5 things (or is it 6)?

Ok, this meme has been going on for quite long enough. I think I will officially be the last blogger to post 5-er, 6- things about myself that others might not know. After that, my friends, we shall have closure! Thanks, Chris, for the tag.

Here we go...

1. I was an awful student in high school. In fact, the only class I consistently earned A's in was French. There were a lot of reasons for my lackluster performance: I was placed in a science class that was too advanced for me, I had an evil misogynist of a math teacher (Jim Dawes, I'm looking at you. Yes, Jim Dawes) that turned me off to math, I went to a high school different than the one all my junior high school friends went to and had no friends, general teenage malaise and rebellion, the fact that in my family my brother played the role of the academic superstar while I played the role of the mediocre slacker...

2. I have moved a total of 14 times in my 27 years. I have inherited the itinerant lifestyle I grew up with, and don't think I could ever imagine living anywhere for the rest of my life. After a year or two, I get the itch. I have lived on both coasts of the U.S. and I want to experience much more! If I ever have kids, I would love for them to live in a country other than the U.S. for at least a few years. I am fascinated by notions of the diaspora, migration, wandering, and shifting senses of space and place.

3. I speak English, Farsi, French, and German. Plus a tiny bit of Spanish. My dad is an ethnic Turk and speaks Turkish. My mom's family is from a region in Northern Iran that speaks a distinct dialect of Farsi. I want to learn more languages! Next up, Mandarin...?

4. I spent most of my childhood in Cupertino, California. At school, all of our school computer labs were strictly Apple. Our scientific calculators were Hewlett Packard. We had Apple logo stickers and folders and stationary. My family's favorite restaurant used to be Croutons, a salad bar located in the Apple Computer building (this is where I first discovered the wonder that is pesto!). Al Gore visited my high school, but I didn't get to meet him because most students were under lock-down for his visit. I remember armed guards on the roofs. In 1995, as a junior, I took our school's first Internet class. This was before the world wide web was in wide use- I had to learn to use newsgroups, FTP, etc. I've had one or another email address for almost 12 years!

5. I've had the following hair colors (and combinations thereof): brown, black, orange, black with orange streaks, green, bleached blonde, bleached blonde with pink streaks, red, olive, strawberry blonde, brown with platinum highlights. For most of my childhood, I had very short haircuts, because my hair was wild and curly and I'd throw a fit every time my mom tried to comb it. That is why I was never afraid to try new styles, cuts, and colors... except, that I've been in quite the hair rut for the last couple of years. It's time for a change. * see photos, below *

6. I used to be pathologically afraid of being alone. I think it came from seeing missing child stories on television, combined with reading true crime books. When my parents would leave me at home, even for a few minutes, I would keep a butcher knife near me for protection. For the longest time, I was convinced that I was fated to come to a violent end. Not until my apartment in New York City did I ever feel calm to be alone overnight. I think it's because my apartment was on the 4th floor, and it was a corner apartment, which made me feel very nestled, cozy, and safe. I feel much safer and at home in crowded urban metropoles than in suburban or rural settings.

* * *

On an unrelated note, would you take a moment to read the sad story of Tigger the cat and see if you can help in any way?

Happy March everybody!

*Bazu at various ages with short hair*



at 6 months, with dad. here, short hair was obviously not a choice!



at 6 years



at 17



at 18

5 things (or is it 6)?