The Reason I’m “Unfriending” You

Insert Sarcastic Quote Here

Hello there. It’s been awhile since last we spoke but, due to the emergence of networking sites, you and I have come in contact again after years of seperation. For awhile I thought it was cool that I could see what you were up to, what your thoughts were, what you liked or disliked. But here recently, with all of the political, ecological, religious and outright hateful posts that have been filling up my personal Facebook stream, I’ve decided it’s time to say our goodbyes. I remember when we were kids/teenagers/20-somethings/parents/co-workers and I look back on those times with fondness and I remember the good old days, but here recently, I have come to realize that we are just two completely different people who have grown far apart in our ideology and that’s okay. I mean, we all have our ways of thinking and I respect that! But I figure it’s all for the best if I keep the memory I have of you from “back in the day” than to allow your updates and posts to start to stress me out. It’s not that I don’t respect your thoughts, it’s just that I don’t share the same and in a lot of cases, I find your thoughts to be completely backwards from my own.

I think it is a good thing to hear opposite opinions. It’s contructive and helps shape who I am personally. However after the onslaught of negativity and complete disregard for the feelings of others on networking sites that I use often, I made a pact with myself…get through the election, see if things quiet down, and go from there. So I did. And yet still I find myself getting frustrated with your thoughts and positions on certain subjects. It’s not that they’re opposite of my own, it’s that there seems to be a complete refusal to even consider that others feel differently. So, for this reason, I have decided to “unfriend” you. I’m not mad at you, I’m not frustrated with you, I am simply choosing to keep my personal space and to remember you as you once were. Someday, maybe when I’m in my travels, we might meet again and then we can sit down, have some coffee and have an in-depth conversation about your thoughts on the election, abortion, homosexuality, our nation’s military or any other topic you feel is important however, at this time in my life, I don’t feel social networks are the place to be making statements that can’t be discussed and researched in a constructive manner.

My interest in social networking is strictly for entertainment. Am I happy to have made friends with you again? Absolutely. I have fond memories of our time together. But now I think it best that we part ways again and remember the good times. It’s in the best interest of our friendship and the memories. Humor has always been a huge part of my life. I am sarcastic and open to a fault. At times, this has been a sticking point with me because I use sarcasm and humor to try to get points across. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Either way, you have some very strong ideals and I can’t argue with those. But let’s face it…I’m not going to change, you’re not going to change, and so with that as a sticking point and with the internet being sometimes hard to navigate when it comes to tone, I say we just move on and not feel badly about it.

Once again, thank you for being my friend. I will remember you fondly and I’m sure that if we are ever in contact again, we can get along nicely without our ideology getting in the way. But for now, as far as social networking goes, I wish to keep my space and as Willy Wonka might say…”Goodbye. Adieu. Aufwiedersehen. Gesundheit. Farewell.”

Should I Stay Or Should I Go (Top 10 Networking Sites)?

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I’m officially worn out. At first it was MySpace. MySpace was cool because it was my first launch into social networking. Granted…it was originally set up for musicians and bands and then somehow got overtaken by people like me, all setting up our own pages even if we had zero musical talent whatsoever. But then along came Facebook and ever since it has been a literal barrage of sites that claim to be the next…BIG…THING!

And I’ve pretty much signed up for all of them. I’ve gone and jumped off the cliff and it’s too much. And so…I’m giving up. I’m pulling the plug. Not on THIS site obviously because this is more of my own writing and I enjoy writing and I’m hoping someday my kids can go back and read up on their dad and his journeys and opinions and thoughts. They’ll also be able to see how THEY have grown up and how much I love them.

No…I’m giving up on networking sites. Not ALL of them…but enough of them that I thought I would list the Top 10 sites that I am currently on, whether I’m going to stay on them and why or why not I’m staying or going. So here you are…and may the best sites win!

10. Path
For whatever reason, this network is predominantly a phone app. You can upload videos, pictures, tag places you’ve been or list music you’re listening too. I use it enough when I’m on the road and I like the ease of it. Plus…I have yet to see a slew of people bombarding it with posts so…I’M STAYING!

9. Instagram
Oh how I love the pretty pictures and there are obviously some pretty talented people out there who know how to use photography apps to give their photos lots of nifty effects and colors but for the most part…this is a bunch of people I don’t know showing off their editing abilities and quite frankly…I can see MY friends do that on Facebook. I’M OUT!

