25 Things about Shaka…and why.
1. I have been consistently described as “persistent” for as long as I can remember. Sometimes it’s meant as a compliment. Either way I always take it as one.
I have an ability to continue at a task well after others would have quit, and quite often well after they think I should have given up. There’s something about giving up that I find quite distasteful. Thomas Edison said:
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
And that stays with me. It might be the next time you try that you get it. It’s not like playing the lottery, where each attempt is a start from zero. Every attempt that you make towards a goal is an opportunity to learn what works, and what doesn’t. Learning how to work with the temporary failures builds problem solving abilities, which is way more valuable than just getting it right the first time.
2. I failed English and Spanish in Jr. High. I failed English, History and Spanish in High school. Ended up taking AP English in my last year, and got a 5/5. Now I speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, and am working on French. I’m also a history nut, and love researching the places I go to to find out who walked on the grounds before that was way more interesting than me. Sometimes I remember parts of history that I failed when I am standing inside of them. Especially in Paris.
I was a lazy student until my 3rd year of college. When classes were difficult I excelled at them. When classes were easy I got even lazier, to the point that I often failed them. In college I actually failed Health. Twice. Yeah, I got that bad. I like knowledge for knowledge’s sake.
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3. I have been obsessed with teaching since I was a wee-un. I have taught Math, Spanish, Portuguese, Juggling, dance, computers, graphic design, web design, and more. I come from a family of teachers, and I consider it an extension of the learning process.
4. My name is Shaka Gonzalez Brown. It’s not a stage name. I didn’t make it up. If you don’t believe me then write me a check. It will get cashed.
5. I like to travel. I’ve managed to spend some time in over 30 countries. Being able to dance and count to 8 has been a strong contributor to that.
See – The Desire to Travel
6. I come from educated people. Everyone is a college graduate (or working on it), many with higher educations. I come from a family of teachers and dancers and generally well rounded folks. To mistreat a book in my family has an equivalency to burning the American flag. “When I have a little money I buy books. If anything is left over I buy food and clothes”
7. I don’t get to the movies much, but I am a movie fiend. I will research a movie, memorize quotes from it, and expect other people to understand what I’m talking about.
8. I like to walk. It’s generally my feeling that if I can see it, I can walk to it. That’s how I learn how to get around. I generally don’t like taking cabs, after years of having them not stop for me, I convinced myself that I didn’t need them if they didn’t need me.
9. With the exception of wedding and some funerals, I don’t go to church. The last time I went was the first week college, 1994. I don’t encourage people to believe one way or another, I just don’t get anything out of it.
10. I’ve been described as a loner. In high school I did track, cross country, tennis, weight lifting, and swimming. Wasn’t big on team sports. I actually didn’t go to a single football game in high school. My punishment was that I joined the band in college and had to attend every football game, then became a cheerleader and had to attend every football and basketball game.
11. I signed up for FAMU’s Marching 100 because there was a girl that I liked. I really had no idea what I was signing up for. I mean literally, I had never even heard of the band, but they said that I could sign up for the Flag Corps, which was primarily guys. I didn’t know that the band danced. I almost quit when I found out, I had never danced in public. I’m glad I stuck it out though. Things never worked out with the girl. C’est La vie.
12. I expect people to read my mind. Most of the time they fail. Those that have a higher rate of success become my closest friends. I tend to just slightly hint at things rather than state them outright. As secretive as I try to be, my mother can always see right through my words, read my inflections, and call me out on it. I guess she’s had years of practice.
13. After September 11, 2001, I took up the philosophy “If I can no longer dictate the conditions of my labor, I would henceforth cease to work”.
14. Pet Peeves – Hypocrisy, wasting time.
15.Diet- I have never eaten pork (consciously). I was a vegetarian for 4 years. During the time I learned that I was allergic to eggplant and some tomatoes. Then I developed a serious lactose intolerance. Eating got to be a chore, so I called Seania up and told her that I wanted some fried chicken.
16. I like to play chess. I’m not great at it, but it’s something my grandfather taught me, and I can spend all night playing (5 minute games).
17. In high school I played a trick on my little brother that resulted in him almost being stabbed in the chest. I stopped playing with knives after that.
18. I don’t believe in violence as a means of solving problems. I do believe in being prepared to deal with violent people, possibly in physical ways.
19. I spend a lot of time thinking about people, personalities, social relationships, and what makes them work or not. Though the goal of applying those thoughts to my own relationships is something I have not quite gotten the hang of.
20. I am afraid of horses.
21. I have never been one to take other peoples word. I have to touch the stove to know it’s hot.
22. As I grow older I see the increased vulnerability of adults, and the super strength of children.
23. I like to make people laugh, but I don’t like to be seen laughing, or even smiling. If you see me smiling you can bet that it’s because I’ve had a few drinks. My kind of humor is dry, wry, non-sequitor. Some of my favorite inspirations are Woody Allen, Dave Barry, TheOnion.com, my mother, and Chris Rock.
24. People generally feel comfortable talking with me because I don’t try to use their words as a launchpad for my own. Sometimes it’s just nice to talk and know that someone else hears you. However, many of the people I’ve known for years tell me eventually “I don’t feel like I know you that well”. I guess I spend more time listening than talking.
25. My grandfather is my role model. He has never let me settle for being less than my best. When others were patting me on the back, he was kicking me in the butt, saying that I can do more than that. As a result I tend to hold myself and others to high standards, and when folks ask me for a review of their work I ask them first “Is this the best you can do?”