My 25 things....
You're supposed to tag people you'd like to see do this, but as I'm one of the last people I know to get tagged, I'll tag the people I know would like to read this, or those that are mentioned specifically. It took me three days to write these.
1 - I have recently somewhat reconnected with the two most influential teachers I have ever had, Mrs. King, and Mrs. Varitek (Bartrow in my day). While I am greatly excited to bring them back into my life, I am also terrified that my path in life could have possibly disappointed them in some way.
2 - Mrs. King gave me the gift of music. I had always loved music, but her guidance led me to appreciate it in a way that I had never thought of before. Her passion for teaching also led me to my love of teaching. If I am able to pass the gift of music to even just one person in the way she passed it on to me, I will die a happy man. Words cannot describe what her gift means to me.
3 - Mrs. Varitek (Bartrow... she married after I graduated) gave me the gift of words. I had kept a journal for years before her class, but upon entering her class, I learned that, like music, words could be arranged in a way that would be able to convey even the smallest emotion and could sway even the toughest opinions. She taught me to take pride in everything I write. It is because of her that I have written three novels. None of them are published... yet.
4 - Thanks to the previous two facts, I always carry two things with me - an iPod and a pad of paper. I think I have filled at least six notebooks with my ramblings since January 1st. I have grand ideas of growing old and leaving behind a legacy of written word spanning many periods of my life.
5 - I currently have four iPods. Not because of upgrades, but because my music collection is so incredibly immense I am forced to divide the music onto different devices. Honestly, there is no rhyme or reason to the divisions, I just like to have a variety of music. My tastes vary greatly, from Gregorian chants to modern new age pseudo-celtic beat driven instrumentals and everything in between.
6 - I have performed on stages big and small in some very amazing places, but my favorite place to perform will always be to pick up an instrument and play or sing a few songs on a street corner. There is nothing better to me than music performed in it's raw, unprocessed form, full of emotion and meaning.
7 - I have a very specific morning routine. If I stray from this, I feel that I have forgotten something, and feel incredibly rushed for the rest of the day.
8 - I am more likely to enjoy a foreign film over the drivel that seems to come out of Hollywood. My two top favorite films are foreign films that really didnt get the credit they deserved when they were playing in the states.
9 - I have lived in the Atlanta area for a majority of my life, but I still have to use maps to get to the most important places in my life. Even places I have been to countless times before (the Woodruff Arts Center, High Museum, the Fox Theater) I will always get lost trying to get to them.
10 - As a result of my accident in 2007, there is a ligament in my left foot that pops every time I stretch my foot. Also, never roll your eyes at the elderly that claim they can feel the weather in their bones - it's true. It's not quite painful, but when the barometric pressure changes, I can feel it in my ankle and heel near the bones that were broken in the accident.
11 - I love to sing. I have sung professionally in the past, and have spent thousands of dollars on voice lessons to improve my voice. I have sung with the Atlanta Opera. I have sung backup on two albums. but, I am terrified of singing solo. Unlike playing an instrument, I immediately become self-conscious and am overcome with embarassment. However, if I am playing a part in a musical, I am able to overcome this and step into the character.
12 - I am on a constant journey to learn. My hunger for knowledge has been known to keep me from sleeping for days as I research a topic or consume books. My mind is not something that is easily turned off. The only time I can somewhat quiet my mind is when there is music involved.
13 - The number 13 is a constant presence in my life. In elementary school, I was always the 13th person in my class when listed alphabetically. My first locker in middle school was locker number 1313. I received 13 gifts on my 13th birthday. Princess Diana was pronounced dead 13 hours to the minute before my 13th birthday. I don't consider it an unlucky number, but I do seem to see it everywhere.
14 - I have fallen in love twice. I have also fallen out of love twice. Being in love is much more enjoyable, but to be honest, I would rather stay single than be on the endless search for the next person to fall for. I have faith that one day I will find the "one" for me, but I am in no hurry.
15 - I have a fleetingly addictive personality. My mind latches onto something and obsesses over it for weeks or months before releasing it's grip. Once I have had enough, I very rarely go back to whatever it was. I actually went through a period in which I ate nothing but ramen noodles for two months in various recipes. I haven't had any since. The idea of eating them actually makes me sick.
16 - My online identity is just as important to me as my physical identity. I grew up being very comfortable with technology, so when these odd things called social networks came around, I was very quick to adopt. Sometimes I would much rather hide behind my online identity than experience the physical one.
