| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | Without sounding too cliché my most memorable childhood experience was every little leaguer's dream and it came when I was thirteen years old playing in the thirteen year old city baseball championship game. It was the bottom of the last inning with two outs. I was up to bat with two teammates on base, and one of the best pitchers in the city pitching. I remember hitting the first pitch and for a very brief moment it was like everything stood still and went silent as I ran to first and I didn't realize that I hit my very first ever home run until I was rounding first base. I remember my team and coaches bombarding me with celebration at home plate. I remember how great it felt to win the game and having my parents so proud of me. However, I also remember thinking about how the pitcher felt that I hit my first ever home run off of. My mother cut out and framed the newspaper article from the game and she still has it up in her house to this day! |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | This question for me is a no brainer. It's my mother. She is a hardworking, honest, non-judgmental, caring, sociable, value-based person that I respect more than anybody in this world. My mother and I, for as long as I can remember and to this day, have always had very open lines of communication with each other. We even discussed this donor opportunity with each other. She has always been very supportive of all my endeavors and has been there for me throughout all the good times and the bad times. She has always been "the glass is half-full kind of person" and I strive each and every day to live by the values she has instilled in my throughout the years. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | Compassion - When you are aware of others around you and aware when they have issues or problems, and then you actually have a desire to help. I would call you a very warm person, interested in other people, enough so that you will make time for them. A cooperative spirit also ranks highly with me. I really admire people who try to resolve conflicts, who treat others with respect and love to collaborate vs. compete. However, there is a place for a healthy dose of competition as well. I admire creativity. Creativity is problem solving. A creative person knows how things work and can imagine possibilities. You know how to daydream, you like art, you like poetry, you like to ask questions and see different points of view, and then put them together in a way that others might not have thought about. Creative people are constantly challenging my own perspective. Openness, or being forthcoming. When you volunteer information you are earning trust. You are obviously not hiding anything or withholding anything and people know it and feel it. I naturally feel more at ease around you because I know your motives are good. I can see them. It's in the emotions you share and your willingness to disclose your inner thoughts. Most importantly integrity and honesty, because it makes you genuine and real. And I highly admire that in people. You are not trying to look for loopholes, you are not scheming, you don't do or say things at the expense of others, you are not lying to make yourself look better. You prefer to obey the laws, and value and respect truth. I know I can trust you because your actions match your words. Lastly, a little humility is good too. Some serious walls crumble between people with a little humility. |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | Typically funny stories began as embarrassing stories just as mine does. While in college I took an elective art class (which is funny in itself because I am no artist) and one day I went back to my class to collect my art exam sketchbook, since it had been marked. While the teacher disappeared into a nearby room to retrieve it, I noticed an awesome sculpture of a life size, nude female figure in the corner of the room. Curious, I approached it and stretched out a hand to see what it was made of. At that very moment the teacher returned to the room and we shared awkward stares as I have my fingers firmly groping a paper mache breast. Because space and time had obviously frozen I didn't think to remove my hand until at least three seconds into the awkwardness, after which I grabbed the book from her and ran out of the room. |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | There is no one particular place that I would go. I would travel the entire world to expose myself to as many cultures as I could. All too often the media only offer a very filtered and/or slanted view on outside cultures. I would like to take in as many of the breathtaking sights that the world has to offer. |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | I would like to pass a number of attributes down to my children that include: 1. Everything stated in question #3; 2. Healthy, life-giving relationships - family, spouse, friendships, community; 3. Meaningful work that adds value to the world and can sustain them; 4. Healthy life patterns of moderation, exercise (mind, body, spirit, emotion), rest, work and fun; 5. A joyful sense of gratitude at the abundance they’re given that leads to generosity, hospitality, fruitful stewardship and a sense of responsibility for those who aren’t as blessed. |
