I originally declared that I wouldn’t respond to the “25 Things About Me” meme that’s been sweeping the Facebook nation, but last night I gave in to the peer pressure. Some 5 million people so far have responded to the “chain letter” on Facebook asking for you to share 25 facts about yourself, getting the attention of the New York Times in the process. I didn’t expect to so greatly appreciate all of my Facebook friends sharing their personal lives with me (tagging me over and over in the process). So clearly I don’t agree with this Time article calling the social networking phenomenon “dumb”. To me, it shows how much people want to create a real, authentic community over the web. It shows how much we all just want to reach out to each other and understand our similarities and differences. Are 5 million people dumb for wanting to share their light? I think not. But I guess it’s like the tagline for the Washington Post: if you don’t get it, then you don’t get it.
25 Things You Didn’t Know About Me Before
1. I could eat fried chicken every day of the week.
2. I’ve been writing poetry since I was 15. My first poem was titled, ‘I Am a Black Woman.”
3. When I was a little girl, I told my mom I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up. And now I am. An adjunct professor, that is.
4. I spent 6 years of my life in Honolulu, Hawai’i 1994-2000. Best years of my life.
5. I spent the first 8 years of my life living in the public housing projects in Cleveland, Ohio 1982-1990. Those years were not so good.
6. My most vivid experience with racism was at a Piggly-Wiggly supermarket in South Carolina in 1991. A store clerk rammed into me with a shopping cart, calling me a “little nigger.” My mom sued them and we settled out of court.
7. Music is a big part of my life: gospel, R&B (especially from the 80s & 90s), jazz, “underground” hip hop. I listen to music when I wake up, during the day, before I go to sleep. Music – and poetry – helps me to understand this crazy world. I stopped dating this guy once because he didn’t listen to music.
8. I love to cook! I have a ton of cookbooks that I use a lot. In my second life I want to attend culinary school. And be a food blogger.
9. I still love the movie “Clueless”. As if!
10. I’ve been engaged before, and still don’t know how I feel about marriage.
11. I’m rediscovering my spirituality after a few years of rushing around being too busy to thank God.
12. My favorite job was in college when I worked in a library. I read so many books that year on my lunch breaks.
13. I love any version of “In a Sentimental Mood” by Duke Ellington.
14. My favorite jazz composition, however, is “A Love Supreme” by John Coltrane.
15. I hate voicemail with a passion.
16. I also hate T-Pain with a passion.
17. It makes me really sad that most of my high school friends ended up dropping out of college.
18. I hate seeing people I love struggling through life. I’m trying to learn how to encourage people to follow their dreams without being condescending, bossy, or pushy.
19. I skipped the 12th grade and started college when I was 17.
20. I’m an extreme introvert, according to all the Myers-Briggs type tests.
21. I love when organizations invite me to come speak, but being around hundreds of people in one day tends to really tire me out.
22. Taboo is the best game ever.
23. I haven’t played a video game since Nintendo & Super Mario Bros.
24. I don’t have cable and don’t watch much TV. That apparently makes me weird.
25. I wish that everyone wanted to change the world.
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James H. Peterson III
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