All Hot Girls Have Weird Scars On Their Knees — Prove Me Wrong

September interview questions with The Brain is a Noodle

These questions were created by Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她) for the writers of the Medium publication The Brain is a Noodle.

[1] What do you love most about the experience of writing?

Bringing the words that used to scamper through my brain into fruition is such a euphoric feeling. My mind is always going a mile a minute. Writing helps empty my thoughts.

Also, I love that I can use writing to uplift the Black female perspective. Still in 2021, the year of our good sis Beyonce’s 40th birthday, the Black female perspective isn’t shown in the most well-rounded light throughout mainstream media.

This also just reminded me that I’m so, so sad that HBO’s Insecure’s final season will air soon. Somebody needs to pour out a 40 out for Insecure.

[2] What’s your favourite candy?

I’m more of a salty snack babe, but since you asked, I’ve got to be extra and pick a choice from the chocolate and fruity categories.

For chocolate, I love a straight-from-the-freezer Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. On the fruity side, I love any kind of chewy fruity candy that’ll probably give me cavities within 30 seconds of eating it: gummy worms, Starburst, peach rings, etc.

[3] What’s the story behind one of your scars?

I have this vague scar on my knee that I got when I was 10. At my elementary school, there were two separate jungle gyms. One was newer and larger, while the other was dusty and old. We weren’t supposed to go on the dusty one because it was “unsafe”. We didn’t listen.

Like this 7-year old, sometimes I like doing hoodrat stuff with my friends. So — my friends are I went to the dusty jungle gym during recess when our teacher was preoccupied with our other classmates. We were playing around, having a grand old time, until I fell off of… *I can’t remember what part of the jungle gym it was*.

I remember feeling this weird sting on my knee but then not feeling anything. I looked down and saw that this medium-sized scrape on my knee had turned white.

This was the first time I had been cut down to the white meat, so I was confused. Am I an alien? Do I have the same disease that Michael Jackson has? So many questions went through my 10-year-old brain.

Through further analysis of what I was playing on, I realized that my knee had been cut by a rusty nail. Through my terror, I told on myself and my teacher sent me to the nurse’s office.

[4] What is something you can never seem to finish?

I’ve been having trouble finishing books. Watching TikToks and replaying Persona 5 have been big distractions lately.

[5] What would you do on a free afternoon in the middle of the week?

Thrifting. There are usually fewer people during the week, especially in the afternoon while people are still at work. I went thrifting last weekend and found these vintage Gloria Vanderbilt jeans that fit amazingly. $5 jeans that make me look like a background extra from Love Jones — yes please.

Faves?

• Favourite item in your bathroom? My Neutrogena oil-free moisturizer. I love the feeling of the cold cream on my face.
• Favourite kind of pen? The Pilot G-2. Since I tried that one, every other pen seems musty.
• Favourite sound? Anything water-related: rain, waves crashing, etc.
• Favourite furniture store? I love the furniture section of Urban Outfitters, but it’s overpriced and reeks of gentrification. You can probably find equally beautiful pieces at a vintage shop or a thrift store.
• Favourite plant? Orchids are gorgeous.

Articles to share

• Your top piece last month: “6 Profitable Canva Digital Products to Sell Online in 2021”
• A piece that deserves more love: “This TikTok Inspired Me to Stop Seeking Male Validation”
• A piece that starts with the letter A: “About Me — Nia Simone McLeod”
• A piece that is less than 3 minutes: “Stop Judging Black Women for Liking Jack Harlow”
• A poem: “Limber”

Thanks a billion to Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她) for the great interview questions! Interested in writing your own responses? Wonderful! Check out the template here:

Nia Simone McLeod writes, creates digital content, and watches a ton of Flavor of Love reruns. She runs two Medium publications: oh, write and coiled. Check out her newsletter for her scorching hot takes on writing, pop culture, and other fun stuff.