25 Random Things

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

It's a bit of a busy day for me today at work...so I thought that I'd just quickly throw together one of these quiz things that I got from the Mad Scientist and several other people through Facebook. Apparently there's rules to this thing...and you know how I feel about those.

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

So here it goes...


25 Random Things About Me (That you may already know)

1. I have yet to break a bone in my body…but my nose has been broken dozens of times.

2. I have a weak superior rectus muscle in my right eye, so a bit of a lazy eye. Luckily it only shows when I look up at somebody…and I'm 6'8" tall.

3. Like the Mad Scientist, I too think that most psychics and palm readers are full of crap and just trying to make a buck (sorry Bubbles & JJ, I know you two LOVE Sylvia Browne) but I do have a fascination with dreams, Karma, déjà vu & tarot cards…and won't f**k around with Ouija boards.

4. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a professional basketball player…AND a paleontologist in the off-season so that I could dig up dinosaurs. I have a slightly different job now...and it was brought up during our morning meeting today.

5. I like my bacon so crispy that you can barely tell that it's bacon.

6. I am truly fascinated by people. I love to hear life stories in detail and see how they got from there to here…and where they want to be down the road. That's why I'm usually really quiet in a group…because I love to listen.

7. I believe that a proper response to a question like, "Should I do (Option A) or (Option B)?" is "Yes." I'll make you break it down to me from your perspective. Again, fascinated with people and their perspectives and reasoning…and I may be ignorant and/or indifferent to the details behind the options.

8. I save text messages from friends & family to cheer me up when I'm feeling lonely. That's the main reason I'm bummed about losing my phone in Vegas over New Year's.

9. I have only been in two real fights in my life…and they were with my brother & my dad…and both over them hitting my mom.

10. Whenever somebody asks me if I play basketball, I respond with "Yes. Do you play miniature golf?"

11. I wanna sing like Nat King Cole…and for some reason, I think that I do pretty well.

12. Math has always been easy to me…but I'm illiterate when it comes to reading people.

13. My first two job interviews when I was 15 years old were for a bar and a mortuary. I'm not even sure why my mom drove me to them…and they were both her idea.

14. My first paying job when I was 15 was a Dishwasher at a truck stop diner for $4 an hour. It lasted a total of 12 hours and I used that money to go see "Independence Day" at the Drive-In and get my brother a birthday present.

15. I have been to 15 countries - Canada (thrice), Mexico, Jamaica, China, South Korea, Greece, Italy (twice...and Sicily), Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Spain, France (twice), the United Kingdom, Scotland and just about everywhere in the United States.

16. Ich habe Deutsch gelernt, aber ich habe das nicht in neun Jahren gesprochen. (Ruben, feel free to correct my grammar)

17. I believe that one of three songs are basically perfect in any situation - "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers, "Get Low" by the Ying Yang Twins, or "You're the Best" by Joe Esposito (from the Karate Kid).

18. As a kid, I used to eat brown sugar by the handful.

19. I am a fairly good ballroom dancer - Waltz, Tango, Cha Cha, Flamenco, Meringue, Foxtrot, Swing, etc.

20. I have had the same lame hairstyle since I had hair. I don't use hair spray, mousse, leave-in's, "product" (whatever that is) and basically it's just a comb that I use to set it…and my fingers when a comb is not available. I think I pull it off pretty well.

21. I used to play / hustle college basketball players (some future pros) in games of HORSE to make a few bucks for groceries when I was on the practice squad. Not surprisingly, my biggest competition was the female players. I once made $100 for hitting 20 free throws in a row…with hecklers. Sound easy? Try it.

22. I once told a classroom during a presentation at a University in Shanghai that I was planning on taking over the world with an army of armor-clad monkeys, pandas and tigers…and that was the reason for my studying there, for reconnocense. The Dean of the University didn't find it amusing at all.

23. I am willing to do just about anything to make somebody smile…but I won't do that.

24. I am a firm believer that NOBODY should get a car for their 16th birthday. I feel that the only way somebody will truly appreciate their first car…is to earn it. That means getting a job over the summer, saving up money, researching the cars, learning at least minor maintenance like changing the oil and tires, try to haggle the price of their decided vehicle…and ultimately purchase it themselves. You learn so many life lessons at an early age that way…and it will benefit them in the long run. It's like teaching somebody to fish rather than just giving them a fillet of tilapia.

25. I think that I’m a great guy and that a lot of ladies are missing out on it.

Now, for the breaking the rules part. I'm not tagging anybody (not just because I don't have 25 friends) so if you'd like to do it, that's be sweet & interesting...but don't fret over it. Other than that, please have a wonderful Super Bowl Weekend!!!