Theft From A Friend

I stole this from my friend Courtney's blog.

1. What bill do you hate paying the most?

Mortgage, but just because it's bigger than the rest. Other than that, it's the cell phone bill (although K pays for that and not me.) I hate paying for stuff I hate like telephones.

2. Where was the last place you had a romantic dinner?

Can't remember the exact date, but K and I dropped off E with my parents and went out to a movie and dinner with K for our anniversary last month. We went to Lowe's to shop for a new countertop in the middle, though.

3. Do you regret losing your virginity to whom you lost it?

I'm a dork. And a guy. I'm just glad I lost it. I'd have been happy regardless of who took it from me.

4. If you could go back and change one thing what would it be?

Picking on a former friend of mine. True, he had been a jerk to us thinking he was all better than us and stuff, but smacking him in the back of the head with our music stands during band class seems a little less justifiable when he tried to kill himself not long after, went to a crappy private school, and ended up working at Walmart.

5. Name of your first grade teacher?

Don't remember, but she was REALLY old. And mean. And discouraged creativity. She should have retired when I was in Kindergarten. She was the only teacher who didn't like me and that I didn't like during school.

6. What do you really want to be doing right now?

Travelling somewhere. Wanderlust has set in bad recently, and being tied down even more than normal has just made me want to drive somewhere until I ran out of gas money even worse.

7. What did you want to be when you were growing up?

All sorts of scientists from Kindergarten up. Marine Biologist, primatologist, other types of biology fields. Later it turned into computer engineer, but that ended when I hit Calculus and realized that even though I could get an A pretty easily, that I really hated math, so I switched to writer. Now I just want to be a brewer or run a little restaurant.

8. How many colleges did you attend?

Four. Valdosta State when I was in eleventh grade and took college economics, history, and political science. Brewton Parker in twelfth grade when I took college literature classes. Berry College for my three and a half years of my degree. Finally, I went to Kennesaw State University for a year working on a teaching degree I never finished. I'm planning on going to Georgia Southern for a masters in the near future.

9. Why did you choose the shirt that you have on right now?

It was on top of the stack in the drawer and I needed something to sleep in after rinsing off from mowing.

10. GAS PRICES?

I drive a Prius. I don't really care until they get much worse. By that time I really hope they'll have found a more renewable energy source for individual transportation.

11. If you could move anywhere and take someone with you, where would it be?

People who know me know that I'm going to say Alaska, but anywhere in the Pacific Northwest would work. For another country, it'd be New Zealand.

12. First thought when the alarm went off this morning?

It was Sunday, so no alarm, but the usual thought when hearing the alarm clock is, "Why the fuck did I have to wake up again?"

13. Last thought before going to sleep last night?

Rugby League isn't as interesting as Rugby Union.

14. Favorite style of underwear?

Briefs, but only because of a pubescent experience with boxers.

15. She skipped 15, so I don't know what the question is. I'm going to say the answer is the Moche culture of preColumbian South America.

16. What errand/chore do you despise?

Mowing. It sucks. I love grocery shopping; I just hate the stores here.

17. If you didn't have to work, would you volunteer?

Honestly, not on a regular basis. I'm lazy. I'd probably not even make it into clothes fit for public presentation most days.

18. Get up early or sleep in?

Sleep in. I hate the act of waking up, especially if it requires artificial methods of wakening.

19. What is your favorite cartoon character(s)?

Cartman. He was simply sublime in "Scott Tenorman Must Die"

20. Favorite thing to do at night with a girl or guy?

Scroggin'. And it's true that people who say it that way don't get much.

21. Have you found real love yet?

Yes.

22. When did you first start feeling old?

When it finally hit me that my wife was pregnant and I'd pretty much wasted the time before that point and that I wouldn't get another chance at living a life until I was too old to bother, or even care, really.

23. Favorite 80's movie?

Dead Poet's Society is good, but I really dug Glory, and a friend of mine was an extra in that film. And yes, my mom took me to a Rated R film when I was 9.

24. Your favorite lunch meat?

Patrami and salami.

25. What do you get every time you go into Sam's Club?

I haven't been to Sam's Club since college.

26. Beach or lake?

Lake. I'm not much of a hot weather and sand person.

27. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual?

I think it's unnecessary and really little more than a legal contract. K and I didn't change when we got married.

28. Dumbass Courtney forgot this one too. The random answer machine in my head says, "I'd like to be eaten as a sign of respect like the cannibalism ritual the Fulani tribe of Papua New Guinea do with their dead."

29. Favorite guilty pleasure?

I don't feel guilty about any pleasure. I just overintellectualize why I'm perfectly cool and the people who think differently are a bunch of sheep trying to look cool.

30. Favorite movie you wouldn't want anyone to find out about?

I thought Benchwarmers was vaguely humorous, but I wouldn't call it a favorite by a long shot. I wouldn't want some people who know me to know that I love Hedwig and the Angry Inch, or that I started finding myself attracted to Hedwig by the end of the movie.

31. What's your drink?

Beer, but only real beer. Not the crap that's full of corn and rice that's advertised as beer. That stuff is the equivalent of Kraft Singles. Not exactly cheese, but close.

32. Cowboys or Indians?

I'm part Cherokee (or Creek), so I'm going to say Indians. The attempted (sometime often active, but also inactive) genocide of the American Indian in the US is an entirely too overlooked blemish in our nations history.

33. Cops or Robbers?

In real life, the cops. In fiction, the robbers always make for more itneresting protagonists.

34. Who from high school would you like to run into?

No one that I haven't kept in contact with. There's a reason I didn't bother keeping in touch with the rest.

35. What radio station is your car radio tuned to right now?

GPB/NPR. I can't get anything but country, a crappy oldies station, and a weak Top 40 station where I live. News and classical music is far better than the options, and I don't have enough of a commute to justify always keeping the MP3 player charged.

36. Another skip by Courtney. And the answer is: A herniated disk in my neck.

37. The Cosby Show or The Simpsons?

Simpsons by a landslide, but I watched the Cosby Show.

38. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back?

Didn't really date anyone other than my wife, but the time I asked a girl I'd never spoken to out to Homecoming because I hoped she'd say no so I could back out of my promise to a friend that I'd go if he asked out the girl he wanted to take but was scared to. I asked, she said yes, and then the girl backed out on Justin so I was stuck at homecoming with a girl I didn't know and with no friends in attendance. I ended up being friends with the girl later, but not until months after that sad experience.

39. Do you like the person who sits directly across from you at work?

They'd all be students, and some yes, some no, although not as many nos this year as in the past three. The person who teaches next door to me is a friend.

40. What famous person would you like to have dinner with?

Jesus, just to see if it was worth wondering whether or not there was any point to the whole thing.

41-42. I'm tired of fake answers.

43. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose?

No. I actually don't even have one, but I should.

44. Last book you read for real?

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah. I'm reading Prey by Michael Crighton right now.

45. Do you have a teddy bear?

No.

46. Strangest place you have ever brushed your teeth?

In the butt? No, really, I can't think of what would be weird about brushing your teeth somewhere.

47. Somewhere in California you've never been and would like to go?

Northern part of the state. I could do without the southern half with the exception of the beer scene around San Diego.

48. Do you go to church?

No. Going to church just makes me angry.

49. At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or a new relationship?

Career. That's no big deal. Starting relationships sucks.

50. Just how OLD are you?

27, but my wife is almost 29.