Trinity

Inspired by a meme found on EJ's site.

Three names you go by:
1. shim
2. John
3. smart-ass

Three screennames you have:
1. dralion64(yahoo)
2. perrygrin(aol)
3. jsterling64(yahoo)

Three things you like about yourself:
1. enigmatic nature
2. insatiable curiosity
3. ability to listen

Three things you hate/dislike about yourself:
1. constant sense of restlessness
2. never satisfied with my work (both professional and creative)
3. lack of singular focus

Three parts of your heritage:
1. African-American
2. Korean
3. Trill

Three things that scare you:
1. prolonged silence
2. caves
3. extremists

Three of your everyday essentials:
1. The Golden Girls
2. caffeine
3. dirty thoughts

Three things you are wearing right now:
1. sweatshirt
2. pajama bottoms
3. silly grin

Three of your favorite bands/artists (at the moment):
1. Nile Rodgers & Chic (the current incarnation, not the classic lineup)
2. Lizz Wright
3. Joni Mitchell (I finally feel grown up enough to dip into her formidable repertoire... she is amazing)

Three of your favorite songs at present:
1. "I Want a Love I Can See" - The Temptations
2. "Fastlove" - George Michael
3. "Everybody Dance" - Chic

Three new things you want to try in the next 12 months:
1. learn Italian
2. podcasting
3. explore cities where I don't know anyone (Albuquerque, Dallas, Seattle top the list)

Three things you want in a relationship (love is a given):
1. humour
2. one who listens without prejudice
3. crazy sex

Two truths and a lie:
1. I am fascinated by Condolezza Rice
2. I voted for Ronald Reagan
3. I was once a Republican

Three physical things about the opposite sex (or same) that appeal to you:
1. ass
2. lips
3. eyes

Three things you just can't do:
1. sing
2. listen to Ashanti without cringing
3. turn off my mind

Three of your favorite hobbies:
1. reading weblogs
2. listening to music
3. drawing

Three things you want to do really badly right now:
1. get through a day without physical pain
2. sleep
3. clean my apartment

Three careers you're considering:
1. Project Manager (so I can get paid just for not knowing shit)
2. Record Industry Historian
3. Christian History Scholar

Three places you want to go on vacation:
1. Italy
2. Scandinavia
3. Maui

Three kids names:
1. Koren
2. Michelle
3. Lamar

Three things you want to do before you die:
1. Finish something I've started
2. Live outside the US
3. Watch my siblings grow old

Hines Ward

The sudden fame and celebrity Hines Ward is now finding in South Korea intrigues and encourages me.

All my life I have heard of the horror stories of children who are born of American and Korean blood. Particularly those (like myself) who have Black fathers. One of the few things I remember about my parents splitting up was that both felt my life would be better if I stayed with my African-American father. For a 7-year old who would never see his mother again, that provided little comfort. As an adult, I am thankful for what came out of my parents' decision: A new family with a new mother who loves me and gave me six amazing siblings.

Seeing Ward embraced as a national hero is actually consistent with my limited interactions with Korean people. I did not know any other Korean people growing up, but met some as an adult. Their reactions to me have been positive. I worked with a couple Korean women who consistently encouraged me to not lose connection with that side of my ancestry. One even taught me how to write my name in Korean, which is now tattooed on my left arm.

Ward, a player whose background I knew nothing about until recently, has suddenly become someone of intense interest for me. As small details of his life and the struggles of his mom are reported, it is quite inspiring to watch Korea react and embrace him. For a country that has suffered immensely (including a very bloody war), it is good to see Ward as a symbol who is bringing people together. Hopefully, his fame will shower down on those who are still there and have suffered the fate that I was (thankfully) spared.

Post Superbowl Blues

Like the empty stadium above, that is how I always feel after the Superbowl. Every year since the mid-70s, I go into a post Superbowl funk that hits the hardest on the following Sunday when I awake, then realize that there is no football game that week to schedule my Sunday around (I lost interest in the Pro Bowl decades ago, so it holds no relevance).

Thankfully, spring is only a few weeks away and the warming weather combined with the amorous vibe of that particular season always lifts the spirits. In the meantime, I think I'll delve into a good book or two (anyone have any recommendations?) to fill the football void.