I’ve seen this several times where bloggers use their 100th post to divulge 100 things about themselves. I thought it would completely selfish of me to talk so much about myself but potentially entertaining at the same time.
If you’re a long time friend or family member feel free to play Travis the home game and jot down the things you think will appear in the list that follows. Also, feel free to read through this over the course of several months. I’m guessing it will be just as exhausting to read as it was to come up with 100 reasonably interesting things to say.
ROOTS AND FAMILY
1) I was born in Iowa. I will always call Iowa my home no matter how long I lived in Chicago, will live in Minneapolis or may reside anywhere else.
2) My family (immediate and extended) easily means more to me than any company affiliation, job title, achievement or organizational allegiance ever will.
3) I even think my in-laws are cool (and I’m not just saying that because they visit the blog).
4) My family once said a lot of nice things about me in front of a lot of people during a significant work promotion ceremony. I will never forget their kind words and wish we could all have the formal opportunity to do that for each other because we are seldom given the forum. Why not now?
5) My dad is as much my friend as my father. Sitting at Wrigley Field with him with some hot dogs and beers is as much a perfect day as anything. It’s cool to have the sports bond but even cooler to have an example that puts faith and family at the top of his list. I appreciated the fact that he has to collect himself a bit before praying before a meal when the whole family is back around the same table. I feel the same way.
6) I see my mom as a big giver. She’s involved in every committee she’s asked to join and puts helping other people in front of many of her own priorities. She tells me she’s praying for me often and I’m very appreciative. I have total confidence that she’d be at my doorstep this evening if I told her I needed her help or a rescue from anything. My loquaciousness stems from my mother.
7) I have a lot of love and respect for both of my siblings and am glad to have one brother and one sister. Of course we picked on each other as youngsters but growing up and realizing what cool people we all are is a great blessing. They are both driven and successful and they are great in the role of uncle and aunt to our boys. My hope for them is that their journey through their lives will ultimately be looked back on as absolutely satisfying.
8) I’m related to all of my heroes.
9) My dad and brother were my co-best men at our wedding.
10) My brother and I once considered starting a petition supporting Roxette’s “Joyride” as the new US national anthem. Who wouldn’t take pride in putting their hand over their heart and belting out, “Hello, you fool. I love you.”? And the unity we’d all feel with a little group whistling? Think about it…it might be worth consideration.
11) I was really hoping Aidan would be born on 2-3-04 because that would have been really easy to remember. Kellen was close to 3-5-07 which also would have been very interesting.
12) There’s no significance behind my sons’ first names but their middle names are family names. They’ve got three middle names between the two of them: Christen (an abbreviation of Rachel’s maiden name), Thomas (Rachel’s brother) and Randall (my father).
13) I have a four year old in my house who tells me he loves me hourly…and it’s not just when he wants something or is in trouble. He also gives hugs as presents.
14) I’m fearing the day when Aidan asks me what we can do and he finally agrees to my standard response of “let’s build a rocket ship out of popsicle sticks and fly to the moon!”. Outside of commencing an epic popsicle eating session I’m not sure I can back up my idea.
15) I have about 30 nicknames for my boys.
16) I miss Grandpa’s smile, Grandma’s homemade applesauce and watching Grandpa corner unsuspecting in-laws with his stories and maps.
SCHOOL DAYS
17) I was the second tallest kid in my kindergarten class and the second smallest at a high school wrestling camp (which meant I got to wrestle the smallest kid).
18) I was devastated by the lone check minus grade on my kindergarten report card. It seems I was lacking in the “can sing in tune with the group” department. I now contend that I was meant to be the lead singer and not a part of the chorus.
19) In first grade a classmate told me the new kid was funnier than me and I decided to be completely serious from that day forward. That didn’t last long and I decided I’d be who I was and love what other people were regardless of our differences or the potential competition.
20) In started wearing glasses in first grade and contact shortly after.
21) I used to ride around the country with my dad in the big rig during the summer and was confused why other kids had not been to all of the states we studied about in second grade social studies.
22) In third grade my teacher challenged my colorblindness because I could pass the encyclopedia test of finding a yellow “OX” hidden in the black dots (I’m still not sure how many people confuse those two colors). This was brought about by my pie chart indicating that ¾ of the earth was covered in water. My water section was magenta.