8. Pinterest
It’s for girls. I’M OUT.

7. Tumblr
Yes…I have a Tumblr account. No…I don’t visit it very often however I CAN post to it from “Path” and I do mostly post pictures there so…I’M STAYING! For now…

6. Twitter
Ya know…I’ve NEVER gotten into Twitter. I guess I’m just too old to understand the appeal. I don’t follow famous people or athletes and I don’t really care about every waking thought that pops into your head so…I’M GONE! But…don’t take it personally…mmmmkay?

5. Google+
I had such high hopes for Google+ and maybe THAT was the problem. It’s NOT Facebook and I don’t have the necessary IQ to understand the “circle” system so…I’M OUT!

4. LinkedIn
Everyone’s favorite resume drop spot, I admit that I probably visit this site more on my IPad than I ever have on my IPhone. And I almost NEVER visit on my computers so I imagine that on the IPad this site will remain one of my more traveled networking sites so…I’M STAYING!

3. Foursquare
I have a Love/Hate relationship with this site. It’s fun when I travel but for whatever reason I find it frustrating when I’m in the same place for work or simply hanging out at home. This is a tough one for me because it DID have some fun elements working for it but I find that Path is replacing it for highlighting where I am (as if anyone cares) so…it is with great sadness that I say ADIOS FOURSQUARE!

2. MySpace
The grand-daddy of them all! It was my initial foray into social networking and I still retain a site even though I visit maybe 2 times a year (for whatever reason). It’s hard to part with what got me going in the first place so I think I’ll keep it around…for those rare times when I’m bored and want to go back to see when the LAST time was that I visited. I’M STAYING!

1. Facebook.
Oh c’mon now. Through update after update, I have hung with this site and it continues to be my most visited and most status heavy networking site. And so it will remain because, quite frankly, almost every person I have EVER come in contact with is a member and I doubt there will ever be another site where everyone joins soooo…FACEBOOK STAYS!

There you have it! I’m not going to take the time to go and delete my accounts. I doubt that is necessary. But if you are attempting to get a hold of me or if you are curious to what I’m up to, odds are…visit Facebook. I may not be on there as much as I used to be but I find that when I have a few minutes and I’m bored, it’s an easy time filler!

Epic Rap Battles Of History

My brother introduced me to these 2 minute snippets of pure entertainment last week while we were hanging out at his house. Not being a “youtube” guy, they slipped under my very shallow radar. But holy crap are they funny?!?! See for yourself…but be aware…there is some vulgar language…

MY FAVORITE RAP BATTLE

MY SECOND FAVORITE RAP BATTLE

And another nicepeter production that had me CRYING laughing. Seriously…funny stuff!

When Bloggers Meet

As most of us who “blog” know…we are constantly making new friends who come and go. Friends who comment on our site and then we go read their site and leave a comment and sooner or later you end up corresponding whether it continues via comment section or Facebook or Twitter or email or whatever. I have made many friends here in the blogosphere, some that I have almost forgotten I have never met. And in the case of Danielle-Lee, if you were to ask me how I know her, I might have had to pause and think about it because, quite frankly, it feels as if I have known her for years!

If you haven’t been to her site, visit “A Little Left Of Lost.” As of today, she hasn’t been doing a whole lot of writing simply because the woman hasn’t had the time. Being a working mother who is going to school and who has the CRAZIEST schedule, she has found it difficult to take a half hour out of her day to write. As we all know, this happens from time to time. We get busy, life gets in the way, and the next thing you know…ya haven’t written anything in months! But on Monday, she took some time out of her busy schedule to meet up with me for lunch in Irving, Texas. We hunkered down at a little Italian eatery and got caught up on our lives and what we’re up to and I have to tell you…it was like we had gone to high school or college together.

