June 9, 2008
Meet the Flockers: Jonathan McNicol
Okay, let’s see. I was born at 5:15pm on February 4, 1978, in Schenectady, New York, which means three things:
- I’m an Aquarius.
- I was born right at the beginning of the Blizzard of ’78 (which my mom would tell you has a list of meanings of its own).
- I’m awfully excited to see Charlie Kaufman’s new movie (though that likely would’ve been the case either way).
I have a half-brother and a half-, adopted sister from my dad’s first marriage. I’ve always considered myself an only child, though, as we moved to Connecticut in 1986, and neither of them came with us.
1986 is also the year that I met my beautiful wife, Alisia DeCrosta, on the first day of fourth grade. We didn’t get married then, though. A bunch of other boring stuff happened (some of it with each other, some of it not) for eighteen years, and then we got married in 2004. Now we’ve got a house and two dogs and some cats and a bunch of other crap that’s ours. And on most days we’re happy to see each other first thing in the morning and last thing at night. And that’s nice.
At this point, I’m a freelance graphic designer working in print and the web under the name greybean|design. I’m also a full-time student at Albertus Magnus College doing undergraduate work in Visual Communications and English. I hope to graduate in 2010.
If you happen to have any pre-flock knowledge of my existence, it’s probably for one of these reasons (in descending order of likelihood):
- I play the role of, uhh, cruise director over at Chip Kidd’s Good Is Dead. I’m the third-person, omniscient narrator there, and I’m responsible for the design and general upkeep as well. And yes, it’s intimidating to design something with Chip’s name attached to it.
- I have a personal blog, never mind that now., which has been known to have as many as eight or nine or even thirteen concurrent loyal readers.
- I placed third in the tri-city Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires art contest in 1985. (I may have actually just exaggerated my accomplishment here.)
Some things I’d like to be when I grow up:
- a live television director
- starting second baseman for the New York Yankees
- taller
- a baller
- a traveller
- a film editor
- a lighting designer
- a New Yorker
- a writer
- an astronaut
- a submariner
- pretty
Some other crap you don’t know about me:
- My favorite movie is Back to the Future (1985). My second favorite movie is His Girl Friday (1940). And I enjoy the dichotomy there.
- I skipped the second grade.
- I’m a teetotaler.
- I’m a pacifist.
- I had to be taught how to ride a tricycle. Most people don’t. Before I was told otherwise, I pushed with both feet.
- I’ve had a DVD player for more than a decade, but I don’t own an iPod.
- I grew roughly a foot between sixth and eighth grade (and I’ve got the stretch marks on my back and butt and knees to prove it). I’ve grown barely two inches since.
- clusterflock is one of my favorite websites, and Deron’s interest in my joining as an official flockster (due to a painfully obvious lapse in judgment on his part) has warmed my grey, shriveled heart. (Don’t worry; I’m not really cool enough to have a heart that’s shriveled or grey.)
- When I can’t think of anything clever to say, I make lists. Apparently.
comments
Leave a Reply
Welcome, Jonathan! Are you the guy I likened to Al Franken a while back? I hope so–I liked that guy.
My only concern is that you’re a teetotaler. I’m not sure we know how to deal with that here.
You know, I was pretty sure you weren’t the Jonathan I’ve known since 1977 and lived with since 1991.
Do you prefer ‘Jonathan’ or ‘Jon’?
Welcome. This way to the locker room and the lounge.
Welcome, Jonathan! Have you heard the Phil Glass knock knock joke?
Hey, Cindy. I’m the Al Franken guy, yes. I don’t remember the context of that at all, but I remember that you said it, so yeah, that’s me.
Hey, Sheila. I don’t really have a preference, but I’ve noticed just recently that people I’m really close to tend to call me Jonathan. Use that information however you’d like.
Boy, that Deron sure is a character, huh?
Deron. He’s a card.
Jon . . . eh, Jonathan . . . eh . . .
Yep.
Don’t trust a single word out of that Deron’s mouth, Jonathan. Not. A. Word.
Clusterflockers are by nature a bit shady:
We are errant knaves all, believe none of us.