23) I took piano lessons for many years in grade school bookending a year or two as a percussionist in the grade school band.
24) I spent the night at my girlfriend’s house in fourth grade…of course her step brother was my best friend…and our relationship consisted of nothing more than saying “hi” to each other when we passed in the hallway…which lasted about a week…and come to think of it I don’t think any communication existed between the two of us outside of two notes that were passed requiring me to check boxes beginning and ending the relationship.
25) My move to a hockey obsessed state was foreshadowed many years ago when I sported a mullet in this grade school photo…
If you’re a long time friend or family member feel free to play Travis the home game and jot down the things you think will appear in the list that follows. Also, feel free to read through this over the course of several months. I’m guessing it will be just as exhausting to read as it was to come up with 100 reasonably interesting things to say.
ROOTS AND FAMILY
1) I was born in Iowa. I will always call Iowa my home no matter how long I lived in Chicago, will live in Minneapolis or may reside anywhere else.
2) My family (immediate and extended) easily means more to me than any company affiliation, job title, achievement or organizational allegiance ever will.
3) I even think my in-laws are cool (and I’m not just saying that because they visit the blog).
4) My family once said a lot of nice things about me in front of a lot of people during a significant work promotion ceremony. I will never forget their kind words and wish we could all have the formal opportunity to do that for each other because we are seldom given the forum. Why not now?
5) My dad is as much my friend as my father. Sitting at Wrigley Field with him with some hot dogs and beers is as much a perfect day as anything. It’s cool to have the sports bond but even cooler to have an example that puts faith and family at the top of his list. I appreciated the fact that he has to collect himself a bit before praying before a meal when the whole family is back around the same table. I feel the same way.
6) I see my mom as a big giver. She’s involved in every committee she’s asked to join and puts helping other people in front of many of her own priorities. She tells me she’s praying for me often and I’m very appreciative. I have total confidence that she’d be at my doorstep this evening if I told her I needed her help or a rescue from anything. My loquaciousness stems from my mother.
7) I have a lot of love and respect for both of my siblings and am glad to have one brother and one sister. Of course we picked on each other as youngsters but growing up and realizing what cool people we all are is a great blessing. They are both driven and successful and they are great in the role of uncle and aunt to our boys. My hope for them is that their journey through their lives will ultimately be looked back on as absolutely satisfying.
8) I’m related to all of my heroes.
9) My dad and brother were my co-best men at our wedding.
10) My brother and I once considered starting a petition supporting Roxette’s “Joyride” as the new US national anthem. Who wouldn’t take pride in putting their hand over their heart and belting out, “Hello, you fool. I love you.”? And the unity we’d all feel with a little group whistling? Think about it…it might be worth consideration.
11) I was really hoping Aidan would be born on 2-3-04 because that would have been really easy to remember. Kellen was close to 3-5-07 which also would have been very interesting.
12) There’s no significance behind my sons’ first names but their middle names are family names. They’ve got three middle names between the two of them: Christen (an abbreviation of Rachel’s maiden name), Thomas (Rachel’s brother) and Randall (my father).
13) I have a four year old in my house who tells me he loves me hourly…and it’s not just when he wants something or is in trouble. He also gives hugs as presents.
14) I’m fearing the day when Aidan asks me what we can do and he finally agrees to my standard response of “let’s build a rocket ship out of popsicle sticks and fly to the moon!”. Outside of commencing an epic popsicle eating session I’m not sure I can back up my idea.
15) I have about 30 nicknames for my boys.
16) I miss Grandpa’s smile, Grandma’s homemade applesauce and watching Grandpa corner unsuspecting in-laws with his stories and maps.
SCHOOL DAYS
17) I was the second tallest kid in my kindergarten class and the second smallest at a high school wrestling camp (which meant I got to wrestle the smallest kid).
18) I was devastated by the lone check minus grade on my kindergarten report card. It seems I was lacking in the “can sing in tune with the group” department. I now contend that I was meant to be the lead singer and not a part of the chorus.
19) In first grade a classmate told me the new kid was funnier than me and I decided to be completely serious from that day forward. That didn’t last long and I decided I’d be who I was and love what other people were regardless of our differences or the potential competition.