Here’s the thing…I’ve been writing here for almost 3 years. In that time, I’m pretty sure that I have been reading about Danielle (or “DL” as I call her) and her life for most of that time. I don’t remember HOW I found her (we were trying to recall how we became friends and neither of us could remember). Odds are good that I probably found her through another blogger and then left a comment or two (or three) and she visited my site and found that we have the same interests in music and our families and from there a wonderful friendship has grown. I’ve seen her daughter grow through her posted pictures. I have read about her past and the things she has been through. And I have enjoyed her taste in music as she posts her “Music Lover Mondays” mixes and videos. She is almost a female version of myself and we get along swimmingly (do we say “swimmingly” in the U.S.? Eh…who cares…)

Anyway…it was great to finally meet one of my favorite people who I had never met and she is just as awesome in person as she is in print. I’m hoping we get to meet again sometime, maybe when I have a little more time and we can have a few drinks (the woman has NEVER had a Blue Moon? Seriously DL?) and tell a few more stories about life and blogging and how our kids drive us insane but we love them for it. But for now, just getting to meet her in person was truly a treat. She is exactly like she is on her blog…very personable, very easy to talk to and a wonderful person. Hopefully she’ll get back on the writing horse again here soon. I have missed her and I am looking forward to the next time when we can get together and tear up the town. Hope Dallas is ready…it could get loud! LOL

1 Meeellion Satisfied Customers

HOLY CRAP!

So today I log on and check my email. I respond to all the Lady Gaga fans out there who have been coming here in droves to rail on me and give me crap and just for fun I check my blog counter and apparently I have now had over 1 million people visit this site?!?! What happened???

I imagine over 750,000 of them were from the Gaga post (which is somewhat disheartening) but it’s definitely cool that so many people have stopped in just to give their opinion on the subject, whether I agree with it or not. And it has been a test of my patience at times, but considering the sheer volume of traffic I’ve gotten, I guess it goes to show what a lightning rod Gaga is when it come to her fans and those who think she has no talent whatsoever. I wish my other posts were as interesting as that one (which I wrote early in 2009) and that people were stopping by to read my occasional post, but alas…that doesn’t seem to be the case. But I can say this…since I’ve re-thought how I approach writing here, my mental attitude about it has definitely shifted. I feel like it’s fun again…not a chore. And that is the most important thing to me.

So if you are one of the million satisfied customers…thank you for reading. Even if you hate me, you have at least stopped by and spoken your mind. And I’ve probably responded not so kindly but the truth of the matter is…this is what freedom is all about. Speaking what’s on your mind. We all don’t agree and we all don’t like the same stuff. It’s what makes us all unique. And that is what America is all about.

Peace to all and thanks for reading! :-)

I’m Famous…kind of.

Oh yeah…I’m famous now ’cause I’ve been interviewed by BlogInterviewer.com. What? What’s that you say? EVERYONE has been interviewed by BlogInterviewer.com?

Oh.

Well…whatever. Anyway…the other day a message was left in my comments asking if I would like to be interviewed and have my answers posted on this BlogInterviewer.com. Curious (because aren’t we all just looking for a little attention?), I went and checked it out. It seemed like a safe endeavor (that is, until I start getting a boatload of spam & porn messages), so here it is…MY Interview with BlogInterviewer.com.

Is it more insightful than any interview in the history of blogging? Nope. But if you are interested, go check it out and vote for me for some kind of award that they give out or something. Honestly, I don’t even know what this is all about…but whatever. It’s VINDICATION!!! All of my hard typing is NOT for naught! SOMEONE cares…dammit.

Now…go check it out. Oh yeah…and SUBSCRIBE to my damn blog! The SUBSCRIBE button is over there on the right at the top of your webpage here. So get to it. You’ve been warned. Don’t make me come over there…

So…I’m Back. Kind Of…

Here’s the deal…

I needed a break.

Not a long break, mind you. But a break. And last week I posted that I was pretty much done blogging here. But now I’m not. For a couple of reasons. One of them being that my family really, really wants me to keep writing. And I’m cool with that. They were the reason I started in the first place.