17 - I have always had an obsession with writing utensils. I hardly ever write anything but my journals by hand, but I am willing to bet that I have something around 500 pens. Each pen I purchase gets used at least once, but I always seem to favor the same type of pen and end up going back to them. My current favorite pen is the Bic Ultra Round Stick Grip in green.
18 - I am often very nervous while driving a car. It's not that I am afraid of getting into an accident, it's that I am afraid of the damange I might cause if I were to actually get into one. I know what it feels like to have your life changed by an accident and I would never want to cause that kind of pain to anyone.
19 - I am almost 25 years old and am still afraid of the dark. Every room in my house has some kind of light on at all times. When the sun goes down, all of my blinds and curtains are closed. It's not that I am afraid of ghosts or monsters, I am afraid of the unknown. While my rational mind recognizes that there is nothing out there in the dark, my irrational mind prevents me from accepting it as truth.
20 - My father never taught me how to throw a football, how to play baseball, or how to shave. He never showed an interest in my life, and usually acted like I never existed. I resented him for a very very long time until I decided that it's much better for me to just let it all go. I havent forgiven him, but I am at peace with what has happened.
21 - I cry. I am not ashamed to admit that I cry. I have even restrained myself from activities with friends or family members because I dont want them to see me cry. There are movies that I love, but can't watch, unless I am alone. I can also cry on cue.
22 - I am the worst person to talk on the phone with. If I get bored with the conversation, or feel like you are distracted, I will hang up. I usually prefer text communication. Buy there is one person whose voice calms me, and I will always demand that this person calls me instead of text communication. I honestly dont know why I have a cell phone.
23 - I rarely watch television. If I had to estimate, I might watch 2 hours of television a week. My TiVo records things I am interested in, but they usually get deleted before I watch them. I would much rather spend my time reading. I have been known to read up to two books a day. However, I only own about 20 books. The books that I buy are given to others for them to enjoy.
24 - I have never been in a fight, despite being in some very difficult situations. My obsession with words has allowed me to sort of talk my way out of these situations. When prompted, I can be very persuasive. I have been told that I am a very powerful public speaker. But that could be because I only speak in public about subjects I am passionate about.
25 - I live my life like a gypsy. I am not tied to anyone or anything. I follow my own rules and let my desires take me to the next step. I am proud of my life and who I have become. I consider myself intellectual, but not smart. I love my friends so deeply that it scares me sometimes. I am emotional. I am artistic. I am passionate. But most importantly, I am hardly perfect, and never will be.
1 - I have recently somewhat reconnected with the two most influential teachers I have ever had, Mrs. King, and Mrs. Varitek (Bartrow in my day). While I am greatly excited to bring them back into my life, I am also terrified that my path in life could have possibly disappointed them in some way.
2 - Mrs. King gave me the gift of music. I had always loved music, but her guidance led me to appreciate it in a way that I had never thought of before. Her passion for teaching also led me to my love of teaching. If I am able to pass the gift of music to even just one person in the way she passed it on to me, I will die a happy man. Words cannot describe what her gift means to me.
3 - Mrs. Varitek (Bartrow... she married after I graduated) gave me the gift of words. I had kept a journal for years before her class, but upon entering her class, I learned that, like music, words could be arranged in a way that would be able to convey even the smallest emotion and could sway even the toughest opinions. She taught me to take pride in everything I write. It is because of her that I have written three novels. None of them are published... yet.
4 - Thanks to the previous two facts, I always carry two things with me - an iPod and a pad of paper. I think I have filled at least six notebooks with my ramblings since January 1st. I have grand ideas of growing old and leaving behind a legacy of written word spanning many periods of my life.
5 - I currently have four iPods. Not because of upgrades, but because my music collection is so incredibly immense I am forced to divide the music onto different devices. Honestly, there is no rhyme or reason to the divisions, I just like to have a variety of music. My tastes vary greatly, from Gregorian chants to modern new age pseudo-celtic beat driven instrumentals and everything in between.
6 - I have performed on stages big and small in some very amazing places, but my favorite place to perform will always be to pick up an instrument and play or sing a few songs on a street corner. There is nothing better to me than music performed in it's raw, unprocessed form, full of emotion and meaning.
7 - I have a very specific morning routine. If I stray from this, I feel that I have forgotten something, and feel incredibly rushed for the rest of the day.
8 - I am more likely to enjoy a foreign film over the drivel that seems to come out of Hollywood. My two top favorite films are foreign films that really didnt get the credit they deserved when they were playing in the states.
9 - I have lived in the Atlanta area for a majority of my life, but I still have to use maps to get to the most important places in my life. Even places I have been to countless times before (the Woodruff Arts Center, High Museum, the Fox Theater) I will always get lost trying to get to them.
