Member of the Month (November): Vinny Vidi Vici

[Sitar 22,218]

November has a Member of the Month? It's more than halfway over! I know I know I know, we had some false starts but Vinny Vidi Vici stepped forward to accept the crown, and what a deserving member he is! One of the most articulate interviews I've conducted (read: PM'd a questionnaire) and if you find this lacking in commentary from my end it's only due to a series of "I AGREE"s that I deleted. Let him hear it (and I will allow his reign to overlap into December a bit to be fair).

 

Member of the Month (November): Vinny Vidi Vici!

 

1. What did you do today?

Well, I woke up at 5:35 from a nasty cough, and I was going to go back to bed, but then I started feeling a little more awake after brushing my teeth. So I figured that it would be a better idea to start bringing some of my stuff back into my bedroom before I hit the shower and study for my Sociology exam. I painted my bedroom pretty much all by myself over the weekend (went from purple to Applesauce Cake and Brown Zircon ,) and I used to have an Oriental theme going since middle school, but I grew out of it so much in the past year. Now I'm actually working on turning my room into a Retro Time Capsule.

So I pretty much gutted the whole room out and have been going through all the shit I collected for the past three years. I'm a really sentimental person, so I could find a thousand reasons to keep an empty liquor bottle or an old homework assignment, silly drawings—a lot of the stuff was from an old flame, and even though I got closure over the summer, I used to worry about what kind of testament it would be making if I had disposed of everything, but I was still ill at ease thinking about how everything was still in my surroundings. I think everyone has to learn to reconcile memories with moving on, and I don't think I genuinely did that until now. It was a long overdue change. I'm so happy I finally got around to it.

 

SH: This is the most productive answer this question has ever received.

2. What's something not many people know about you or that we would be surprised to learn about?
Well, for one, I never learned how to ride a bike. Over the years, everyone and their Aunt Tilly has tried to get me to ride a bike, and after a few nasty falls, I swore off biking pretty much. I always get reactions of shock from people who learn that. I used to drink Aunt Jemima's maple syrup straight from the bottle, my favorite part of a watermelon is the rind, I prefer bananas when they're still green, I hate ripe/overripe bananas. I've never slow-danced with someone. I have sixty-six fortune cookie fortunes in my wallet, the oldest one is from my freshman year of high school. I also eat Starbursts with their respective wrapper still on. I actually have a lot of things people would probably be surprised to know, but not all of them are—appropriate.

3. What's your current career? What's your dream job?
Right now I'm finishing my Associates for Liberal Arts. I have been thinking about transferring for Acting, Psychology or Philosophy when I graduate this spring, but then I figured I could take a year or two off to start building up my work ethic. I really want to do cruise entertainment. But for now, I am finishing up my Fall semester and next semester I'll be taking Interpersonal Communications, Abnormal Psychology, Acting II, Survey of Mathematical Reasoning, Western Civilization, Body Toning and Club Dance.

As for a dream job...I don't know. I mean, I'm always thinking about what it would be like to have a music career, but I can't sing. Other than that, I always entertain the idea of becoming an actor and ending up as a main character in The Walking Dead. I also wanted to get involved with life-coaching, try to help people realize their own happiness and how to maintain it and create it, y'know? I love talking to people, I love helping people out, I love sharing and connecting. Osho once said, "Be—don't try to become. Within these two words, be and becoming, your whole life is contained. Being is enlightenment, becoming is ignorance." I believe in that, so I am confident when I say that I am inspiration to others who want to be whole again.

4. What are your hobbies?
Writing has been a huge hobby of mine, probably the most consistent one, too; I used to write a lot of poetry and lyrics, but now it's been more like short-stories/memoirs. I'm currently working on a project called The Day They Came For Us. It is a zombie apocalypse "memoir" of sorts. The story is basically built in the image of dreams I've had related to the zombie apocalypse, most of them having been really intense/emotional moments that will sometimes fuck me up a bit when I first wake up afterwards. It's not in chronological order yet, due to a lot of its content being from dreams, I actually wrote one of the concept endings first before I wrote any of the other parts because it was the dream that started the project. A lot of the characters actually reflect my friends, family members, and myself. I thought it would be weird at first, because it seems like self-insertion at face-value, but there's a quote by Nietzsche that says "A good writer possesses not only his own spirit but also the spirit of his friends," and I think that really says it; I structure the characters by transmuting my experiences, joys, fears and anxieties along with that of the people I know.At least it's not Twilight.

