There are many things about me that surprise people. I played violin when I was in school. I started in 4th grade and played until my senior year in high school. I quit orchestra, because my teacher had a real hate on for one of my classmates, which she made no attempt whatsoever to hide. I remember being disappointed in her; she was an adult and should've handled the situation better. Especially since the kid that she couldn't stand hadn't done anything to her. The way that she treated him made all of us uncomfortable, and made me lose all respect for her. I began to hate going to class, so I dropped it shortly after she kicked Henry out of the class. I wish that I had had the nerve to tell her exactly why I dropped out of orchestra, but I didn't.

People are surprised to learn that I took ballet lessons as a child, because I am one of the clumsiest people on two feet. I mean, seriously clumsy. I've fallen up the stairs, down the stairs, sprained my ankle stepping off of a curb, and in one particularly memorable instance, tripped over a crack in the sidewalk in front of my parent's house and sprained my left ankle and broke a toe on my right foot. So yeah, when my friends think of me they don't think of graceful women, doing pirouettes across a stage. They think of casts and crutches and trips to the ER.

People are also surprised to learn that I love rock music and The Beatles are my favorite band. As several people have told me through the years, Black people don’t listen to that type of music. I then tell them that that would've been news to Jimi Hendrix, Run DMC, and all of the other black people who listen to whatever they please. Depending on just how annoyed I am, I also tell them to go to...well, let's just say a very warm place with brimstone, and pitchfork wielding creatures. I have precious little patience for narrow minded idiots.

Video killed the radio star

I have to have music on when I'm working. A total lack of sound/noise is a distraction in itself. Sometimes I can work to the sound of a television show, but if it's a show that I like I find myself paying more attention to the show than to what I should be doing. Sometimes if I'm not careful, I end up typing the words that I hear coming from the TV. Maybe I should try to get a job doing closed captioning!

As for music, I love pop music but can't work to it, because when a song that I like comes on I tend to start singing along. I work well to jazz, classical, or ambient music. It may sound strange, but having music or some type of noise helps me to focus on the task at hand.

I would rather be a good singer, because I could have a longer career. Dancers are like athletes, they are out of the business by 40 (for the most part). Opera singers, for example, are just starting to hit their stride. Not that I would sing opera, 'cause I'm not a fan. I enjoy the music and the stories, but not the singing. I have respect for the talent that it takes to sing opera, but it's not my cuppa.

It's always been my dream to perform at the Grammy's.