Little known facts...

[Rain Man]

I have 8 siblings, 5 brothers, two half-brothers, and one sister. Between 5 of my siblings, I have over 25 nieces and nephews, 10 of them by one brother alone. I became a grand-uncle 6 years ago (my oldest niece had a child, and is about to have a second one in March or April 2005).

Had a great-grandfather that was Scotch-Irish.

Academically, I could have graduated 4 years ahead of schedule (was supposed to be skipped from the 2nd grade to the 6th), but my mother refused. The irony was that I was put in an LBD (Learning Behavior Disablities) program during my 2nd and 3rd grade years before being moved into a Gifted and Talented program in my 4th grade year. (NOTE: Before you make any "short bus" jokes, understand this: Back then, and even now to some extent, many schools conspire to warehouse black males in some sort of special ed program, particularly if he comes from a low income and/or single parent family. So make sure you know your children and that this doesn't happen to you. Because it can, and it has). *stepping off soapbox*

Wrote a fictional storybook called "Alex and Alan" back in 5th grade, and was interviewed on Action 6 News during a Young Authors Conference (Saturday, May 19, 1984) for my acheivement.

Won the Columbus Youth Foundation All-Around Student Award June 1, 1987 (at the height of my "nerd" years).

My name was to be originally Julius Caesar [last name] III after my father, but my mother vetoed it. I actually considered changing it to such to keep the family name going, but after discussing it with my father, he gave me an "Are you crazy?" lecture and I dropped the idea.

Believe it or not, my half brothers are named Octavius Caesar (older brother) and Mark Anthony (younger), the latter I finally met 4 years ago. I asked my father once had I been born a girl, would I have been named Cleopatra. He replied "no" but it would have been strangely appropriate, also due to the fact that at that time, I would have shared the same name as a popular blaxploitation character. I would've been named Michela (or is it MiKayla?)

BTW, I was told I was named Jason after the TV character on Room 222.