I also love hoop-dancing, I picked up on it a little over a year ago and learned how to make my own hoops pretty soon after I started. Along with some changes to my eating habits, I went from 221 to 162 lbs in the past year. I Lace, too, which is just dancing with an LED fiber-optic whip. I enjoy walking—anywhere, really, but there's this wildlife sanctuary close by, and I love walking around the trails whenever I can. I have wanderlust quite badly, but I do not drive, so I could never really appeal to that wanderlust. But even when I just walk around my town, it's always a great experience. I did so much walking throughout high school, sometimes leaving my house 9 PM on a school night and not coming home until 4 AM because all I would do is circle around my town. I can't count how many times I've walked along some of the blocks around town and wished they just stretched to nowhere

I also love video games; I'm not as avid of a player as I used to be because of school, but I absolutely enjoy video games, especially beat-'em-ups and hack 'n' slash games. One of my favorite games is American McGee's Alice/Alice: Madness Returns. It was very influential on me, and also inspirational, too. The Chesire Cat in American McGee's adaptation is, hands down, the best adaptation of him yet if not one of the best.

I love making fantasy album art; there are often times where artists or bands have an album I love, but I'm not keen on the album art, so I pretty much always improvise and create my own.

 

 

 

SH: I'm out here procrastinating this interview and this guy does everything.

5. What's your biggest funny fail?
Okay, check this: It was Memorial Day 2013, and we threw this huge party at my house, and I was trashed. I went into the shed with a few of my friends, and we were all chilling doing stuff...things...listening to music, the whole deal. So I ran into my garage and came back an ice cream sandwich, and while talking to all my friends, I casually (and unintentionally) took a perfect bite of the ice cream sandwich without taking the wrapper off. And everyone watched me for about a minute before saying something. So that was one fail, but my biggest one was joining the cheerleading squad in 10^th grade. I stuck out like a sore thumb, I was really heavy, too, and my “cheerleading” uniform was a baseball turtleneck, a BBP Cheer shirt, and fucking track pants. It was just...no. If you saw the video that the wife of one of my high school teacher's recorded and put on YouTube, you'd understand. One of the people who commented asked if Baba Booey was on the cheer squad.

 

SH: Can you pull a Jack and please provide pictures like come on

6. Lana's junior and high school years have been rather chaotic from what we know. How were/are yours?
Well, I was going through an ongoing battle with depression my whole academic career after I moved to my current hometown back in 6^th grade. I was teased a lot for being gay but all of that pretty much subsided when I came out my freshman year of high school, save for the severe lack of self-esteem. I had it pretty easy the first two years, it wasn't until losing my grandfather to cancer in my junior year that things got hard. I helped my mother take care of him for seven years at that point; there really was no going out with friends, joining extra curricular activities—everything I joined, I had to quit because it compromised with the caretaking, cheerleading included. I gave up a lot to help make things easier for my parents because my other siblings were always so involved with sports/social activities.

So I never really had much of an identity at the time either because of that; I hadn't taken much time to figure out my personal interests and desires in high school, I had interests, but none that I really emotionally connected with. So having all that free time to figure myself out after my grandfather passed over was a bit overwhelming for me, because I just didn't know what to do with myself.  A lot of people actually thought it had to do with gaybashing/my sexuality, but to be honest, losing my grandfather was my biggest identity crisis. So along with that and a very complicated "relationship" that went on with a long-time friend that wasn't out, the last two years of high school at that time were an absolute mess. I did a lot of self-harm as a catharsis exercise, and I was drinking like a fish most nights and sometimes during the day. I also had a lot of suicidal tendencies, but I won't get into any of that.

But I do think about how much fun I could've had back then had I really taken the initiative to manage my feelings a little more effectively and healthily grieved my grandfather's death. I was so out of my element in high school, though; a lot of people liked me, I was Homecoming King, the first "open gay guy" to be Homecoming King, and according to a lot of people, I left an impression on the other LGBT kids in my 4,000 population town, as a lot of them did start coming out afterwards. Which was great, but I never felt like I was “part of it all,” I guess. And being treated like a child by the teachers when I had felt a lot older in mind, also did not help. But even then, I think back to some of the shit I did and rub the back of my neck in second-hand embarrassment for my high-school self. But I wouldn't say I regret any of it. I wouldn't know what I do now had I not done those things. No mistakes, no regrets, only lessons learned. I'm certainly glad that I'm past that part of my life, though.

