OBAMA IS THE NEW DENZEL

via wwtdd

just sayin'.

i was tagged over at j'adore fashion to list seven personal details about myself so that readers can get to know me better. i'm pretty down with this tag because aside from the fact that i like fashion and all things vintage and wear black all the time, i'm starting to think it might be pretty easy to see me as a sort of one-trick pony, y'know? so without further ado, seven (basic) personal details about yours truly.

one// i was born and raised on staten island, new york.

if this draws a blank look from you, i don't blame you. if this draws a look of disdain from you, i still don't blame you. it's the fifth borough - they aren't actually numbered, but trust me, if they did, staten island would come in last. it's the least populated, least diverse (mostly italian), most suburban, and majorly lacking in cool points. i went to high school with hundreds of overly tanned, thickly accented girls with a penchant for acrylic nails, north face jackets, coach bags, nameplates and velour. most of their middle names were marie. the good news is, not only did i make it out unscathed with some great friends, i managed to retain a modicum of good taste, too. luckily for me, i'm a north shore resident, which is home to its own scrappy brand of indie cool, though it has yet to take up the hipster torch. i think the scene is improving, though, and i have dreams of coming back one day and revolutionizing the island, nightlife hotspot by nightlife hotspot. until then, you can find me on the ferry, making my way to manhattan.

deux// i spent fifteen years in catholic school. in uniform.

and i don't have nearly as many complexes as people expect me to because of it. despite my decidedly staten island high school experience, i generally enjoyed all of my pre-college education. i never got whacked over the knuckles with a ruler, and i can count on one hand how many nuns i've had as teachers. i don't even have that much catholic guilt - go figure. i will admit to one side effect of the experience: no matter how good some people look in jumpers or pleated plaid skirts, i just can't bring myself to try the trend. it just feels too like business as usual. been there, done that.

tre// i'm a junior at harvard majoring in english.

english and american literature and language, to be precise. i'm considering minoring in studies of women, gender, and sexuality, and over the summer i wrapped up my language citation in french (hah. i still get anxiety over formulating a sentence). before that i tried out a ton of other things, including social anthropology (eh) and economics (ugh). come to think of it, i have a penchant for doing things not according to plan. before harvard, i was dead-set on going to columbia and nyu was a close second. acceptance to the three schools was a clusterfuck the likes of which i haven't seen since, but when the smoke cleared, i was at the big h. it's quite an experience being here - i can't think of anywhere else where you have to navigate through throngs of tourists to get to class - and it stresses me out/drives me crazy at times, but i get by with a little help from my friends.

quattro// i'm terribly shy. except for those times when i'm not.

i've always been "painfully shy," as mamdukes likes to put it, but when i was little i had the weirdest habit of crying when showing up to a party with lots of strangers, for instance, but then crying at the end of the party because i'd gotten used to everyone and didn't want to leave. in the sixth grade, i made a concerted effort at learning to be more outgoing, and succeeded for all intents and purposes, but there's still no rhyme or reason to when i'll be a walflower or a chatty cathy. and being drunk has nothing to do with it - i don't drink.

cinco// i'm prone to obsessing over random things.

here's how it usually goes: something mildly interesting catches my eye (or ear). i think, 'whoa! why haven't i devoted inordinate amounts of time and effort to becoming an expert on this before?!' then i hunt down all kinds of related media and immerse myself in said topic. this has happened with: andy warhol, flappers, disney, assassins, lsd, astral projection, nancy drew, the sixties, fashion, charles manson, breakdancing, the fifties, elephants, bob dylan, vampires, the eighties, barbie, basquiat, the merry pranksters, vogue, las vegas, skateboarding, coco chanel, the olympics, the beatles, the bible, hippies, billie holiday, paris, hip hop, urban legends, audrey hepburn, the weather underground.. the list goes on. some topics have become lifelong interests, while others have faded into obscurity, but ask me sometime what my obsession du jour is, and i'll always be glad to spit some knowledge.

šest// i'm not very photogenic.

i don't know exactly what it is that makes some people come out fantastically in pictures all the time, but i can say without a doubt that i don't have it. i work hard to look presentable on film, and on this blog for that matter. that said, i've developed a sort of affinity for my ever-growing collection of quirky photos. find me on facebook and you'll see a ton of them. i don't believe in untagging.

sieben// i enjoy laughter more than shoes.

and that's saying a lot. make me laugh, and i'll be your best friend. seriously, that's pretty much all it takes.

i hope you all feel better acquainted with me now.. it was good for me, was it good for you? good. as always, i'm going to break the rules and open this tag up to anyone who would like to share a bit of themselves with the blogosphere.

andddd i'm out.