20) In started wearing glasses in first grade and contact shortly after.
21) I used to ride around the country with my dad in the big rig during the summer and was confused why other kids had not been to all of the states we studied about in second grade social studies.
22) In third grade my teacher challenged my colorblindness because I could pass the encyclopedia test of finding a yellow “OX” hidden in the black dots (I’m still not sure how many people confuse those two colors). This was brought about by my pie chart indicating that ¾ of the earth was covered in water. My water section was magenta.
23) I took piano lessons for many years in grade school bookending a year or two as a percussionist in the grade school band.
24) I spent the night at my girlfriend’s house in fourth grade…of course her step brother was my best friend…and our relationship consisted of nothing more than saying “hi” to each other when we passed in the hallway…which lasted about a week…and come to think of it I don’t think any communication existed between the two of us outside of two notes that were passed requiring me to check boxes beginning and ending the relationship.
25) My move to a hockey obsessed state was foreshadowed many years ago when I sported a mullet in this grade school photo…
26) I flipped off my bicycle and visited the emergency room a week before my first week of junior high classes began. My two front teeth are not mine (I bought them…actually my parents bought them).
27) I was the lead lawyer in a seventh grade mock trial and lost because the jury sided with my opponent who cited that one witness I called was not using their real name (I decided to merge the last names of two witness who were married for the sake of the mock trial…you know, because it’s not a real trial). This was decided to be an unforgiveable offence and they apparently overlooked the fact that my opponent called to the stand a seventh grade boy posing as a dog. I’m not bitter about it or anything…just thought I’d bring it up 17 years later.
28) Seventh grade also marked the launch of my film making career as my assignment trio decided to do a video report on the Great Depression rather than write the typical paper (I just wanted to play with Grandma’s camcorder). When it came time to give an account of World War II we were told that our group would be doing another video (the teacher had shown the first project to some college professors and liked our work). Plywood + clay + paper structures + fireworks = one killer Pearl Harbor recreation.
29) I wore braces in late junior high/early high school…even had the night time head gear.
30) A high school teacher was concerned about my quietness in class and approached my mother about it. Turns out paying attention in class is cause for concern about a child’s well being.
31) Rachel and I met in high school and have been together since I was 16 and she was 15 (I got the car…then I got the girl). That’s almost half our lives.
32) I was on Student Council in high school because my friend wrote my name on the list of candidates. Being elected and finding out people saw some potential leadership qualities in me changed my outlook on what I could do tremendously.
33) My first car was a little blue Mustang. Earlier in my “driving” career I had a Smurf themed Big Wheel, a blue huffy bike and an orange 1978 Honda Express mo-ped.
27) I was the lead lawyer in a seventh grade mock trial and lost because the jury sided with my opponent who cited that one witness I called was not using their real name (I decided to merge the last names of two witness who were married for the sake of the mock trial…you know, because it’s not a real trial). This was decided to be an unforgiveable offence and they apparently overlooked the fact that my opponent called to the stand a seventh grade boy posing as a dog. I’m not bitter about it or anything…just thought I’d bring it up 17 years later.
28) Seventh grade also marked the launch of my film making career as my assignment trio decided to do a video report on the Great Depression rather than write the typical paper (I just wanted to play with Grandma’s camcorder). When it came time to give an account of World War II we were told that our group would be doing another video (the teacher had shown the first project to some college professors and liked our work). Plywood + clay + paper structures + fireworks = one killer Pearl Harbor recreation.
29) I wore braces in late junior high/early high school…even had the night time head gear.
30) A high school teacher was concerned about my quietness in class and approached my mother about it. Turns out paying attention in class is cause for concern about a child’s well being.
31) Rachel and I met in high school and have been together since I was 16 and she was 15 (I got the car…then I got the girl). That’s almost half our lives.
32) I was on Student Council in high school because my friend wrote my name on the list of candidates. Being elected and finding out people saw some potential leadership qualities in me changed my outlook on what I could do tremendously.
33) My first car was a little blue Mustang. Earlier in my “driving” career I had a Smurf themed Big Wheel, a blue huffy bike and an orange 1978 Honda Express mo-ped.
