| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | I was obsessed with castles (reading books, building models, etc.). When I was 8, my dad took me to England to see real castles. This was extremely emotionally and intellectually moving for me as a child, since feeling the old stones and walking through the real designs added tangible details and a sense of connection to the past that no books ever could. This sparked a lifelong desire to not just read about my interests, but, if I could, experience them. |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | I identify most with my second oldest and youngest brothers. We enjoy the same topics, have similar outlooks on life, and travel a lot together. We've been the closest and have supported each other through everything. Oddly, we also look the most alike. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | I admire curiosity, the ability to remain positive in the face of negativity, and openness to admitting one is wrong. With these three traits, I'm sure we can go anywhere and discuss anything, and it will be a pleasant, productive, and meaningful time. |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | I was in China for business and was renting a place for a few months. As fitness is quite important to me, I found a gym there and worked out most days. While working out, people would come up to me and say "You Ronnie Coleman! You Ronnie Coleman!" I am not a 300-pound black Mr. Olympia winner, but I took the compliment. Then, the owner of the gym asked me if "You do muscle show at 5pm tomorrow, ok?" I said ok and showed up the next day. There were rows of tables with maybe 150 attendees having dinner at the gym. I was confused, but the owner came up to me and said, "Lady Gaga, ok?" I said okay. Poker Face by Lady Gaga started playing and I was ushered to the stage where I flexed for the crowd. I got a free gym membership from that. |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | I would like to hike the Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, and the Pacific Crest Trail. I would cross the Sahara with guides in Bedouin travel methods and cross the Siberian steppe with traditional Mongolian technology and methods. |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | Be curious! Explore! Find out what sparks joy and ecstatic wonder in yourself. Life is shorter than we realize, so don't settle for anything less. Embrace failure—it’s not the end but a vital part of moving forward. The best outcomes are often a result of "failure". If you can't be happy on the journey, you'll never be happy at the destination. There are no "relationship goals", only "relationship journeys"; If you don’t enjoy the path you’re walking with someone, reaching the "end" together will be even worse. Anger, outrage, and revenge will only harm you. Treat others with kindness and empathy, even your "enemies"; how you treat people will be the greatest source of fulfillment in your life. |