10 - As a result of my accident in 2007, there is a ligament in my left foot that pops every time I stretch my foot. Also, never roll your eyes at the elderly that claim they can feel the weather in their bones - it's true. It's not quite painful, but when the barometric pressure changes, I can feel it in my ankle and heel near the bones that were broken in the accident.
11 - I love to sing. I have sung professionally in the past, and have spent thousands of dollars on voice lessons to improve my voice. I have sung with the Atlanta Opera. I have sung backup on two albums. but, I am terrified of singing solo. Unlike playing an instrument, I immediately become self-conscious and am overcome with embarassment. However, if I am playing a part in a musical, I am able to overcome this and step into the character.
12 - I am on a constant journey to learn. My hunger for knowledge has been known to keep me from sleeping for days as I research a topic or consume books. My mind is not something that is easily turned off. The only time I can somewhat quiet my mind is when there is music involved.
13 - The number 13 is a constant presence in my life. In elementary school, I was always the 13th person in my class when listed alphabetically. My first locker in middle school was locker number 1313. I received 13 gifts on my 13th birthday. Princess Diana was pronounced dead 13 hours to the minute before my 13th birthday. I don't consider it an unlucky number, but I do seem to see it everywhere.
14 - I have fallen in love twice. I have also fallen out of love twice. Being in love is much more enjoyable, but to be honest, I would rather stay single than be on the endless search for the next person to fall for. I have faith that one day I will find the "one" for me, but I am in no hurry.
15 - I have a fleetingly addictive personality. My mind latches onto something and obsesses over it for weeks or months before releasing it's grip. Once I have had enough, I very rarely go back to whatever it was. I actually went through a period in which I ate nothing but ramen noodles for two months in various recipes. I haven't had any since. The idea of eating them actually makes me sick.
16 - My online identity is just as important to me as my physical identity. I grew up being very comfortable with technology, so when these odd things called social networks came around, I was very quick to adopt. Sometimes I would much rather hide behind my online identity than experience the physical one.
17 - I have always had an obsession with writing utensils. I hardly ever write anything but my journals by hand, but I am willing to bet that I have something around 500 pens. Each pen I purchase gets used at least once, but I always seem to favor the same type of pen and end up going back to them. My current favorite pen is the Bic Ultra Round Stick Grip in green.
18 - I am often very nervous while driving a car. It's not that I am afraid of getting into an accident, it's that I am afraid of the damange I might cause if I were to actually get into one. I know what it feels like to have your life changed by an accident and I would never want to cause that kind of pain to anyone.
19 - I am almost 25 years old and am still afraid of the dark. Every room in my house has some kind of light on at all times. When the sun goes down, all of my blinds and curtains are closed. It's not that I am afraid of ghosts or monsters, I am afraid of the unknown. While my rational mind recognizes that there is nothing out there in the dark, my irrational mind prevents me from accepting it as truth.
20 - My father never taught me how to throw a football, how to play baseball, or how to shave. He never showed an interest in my life, and usually acted like I never existed. I resented him for a very very long time until I decided that it's much better for me to just let it all go. I havent forgiven him, but I am at peace with what has happened.
21 - I cry. I am not ashamed to admit that I cry. I have even restrained myself from activities with friends or family members because I dont want them to see me cry. There are movies that I love, but can't watch, unless I am alone. I can also cry on cue.
22 - I am the worst person to talk on the phone with. If I get bored with the conversation, or feel like you are distracted, I will hang up. I usually prefer text communication. Buy there is one person whose voice calms me, and I will always demand that this person calls me instead of text communication. I honestly dont know why I have a cell phone.
23 - I rarely watch television. If I had to estimate, I might watch 2 hours of television a week. My TiVo records things I am interested in, but they usually get deleted before I watch them. I would much rather spend my time reading. I have been known to read up to two books a day. However, I only own about 20 books. The books that I buy are given to others for them to enjoy.
24 - I have never been in a fight, despite being in some very difficult situations. My obsession with words has allowed me to sort of talk my way out of these situations. When prompted, I can be very persuasive. I have been told that I am a very powerful public speaker. But that could be because I only speak in public about subjects I am passionate about.
25 - I live my life like a gypsy. I am not tied to anyone or anything. I follow my own rules and let my desires take me to the next step. I am proud of my life and who I have become. I consider myself intellectual, but not smart. I love my friends so deeply that it scares me sometimes. I am emotional. I am artistic. I am passionate. But most importantly, I am hardly perfect, and never will be.