 

SH: Tally how many times Vinny makes you feel inadequate.

7. Do any of the words “sassy”, “fabulous”, or “flawless” describe you?
I mean, I guess “sassy” would be the closest one, I get that from a lot of people. I get “fabulous” and “flawless,” but I don't really think those would be the first two words to come to mind to describe myself. The best way I could describe myself is corny and corky, but considerably inarticulate and bizarre.

8. If you could bring two people back from the dead, have an exquisite dinner, and some great conversation with them...who would they be and what would you eat?
Frank O'Hara and Friedrich Nietzsche, we'd all go out to a sushi buffet and enjoy warm sake on the side.

9. Do you believe in any form of life after death?
I used to a lot. Now, it's not so much as I don't believe in it as much as it is that I just don't know if there is. One theory I have, to explain frequent bouts of déjà vu, is that we live the same life over and over until we perfect it and achieve our higher-self to the fullest. So essentially, our present lives are the same as our past lives, granted that obviously technology and all the sorts were different. We just instinctively learn how to handle situations differently because of our past-life experiences. That's one idea. I'm an existentialist, so I don't really cater much thought to what happens before life and what happens after death these days, it can get in the way of living in the present fully.

10. What do you see in people that you yourself wish to emulate?
Time maximization, definitely. I am not the best at maximizing my time, and for the most part, can lead to me not getting work done until the last minute because I spent the four hours prior bullshitting and being idle. I get everything done, but the anxiety of not having enough time certainly doesn't make the procrastination worth it.

11. If your balls were a celebrity couple, who would they be?
Lana and Barrie, without a doubt. I'll have every excuse to belt out to "Summer Wine," every time I am getting a blowjay someone inquires what kind of wine I prefer.

 

SH: One is much dirtier than the other and wears a cowboy hat.

12. When did you become a fan of Lana? What was it about her that attracted you to her?
I became a fan of Lana December 14^th, 2011. Kerli had shared the Born to Die music video on her Facebook page, and I always loved the name Lana, so I was immediately overwhelmed with this need to check it out. I didn't like BTD the first listen, Lana's voice was very different to me compared to a lot of the female artists I listened to, so I was a bit thrown back. It was an acquired taste. It actually wasn't until I heard and saw Video Games a few minutes afterward that I was just like, “Holy shit, she's amazing,” Video Games literally just stopped me in every way imaginable. I was at the end of a “relationship” of sorts with the old flame I mentioned in the beginning of the interview, and kinda felt myself getting ready to hit rock bottom again, so I was still at that fragile stage where I just wanted to still salvage something. I gave BTD a second chance after Video Games, and it's all history from there.

I also heavily identified with Lana a lot as a New Yorker myself. Coming across Lana was definitely a very intense experience for me as a person and a writer. Lana taught me that there's a particular elegance in being simple-but-to-the-point, about embracing sentimentality while also learning to live freely. I can never look at old poetry I've written because it was so...false. It was hardly raw poetry because I tried so hard to make it sound so sophisticated and pretty, when it was all just really wordy and loquacious and ultimately overshadowed every other element in my work. I didn't speak with any candor. I actually hate any of the poetry I did in high school.

And there was always this idea I had in the back of my head when I would listen to Lana, that if she could fall in shit and walk out wearing gold, so could I. And it's funny, because with some of my music preferences, Lana included, some people would say, "Oh it's so depressing," but they never really did understand that once I started taking care of myself the past two years or so, these songs became forms of encouragement for me. Even songs I used to listen to when I was in my dark place; now I listen to them and think about how much changed for me from when I used to listen to them when I was really depressed. Lana certainly got me through some very hard times in the beginning of 2012, which is why I'm so passionate about her music, particularly her unreleased stuff and the sharing of it. But more than anything, it was her as an individual that really helped me out; I would watch her interviews over and over again because so much of what she said would resonate within me. I feel very connected to Lana in that way, she does have a lot to say, it's just a matter of someone really listening when she says it, even with her monologues, even with her songs...there's just always something. It's so overrated how underrated she is.

