Amongst the gender that rocks, they rock best of all.
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