Random Spytap Facts that may or may not be interesting
In no particular order:
* I’ve used the moniker “Spytap” for over 12 years now. I identify with it as much as my given name, and will answer to it in real life.
* I’m a total insomniac. Most nights I wake up a couple dozen times, and some nights I just wake up at 3am or so and am wide awake. I can go for months on end getting no more than about 4 hours of sleep a night, and did so for most of my college, I think my insomnia has just forced my body to adapt.
* I don’t dream. Well, generally not. Most people tell me that I do dream, I just don’t remember them. In some cases I wake up with the sense that I did, in fact, dream, but with no knowledge of the topic. Sometimes I’ll wake up with a single frame of the dream in memory without context. VERY rarely (maybe once or twice a year) will I have remembered more than that.
* I really do think I’m smarter than most people. Not most people I actually know, since I think I actually know some really smart people, just most people in general. I think this probably makes me an asshole.
* I’ve been a writer my entire life. Poetry, short stories, lyrics, etc. It’s what I do for catharsis, and I would never want to make it my career because I really would have no idea what to do when I needed to get away from my daily life.
* I never once did a second draft of a paper, either a nonfiction report or a creative writing assignment, until my 3rd year of college. We had a class where we had to turn in a first draft of a screenplay and then revise it. I didn’t really understand this concept.
* I also never outline my papers or projects. Sometimes I just know where they’re going when I start (nonfiction), sometimes I’m just along for the ride myself (fiction.) Anytime I outline something I disregard the outline within about 2 paragraphs.
* When I took it, I was the only person at my college to have ever gotten a perfect score on their WPE (Writing Proficiency Exam). I’m still sort of proud of this as I was never a particularly good student outside of writing. B- to C was about right most of the time. Writing was the only thing I routinely got good grades in.
* Bad spelling bothers me to my soul.
* I hate being in photographs. I avoid them if at all possible. I’m sure that’s probably a self-image issue, but regardless, I avoid them.
* I like being on the other end of the camera, but I prefer doing photography of inanimate objects like buildings, clouds, landscape, etc. I also like doing long exposures and night shots.
* From 7th grade through sophomore year of high school I refused to listen to any radio station other than the classic rock station. One night I realized why I was starting to find it so repetitive: they weren’t making any more classic rock. I caved, and started listening to the local alt rock and hip-hop stations. To this day, my love of early to mid nineties alt rock, early 90’s west-coast hip-hop, and classic rock remain.
* The first CD I ever bought was 2 Legit 2 Quit (just before the above modern music cutoff…and now that I think about it, perhaps the cause of said cutoff.) The first concert I ever went to was Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. I find it hard to reconcile these two aspects of my musical taste.
* That being said, I have terrible musical taste (or better stated: I don’t have very adventurous musical taste, preferring the familiar) and frequently tell myself that I need to expand my horizons. Then I’ll put on another NIN, Tool, or Beatles/Stones song and move on.
* My memory is shit. Names, numbers, and dates just fall out of my head. Song Lyrics stay forever though. Any any moment, should you ask, I could recite all of Semi-Charmed Life, California Love, or the theme song to Gummi Bears without missing a beat at all. I could probably “mouth-guitar” any solos as well.
* I built my own computer in college, and then made some spare cash doing the same for my classmates. I actually really enjoy the whole feeling of being neck-deep in hardware and don’t find the process intimidating at all. For some reason computers just sort of make sense to me.
* I take forever to make a big purchase. My TV took me almost two years to purchase, my car took three. I’m very particular when spending large amounts of money. I really do like my car and TV though. They’re awesome.
* I still play video games. I am totally cool with that too.
* Jigsaw puzzles frustrate me to no end. I have no idea where to start and my eyes just cross looking at the jumble of pieces. A thousand piece puzzle to me might as well be a million piece puzzle.
