25 Things You May Or May Not Know About Me

I’m not a MEME kinda guy… but I’ll cave on this on because I’ve learned so many interesting things via the lists of others. Here is a link to the MEME room on FriendFeed.

1. My favorite holiday is Valentines Day – What better holiday than one where you get to go completely overboard lavishing the person you love with attention.
2. My least favorite holiday is New Years Eve – The worst possible kind of party is a forced party.
3. My father passed away when I was 12 (he was 44).
4. I am the youngest of three children. I have two older sisters (one adopted).
5. When I was about 4 I distinctly remember going through a Minnesota winter in a jacket that didn’t zip. My parents couldn’t afford to buy me a new one.
6. The father and son who owned the restaurant I managed taught me how to be a man, father, and husband. I owe them I debt I can never repay and for which I am eternally grateful.
7. My favorite author is Raymond Carver – I expect very few of you (who were not English majors) have ever heard of him.
8. I’ve read Rise and Fall of the Third Reich 3 times. I believe it should be required reading.
9. I do not and do not care to understand Lost – I mean seriously… when the complete obfuscation of plot becomes the plot it is just gibberish.
10. I once had an “affair” with my boss. She is now my wife and the mother of my 2 beautiful daughters – and the love of my life.
11. I was married on September 4th 2001 in Fiji
12. I was flying home from Fiji on September 11th, 2001. Our plane was turned around over Hawaii and we spent 6 more days in Fiji. I have a very different experience of that event than most people.
13. I have a tendency to be blunt. I firmly believe that we can not have a productive conversation about contentious issues unless we are willing to start by putting our cards on the table.
14. I LOVE to cook. On holiday’s the kitchen is MINE.
15. If I could have any job I’d be a Myth-buster … I mean SERIOUSLY. I get to act like a dork, blow stuff up AND get paid. Deal.
16. I have a weird allergy to Rum. One shot (literally) and I will become completely inebriated, sick and pass out.
17. Don’t get any cute ideas about #16 – I will kick your ass (after about a week of recovery time).
18. I have silly, silly names for my children. Natalie = Nat Splat; Isabel = Izzy-Beaster
19. I don’t like cats… not even cute LOLCats.
20. I love dogs… all dogs (which would explain why the stray – now known as Max – still lives in my house).
21. The only thing that scares me (I mean really, really scares me) is not being able to keep my girls safe, healthy, clothed, and fed (see #5).
22. I enjoy American Idol – You have to admit, these people have talent and I enjoy watching them hone their craft.
23. I get called arrogant fairly often – I’ve stopped apologizing, trying to “correct” my behavior or adjust myself to comply with the needs of others (outside my family and closest friends).
24. If you leave your ice cream where I can access it you forfeit any right to complain when I eat it. You’ve been warned.
25. I’m handy. Not like change a light bulb handy. Like re-build an engine, re-wire a house, hang dry-wall, frame a house handy.