One Hundred Things About Me


  1. I am a Cancer—it’s my astrological sign, my rising and my moon, amongst several other planets.
  2. I am from the South. I grew up in Atlanta, GA, went to school in Austin, TX and I spent my earliest years in Charleston, SC – the Low Country, to be exact.
  3. I am two generations removed from slavery.
  4. I was born at lunchtime.
  5. What’s for lunch? The Kitchen Sink Salad at Chat ‘n Chew.
  6. My favorite saying is an ancient Chinese proverb: "Talk doesn’t cook rice."
  7. I graduated with a BA from The New School in 1994.
  8. I was recently accepted to graduate school there to study semiotics -- in theory and in practice. (I didn’t have the money to go. I’ll go eventually. Just because.)
  9. I was raised by my parents, my grandparents and my great-grandparents.
  10. My parents are still married to each other. My grandparents were married for 55 years. My great-grandparents were married for even longer than that. They were all balanced, happy, loving, strife-free marriages.
  11. I have never been married.
  12. I think that living together is marriage with all of the benefits and none of the responsibilities—so I’ve never shacked up with anyone, either.
  13. I’ve never been pregnant.
  14. I’ve never had a cavity.
  15. I’ve never broken a bone.
  16. I’m an insomniac.
  17. I have acid reflux disease.
  18. I love going to the Russian Turkish baths every month with Mario Flores, my favorite metrosexual.
  19. I make lists constantly.
  20. I don’t know how to drive.
  21. I know how to ride a motorcycle, though.
  22. I used to have one: a Triumph 750 Tiger.
  23. Someday when I’m loaded, I’ll get an Indian.
  24. According to the US Government, I’m a Black Indian.
  25. I am in love with Black Cowboys and Black Indians.
  26. When playing Cowboys and Indians, I’m always the Chinese railroad worker.
  27. I am a massively huge fan of The Man Show (the first season).
  28. I’d rather run an extra mile when I workout than eat or drink "diet" anything.
  29. I don’t drink coffee…
  30. …but I love Mexican hot chocolate.
  31. I love to write and read.
  32. I’ve kept a journal ever since I was twelve years old.
  33. I live in West Harlem (also known as Hamilton Heights).
  34. I collect stamps. In my passport.
  35. If I had a favorite singer, it would have to be Donny Hathaway.
  36. If I had a favorite band, it would have to be The Pixies.
  37. If I had a favorite song, it would have to be Joy, Joy by The Edwin Hawkins Singers.
  38. The first show I ever wanted to see was Parliament Funkadelic.
  39. The first live show I ever saw was Supertramp.
  40. The last live show I saw (to date) was The Supersuckers.
  41. The next show I’m looking forward to seeing (to date) is Reverend Horton Heat.
  42. The show I’m waiting to see is either Los Lonely Boys or Manu Chao, (whichever comes first).
  43. I have an upright piano.
  44. I’ve always wanted to join a one ring circus.
  45. I hope to become a neo-vaudevillian someday.
  46. As a child, I was in the gifted program for writing and English.
  47. My father says I was smarter then than I am now. (Go figure.)
  48. Our first pet was a German Shepard named Rex.
  49. He died of the puppy disease a few months after we got him.
  50. At least that’s what my parents said he died of.
  51. In retrospect, it was probably a safe way to tell us that he didn’t get all his shots.
  52. My father wrapped him in a scratchy worn out blanket that we played on a lot
  53. (I remember that it was red plaid--big patterns, too, not the little dicey kind)
  54. and buried him under a huge tree at the edge of a clearing in the backyard
  55. while Rex was still breathing.
  56. We all stood there in a half circle as the sun was fading into the sky and watched him do it.
  57. The hole seemed very very deep and very very dark.
  58. For years, I imagined that he was still down that enormous hole, lying on his side, breathing.
  59. Sometimes when I would play near the tree, I thought I saw the ground heave slightly, like a big dirt chest
  60. and I would run inside and tell my father that Rex was still awake
  61. but he reassured me with a laugh that he died of the puppy disease and that he was in puppy heaven.
  62. I didn’t believe him.
  63. A part of me still doesn’t.
  64. I have never had a pet of any kind as an adult.
  65. What’s for breakfast? Nothing. I don’t eat or drink anything until after 12pm.
  66. As a child, I had a BIG crush on Lerch, the butler on The Addams Family.
  67. I also had a thing for Snidely Whiplash
  68. The Wonder Twins
  69. Tony Atlas
  70. Snaggle Puss
  71. and Al Pacino
  72. Actually, The Panic in Needle Park was my favorite movie when I was, like, 8 years old.
  73. I couldn’t sleep one night and I sneaked into the den and watched the whole thing.
  74. That movie is probably what made me want to move to New York City…
  75. …and the Harlem Renaissance is why I live in Harlem. It’s so empowering, to be surrounded by such an explosive part of our history.
  76. What’s for dinner? If it’s Friday, we’re definitely having catfish and grits.
  77. I have six brothers and no sisters and I’m the middle kid.
  78. I take multivitamins and supplements every day.
  79. I go to church every week.
  80. I don’t drink alcohol,
  81. I don’t smoke (tobacco or marijuana) and
  82. I don’t do recreational drugs
  83. because frankly I’m too much of a an el cheapo tightwad to spend money on something that useless and expensive.
  84. All that stuff does is poison me slowly and age me quickly.
  85. Why should I gradually take myself out and look horrible in the process?
  86. And maybe even accidentally kill myself?
  87. Am I vain—or am I health conscious and sensible? Hmmm…
  88. When I’m on my own time, I don’t wear any make-up.
  89. My mother says that when I don’t straighten my hair, I look like a runaway slave.
  90. Up here, they call that Nubian.
  91. "Who would want to be with anyone who looks like that?" my mother gasped. (If she only knew.)
  92. Even when I’m stone cold broke, I will have a huge jar of Crème de la Mer
  93. a gym membership that I will use religiously
  94. plenty of hardback books and plenty of blank books
  95. a television and cable/internet access
  96. excellent vitamins
  97. my favorite body lotion from Kiehl’s
  98. and regularly scheduled appointments for facials at Bliss.
  99. *Gasp* I can’t believe it, I am so vain, vain, vain! (Naaa…it’s all actorly maintenance and upkeep. And that’s not vanity, folks. That’s a job requirement.) Insert Simon Bar Sinister evil diabolical remark here.
  100. And yes…I still have my Suzy Homemaker Easy Bake Oven.

 
 


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