Q: Why are birds?

• How are birds? When are birds? Where are birds? What are birds?

Q: What would the title of your autobiography be?

• Ginger and Proud: The Life and Tales of JMez

Q: How far are the Mavs going this year?

• I expect them to make the Western Conference Finals. Same as last year. A lot of people think they took a step back in the off-season. I disagree. Losing Jalen Brunson is unfortunate, but I expect Dinwiddie to fill that role very well. The additions of Christian Wood and JaVale McGee were badly needed. And last but not least, a healthy Tim Hardaway, Jr. will help fill Brunson’s offensive void. The Mavs got better, and saved some money by not overpaying to keep Brunson, who obviously wanted to go to New York in the first place.

Q: Why is Jordan Spieth so great?

• Just look at him. Every hole he plays is an absolute rollercoaster. He takes you, as the fan, on a spiritual and emotional journey every time he plays a round. 

Q: What is your favorite helicopter?

• I have to go with the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk. The only reason being that they were used by the United States in the 2011 killing of Osama Bin Laden. They look pretty cool, too, but that’s the main reason. 

Q: How many pennies do you think would fit into this room?

• This is the reason I took AP Stat instead of AP Calc. 

Q: What is the meaning of life?

• Life (as defined by Merriam Webster), is the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body.

Q: Hair care routine?

• I only disclose this to a select few, so if you think you are a part of that few, feel free to ask me. But for the entire Quills & Answers audience, I’ll say no comment. 

Q: What is your computer’s name? 

• Margot Robbie. A long-standing tradition amongst the male seniors in Quill. 

Q: Favorite AP class?

• Of the 5 that I will have taken by the time I graduate, I have to give that honor to the two I took junior year. APUSH and AP Lit. They are both incredibly challenging courses, but also the most rewarding. Mrs. Giroir and Mrs. Collins-Vecino are on my top 5 teachers in the school list, so having them definitely helps, too. 

Q: Best advice for juniors?

• Use your free period and weekends to get ahead on work. Sleep when you’re dead. 

Q: How do I get girls to like me?

• Be yourself. Unless you’re a terrible person. Then be someone else. 

Q: How can I get a girlfriend?

• If you have been yourself, and it has resulted in them liking you, then be confident, grow a pair, and ask them out. 

Q: How should GIF be pronounced?

• GIF as in gift or golf. 

Q: How does one tell someone gently that they are balding?

• Maybe suggest that they’d look good bald. If they don’t get the hint, then you might have to be blunt with them. Maybe get them some bald men’s scalp products to help them start off their bald life on the right foot. 

Q: What is the best movie of the summer? What was the worst?

• The basic answer is “Top Gun: Maverick.” The action and stunts were incredible, and I do think it was better than the original. The non-basic, more sophisticated answer is “Where the Crawdads Sing.” The story was captivating, and the cinematography went above and beyond what I could have expected. I didn’t watch a movie this summer that I really hated, but I’ll say that the most disappointing was “Thor: Love and Thunder.” It wasn’t horrible, but you can’t help but compare it to “Ragnarok,” which can’t be beat in terms of comedy and plot. 

Q: What is your favorite meat?

• Steak. Bacon is a close second, but steak takes the cake due to its variety and versatility. 

Q: Favorite cut of steak, and way to cook it?

• I would have to go with the New York Strip. I prefer my steaks medium-rare. If it has to lean towards one or the other, I’d like it a little more rare. I also like a nice crust on the outside of the meat. 

Q: Favorite brand of water?

• Despite my trademark 1 liter bottle of Texas Crystal water, I have to go with Core Hydration. It tastes the best and I like the variety of different bottles and caps that they have. 

Q: Thoughts on stop signs?

• Eh. They’re a good suggestion. 

Q: Who’s your favorite Packer?

• The kicker, Mason Crosby. What? You didn’t mean the football team?

Q: What is the most underrated event at FWCD?

• That has to be Varsity Basketball games. Football is obviously king and everybody has an amazing time at Rosacker, but there’s just a different and more intense energy in a basketball student section. 

Q: Thoughts on pie? Should birthday cake be replaced with a birthday pie?

• I could get behind this. My all-time favorite dessert is cheesecake, but there are more great pies than great cakes. Pecan. Apple. Chocolate. I-40. Pumpkin. I would be very okay with pies being the go-to birthday dessert moving forward. 

Q: Costco or Sam’s Club?

• I don’t shop at either, but to make Mr. Thomas happy, Costco is by far the best option here. More of a Central Market guy myself. 

Q: It’s your senior year; what do you want to see/make happen?

• Background: this question was submitted by Joaquin Castro-Balbi ‘22 from his “college.harvard.edu” email account. By the way, I set this so that only people with FWCD emails could respond. Impressive stuff there, Joaquin. Anyhoo, hopefully graduate. Besides that, win baseball SPC, put my name on the back of one of Mr. Thomas’ flags, sign my name on Mrs. Wallace’s ceiling, and don’t get in another car crash. 

Q: What is your most used emoji?

• The thumbs up. What were you expecting, the pink, pulsating heart?

Q: What is your go-to karaoke song?

• “Forever and Ever, Amen” by Randy Travis. 

Q: If you could choose any person, past or present, to narrate your life in real time, who would it be and why?

• Has to be John Mulaney. He would make very insightful and funny comments about the random things that go on in my life. It would just be hilarious listening to him describe my everyday life.

Q: Who’s better, Joel Embiid or Nikola Jokic?

• Have to go with Jokic here. Embiid has always been a part of toxic locker rooms. Yes Ben Simmons was a problem in Philly, but Embiid also has to look himself in the mirror and change his approach to being part of a team.