13. Which Lana album is your favorite: Paradise, Born to Die, Lana Del Ray AKA Lizzy Grant, or Sirens?
Oh, this is tough. I'd definitely have to say it goes LDRAKALG, Sirens, BTD and Paradise. Paradise was awesome and I loved it, but it didn't do enough for me, I felt like it was just incomplete. AKA is definitely my top favorite LDR album.

14. Favorite Lana song? Why?
Fuck. Um... Damn. I can't pick just one, so I'll try to keep from over-listing.

Methamphetamines, hands down, has to be one of the top favorites. I just get very intense every time I listen to it. Every listen is the most raw minute-and-forty-three seconds of my life. I remember writing this huge lyric-interpretation on the topic page for Methamphetamines, and I think that post itself best articulates why I adore the song so much.

1949 because it always makes me think of crashing in a motel room after a long road-trip with someone you love. It just sounds so simple, free and wonderful. I really wish it had a studio version, but it reminds me so much of an old vinyl almost with its sound. In inclusion, I also have to say I love Every Man Gets His Wish, Daytona Meth and Hawaiian Tropic.

Pride, Afraid, A Star for Nick, Chelsea Hotel No. 2 and Goodbye Kiss, even though the last two are covers, are also included with this bunch because they were definitely "moving on" songs for me.

TV in Black & White because—honestly I don't know how it isn't anyone's favorite or at least one of their favorites. It's such a beautiful song and it breaks my heart at the same time.

Hollywood's Dead because along with American Dream [Damn You], it was one of the songs I wanted most, and they both turned out to be so immaculate.

Without You [Nouveau Casino Performance] because it's the best performance of WY that Lana's ever done, and it surpasses the album version.

Video Games [inas Nacht Performance] because I would have given everything to be in that bar seeing Lana sing. Even if her timing was a bit off, it was such an amazing performance, it was so intimate and lovely. I could listen to that performance infinitely.

True Love on the Side because it's just fucking sexy. One of my favorite songs to dance to or listen to when getting ready for a night out along with Summer of Sam

Stoplight De-Lite and Back to Tha Basics because they are both instant pick-me-uppers and definitely do not get as much love as they should. And SDL gives me so many feels when I think about the guy that I've been interested in for a while now.

Honestly, there are more favorites, like Your Band is All the Rage, Noir, Go-Go Dancer, Never Let Me Go, I Don't Wanna Go, JFK, AFFA, Trash Magic, Black Beauty...really hard to list a few without feeling bad for leaving others out. I have 254 songs in my Lana library, including remixes, instrumentals and live acoustic performances, so if I were to say that I love 90=95% of the collection, it's pretty close to the mark.

15. Least favorite Lana song? Why?
Playground, because there really is no substance, and it just makes me think of being too intoxicated for some reason. The bad kind of “too intoxicated,” that is. I was so excited for it to leak, and I'm glad we got it anyway, but it was unfulfilling.

Big Bad Wolf, I usually skip over it, it makes me think of Skye Sweetnam, which then makes me think of middle school, which then turns my stomach a bit.

 

SH: I need no further explanation.

Butterflies for the same reasons as BBW. Butterflies Pt. 2 SLAYS Pt. 1.

I also don't really care for Maha Maha/Bollywood Hawaii as far as the lyrics and the singing go. They make me think of how my poetry/lyrics used to sound.

Behind Closed Doors was a bit disappointing, too, probably because I was expecting her to channel Dean Martin's "That's Amore" because of the pizza-pie line, so I thought that it was going to be a really cute love song.

Strange Love is all right, but forgettable.

Catch & Release has such a great chorus, but the verses are so weak.

Ghetto Baby, Match Made in Heaven, Delicious, and Lucky Ones, too, are least favorites. I think those are the only ones that really come to mind when I think of least favorites.

16. If given the opportunity to meet Lana for an hour, what would you do/say?
Can I have Afraid No. 2? I honestly have no idea. It'd actually have to happen for me to figure it out. I mean, admiring her and her work is an obvious one, but I'd definitely want to actually connect with her as a person. Smoke a cigarette or two, make her laugh, maybe indirectly throw some poetic lines at her that would stick to her until the next song she wrote. I'd just want to really get to know her. There's a lot you can learn about someone in just an hour, I can't count how many times I've connected with total strangers and practically bonded in just an hour.