Secondly, I have things I want to write about. Well…I don’t right this second, but I’m sure I will eventually. I think the idea in my head was that I needed to write in order to keep my “audience” entertained. But truthfully…I don’t HAVE an “audience”. I have a few people who stop here occasionally and leave me a comment and then go on about their lives. So I don’t know WHY I put pressure on myself like that. And now, after a week or so of NOT writing here, I think I’m all good with writing here when I want to. So in that way it’s good to be back! Sort of…

And to add to all this, I’ve started ANOTHER blog site?!? Yep…I did. And here’s why…

I love music and movies. They are the 2 things I enjoy writing about the most. Oh I like to write about my personal feelings on health care reform and such from time to time, but for the most part, movies & music are what I love. So I started a site completely dedicated to my love of music called “Music Makes The World Go Round”. I liked the title ’cause it links it to my little site here and it makes sense for me. On that site I will be writing about all things musical, which will include my “Tunes From ITunes” stuff, music mixes, album reviews, my Top 10 lists and so on. It’s the stuff I love to write about and it goes nicely with my movie site, “Popcorn & A Soda” (where my brother and I have picked our winners for this year’s Oscars race. Go check it out!!). It’s all in good fun and I think having the 3 sites separate will help me organize my thoughts a little more clearly. I want this site for MY family and MY thoughts. The music and movie stuff gets in the way. It clutters up my little world here and I want to keep them apart so that you may choose if you are even remotely interested in me, movies or music or none of the above. And this way I don’t have any pressure to entertain…I can just write about what I want to write about. And that’s the way it’s supposed to be anyways.

Anyhoo…I hope you’ll bare with me. I’m gonna revamp some things around here. It might take some time but I WILL be writing here (I have 2 blogs in the works in my head as I write this) and I plan on keeping this site rolling for a long time to come. I guess I just needed a break. It wasn’t a long break, but now if I don’t write for a week or so, I won’t be so worried about it. I know, I know…I’m thinking to much. It’s silly and I got all thrown off by it. But now I’m back and ready to have some fun! So sorry if you went away and forgot about me. But if you did, I’m okay with that. From now on, I write because I want to. If it’s here or the other 2 sites, I do it because I want to do it. And that’s it.

Peace yo!

Blogging 101: Thick Skin & Lady GaGa

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Or…How Lady GaGa taught me how to love my blog…

I recently had a friend ask me about starting a blog. She asked me…”What should I know?”  Well…a long, long time ago, I kind of made a list of what you should do when blogging…but that was before Lady Gaga. And what does Lady GaGa have to do with blogging? Well…if anything, she has shown me that you have to be very thick-skinned.

On March 27, 2009, I read an article in now-defunct “Blender” magazine that was an interview with pop singer Lady GaGa. In the article, she was quoted saying several things that I found to be somewhat obnoxious for an artist just getting out of the gate. I called her out on it in my “What The Heck…” series (one of my favorite series’ of posts, I might add). Since then, not only have I gotten a shitload of hits (I went from averaging 450 hits a day to over 1,500) from people “Googling” her image which I posted with the article, but I’ve also gotten a boatload of comments from people who either agree with me or who think I’m a complete woman-hating schmuck.  I have re-read the post and I still don’t disagree with what I said, but it is interesting other people’s interpretation of it and THAT is where I would tell my friend to be careful when blogging.

Initially I was taken aback by what some people thought of my comments. Then when all the hits started, I figured I didn’t care. Then I took it personally. Then I thought about it and decided that this was good for me. It keeps me in the mindset that everyone has a different opinion about things and as it has gone along, I have actually learned a few things about myself through that blog. So…in a way, Lady GaGa has taught me a few things about myself. And I’ve learned a valuable lesson about blogging…you gotta have thick skin or else you will get eaten alive.

There are people out there who have strong opinions, whether you feel they are right or wrong, and they will comment and they will say rude things and they will rain on your parade. It’s in our nature to want to be heard and some people will say anything just to get on your nerves. It’s also in our nature to want to be able to say anything just because we can. I admit, sometimes when I write a blog, I write it without thinking about it. Sometimes I just let it out without much thought to who would care about WHAT I say. But then you find out that sometimes it’s best to save your post, then come back and re-read it later to see if what you wrote actually conveys what you are trying to say. I have been guilty of publishing something too quickly and then wishing I hadn’t. Although I admit…the Lady GaGa post is NOT one of them. Anyway, in order to enjoy the process of blogging and being creative, I guess the most important rule is to understand that not everyone is going to agree and they will argue and call you names and they will leave rude comments and it’s all up to you to decide how you handle that kind of criticism.