That's not me, but it could be
34) I was the editor of the high school newspaper and yearbook.
35) I scored a total of four points in my one year varsity basketball career…all in the same game. I own Winterset. My senior year I chose to be lead statistician rather than sweat so much in practice just to play garbage time during blowout games. That allowed me to hang out and travel with the team and begin perfecting my obsession with collecting and analyzing statistics.
36) A friend and I once had a late night drinking party with soda. I drank a 24 pack of Mountain Dew in a 24 hour span including more than half of those before going to sleep in the early hours of the morning. Resting comfortably is very difficult when you’ve consumed more than 150 ounces of caffeinated beverages before attempting to sleep.
37) I gave up caffeinated soda years ago. Thank goodness for caffeine free Pepsi.
38) I hit a homerun to straight center field during a Labor Day softball tournament. It was my one an only over-the-fence homerun in an organized game.
39) I was so sure I was going to Iowa State or Iowa that I had my third set of ACT scores sent to the University of Guam. Having grown up a Hawkeye fan I was convinced until the day I visited Iowa State that I was going to Iowa. The day I visited Iowa State for the first time I knew I was going to be a Cyclone from that day forward.
40) I was the student speaker at my high school graduation. I was not the valedictorian.
41) I am very thankful to have gone to a private, Christian grade and high school but my faith became my own the day I walked onto a state school campus and had to decide who I was going to be for myself.
42) My Electronic Media Studies emphasis in my Journalism degree had me playing around in the TV studio and editing rooms regularly.
43) I missed all of two classes in four years of college.
44) I am six credits shy of my third degree. I have a Bachelor’s in Journalism and Mass Communications from Iowa State (minor in Religious Studies), an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management and a nearly completed Master’s in Human Resource Management from Keller.
WORKING FOR A LIVING
45) At one time I wanted to be a journalist, preacher or lawyer.
46) During the week of July 19, 1989 (the day United Airlines flight 232 crash landed in Sioux City) I started my first job which had me waking up daily at 3:30 am to deliver the Des Moines Register. I did this for several years with parental (and sometimes brotherly) assistance.
47) I successfully avoided the emergency room until someone accidentally harpooned me with a garden hoe while rouging in the fields (before detasseling corn). The accident didn’t sway my opinion that this was the worst job in the history of jobs. I would later take a water ski between the eyes which sent me back to the emergency room. Oh…and that little adventure with a kidney stone.
48) I washed the semi tractors and trailers for two Pella companies (including the ones that haul those fabulous Pella windows). I was driving the big rigs around the lot before I was even old enough to drive a car. Learning to back a 53 foot trailer into a tight spot is not easy.
49) I also worked the midnight to 8:00 shift in Pella Corporation’s window factory for a summer (one of two I worked for them).
50) In college I worked at Hollywood Video adding fuel to the fire of my cinematic appreciation. Yes I wore the tuxedo shirt and bow tie…and the cummerbund.
51) As our viewing list was restricted to music concerts and Disney movies at the video store I may have legitimately seen The Lion King more that 100 times in my life.
52) While in college I also interned and later freelanced for the sports department of the NBC television station in Des Moines, Iowa.
53) While covering the Iowa Caucuses (freelancing for a DC news service) I was patted down by then Vice President Al Gore’s Secret Service (and sniffed by their dogs). I was also in very near proximity to current President George W. Bush and Bill Bradley sought me out and shook my hand (I’m guessing he really wanted to make sure he looked good in our report).
FUN AND GAMES
54) ESPN launched on my birthday when I was very young which is very appropriate and also odd that they would create an all sports network just for me knowing very well that my parents did not have cable at the time.
55) I’m obsessed with fantasy football…all year round. I’m intensely researching, analyzing and planning leading up to the season and wrapped up in it during the season (I’m even strategizing during the offseason).
56) I’m no slouch at fantasy baseball either winning my league championship in both of my first two years of playing. I’m leading my league again this season hoping for the trifecta of titles.
57) Yes I am a huge statistical nerd.
58) I pledge my sports allegiance to the Iowa State Cyclones (my alma mater). I’m cardinal and gold…Cy’s my guy…I will fight with might for Iowa State…all of that good stuff. You can switch cites and switch pro teams (I won’t) but my degree says I’m a Cyclone.