A bit shady. Some might even say crepuscular.
Also, Sheila, where you wrote “card” I read “cad.”
I love a cad.
(Jonathan — Jon — Jonathan, are you up for this?
Sure you are.)
Sheila, I feel that I should mention that when you used the word ‘crepuscular’ before…it turned me on just a little bit. Just so you know.
cad. card. crepuscular porn.
Full disclosure about the above, by the way: I don’t know what a ‘baller’ is.
I’m pretty sure it’s a basketball player.
Eh. I guess that’s sort of what I thought. It’s not maybe a basketball player and something double entendre-ly sexual at the same time? I don’t much want to be a basketball player. But if I get to be that second thing and a basketball player, I’m all for it.
Oh serendipity! On February 4, 1978 at 5:15 PM I was circumnavigating the choppy waters of alcohol procurement in preparation for the celebration of my 18th birthday. If I had known you were being birthed at that moment, I would have – I dunno, I would have done something special. In addition to being born on February 4th, I graduated from Northmont High School in 1978. I drove a 1957 Chevy Bel Aire Coupe from Scotsdale, Arizona to Dayton, Ohio in the aftermath of the 1978 Blizzard. Let me tell ya, what Texas knows about snow I could have fit in the trunk of that car.
Welcome Jonathan!
Jonathan. I think I can call you Jonathan now.
Kathy, I’m pretty sure what Texas knows about everything could be fit in the trunk of that car.
Well, remembering your birthday will be easy for me. I figured out that day’s special significance a couple of years ago.
I agree with Cindy. The teetotaler thing freaks me out a little, too. Just because you understand how golf scoring works doesn’t make you special in this venue.
Welcome anyways,
Old Michael MGS Michael Grant Smith Dammit Michael
Oh, now,
MSGMGS. You know you like tea. Cuppa pu-erh to settle you down?Welcome, Jonathan.
I think you should know that I have placed your never mind that now RSS feed directly into the NetNewsWire folder titled “Intelligent People”—not into “Quarantine.” So you’d better say something smart.
Jonathan
I grew a foot in a short time, too, between 10th and 11th grades(‘long ’bout seven or so years before you were born). No stretch marks, though. I was round enough before-hand to have just the right amount of skin to make the new distance. Now if only I could have a growth spurt to make me, oh, I don’t know, seven feet tall, I could be svelt again.
Welcome!
If by tea you mean vodka, Sheila, then yes. It’s been weeks, I tell you.
Excluding your desire to play for the NY Yankees, I would like to do all of the same things when I grow up.
Welcome!
Welcome.
Welcome. I’m miffed that no-one else has pointed out that “pretty” and “submariner” are mutually exclusive. Unless we’re just waiting to crush that dream…
The flock is patient and wicked that way.
Tracy, you know me so well. After such a small stretch of time.
Howdy Jon. athan. Welcome. I also was born in the magic of ’78, though not during a blizzard- which was probably way cooler than the heat and humidity of August.
India, you have a folder called “quarantine?” is that a transition to trash? I love the notion that you put things on notice in your feeds. Fair warning oughta set ‘em right.
A couple of points:
Jonathan, I feel that I should mention that when you alluded to Operation Petticoat just now . . . it turned me on just a little bit. Just so you know.
Welcome Jonathan.
1. I understand your need to list.
2. I would like to be a baller, too.
3. It is true that Deron is a cad and a card. He’s also a bit smelly at times.
Mary: My “Quarantine” is like Jonathan’s “Purgatory”—a holding bin for new feeds that I’m not sure I’ll like.
The folder for feeds that are halfway to the trash would be called “Stupid People,” if I ever bothered to make it, but instead I just gnash my teeth at them for a while and then put them into the trash.
Jonathan: I based the “Intelligent” rating on your wonderful fingernail post. And on the fact that you used the word exsanguinating therein. It’s a lovely word that one hardly ever gets to see.
[...] DISCLOSURE: I blog with all of these gentleman (Deron, Cooper, and Jonathan) on clusterflock. Permalink|Comments RSS Feed – Post a comment|Trackback [...]