17. Would you rather love and be loved or know all God knows?
Loving and being loved will always, always happen to you as long as you are open to it, so I'd rather know what "god" knows, I'd rather know all I can know. I really do think knowing, more so life-knowing than educational-knowing, plays a very big role in loving and being loved, how often it happens, how you go about loving, when it happens, how intense it is when it happens. Anything to reach my higher-self is automatically a go-to for me. Though it must certainly be wonderful to love and be loved; I've loved a lot, but I don't think I've ever been loved yet.

18. Of all the unreleased videos and songs we have knowledge of, what do you thirst for most?
Afraid No. 2, Because of You, Could Be You, High, American Flag, and Speed. But definitely the first three. Definitely Afraid No. 2 of the top three... Afraid No. 2 it is.

19. Are you the leaker?
No one would ever have to thirst for a single song or tune into inconsistent leak blogs if I was the leaker.
 

20. Are you Lana?
Am I?

21. Are you Ben Mawson?
No, but I'd certainly love to be under him.

22. Did you answer the 3 questions above honestly?


23. Who are your favourite artists?
Besides Lana, I love Sucré, Angus Stone/Angus & Julia Stone, Dear Euphoria, Dog is Dead, Daughter;
Anna Calvi, Local Natives, Kerli, Biffy Clyro, Bell X1, First Aid Kit, Bright Eyes, Mogwai, Emilie Autumn;
The Naked and Famous, Brand New, Circa Survive, Lights, Father John Misty, Russian Red, The Smiths;
Oscar & The Wolf, Noah & The Whale, Trash Can Sinatras, 4 Non-Blondes, Amy Jo Johnson; Shiny Toy Guns,
Vanessa Carlton, Jade Valerie, Mika Nakashima, Missy Higgins, Zee Avi;
Vienna Teng, Phantogram, Metric, Liz Phair, Mazzy Star...I should stop now.

24. What was the last book you read?
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

25. Recommend us a song (can’t be top 40/popular) that we just have to listen to!
I can never say just one, but I've indubitably been feeling these few the past two weeks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5oIXBhJTDw

And just to list some others:

Pretty much every track on Sucré's album A Minor Bird, but definitely Hiding Out, Chemical Reaction, Troubled Waters, When We Were Young and The Cliff Waltz along with the above.

Dear Euphoria's Gift, That You Would, Love Will Make Us Grand

Russian Red's I Hate You But I Love You, Timing is Crucial, Memory is Cruel, My Love is Gone, Conquer the World, A Hat, Kiss My Elbow, Tarantino, Cigarettes (and Cigarettes Revisited,) No Past Land and Just Like a Wall.

Angus Stone's The Wolf and the Butler, Big Jet Plane, Home Sweet Home, Silver Revolver, Clouds Above, Bird on the Buffalo, Daisy Chain

Daughter's Winter, Love..., Candles, Landfill, Human, Still, Peter, Tomorrow, Smother

Zee Avi's Concrete Wall, Bitter Heart, Poppy, First of the Gang to Die

 

 

SH: I can't take the thoroughness, I feel like I have to do my laundry after this

26. If you ever became a musician, what would you make your stage name?
Vinny Vidi Vici, Vendel, Tharin & The Moth, Cody Tonopan (Tonopan being the street my old house is on,) or just Avenue

27. What comes after “Lana Del Rey” in your music library?
Late Night Alumni!

28. Put your iPod/music library on shuffle and tell us which 10 songs are played. Don't skip, don't cheat!
“Talent Show” by Dog is Dead
“See You When You're 40” by Dido
“And Dream of Sheep” by Kate Bush
“Swimming Home” by Evanescence
“Take Me Somewhere Nice” by Mogwai
“Pride and Joy” by Brandi Carlile
“Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star
“Reel Around the Fountain” by The Smiths
“A Wish” by Gregory & The Hawk
“Francis” by Cœur De Pirate

29. What are your thoughts on emotions, and the way that people express them?
I think emotions are as wonderful and essential to relationships as they are dangerous and troublesome if not handled properly. I think a lot of people tend to apply the idea of magnetism to all aspects of their life, when in reality, retaliating or challenging something with negative energy is most likely just going to create more issues as opposed to giving you the positive outcome that you want. Opposites do not always attract.