59) I pledge my sports allegiance to the Chicago Bears. My first memories of pro football involve Da Bears. The first Super Bowl I remember was Chicago and New England after the 1985 season and Walter Payton is still my favorite all time athlete in any sport.
60) I pledge my sports allegiance the Chicago Cubs. I’m not a long suffering fan. I found out my grandfather was a Cubs man and after finding myself discussing the Cubs with my dad more than I talked about my own team I decided as a Chicago citizen it was time to join the movement. Please let this be the year for all of those who have lived and died (some many years ago) with their Cubbies.
61) I once racked up more “kills” than anyone in a large group playing laser tag only to find out my colorblindness had me shooting all of my teammates. I was not invited to play again in the second round and decided for the sake of my friendships to dismiss myself from further competition.
62) In college I won a modified game of Capture the Flag that involved water guns. I was wielding the world’s smallest water pistol (many of my opponents had purchased expensive Super Soakers) and I captured the flag. Nothing beats a two hour slow crawl around the parameter and sneaking up from behind the unsuspecting keeper of the flag.
63) I won an intramural championship at Iowa State. I was one-third of the greatest three-man volleyball team in the history of all mankind. I can introduce you to two other people who believe that.
64) I was at this game and saw this amazing play…
TRAVIS' TRAVELS
65) White water rafting down the Arkansas River in Colorado is one of the coolest things I’ve ever done.
66) I love the mountains.
67) A man who makes $1.5 million a year once fed me Key Lime pie while I was lounging poolside at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. I was sunning and without my glasses while he was sharing with some fellow co-workers so he served me.
68) I’ve been out of the US three times…honeymoon cruise in the Caribbean, a trip to the Paradise Island resort in the Bahamas, vacation in Mexico.
69) Rachel and I took a nap in a hammock on one of islands of the Blue Lagoon (where they filmed Gilligan’s Island). It was perhaps the most peaceful moment of my life.
INTERESTS AND FAVORITES
70) Am I obsessed with U2? I love music and I’ve got a big collection from my favorite band…all the official stuff and a lot of extras have found their way to me in one way or another. Rachel has suggested U2 Anonymous but I’m not exactly working actively to give it up.
71) I could live on Twizzlers. Reese’s Peanut Butter cups are a favorite treat but I can easily eat a whole bag of licorice in a short amount of time if the two of us are left unsupervised.
72) If I win the lottery (which would require me to play the lottery) I’m building a restaurant in my basement that serves Papa John’s pizza, Chick-fil-A sandwiches, Taco Johns Potato Oles, Bakers Square Chicken Cheddar Bacon Melts and the Chicken Fajita Quesadilla’s from Chili’s (and Chili’s pizza for Aidan).
73) My favorite color is blue. There’s a lot of blue in my closet.
CONFESSIONS
74) I loved the show A.L.F…even had the little stuffed A.L.F.
35) I scored a total of four points in my one year varsity basketball career…all in the same game. I own Winterset. My senior year I chose to be lead statistician rather than sweat so much in practice just to play garbage time during blowout games. That allowed me to hang out and travel with the team and begin perfecting my obsession with collecting and analyzing statistics.
36) A friend and I once had a late night drinking party with soda. I drank a 24 pack of Mountain Dew in a 24 hour span including more than half of those before going to sleep in the early hours of the morning. Resting comfortably is very difficult when you’ve consumed more than 150 ounces of caffeinated beverages before attempting to sleep.
37) I gave up caffeinated soda years ago. Thank goodness for caffeine free Pepsi.
38) I hit a homerun to straight center field during a Labor Day softball tournament. It was my one an only over-the-fence homerun in an organized game.
39) I was so sure I was going to Iowa State or Iowa that I had my third set of ACT scores sent to the University of Guam. Having grown up a Hawkeye fan I was convinced until the day I visited Iowa State that I was going to Iowa. The day I visited Iowa State for the first time I knew I was going to be a Cyclone from that day forward.
40) I was the student speaker at my high school graduation. I was not the valedictorian.
41) I am very thankful to have gone to a private, Christian grade and high school but my faith became my own the day I walked onto a state school campus and had to decide who I was going to be for myself.
