Thanks for seein' about a girl, friend. here's where I'm writing my own history—for you, for me and anyone else who needs to laugh to keep from cryin' every once in awhile.

On being random

I've been trying to write this post for about a week now, but for various reasons (work, sickliness, general blahs, etc.) I haven't been able to focus. Random.

How often has this word been used to describe something I've done or said? I often do things that can best be described as random, but I've never before thought of random things about myself (or shall I say I've never thought about myself as being random).

Upon further reflection (as if I need that) I find that there are elements of randomness about me. (I type that in a "voice" that's so reminiscent of Sally Field's "You like me, you really like me" schpiel it's embarrassing.)

I think it also needs to be said that I don't feel this makes me "special" in the Mister Rogers kinda way; if anything, this post along with this entire lj collection (I really do hate the word "blog" and am going to make a concerted effort to use it as little as possible) sometimes deludes me into thinking far too much about what I have to say.

Nevertheless …

1. With all the recent attention paid to the issue of race in America (e.g., is Barack black enough or too black?), I found myself chuckling at the white-to-black ratio of friends on my Facebook and Myspace pages. Go ahead. Take a look and count how many black people you find. Sometimes, when I think about just packing up and moving to Africa for a spell, I wonder how I'd actually feel to be completely surrounded by black people at all times. The curiosity is really starting to get to me.

2.  Eventually, I hope to learn to speak French, Spanish, German, Italian and Swahili.

3.  I've no poker face. If I'm happy and I know it, I'll refrain from hand-clapping since smiling and clapping in sharply syncopated 1-2 beats at the age of 28 might make me appear more "special" than I already am.

4.  Even when I'm actively listening, I cannot tell the following bands apart: Fall Out Boy, Good Charlotte, Relient K, Sum41 and several others I've just lumped into the "Why you screamin'?! Because all I hear are constipated boys yellin' soundin' not so much like punk rock but more like ... um, punks" group. It's just not the sort of music I can get into.

5.  Right now, in this post, I'm struggling to note that there is a difference between "random" and "things you might not know about me." I keep thinking of things and deleting them because "everyone already knows this," but that's not the point of this post is it?

6.  I know we should "never say never," but, I feel pretty certain when I say that nasal sprays and/or other "items" that can be snorted shall never be for me. Lately, it seems that I'm always suffering from some sinus issues. My doctor recommends a nasal spray and my nose twitches and bleeds in response. Stellar.

7.  I, too, love being places I’ve never been, and I’d really like to go just about everywhere. I wish there were more time and enough money to do it.

8.  I don't know how or when, but I have developed performance anxiety, which is why it's quite unlikely that I'll ever sing (or play an instrument) in public ... sober.

9.  I know way too much information about royal families of Europe. Mags thinks I should become a royal correspondent for one of those entertainment programs, but I feel my wealth of knowledge and powers of perception would be ill-suited for such exploits.

10.  I own a pretty sharp-lookin' guitar that I am unable to play. This is bad and makes me feel like a poser.

11.  It's true. I am not sure whether I'll ever have children, but I sure do love researching baby names. I have created a list of possibilities.

12.  Like Emily Dickinson, I, too, "dwell in possibility." Too much I'm afraid ...

13.  I really should've taken copy editing in college.

14.  6:24 or 6:44 a.m. These are the times I choose for waking up in the morning. Average time I rise? 7:16. I don't know why I even bother really.

15.  I have been called, for the very first time, to serve the City of Philadelphia. Jury Duty. And what I have to say next might prove that I'm a naive little dork, but I'm excited. Not Pointer Sisters excited, but Curious George excited. What kind of people am I going to meet? I hope none of them smell badly. I'm certain that the actual process of getting to the courthouse will come with a lot of braking and cussing, but I'm interested to see what happens. Who did what? Remember when you were a kid and you lined up waiting to be chosen for kickball? I have that "will they pick me?" anxious feeling. It's probably not good that a primary reason I'd like to be chosen is so I won't have to go to work, but I do love a diversion!

16.  I am happiest when I'm in the thick of creating something -- a sketch, a story, a post, a poem, a meal. The moment when I forget about time and just look at what I'm doing -- it's as free as I felt riding down Red River Road, no-hands on my bike in the summer sun.

17.  I love driving. I despise people who brake in the left lane repeatedly. If you're not sure you can handle the speed at which you're driving then get the hell over. But a road trip, an open lane, a windy country road, these are things that I love. Windows down, stereo loud, the day or the nighttime sky ...

Perception & Perspective

Drivel.