I am a blogger. I write down my thoughts and my ideas and I post pictures because I enjoy it. If some people find what I write to be offensive or disparaging they don’t have to return. They can continue on their merry way and I won’t care one way or another. But occasionally there is an interesting debate that comes along and I find it fascinating. And THAT is the reason I blog…to make a connection. Not to be argumentative or to be bitchy. I do it because I can connect with my family, with my friends and with the occasional stranger who passes by and actually reads what my thoughts are. Maybe they agree, maybe they disagree, but either way…they are reading and hopefully enjoying what I put out there. But really…it’s all about me and my thoughts & ideas. And it doesn’t really matter what they think of me…because it’s MY blog and I can do what I want with it.

So there’s my advice…do what you want and say what you want. But be aware that not everyone will agree with you and if you can accept that…you’ll be just fine.

Have fun typing Julie! And let me know if you need any help! :-)

You Might Not Know Me But You’re My Friend Anyways…

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Do You Know Me?

Lately, I feel like I’ve been spending more time on Facebook & Twitter than I have concentrating on blogging, and I don’t know if that is necessarily a bad thing. I mean…with Facebook I get to see what all of my friends are doing and make quick status updates (usually something snarky or sarcastic). And with Twitter…well…no one really cares so I don’t spend much time on there. But both are a lot easier than writing a blog, where I have to actually set up my thoughts, organize and put a “story” in writing.

The other day on Facebook, I took a couple of “How Well Do You Know Such-n-Such” quizzes and was very disappointed in myself. After answering the 10 stumpers, it turns out I don’t know “my friends” very well at all. So I wanted to apologize to them (they know who they are…probably) for being a terrible friend. And to keep anyone else from feeling this way as well, I figured I would jot down the answers to my quiz for all of my OTHER friends who may take the quiz on me, this way eliminating any bad feelings that the quiz might evoke and we can all walk away from the Facebook experience with our heads held high and a happy feeling in our heart (I have no idea what I am talking about). Anyway…here’s MY “Cheat Sheet”. Use it when appropriate!

1. What color best suits me?
This is an obvious choice if you know me at all, and most everyone who has taken my quiz has gotten it correct. However if you think about it, it’s an easy answer because I have blue eyes…so BLUE is my answer because then everything matches! (Or so I tell my wife. She just thinks I’m lazy and I don’t want to color coordinate…)

2. My favorite alcoholic beverage is…
Sure, I like beer. Beer is great on a summer evening while chatting with friends. But for my true alcoholic love, it has to bring a happy thought into my head everytime I drink it. And nothing evokes better images than the drink I had every second of my honeymoon back in 2000. The pina colada is cool & refreshing and brings back great memories. What more can a person ask for? (Besides a cheap buzz and nausea?)

3. My favorite flavor of ice cream?
Hands down, Graeter’s Raspberry Chocolate Chip. With HUGE pieces of chocolate and the sweetest raspberry ice cream ever. But it is now being tested with a new Graeter’s flavor called “Elena’s Blueberry Pie”, which is downright DELICIOUS!!!

4. How many times have I travelled out of the country?
Surprise! Only twice. Oh sure…I guess it’s true that I have been over the Canadian border a couple of times to Windsor and Montreal. But for the true travel experience, I have only been to London & St. Lucia in the carribean. That’s pretty much it. And I didn’t even need a passport to get me to St. Lucia…so maybe that doesn’t count. I dunno…

5. What is my favorite movie?
If you don’t get this one, then you really don’t know me at all. “Grosse Pointe Blank” has been my favorite movie for about 8 years now. John Cusack, great soundtrack, awesome dialogue. My favorite easily!

6. What is my middle name?
I forgive anyone who missed this one because, quite honestly, middle names are dumb. Not that they aren’t necessary, but if you don’t know that I share “Thomas” with my Dad, I won’t hold it against you…

7. What song would I choose to sing at a karaoke bar?
When choosing to sing a song in public, the first thing I think about are the high notes. ‘Cause I can’t reach them. So then I shoot for something with low notes. And nothing says low notes like “Jet Airliner” by The Steve Miller Band. And to my friends who chose “Close To You”? You are fired…

8. What city was I born in?
Trick question because I was raised in Zanesville, OH. But my parents got me from an adoption agency in Columbus where, apparently, my maternal parents went to school. So Columbus, OH is where I am from originally.

