Richard Kriheli

99 Things about Rich:

1. “Arie” is actually my first name on my birth certificate because of some mandate that required carrying a Hebrew name due to being born to a Jewish father in Jerusalem.
2. My parents and relatives never call me Arie.
3. I lived in Jerusalem, Israel for 4 months and Rome, Italy for 3 months before moving to New York City.
4. I broke my left arm when I was 5. Didn’t heal properly and now for that reason I can barely touch my left shoulder.
5. While every boy I knew growing up had a thing for Alyssa Milano, my heart was with Valerie Bertanelli.
6. I irritated my grade school teachers by refusing to participate in Columbus Day projects (I still have issues with it).
7. I got into many bike accidents as a kid trying to emulate crazy stunts from Grease 2.
8. I once drank gasoline thinking it was 7-Up (it was stored in a 7-Up bottle for some reason in a camp in upstate New York).
9. The first movie I ever saw in a theater was Superman.
10. I saw Superman II in the theater 7 times.
11. I wrote my first short story at age 9, entitled “Revenge of the Snowmen.” It was published in my gradeschool’s annual journal and its probably better than any other work of fiction I have written since.
12. I reached my height of 6′0″ at age 13. Haven’t grown since.
13. I used to listen to Def Leppard’s “Rocket” and drink Hawaiian Punch right before I pitched in my baseball league games - to pump me up.
14. I have eaten at Taco Cabana. Don’t ask.
15. Despite being a Prince enthusiast and owning the Purpleprose.com domain name, and contrary to popular belief, my favorite color is not purple.
16. I once unsuccessfully tried to woo Ananda Lewis.
17. Live concerts I have seen: Mr Bungle, Faith No More, Tomahawk, Lovage, Fantomas, Mike Patton, Beastie Boys, The Roots, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Dilated Peoples, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Public Enemy, Black Sheep, The Xcecutioners, Wu Tang Clan, Beatnuts, Biz Markie, Coolio, Jurrasic 5, Digable Planets, Foxy Brown, Ndea Davenport, Erykah Badu, D’Angelo, Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, The Ramones, Kiss, Def Leppard, Metallica, Tool, U2, Van Halen, Ugly Kid Joe, Janes Addiction, Liz Phair, Madonna, Lenny Kravitz, Morris Day & The Time, and Prince over 40 times.
18. I have a first cousin that I haven’t seen for close to 30 years.
19. In high school, I shaved horizontal lines in the sides of my head and sported a ponytail to mimic the style of one of my personal heroes, Mike Patton.
20. I was 3 credits short of having a minor in African American Studies. I didn’t realize it until after graduation.
21. I once slipped underneath a parked truck.
22. I got piss drunk on my first night visiting Austin, Texas vomiting all over town (including 6th Street and some random popular after hours eatery).
23. I sprained my right knee on my first day visiting Toronto, Ontario during a Labor Day weekend getaway with my friends.
24. I have attempted speed-dating once.
25. I am addicted to Diet Coke.
26. I love cookies.
27. I have attended two Wrestlemania’s (IV and V).
28. In 1989, I won Banner Day at Shea Stadium.
29. I am completely hooked on the Television train-wreck, LOST.
30. I sometimes wear rubber bands on my wrist that read “Asparagus” on them for no reason whatsoever.
31. I have superstitious tendencies.
32. I think Pee Wee Herman is genius.
33. I like carrots, but I am disgusted by carrot juice.
34. I have an obnoxious amount of Prince CD’s (including rare releases).
35. I have too many boxer shorts.
36. I’ve been known to dress up as God during Halloween.
37. I get bad headaches once in a while due to continuing side-affects from the spinal anesthesia option I took during back surgery in 1996.
38. I got ridiculed in a record store by the cashier for purchasing a CD from Tatyana Ali the day it came out.
39. I think Run DMC’s Raising Hell is the greatest album of all time.
40. Being a huge Batman fan growing up, I refused to watch the Burton movie for the first 2 weeks after its release because I was upset with its overt commercialism and Burton’s involvement.
41. I steal signs (street signs, that is).
42. In my freshman year of college, my friends played a highly elaborate prank on me, putting up ads all over campus advertising the imminent sale of football tickets I did not have with my phone number on it… asking to “call before 6am if interested.”
