A Bit About Me: 25 of My Favorite Things
In a world of heightened content creation and consumption, sometimes it is easy to slip into seeing yourself in terms of the content you share. That’s all too true for me at least. As I’ve begun to embrace seeing myself as an author, I’ve leaned into developing a personal brand of sorts, curating my “I”. Though I’ve enjoyed doing this overall, there’s a wrestling sense of conflation and dissociation. I constantly have to remind myself that, even though my content reflects aspects of me, I am not equal to my content or my work at-large. A lot of my friends have mentioned dealing with something similar as they’ve presented themselves on different platforms. But you know what? Sometimes, I think we all need to remind ourselves and our broader audiences that we are all whole human beings and not just sources of specific types of content. In curating my “I”, I am not obligated to fit inside of any fixed mold all the time. NO ONE IS! So, I wanted to share this silly and somewhat random post because I wanted to share more of myself with you all in a less filtered way. Without further ado, here are 25 of my favorite things:
Favorite color overall: Red
My favorite color used to toggle between red and purple throughout my childhood. Now, it’s definitely red. I think I’m drawn to the strength and richness of red and the ways in which it can embody beauty and pain.
2. Favorite color to wear: Yellow
The golden undertone of my complexion demands it. 💁🏽♀️
3. Favorite car color: Black
Black cars just seem to be the sleekest and classiest.
4. Favorite number: 4
(You see what I did there? 🤓😉) I really appreciate how 2+2=4, 2 * 2=4, and 2^2=4. There are also 4 children in my family, so I associate the number with a fond sense of completion.
5. Favorite food of all time: French fries!
I love fries of all kinds EXCEPT for sweet potato fries. Sweet potatoes belong in pies and not as fries. You’d be amazed at how many spirited debates I’ve gotten into over this fact.
6. Favorite fruit: Strawberries
I really like berries in general, but I’ve LOVED strawberries and strawberry-related foods for as long as I can remember.
7. Favorite cold beverage: San Pellegrino Pompelmo Sparkling Grapefruit Beverage
I love sparkling beverages, a grapefruit juice, and the classy, but approachable nature of San Pellegrino drinks. What’s not to love?
8. Favorite cartoon character: MICKEY MOUSE!!!
I’ve been infatuated with Mickey Mouse for basically my whole life. As you can see, he and I go way back lol.
9. Favorite TV show overall: The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)
This entire show is sheer pensive artistry, and its creator Rod Serling was a genius. One episode in particular, “The Obsolete Man,” should be required content in school. Absolutely stunning.
10. Favorite TV show from my childhood: VeggieTales (1993–)
I don’t know the extent to which Veggietales officially counts as a TV show since most of the series went straight to DVD, but I LOVE IT! When I’m at home with my family, I slip in at least one VeggieTales reference in basically every conversation. And I can proudly say that I remember at least part of all of the silly songs?
11. Favorite animal: Lion
Not only are lions beautiful, but they are also family-oriented. In my family, we collectively refer to ourselves as The Dawkins Pride.
12. Favorite hairstyle: Braided bun
I will probably have my hair up for 95% of the rest of my life. It’s my signature hairstyle and it accentuates my height.
13. Favorite animated movie: Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014)
If someone were to ask me, “So, Kyra, how would you describe your sense of humor?,” I would just point to this movie. I have yet to see such a masterful and witty use of puns!
14. Favorite instrument: Harp
Of all the instruments I’ve tried, harp is probably the only one I’d like to pick up again in the future. It’s so unique, angelic, and more versatile than a lot of people might think.
15. Favorite one-hit wonder song: “Somebody that I Used to Know” (feat. Kimbra) by Gotye
Not only is this song catchy, but it ended up referring to itself in a way. (Also, I couldn’t decide what my favorite song of all time was, so sharing this was a good alternative.)
16. Favorite author: Madeleine L’Engle
I’ve loved every single book that I’ve read by her, from A Wrinkle in Time to A Ring of Endless Light and so many more. In fact, I recently had the pleasure of reading and reviewing Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art.
17. Favorite book (other than the Bible, which is really a collection of books, but you know what I mean): The Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende
I read The Island Beneath the Sea when I was around fourteen years old. This story truly transformed my understanding of world-building and writing at-large. The Island Beneath the Sea is historical fiction imbued with the magnetic qualities of magical realism.
18. Favorite book genre: Speculative Fiction/Fantasy
Though it may take a minute to orient myself at the start of a fantasy or speculative fiction book, I love gleaning lessons from whole new worlds!
19. Favorite celestial object: Quasar
Quasars are some of the brightest objects in space and they are made of gas and plasma rapidly being whipped around supermassive blackholes. In other words, they are the brightest light on the brink of oblivion. How philosophical. 🤔
20. Favorite season: Fall
I love the rich fall foliage colors, the cozy sweaters, and the hot apple cider. Pumpkin-spiced lattes are extremely overrated though. 🙃
21. Favorite sport to watch: Basketball
Basketball is probably the only sport I can follow without someone having to explain it to me. I watch NBA and NCAA games fairly regularly. My little brother also plays basketball and I’m one of his biggest fans!
22. Favorite sport to play/do: Crew
Though it’s been a couple of years since I’ve been in an actual boat, I used to row on the varsity crew team in high school. The team culture was really intense, but I enjoyed rowing itself. I still try to erg whenever I go to the gym.
23. Favorite board game: Clue
I appreciate that this game actually requires deductive reasoning skills. It’s also fun to see how different versions present the scenery and the characters.
24. Favorite makeup product: Lip gloss
*Plays “Lip Gloss” by Lil Mama* 💋🎵
25. Favorite type of jewelry piece to wear: Earrings
I wear earrings every day and all the time. My go-to styles are pearl studs or gold hoops. However, I also enjoy wearing more uniquely crafted earrings like the ones Mackenzie Finklea made and gifted me inspired by The We and the They cover. 😊
I’d love to learn more about all of you too, so PLEASE share some of your favorite things in the comments below.