But self-disclosure is important. It's important to address your feelings, it's important to acknowledge that, yes, you do feel these things; anger, sadness, love, annoyance, whatever it is. It's okay to feel them. It's not okay to keep them all bottled up or wait to say something. Sometimes the time will never be right. But it's not about what you have to say, it's how you say it. You never have to be mean, you never have to make hurting someone your first priority in a disagreement. I hate when people say "the truth hurts," because it justifies mindless brutality more than it "praises" honesty and self-disclosure as virtues. If you are callous and irresponsible with your choice of words, it's because you choose to be, not because it is a by-product of being honest. You may not be able to dictate how people take your honesty, but that does not relieve you of your duty to be more mindful about how you go about self-expression. The truth "hurts" every time you aim for it to, not when you choose to speak it.

You have every chance to speak in honesty without damage and degradation being your goal, and you shouldn't give honesty and integrity a bad name just because you do not want to be responsible with what you put out to the world, you know? I'd rather be careful and articulate in my honesty, speak with love in my heart and words, and walk away knowing that I tried my best to do good no matter the outcome, than ultimately damage my relationships with people and think little of it because my ego is temporarily swollen.

30. Do you hate anyone? If so, why?
I don't hate anyone really—I hate things, but generally, I am indifferent to people who I'm not fond of. I'm a "what you eat don't make me shit" kind of guy. Besides, the hater suffers more than the hated; while you go about pitching a fit and wasting time dwelling over someone's past transgressions against you, they're going about their day without a single thought about how much you hate them. I prefer not to suffer.

31. What are the small things in life that make you as happy as a clam?
Aloe juice, lemon curd, unreleased songs, and hugs.

32. What do you think your purpose is? Are you happy with where you are in life?
I have yet to answer that first question myself...well, let me rephrase that; I have yet to keep a consistent answer for that question. As for the latter, I'm happy with where I am, because I have come a long way from never loving myself genuinely and never applying myself in high school, to maintaining a 3.6+ GPA in college and actually loving both school and myself. However, I wouldn't say I am happy; certain things get me down still, so I can't be happy if something gets me mopey. Rather, I am simply content.

See, I look at contentment as the understanding that there is always a balance in your life between happiness and sadness, you're usually in the middle and will just fall on either side of the spectrum when the circumstances call upon it, whether you like it or not. It's accepting that just like you're going to have your low points, you're going to have points in your life that are just, simply, fucking magnificent.

I honestly don't think anyone will ever be happy all the time. I don't think it is a good thing to be happy all the time, either. It'd be like...let's say you open your door to find a present waiting for you. You'd think, “Wow, this is awesome!” You'd feel joy, you'd feel excitement, anticipation, right? Now, let's say you got a present every single day. It'd be fun the first week or so, but then you would just become so desensitized to it. That's how happiness is to me; it's meant to be a surprise, it's meant to come in fits and starts because if you were happy all the time, you wouldn't really be happy because you would be desensitized to what happiness is supposed to feel like. But I digress, yes, I am happy with certain things, but I am more content than anything when it comes to overall. The best hasn't happened to me yet, but it will.

 

SH: Vinny is Lana.

33. What is a characteristic/trait you see in others that you wish you had?
Definitely want to have that luck to reel in romantic interests. I have horrible luck and always end up in a series of unrequited attractions. I mean, then again, I also am seldom forward with my feelings towards a guy just because I would rather not deal with rejection. I tend to leave my responses very ambiguous out of fear of coming on too strong or scaring them off. Hell, they might be as scared as I am to say they like me, but I'd never know. I guess I really wish I had the confidence to initiate a possible relationship instead of waiting for the other guy to. I am torn between my fear of missing out and my fear of finding out something wasn't mine to miss out on to begin with.

34. What are your pet peeves / deal-breakers when it comes to friends/relationships?
For both of them: Name-calling in an argument, screaming, bringing up the past, nasty attitudes, ungratefulness, someone who's always pessimistic and has something nasty to say, poor table etiquette, expecting appeasement, constantly bringing negative energy around.
Relationships: Being told what to do, being told who I can/can't invest any time in, not being trusted, not being respected, disrespecting family, being told where I can/can't go or being told I have to let them know what I'm doing at all times, co-dependency, and lack of alone time.
 

