Introducing Myself on Substack via MySpace Survey.
April/F/NYC <3
I’ve been exploring Substack for a few years now, but I only started writing on the platform about six months ago.
At first, I assumed my audience would primarily consist of people I know personally, so I dove into stories with little to no context, thinking everyone would understand my inherent personhood as well as the background that led me to start writing here in the first place (divorce, FYI).
But now I realize I have readers and subscribers that I’ve never met. Hi! I want to properly introduce myself, but how? This feels a bit like starting with a new therapist, and the task of relaying years of personal history is daunting. But it got me thinking: how can I efficiently share as much relevant information as possible so I can get to the juicy stuff faster?
After some thought on how to best relay this information, my mind drifted back to 2006—a simpler time, set to the soundtrack of “SexyBack” and “Hips Don’t Lie,” when my internet addiction was born, thanks to Tumblr and MySpace. For those unfamiliar (or those under 30), MySpace was an early social media platform where you could customize a “webpage” with your favorite music, custom backgrounds, and more. You could add friends and arrange them in order of importance on your “Top 8,” and if this didn’t cause a rift in your real-life friendships, you weren’t doing MySpace right.
Beyond sharing on your personal page or commenting on your friend’s “wall” (as it was called), you could blast out messages to all your friends via the “bulletin” feature. It was a trend to copy and paste surveys into your MySpace bulletin, and after scouring the web for some, I’ve compiled a few that should give you the gist of who I am.
So without further ado:
Name: April
Age: 33
Location: NYC
Siblings: Older brother, younger sister.
Last beverage: Water.
Last phone call: A FaceTime with my pal Jack last night.
Last song you listened to: Eugene by Sufjan Stevens
Zodiac sign: Taurus Sun, Aries Moon, Leo Rising.
Height: 5’5”
Favorite color: Black
Piercings: Just four in my ears, but I used to have a nipple pierced when I was younger/cooler.
Tattoos: Five (three on my thigh, one on my arm, one across my chest).
Favorite Fast Food: Taco Bell. Black Bean Crunchwrap Supreme, no cheese no sour cream, add potatoes. With two packets of Diablo Sauce.
Favorite subject in school: Music & English.
Do you want to be famous? It would be cool to be notable, but being famous seems awful.
Believe in luck? Sure.
Believe in love at first sight: Nah.
Believe in God? No.
Believe in Heaven: No.
Have you ever been on the computer for 5 hours straight? Often.
Did you ever watch TV for 5 hours straight? Often.
Favorite Song: “I Don’t What It Is” by Rufus Wainwright.
Favorite Movie: Ghost World.
Favorite TV Show: Survivor.
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Coffee or pistachio.
Single or Taken: Single.
What could you eat any day of the week and never get tired of? Chocolate.
Last thing you spent money on? Metrocard swipe.
Favorite season? Fall.
Do you like the outside? Yes.
What makes you happy? Making things with my big brain and little hands.
Have you ever seen someone you knew and purposely avoided them? Of course.
Ever been outside your home country? Many times.
Favorite place you’ve ever traveled to: Amsterdam.
Ever been on a road trip longer than 5 hours? Yes.
Are you afraid of the dark? No I love the dark.
Do you believe in true love? Yes, can you believe?
Do you wear make-up? Yes.
How many windows are open on your computer? Currently, four.
Who last texted you? My dear friend Elliot reminding me to sign up for swim team.
Who did you last text? A guy I went on a date with haha.
Who is the last person you cried in front of? My dear friend Krysta.
What are you craving right now? Eight hours of sleep.
Would you live with someone without marrying them? Yes.
What’s irritating you right now? That I can’t stop spending $45 every time I leave the house.
Do you want any pets: I just want my cat back, but now is not a good time for that.
Do you want to change your name: No, I love my name.
Do you wear glasses/contacts: I have glasses but I don’t wear them all the time.
Been arrested: Not yet.
Milk chocolate or white chocolate? (Vegan) milk chocolate.
Twirl or cut your spaghetti? Twirl, obviously.
Do you type fast? Relatively.
Do you sing in the shower? Loudly.
Have you dated someone twice: Nope.
Moved out of state: Nope.
Where is your favorite place on earth? My grandmother’s house in 1999.
What’s your favorite thing about yourself? I like a lot of things about myself. I like that I truly live a life according to my values.
Something you hate to do? I hate using my executive functions. I want to roll around on the ground, not write emails.
What would be the best gift ever? Victorian mourning jewelry/art.
Do you wish on shooting stars? I wish on everything.
If I left any of your burning questions unanswered, feel free to ask them below.
The way I am about to change my Taco Bell order….adding potatoes is ::chefs kiss::
favorite quote?