i wonder what people see in me. i mean, when they first meet me, upon first impression, i wonder what they feel.

i smile. nod my head a little. hold out my hand. "hi, i'm erika" (which i have to learn to say more clearly because more often than not, i come out saying, "hi, i'm america") what comes next?

strawberries are my favorite fruit. i love platinum. i have a soft spot for rabbits. i'm an only child. i can't leave LA. i want to be rich. no, scratch that. i want to be rich and famous. there you go. i love the beach. i wish i didn't shop at abercrombie so much. i like iced teas. i go to berkeley. my biggest fear is being alone. i love technology. david hockney is a genius. jackson pollack is a mastermind, if not an alcoholic psychotic. ted bundy was a genius too. i hate procrastination. i'm a perfectionist. i play tennis. my favorite color is a charcoal gray. i have a shoe fetish. i'm terrified of snakes. i fear failure. i fear success. i want to be good enough. i want to matter. i want to be loved, and love in return. i want to believe in true love. i want to believe in destiny. i want to believe in the impossible, over and over again. i want to fly. i want to own great things, only to be stripped of them, and work to buy them back. i want to smile. i want to dance. i want to laugh.

hi, i'm erika. nice to meet you. (smile)