SH: POOR TABLE ETIQUETTE

Am I making Vinny up? This dude is a YA novel protagonist stg

 

35. What would you say is your favorite physical trait + personality trait in potential partner?
My favorite traits are dark hair, light eyes, chest hair, facial hair...but looks aren't the biggest priority for me. I believe a sour heart's a sour face; you can be the sexiest person and aesthetically pleasing, but if you have a horrible personality, I am not going to find you that attractive. I do have a preference for more "masculine" guys, but I certainly look for guys with a fine blend of balanced street-smarts and book-smarts, someone who can be a sweetheart and a wiseass at the same time...

Someone easily inclined to being awestruck by something; someone who would rather sit in a shed and listen to music instead of us going out to a bar or club every night, someone who would see me roll out of bed with my hair all wild in the morning and think I was the cutest Brillo-pad they ever seen. Someone who makes a lot of facial expressions in correspondence to their feelings/reaction to things. Someone who peculiarly loves the simple and simply loves the peculiar. Someone who loves hearing different music and can turn around and say, "Can you play that one again?" And certainly someone who finds me funny.

36. Do you like pies?
I FUCKING LOVE PIES.

 

SH: Unmatched eloquence throughout.

37. What is your favorite kind of pie?
I FUCKING LOVE LEMON MERINGUE PIE, BOSTON CREAM PIE AND PUMPKIN PIE.

38. Do you enjoy flying kites, if so, what would your ideal kite look like?
I THOUGHT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT PIE. DOES THE KITE COME WITH A PIE? CAN IT? MINE WOULD. EVERYONE GETS A FREE PIE WITH THEIR KITE.
My kite would be a giant Luna Moth with pretty little lights built into the spine and wings so that it would glow at night.

BONUS: Is there anything you'd like to tell the community of LanaBoards?
Love getting there as much as being there, and remember: what's easier said than done is worth doing because of that same reason. Whatever you do, make it count, and always leave things better than when you found them. Release Afraid No. 2. Don't hate or bash anyone who loves/hates/is indifferent to leaks, the music means just as much to them, too, we're all here on common ground. Don't cross your legs too long or they'll fall asleep. I'm so glad that I have become a part of this community, and I love all of you. Thank you.

[Wryta Thinkpiece 3,345]

Oh my god, @@SitarHero, only because your commentary made me HOWL with laughter for the past five minutes, and to reward everyone who makes it through the interview without skipping...

Meet Senior Year/Senior Banquet Vinny (My pants ripped mid-Stanky Legg, and here I'm accepting my award for Most Contagious Laugh with dignity ((YES THERE IS A VIDEO OF ME RIPPING MY PANTS ON FB SOMEWHERE))

Homecoming Vinny:

Meet Junior Year Vinny:

And most importantly, Baba Booey's cameo appearance in the cheersquad:

Love you guys, thank you so much, hope this gives you laughs!
Now excuse me....

AND JUST SO WE ARE CLEAR, LE MOI TODEH
 

[Elle 122,854]

Vinny, you are such a god and I worship you

:kiss:

 

 

 

[Sitar 22,218]

Oh my god, @@SitarHero, only because your commentary made me HOWL with laughter for the past five minutes, and to reward everyone who makes it through the interview without skipping...

 

 

Meet Senior Year/Senior Banquet Vinny (My pants ripped mid-Stanky Legg, and here I'm accepting my award for Most Contagious Laugh with dignity ((YES THERE IS A VIDEO OF ME RIPPING MY PANTS ON FB SOMEWHERE))

 

Homecoming Vinny:

 

Meet Junior Year Vinny:

 

And most importantly, Baba Booey's cameo appearance in the cheersquad:

 

 

 

 

Love you guys, thank you so much, hope this gives you laughs!

Now excuse me....

 

AND JUST SO WE ARE CLEAR, LE MOI TODEH

 

 

Not the stanky leg

[Wryta Thinkpiece 3,345]

Vinny, you are such a god and I worship you

:kiss:

 

 

 

 

Gracias, querida~~~

 

Not the stanky leg

Don't remind me, any time I run into my graduating class at a party and the song comes on, I end up involved. But I do a really stanky Stanky Legg doe.

[Mileena 2,693]

literally my favourite member, i like to stalk through his fb photos and he shares my love of fortune cookies! 

[Summersault 824]

 

 

And most importantly, Baba Booey's cameo appearance in the cheersquad:

 

 

 

I swear this video made my day 245% better

 

Great, thoughtful interview as well.

