S Willy B. — The Bio (June 20, 2006)

The Vital Stats

I'm a 22-year-old graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill. I majored in Journalism and Mass Communication, with a focus in public relations. Four years of writing for The Daily Tar Heel, UNC's student newspaper, paid off and I spent the summer after graduation as an MLB.com reporting intern covering the Mets and Yankees. They contracted me to freelance for the 2006 season, but then dumped me on the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY, where I serve as the in-house writer.

I grew up at the intersection of three neighborhoods - Flatbush, South Midwood and Ditmas Hill - in Brooklyn, NY. My three boys are named Akie, Shapel and Anwar. Yeah, they call me "token." My brother, Evan, just completed his sophomore year at SUNY-Buffalo, where he self-produced and recorded his first two rap songs, as well as captained the step team last year. My parents are both theater people (mom managing, dad acting — she's still involved, he teaches HS history) and I thusly have quite the appreciation for Broadway musicals. It's called a paradox. Deal with it.

In high school, I discovered a passion for writing, which I now do in many different forms. I started off on short fiction and have moved on to sports and play writing since. I've done poetry on the side the whole time, and have been dabbling in rap to keep myself entertained. Take a seat here at the Barbershop if you want to find out whether I'm any good.

To preclude any questions - The Swill Barber a/k/a SWilly B. came from the names of my two favorite players on the New York Giants: Shaun Williams and Tiki Barber. It also lent me quite the controlling metaphor for this Web site. Unfortunately, Shaun Williams is now a Carolina Panther. I wish him well.

For reference, my perfect woman looks like Jessica Alba and has Avril Lavigne's soul. With old Britney's abs, just for nostalgia's sake. (I'm not linking to pregnant, white trash Britney or any of the Avril engagement info so I can keep the mental image alive.)