25 Random Things

Hello, world!! This is Jamaal St.John and I just figured that since I've been seeing so many folks run down 25 random things about themselves on Facebook, Etc., I might as well get in on the act. So here goes:

1. I am a sports fanatic.- To me, ESPN is the greatest thing since sliced bread!! I am a die hard Yankees, Knicks, and Jets fan. March Madness ( The NCAA Men's & Women's Basketball Tournaments) is my favorite sporting event of the year!

2. I do not subscribe to any particular religion- I am not the most religious person. However I do believe in being a spiritual one.
I think every religion has something meaningful to offer. There are alot of folks who attend church, synogogue, mosque on a frequent basis but it doesn't neccessarily make them good people. Besides, it isn't the word of God I find problematic, but how man interprets it.

3. My Favorite Colors are Dark Green and Chocolate Brown. Pretty Much anything Earthtone.

4. I have 5 younger sisters and a younger brother.

5. I have a very strange creative process when it comes to writing my poetry: I keep a pen and pad next to the bed because I tend to get inspired while I sleep. I hear voices, random words, and I see images in my dreams that usually become transformed into full length poems.

6. I have a love jones for full figured women- I know that there are alot of dudes in the world who happen to be closeted chubby chasers but I am open about what I like. There is nothing like a big girl who carries herself with confidence. I have huge crushes on Jill Scott, Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah, Mo'Nique, and every model in the current edition of The Lane Bryant catalog.

7. I Love Being Married- I have the greatest wife on the planet!! Even after 7 years of marriage, I am still learning how to be a better husband and I am truly enjoying the journey. My wife is my ultimate compliment and she continues to demonstrate that day in and day out. She never ceases to amaze me. Beautiful, Intelligent, Headstrong, Loving, Funny, Passionate, and Thicka Than A Snicka! Not a day goes by that I don't consider myself a very fortunate man to have her in my life. I Love You, Nile!!

8. I am an avid reader- I read everything and anyhing I can get my hands on. My favorite books include: Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man by James Joyce, Nobody Knows My Name by James Baldwin, Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde, Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, Salvation by bell hooks, and Why I Am Not A Christian by Bertrand Russell. I also read magazines like The Atlantic, Essence, Ebony, The Source, Vibe, and XXL.

9. I am a serious audiophile- I love music. I have a huge CD collection! I love old soul, contemporary R&B, alternative rock, with my favorite genre being underground hip hop.

10. I do not Twitter- It just sounds like something that I'm not supposed to be doing.

11. I've been in the banking industry since 1994. My least favorite subject in school: Math. Go figure.

12. My favorite place to write poetry is The New York Public Library.

13. I have a very extensive vocabulary-My Uncle turned me into a human dictionary at the age of 3. So much so that when I was 4 my grandmother told me that I was being mendacious and replied by saying " Grandma, why are you calling me a liar?"
I guess that is when i started to develop my love for words.

14. I Love To Travel-My favorite place to go is Toronto, Canada. It's one of the most beautiful, socially and culturally ecclectic places in the world. I have been performing out there religiously since 1998. The people are wonderful and each time I go back it feels more like home.

15. I Love My Cats- My wife and I don't have any children but we have two of the most adorable, lovable, and mischievous cats in the world: Zen( Sealpoint Siamese) & Fidel( Havana Brown)

16. My mother named me after world-renown jazz pianist Ahmad Jamaal

17. I have never had alcohol, never smoked, and never taken a hard drug in my life.

18. In October of 2005, I was diagnosed with Diabetes. I do have a bit of a sweet tooth, though.Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream is my Kryptonite.

19. I Love Marvel Comics: Stan Lee is a Genius!! His Comics were parables of what was going on in the world at large. As an example: X-men was based on the concept of racism. He used the concept of mutants to simulate the plight of people of color in America. He used Daredevil to show the world that handicapped doesn't mean helpless. He used Spider Man to illustrate the relationship responsibility has to power.

20. I used to have an accute fear of driving a car until I went to a hypnotherapist to correct it.

21. I think that 2 greatest musical artists of all time are Stevie Wonder and Billy Joel.

22. I am a huge fan of Confucius. His aphorisms( wise sayings) are huge influences on how I live my life.

23. I never finished college- I attended Northeastern University for 1 year and dropped out due to financial hardship. I am planning on going back to get my degree, most likely in either Education or Liberal Arts. I promised my Aunt Norma that I would go back and finish before she unforunately passed away a few years ago. I fully intend on keeping my word.

24. I hate tomatoes( with a passion), but love Italian food.

25. In preparation for my stage performance, I do not study other poets. I study comedians. As for which comedians I study: Richard Pryor( the greatest of all time), Dave Chappelle( heir to the throne), Chris Rock( funny and insightful), and Robin Williams( greatest improv comedian ever) .