[Viva 3,171]

YOU ARE FABULOUSLY INTERESTING, FUNNY, KIND AND INTELLIGENT. 

 

No doubt one of my top five people here. I seriously like you.

[Wryta Thinkpiece 3,345]

I swear this video made my day 245% better

 

Great, thoughtful interview as well.

Good, I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Did anybody else notice how much my voice stood out compared to the cheerleaders? I swear I don't sound like that anymore.

 

 

literally my favourite member, i like to stalk through his fb photos and he shares my love of fortune cookies! 

YOU ARE FABULOUSLY INTERESTING, FUNNY, KIND AND INTELLIGENT. 

 

No doubt one of my top five people here. I seriously like you.

Omfg all of you...

 

 

Just as I never take credit for something I didn't say, I never say something I don't mean. So when I say that seeing that I left such an impression on you guys really says a lot to me, it really does. I don't know why I'm getting weepy. But I am. I'm getting happy weepy. Each and every single one of you are so wonderful, and in the past eleven months and counting, you guys have done so much for me like expanding my Lana library, giving me new artists and songs to listen to, inspiring me artistically, showing me funny gifs and videos without even trying to.

 

Not to mention that I've had some mopey moments on here and there was always somebody with something up their sleeve to make me laugh or some kind words to reassure me. Even in the most imperceptible ways, kindness and compassion have a way of making an impact on somebody—and I can only hope that I'll be able to always return the favor to each of you.

 

I love all of you, from A-Z, thank you again, so glad I found you. I'm the happiest boy in the whole USA.

[PrettyBaby 2,220]

I'm getting a little weepy too! Vinny, you're such a kind, awesome person, and you help make this forum such a great place! I hope you get to enjoy your dream of performing, but after that, I hope many people get the privilege of having you for a life coach. 

 

...But it's not about what you have to say, it's how you say it. You never have to be mean, you never have to make hurting someone your first priority in a disagreement. I hate when people say "the truth hurts," because it justifies mindless brutality more than it "praises" honesty and self-disclosure as virtues. If you are callous and irresponsible with your choice of words, it's because you choose to be, not because it is a by-product of being honest. You may not be able to dictate how people take your honesty, but that does not relieve you of your duty to be more mindful about how you go about self-expression. The truth "hurts" every time you aim for it to, not when you choose to speak it.

You have every chance to speak in honesty without damage and degradation being your goal, and you shouldn't give honesty and integrity a bad name just because you do not want to be responsible with what you put out to the world, you know? I'd rather be careful and articulate in my honesty, speak with love in my heart and words, and walk away knowing that I tried my best to do good no matter the outcome, than ultimately damage my relationships with people and think little of it because my ego is temporarily swollen. 

 

 

I hope you write a book too.   

[Wryta Thinkpiece 3,345]

I'm getting a little weepy too! Vinny, you're such a kind, awesome person, and you help make this forum such a great place! I hope you get to enjoy your dream of performing, but after that, I hope many people get the privilege of having you for a life coach. 

 

 

I hope you write a book too.   

[Zagato 235]

Loved to read this great interview! Thanks for sharing this with us!

[Baby V Alex 2,859]

CTRL + F *types Britney Spears* *no results* *doesn't care* *¨comments* *leaves flop thread*

 

 

 

I can't at you writing the BIBLE!!! and not liking Catch & Release

 

[Wryta Thinkpiece 3,345]

CTRL + F *types Britney Spears* *no results* *doesn't care* *¨comments* *leaves flop thread*

 

 

 

I can't at you writing the BIBLE!!! and not liking Catch & Release

 

 

I swear, I do like Catch & Release, just to a point.

[Rafael 3,513]

lovely interview vinny! reading you writings is really pleasing to my eyes. i'd buy your novels tbh 

 

TV in Black & White because—honestly I don't know how it isn't anyone's favorite or at least one of their favorites. It's such a beautiful song and it breaks my heart at the same time.

 

oh trust me when i tell you it's my number one most played song on itunes. among my lana top 5 for sure 

[Wryta Thinkpiece 3,345]

lovely interview vinny! reading you writings is really pleasing to my eyes. i'd buy your novels tbh 

 

 

oh trust me when i tell you it's my number one most played song on itunes. among my lana top 5 for sure 

Thank you, Rafael! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

 

And yess, it's pretty much the first song I select when I go to listen to Lana. It's such a must-listen.