9. Who is my favorite Disney character?
Who cares really? Well…I think the character you pick shows what kind of person you are. So in MY mind, I am forever young. So Peter Pan is my favorite character!

10. At a party, what would I be doing?
The answers are drinking, chatting, sitting in a corner by myself or sleeping. If I’m at a party (which is rare), my wife does all the chatting but I would never be sitting in a corner. I would probably be walking around, sipping a drink and listening to everyone else’s conversations. So drinking is my answer!

So there ya have it. If you’re on Facebook and you are gonna take MY quiz, you now know all the answers! And if you’re NOT my friend on Facebook…um…well….WHY NOT??? Get with the times! Everyone is doing it!

A Post You Should Read

I have a few bloggy friends who are very good writers, and today, as I was trying to catch up with all of them after a long absence, I read THIS post by Mel over at Blah La Blah Log. It’s a very well written post and it made me think even more about how short life is and how we should be thankful every day for what we have. Go check it out and let her know what you think!

-Alan

Good Friends, Good Times

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Me & Anne now…

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and back in the day…

As I travel around, I am lucky that I get to see and hang with good friends from my past, present and future. I get to visit so many different places and cities where, inevitably, there is someone I know living where I am going.

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My college friend, Tom, in San Diego (rocking it out in the middle!)

Today I am in Tampa and I had breakfast with a friend that I used to work with. She is 8 months pregnant and we had breakfast at the Crack Whore Barrel this morning. I love being able to see my friends that I wouldn’t normally see if I were to have a desk job somewhere. This works well for me because I work in television, and television people move around a lot. Even if you work at a news station somewhere (which I used to), you keep moving in your early years so that in your later years you can settle someplace where you can pocket some money (good luck in THIS business! But it IS better than radio!), start a family and look ahead to retirement. You wouldn’t  believe how many times I’ve been somewhere, flipped on the evening news and I know the news anchor from someplace else!

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Friend & co-worker, Ginger, on in Dallas

In the past 4 months, I’ve seen a college buddy in San Diego, a high school buddy in Chicago and now a former co-worker who was a part of a rowdy band of friends that used to work for a show called “The Daily Buzz”. All of these friends I stay in touch with because of my job. And a lot of them I keep in contact with through Facebook. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve had a lot of friends find me and renew our friendship and I just think its great. Seeing as how I am constantly on a computer and how I don’t get to have a normal social life (I work a lot of weekends), this way of  “keeping up” has worked out well for me. Facebooking and then, if I’m in town, a quick visit and then on to the next gig. It’s great!

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My friend from high school, ABC

So today I just wanted to give a shout out to all of my friends who I have gotten to see again or who have renewed my friendship via the world wide web. It’s really cool to see so many of my friends doing well for themselves and who have moved on to be so successful or who are striving to do so much with their lives. Seriously…I am a very lucky person to have so many great friends back in my life! And to my newer friends who I have come to know by this blogsite, I appreciate your friendship as well and maybe someday, you and I can meet for some lunch and a drink! And, for the record…I always buy the first round! :-)

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My college friend, Ed, in Seattle 

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My best friend, JT, in Memphis

5 Questions From The Villager

Barbara Walters he ain’t, but the Vinyl Villager came up with a little Q & A blog that I thought was creative, so I went ahead and volunteered to answer a few of HIS questions about me. As you know…I am a very secretive and non-”heart on my sleeve” type of guy (NOT), so this might be difficult (NOT), but I thought I would give it a try anyways. And best of all…YOU get to participate as well! Once you get past my boring answers, if you would like me to ask you a few questions, all you do is follow the directions at the bottom (per Villagers request) and I will email you some questions for you to answer on YOUR blog site! Good times…

1. Tell us about how you proposed to your wife.
So personal to begin with! However, it’s really not all that exciting. We dated for 4 years. I had come off a bad marriage and knew Stephanie was the one for me, but I was a little gunshy (so to speak). Anyway, I had planned a date to ask her, but she was working that night (she used to produce the 11pm newscast for a tv affiliate here in Cincinnati). I set up candles, had soft music and wine and when she got home, I asked her to marry me. Nothing spectacular…but it worked for us and she said yes. So that’s all that matters! Oh…and I asked her to NOT wear her favorite sweatshirt which read…”She Who MUST Be Obeyed”. It was purple and obnoxious. Oddly enough…that sweatshirt has disappeared. Wonder what happened to it…
 