43. My roommates in college once hid J-Crew magazines all over my dorm room. Behind posters, under my bed, everywhere.
44. I started out as a Finance major in college. Switched to English/Creative Writing in my Junior year.
45. During my college years, I DJ’ed at a church (church parties) - for very religious people. I had to be careful with track selection.
46. I was nicknamed “Cable” by my friend Paulie because I cut a days worth of classes waiting for the cable guy to install it in my dorm room during my freshman year. The caveat here is that I didn’t really even know Paulie at the time, and he is responsible for this name which some people, oddly enough, actually think is my real name.
47. For some reason, recording artist Jewel pops up in some of my dreams. Mostly talking or fighting with me or just hanging out in the background with no interaction. Strange.
48. Religion is a touchy subject with me. I wrote a paper in college on the “validity of religion” using church-folk and students as my research subjects. I am currently satirizing religion through some of my writing and have also collaborated with a friend on a comic strip that lampoons the subject.
49. I got into web design because a couple friends encouraged me to put my writing online.
50. I once got into an argument with DCComics after I was about to be hired for their web staff. They asked me to take Purpleprose down and discontinue it. I told them to F off.
51. I have interviewed for a lot of web jobs.
52. I have eaten chicken feet (at chinese dim sum).
53. I named my dog Shakespeare.
54. I worship Isis.
55. I have about 30K worth of baseball cards collected from my youth.
56. I have asked numerous celebrities if they wanted MY autograph.
57. I am a fantasy sports junkie. I read Rotoworld like my life depends on it.
58. I once got a hotel room in San Jose, California for 1/4 the rate insinuiting that I was someone important/famous.
59. I don’t like speaking on the phone.
60. I dislike computers and technology altogether.
61. I own 2 computers and an iPhone.
62. Very high rollercoasters scare me.
63. I don’t believe in time.
64. I don’t believe in coincidence.
65. I am a student of faith.
66. I can’t stand still.
67. I can speak and write in Japanese. Although I am starting to lose it.
68. I sleep very little. Average about 5 hours a day.
69. I think I have a mild case of claustraphobia. I really fear being trapped in small, tight places.
70. I am allergic to celery.
71. I can cook.
72. I wear Nautica cologne.
73. I own a co-op apartment in Queens, NY. Bought it in March 1998.
74. I lived on the Upper West Side in a Brownstone for two years.
75. I was asked for my autograph after hosting a Purpleprose open mic poetry night.
76. I once borrowed Busta Rhymes’ cell phone to call a friend.
77. I have been to Corpus Christie, Texas just to visit Selena Quintanilla’s resting site.
78. I have personally asked recording artist, Pink if she would hook me up with any “bling bling”
79. I have travelled all the way up to Connecticut to see Morris Day & The Time.
80. I have over 3000 pages of unedited writing I have in my backlog.
81. I designed over 200 websites.
82. I’ve authored an anonymous blog.
83. I think I have passed my sexual peak.
84. In my life I have slept/stayed the following cities/towns: Syracuse, Austin, San Antonio, San Marcos, Corpus Christie, Cooperstown, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Portland (Maine), Minneapolis, Chanhassen, St. Louis, Chicago, Washington DC, Boston, Los Angeles, San Jose, Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Norwich, Poconos, Uncasville, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Bradenton, Daytona, New Hope, Cold Spring, Port Jefferson, Bangkok, Paris, Marseille, San Jose (Costa Rica), Santo Domingo and Toronto.
85. I love baseball.
86. I dislike the word “want” and seldom use it in my writing. Only used in 2 poems.
87. I’d rather feel the word “love” than hear it or read it.
88. I was supposed to fly on 9/11/01 to London. Needless to say, my flight was cancelled.
89. I have the whole world… in my hands.
90. I am producing perhaps the greatest epic of all time.
91. I have incredibly too much fun with this website. Almost pathetic.
92. I believe humans were genetically engineered by an advanced race and also cannot believe how blind everyone is to the overwhelming evidence that supports this.
93. Chuck Palahniuk autographed my copy of Fight Club with the words “I am Richard’s Book”. He is awesome.
94. Google Richard Kriheli - Shit, I’m everywhere!
95. I have made it to a curious list on Wikipedia.
96. I am fascinated by, and drawn to the number 9.
97. I am currently working on three novels at once. Madness.
98. I don’t wanna grow up, I’m a Toys R Us kid . . .
99. I compiled this list because somehow I knew you would read it.