42) My Electronic Media Studies emphasis in my Journalism degree had me playing around in the TV studio and editing rooms regularly.
43) I missed all of two classes in four years of college.
44) I am six credits shy of my third degree. I have a Bachelor’s in Journalism and Mass Communications from Iowa State (minor in Religious Studies), an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management and a nearly completed Master’s in Human Resource Management from Keller.
WORKING FOR A LIVING
45) At one time I wanted to be a journalist, preacher or lawyer.
46) During the week of July 19, 1989 (the day United Airlines flight 232 crash landed in Sioux City) I started my first job which had me waking up daily at 3:30 am to deliver the Des Moines Register. I did this for several years with parental (and sometimes brotherly) assistance.
47) I successfully avoided the emergency room until someone accidentally harpooned me with a garden hoe while rouging in the fields (before detasseling corn). The accident didn’t sway my opinion that this was the worst job in the history of jobs. I would later take a water ski between the eyes which sent me back to the emergency room. Oh…and that little adventure with a kidney stone.
48) I washed the semi tractors and trailers for two Pella companies (including the ones that haul those fabulous Pella windows). I was driving the big rigs around the lot before I was even old enough to drive a car. Learning to back a 53 foot trailer into a tight spot is not easy.
49) I also worked the midnight to 8:00 shift in Pella Corporation’s window factory for a summer (one of two I worked for them).
50) In college I worked at Hollywood Video adding fuel to the fire of my cinematic appreciation. Yes I wore the tuxedo shirt and bow tie…and the cummerbund.
51) As our viewing list was restricted to music concerts and Disney movies at the video store I may have legitimately seen The Lion King more that 100 times in my life.
52) While in college I also interned and later freelanced for the sports department of the NBC television station in Des Moines, Iowa.
53) While covering the Iowa Caucuses (freelancing for a DC news service) I was patted down by then Vice President Al Gore’s Secret Service (and sniffed by their dogs). I was also in very near proximity to current President George W. Bush and Bill Bradley sought me out and shook my hand (I’m guessing he really wanted to make sure he looked good in our report).
FUN AND GAMES
54) ESPN launched on my birthday when I was very young which is very appropriate and also odd that they would create an all sports network just for me knowing very well that my parents did not have cable at the time.
55) I’m obsessed with fantasy football…all year round. I’m intensely researching, analyzing and planning leading up to the season and wrapped up in it during the season (I’m even strategizing during the offseason).
56) I’m no slouch at fantasy baseball either winning my league championship in both of my first two years of playing. I’m leading my league again this season hoping for the trifecta of titles.
57) Yes I am a huge statistical nerd.
58) I pledge my sports allegiance to the Iowa State Cyclones (my alma mater). I’m cardinal and gold…Cy’s my guy…I will fight with might for Iowa State…all of that good stuff. You can switch cites and switch pro teams (I won’t) but my degree says I’m a Cyclone.
59) I pledge my sports allegiance to the Chicago Bears. My first memories of pro football involve Da Bears. The first Super Bowl I remember was Chicago and New England after the 1985 season and Walter Payton is still my favorite all time athlete in any sport.
60) I pledge my sports allegiance the Chicago Cubs. I’m not a long suffering fan. I found out my grandfather was a Cubs man and after finding myself discussing the Cubs with my dad more than I talked about my own team I decided as a Chicago citizen it was time to join the movement. Please let this be the year for all of those who have lived and died (some many years ago) with their Cubbies.
61) I once racked up more “kills” than anyone in a large group playing laser tag only to find out my colorblindness had me shooting all of my teammates. I was not invited to play again in the second round and decided for the sake of my friendships to dismiss myself from further competition.
62) In college I won a modified game of Capture the Flag that involved water guns. I was wielding the world’s smallest water pistol (many of my opponents had purchased expensive Super Soakers) and I captured the flag. Nothing beats a two hour slow crawl around the parameter and sneaking up from behind the unsuspecting keeper of the flag.
63) I won an intramural championship at Iowa State. I was one-third of the greatest three-man volleyball team in the history of all mankind. I can introduce you to two other people who believe that.
64) I was at this game and saw this amazing play…
TRAVIS' TRAVELS
65) White water rafting down the Arkansas River in Colorado is one of the coolest things I’ve ever done.