2. With all the bad economic news…we keep hearing about ways to cut back. What are some things you would NEVER cut back on?
You know, there are a lot of things I know I COULD cut back on. I buy lots of music, DVDs and gadgets, so there are always those things. But the things I could NOT cut back on would be my kids’ education (which is tops on my priority list) and heat for our home (my wife gets very cold very easily). Seriously…I don’t really have much that I truly need to survive. Of course there is always groceries and stuff, but I think you are asking me about things that are not necessary to my survival…and I could easily do without much. I’m easy like that.
 
3. You’re stuck on a deserted island and can only take three things with you. What are they? (and they can’t be your family or your iPod)
Wow. Believe it not, you take both of those options out of the picture and I don’t have much. Since my IPod also includes my ITouch (I assume), I would go with a knife kit, sunblock and a box of flares?
 
4. What is the most embarassing song on your iPod? (You already know mine)
Hmmmmm…I dunno. I have so many one hit wonders on there, that I don’t know what is considered to be embarrassing. If you were to ask me “Which song do I actually ENJOY that would be considered embarassing on my IPod”, it would be a totally different question. And I guess that honor would have to be Anne Murray’s “Shadows In The Moonlight”? I guess… (but to be totally honest…I do own a few Britney Spears songs…so you are now free of my ridicule…)

Sorry Anne…I got a reputation to protect…
5. Much has been made of your turning the big 4-0. But if you could stop the clock, what age would you like to stay forever?
I had so much fun in my early 20′s. I went to a local community college in Zanesville, worked at the local NBC tv/radio combo and met some of the best friends I’ll ever have. I also grew into my own person and became more independent. I think if I could jump back to a time in my life that I enjoyed just for myself, the age of 19-20 were the best of my life. Everything else has been a lot of fun though! I’m really a very lucky man and wouldn’t change my life for anything in the whole world!
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Me and my friends circa 1989
And there you have it! 5 great questions from one of my favorite bloggers! Thanks for giving me MORE writing material and now the rules for anyone else who would like to participate…

The rules for anyone else who wants to be interviewed…
1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.”
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the questions).
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

The Greatest Site Ever That Includes Cuddly Animals & Lots Of Cusswords

 
Oh…you WILL have your tail between your legs, cute kitten…once you’ve seen FU Penguin!

If you are feeling up to it, a friend recommended the GREATEST site EVER. If you love animals (or if you don’t…it doesn’t matter), THIS site is the funniest I have ever seen. Whoever is in charge knows exactly what makes me laugh and I visit every chance I get. Just plain stupid and awesome! Go check it out! But be aware…there is some strong language (which is what makes it so damn funny), so if you aren’t into that kind of thing…well…your loss! LOL

Nine-tee-nine Thangs

Got this from The Claw. You take the list and highlights what you HAVE done from this list of 99 things. Let’s see how many things I have done in my lifetime. You are more than welcome to play along and work this one for yourselves!

1. Started your own blog (you are reading it)
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
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5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (been to Walt Disney World hundreds of times though!)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (The Prodigal Son in the 6th grade)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child (My wife is adopted. Does THAT count?)
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (Come on! Who hasn’t?!?!)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping (I know, I know…unbelievable…right? But I haven’t…)
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
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31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
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34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke (Wasn’t pretty…)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
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52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
(mud volleyball in Dayton. Good times…)
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (right Kathy or Mandy or Amber?)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter (very loud)
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (still got one. Guess what it is!)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
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71. Eaten Caviar (not good)
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
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74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
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77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person (no digital copy of that photo…sorry…)
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (And I was breakdancing! LOL)
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve (Ohio Univ., 1991. And she was hot!)
86. Visited the White House (haven’t been inside though…so does it still count?)
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87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (Anyone in mind? I have a few…)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one (my wife’s Grandmother was an awesome woman)
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
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96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

I got 43 out of 99! But there’s still a lot of life worth living. How about you? Post a comment here so I can visit YOUR site and see what you have done in your lifetime!

(BTW…they should add a 100th one…”Have kept a New Years Resolution for longer than a week”. THAT would be a good one…doncha think?)