Apparently, this is a popular thing for the self-indulgent blogging types. I'll oblige.
On Facebook, where one may "tag" potential readers in their "Notes," the idea is that everybody who is tagged would respond with a "25 Things" note of their own. Forget about that here. Just thought I'd re-enter the blogosphere with something simple, and work my way back in to regular writing from there. I hope I don't bore you with my vanity.
I'll start with the lighter-hearted, and work my way slowly out of guardedness.
1.) The first song I knew all the lyrics to: "Whoomp! There it is" by Tag Team
2.) Summer of 1995: while on a family road trip through Yellowstone, a donkey chased our minivan, and chomped at the tires. We had to speed off, because their teeth are strong enough to puncture the tires. It was hilarious and terrifying. I was 10.
3.) I wore "tighty-whiteys" until the Summer after 9th Grade.
4.) Throughout high school, I would scold fast food restaurant employees if I felt my order was made incorrectly. In retrospect, I probably ended up eating quite a few loogies & boogers because of this habit.
5.) If I could play baseball every day, I would.
6.) I fell asleep on my floor while writing this list.
7.) While an 8th-grader at the Puyallup Fair, I came 4 pegs away from beating the Washington State Cribbage Champion.
8.) During the Summer of 2001, I watched at least one movie per day. Not a different one every day, but one of the few I owned: Office Space, Zoolander, Rush Hour 2, and Dude, Where's My Car. Every day.
9.) I've been playing guitar since 1998, but I've never had enough confidence to play around anyone but my close friends. While in high school, the only songs I bothered to learn were YL songs and Dave Matthews Band songs. I learned "Stairway to Heaven," and that is one of only a few songs I still remember.
10.) If I could learn to play any instrument, it's a toss-up between the piano and the banjo. I've tried the piano, and I just couldn't get my hands to work independently from each other. That leads me to think the banjo won't work, either.
11.) If I could become fluent in any language, it would be American Sign Language. But who has the time?
12.) I shower once, maybe twice per week. Every 4-5 days, I'd say. I don't mind if you don't.
13.) I constantly am telling stories to people who were present in the story when the events occurred.
14.) I constantly go off on tangents in conversations, and forget what we were talking about, or the point I was going to make.
15.) I'm a snob when it comes to matters of taste. I try not to be, but I am. This from the guy who used to smoke Camel Lights.
16.) It took me Five years to graduate high school. I graduated in 2003 with a 2.4 GPA and a 1380 SAT score. Regrets, regrets.
17.) I don't sit with my back to doors, or crowds. I don't feel comfortable if there is noise behind me, and I can't see the source.
18.) The reason (I think) that I work so hard to be intelligent is because I somehow got it in my head that intelligence was what was going to bring love to my life. So far, that hasn't been true.
19.) Nothing makes me as furious as racism. It's like a switch I can't turn off. I've always been that way. I hate it when I snap. It's ugly.
20.) I've had Three significant girlfriends. For each of them, I was their first boyfriend.
21.) When I quit the Orchestra in 6th Grade, I secretly rejoined, because I thought I had hurt my teacher's feelings. I didn't tell my parents.
22.) After my sister's suicide attempt, I would jump over the spot in the hallway where I saw her overdosed & convulsing body on the floor. I was 8 years old at the time, and probably 14 or 15 when I stopped the jumping. I still remember that night like it was yesterday.
23.) My mom died on February 19th, 1996, after 2 1/2 years of treatment for ovarian cancer. We weren't close. I played baseball in my cul-de-sac that afternoon while my family grieved.
24.) My dad was remarried in November 2003. I haven't spoken with him or his wife on friendly or casual terms since Fall 2007. I don't plan to re-establish contact.
25.) There are Five incredible boys who I am lucky & proud to call Nephews. My sister & brother-in law have 3 boys: Avery Colin (age 9), Siris Neil (age 20 mo.), and Rex Racer (age 5 mo.). My oldest cousin & his wife have 2 boys: Jackson Theodore (age 2), and Preston James (age 6 mo.). These boys are living works of redemption in the lives of my generation of our family. They all have wonderful parents, and it is the greatest honor of my life to be an uncle to those boys.
There you have it. What are your 25?
Thanks for sharing fab five! Now we have to jam together.
Posted by: ron pai | January 04, 2009 at 12:35 AM
wow, Fred. Some of these are pleasant surprises (number 7...we really should play next hang out time). Some are incredibly difficult. Such is life eh? I'm glad you ended with your nephews. You're a great uncle to have.
Posted by: MLE | January 04, 2009 at 02:27 AM
Thanks for sharing Fred. We should grab a beer and ramble sometime. Hugs and Kisses.
James
Posted by: James Taylor | January 04, 2009 at 11:42 PM
If you are just getting started playing guitar you are probably interested in finding easy guitar songs to play on the guitar. What you may not know is a lot of songs can be made into easy guitar songs if you put it in the right key and there are not too many chords changes required.
Posted by: playing guitar | January 16, 2009 at 01:45 AM
"playing guitar,"
apparently you skipped over the part where i wrote that i have been playing for 10+ years. what you really should do is turn off your automated commenting program, and actually pay somebody to read blogs. or, if you already are, you should fire the person currently reading and leaving comments, and replace them with somebody who isn't a half-wit.
just a thought.
Posted by: Fred | January 16, 2009 at 10:23 AM