66) I love the mountains.
67) A man who makes $1.5 million a year once fed me Key Lime pie while I was lounging poolside at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. I was sunning and without my glasses while he was sharing with some fellow co-workers so he served me.
68) I’ve been out of the US three times…honeymoon cruise in the Caribbean, a trip to the Paradise Island resort in the Bahamas, vacation in Mexico.
69) Rachel and I took a nap in a hammock on one of islands of the Blue Lagoon (where they filmed Gilligan’s Island). It was perhaps the most peaceful moment of my life.
INTERESTS AND FAVORITES
70) Am I obsessed with U2? I love music and I’ve got a big collection from my favorite band…all the official stuff and a lot of extras have found their way to me in one way or another. Rachel has suggested U2 Anonymous but I’m not exactly working actively to give it up.
71) I could live on Twizzlers. Reese’s Peanut Butter cups are a favorite treat but I can easily eat a whole bag of licorice in a short amount of time if the two of us are left unsupervised.
72) If I win the lottery (which would require me to play the lottery) I’m building a restaurant in my basement that serves Papa John’s pizza, Chick-fil-A sandwiches, Taco Johns Potato Oles, Bakers Square Chicken Cheddar Bacon Melts and the Chicken Fajita Quesadilla’s from Chili’s (and Chili’s pizza for Aidan).
73) My favorite color is blue. There’s a lot of blue in my closet.
CONFESSIONS
74) I loved the show A.L.F…even had the little stuffed A.L.F.
Now that was some quality television
75) I’m also comfortable enough with my manhood to say I had a Cabbage Patch doll when I was a kid. He had glasses like me and his name was Abe Kirk.
76) When I was young I stole a five cent piece of Bazooka bubble gum from the store. I felt so guilty I told them to keep the change on several return visits. I probably paid three dollars for that piece of gum before finally accepting change from them again
77) I was once a member of one of those CD clubs under five different names. I would get free CDs for signing up a friend and free CDs for my friend (who was me).
78) I enjoy sophisticated films like “Tommy Boy” and “Dumb and Dumber”.
79) I still play video games. I need to stay sharp enough to compete with my kids.
MY WISH LIST
80) I’d like to be able to play the guitar.
81) I’d like to skydive (bungee jumping seems like an invitation for whiplash).
82) I’ve been snow skiing once and would really like to do that again (I was not too swift in my first try). I consider myself a solid water skier and enjoy it a great deal.
83) I want to dive from one of those Olympic platforms (assuming I suddenly know how to flip, spin and hit the water correctly so I don’t knock myself out with the world’s most horrendous belly flop).
84) Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about pudding pops. Can we get those back?
RANDOM FACTS
85) If I was born a girl my name would have been Kelly.
86) My lucky number is 7 as my full birth date is full of sevens. I don’t believe in luck and I have an odd number phobia that means I both fear and embrace the seven.
87) I once had a lot of stuffed penguins…actually I still have them but they all live in a tub in the garage.
88) I will call anyone dude…that’s right dude, you too.
89) I once jammed 100 marshmallows in my mouth.
90) I would grill in the rain or snow…and I have.
91) My brain is filled with song lyrics.
92) I can’t sleep with socks on and I require two pillows.
93) I was the president of my fifth grade class (for one month), my high school senior class, my college fraternity (Alpha Kappa Lambda) and the Wheaton CRC deacons.
94) I know the Greek alphabet and took three years of Spanish.
95) I’m an internet junkie. I love having a world of information at my finger tips.
96) I’m a night owl and typically operate on six hours of sleep.
AND FINALLY…
97) I don’t get embarrassed which is why I have no issue recounting awkward moments for the amusement of others. I will gladly serve myself up for laughter if I feel it will entertain someone…anyone.
98) I Peter 3:15 is my go to verse. My hope and confidence are rooted in my faith that I am where I am supposed to be and will ultimately be where I need to be regardless of my current circumstances.
99) I wish I could get paid to write and make videos but I’m having a blast doing it here for the amusement of my friends and family. Thanks for being a part of the blog!
100) After putting this together and sorting it out (not all in one sitting) I feel like I need a nap.
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