[Here's my contribution to the much-beloved, much-maligned, extremely popular early-2009 Facebook meme known as "25 Random Things."]
1. I’ve had a full beard since 1999. It took exactly no getting used to, and I don’t think I’ll ever get rid of it. It’s gotten bundled into my identity quite tightly, and I’m cool with that.
2. I have not ingested nicotine, my drug of choice, for approximately nine and a half years. This seemed like a deprivation for the first year, but I definitely don’t frame it that way any more.
3. My gal Amy says and makes the cutest things, and her forehead, eyes and smile still make my heart leap unexpectedly. In short, I’m a lucky guy.
4. My favorite writer is probably David Foster Wallace. I think I’m only coming to that conclusion now, as I’m reading Consider the Lobster, and it’s pretty much blowing me away.
5. I was oblivious of class differences during my college years. Surrounded by people who came from extremely wealthy families, I just sort of assumed we were all on the same level. Until the last week of senior year, when they fit everyone with loans into a single classroom. I don’t know why I find this blind spot of mine so interesting, but I do. I guess I’ve always felt between economic classes. Though I’m sure I’m not unique in thinking this.
6. I collect vinyl records. Nothing really “collectible”, though. My most recent prized possession cost me $2.99, for example. (It was the Smithereens EP, Beauty and Sadness.)
7. If you’d have asked me a couple years ago whether I believed in God, I would have said that the short answer is “yes,” but that the long answer would go some way towards appeasing atheists. Today, I’d say the short answer is “no,” and that the long answer is only worth sharing with people who don’t, e.g., assume gay people are going to hell. Because that’s just nuts.
8. It’s really a usage thing. For a while there, in my own mind, “God” had the potential to mean something. But I’ve heard the word invoked by so many truly awful people that I’m afraid it will never be reclaimed by thoughtful, tolerant people of any faith. So yeah, Rick Warren and everybody, go ahead with your “God” self. I’ll muddle through somehow.
9. But the long answer would have something to do with music and love and sympathy/empathy–this whole family of things I don’t feel fit to explain…and that I really don’t WANT explained, whose attempted explanations always ring hollow and fall short. I mean, WHAT is that SONG, you know? Of course, this very (over? under?) valuing of “explainability” would make for lively debate all by itself, and I’m game for going there. But again, if you believe, e.g., that our elected officials should use the Bible exclusively as a legislative guide…then I think it’s best we not even start. Because that’s pretty crazy when you think about it (not to mention no-kiddingly un-American).
10. I ride my bike to work when it’s 20 degrees or above. (And when I’m not caught in some vicious circle of soft, slothful wussiness.)
11. On the rare occasions when people learn my weight, they’re usually surprised. They think it should be a lower number. So do I.
12. I dislike hot weather more than I dislike cold weather. This is probably because I sweat way more than most people I know, and I am cranky when damp.
13. I am inexplicably fascinated by Christian hip-hop artist KJ-52. I’ve contempated writing a long nonfiction piece about him as a way of exploring those issues covered in #7 – #9 above.
14. Songwriting comes to me far easier than prose. Because of this, I have a tendency to downplay my songwriting talent. Amy pointed this out to me recently. I still feel weird about the whole thing, but she’s basically right. I should, as they say, OWN IT.
15. So okay, I’ve recorded a few albums’ worth of songs, and I think at least 60% of them are basically good.
16. Profitability is not the only measurement of worth. I do many things (like songwriting) that net me exactly zero dollars, but you can’t tell me they’re worthless because of it. Still, this has been the overarching attitude of our country for at least as long as I’ve been politically aware. I can only hope this will change during my lifetime.
17. I work for a University, and fervently hope I never have to work in the “private sector” ever again.
18. I don’t dislike television. I don’t distrust television. Rather, I distrust the degree to which I seem to like television. I think this is a healthy distrust. But I’m not sure if I can trust that.
19. Having said that, my favorite show at the moment is 30 Rock. My favorite syndicated show is That 70’s Show. Reality: either of the Chef Ramsey (sp?) things. All-time: The Office (BBC) & My So-Called life (tie). The Wire, The Sopranos, Mad Men, Deadwood: I agree that we’re in the golden age of television, and I am brimming with distrust accordingly.
20. In spring of 2007, I was hit by a car while riding my bike. My left first finger was bent like a pretzel. Once it had healed enough to be out of its splint, Amy would massage the knuckle, and it hurt…so…good. When I successfully hit a C-chord for the first time after the accident, tears welled up uncontrollably. I’ve since changed my bike route, going through neighborhoods with better drivers AND visibility.
21. I used to be a Cubs fan, but the 2008 season put an end to that. It’s like dating a psycho. It might be occasionally fun, but eventually you realize that it’s just not worth it. Plus, fair weather fandom is all I (should) have TIME for.
22. Our dog is named LP. When I tell people this, I always add “like a record.” His cuteness has not diminished since we got him back in 2003.
23. I love Chicago, though I know it has problems. It is large and it is lively and it does, in fact, work. Which on some days strikes me as miraculous.
24. I give it a shot every few years, but I just don’t think I’ll ever like Bloody Marys. There’s, like, FOOD in there. What’s up with THAT?
25. I’m inexplicably jealous of anyone who seems to think less than I do. I’m semi-explicably envious of anyone who’s less self-conscious than I am. I flat-out admire anyone who seems calm most of the time, regardless of what’s going on under the hood.
