| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | I was in kindergarten and I played the part of the spider to my classmate's Miss Muffet. We were doing "The real story of Miss Muffet" and it was supposed to show the story from the spider's point of view, depicting him as innocent. Only I got out on stage, wiggled my eight paper legs and got out "I'll tell you the real story..." froze, started to cry and went backstage. End scene. |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | My grandmother and I grew very close after my grandfather passed away. I would go to her house after school on Wednesdays before my Boy Scout meetings and we would play cards and hang out. I also helped her out by mowing the yard, and fixing things that he would normally take care of. She was a bit of a crotchety old lady and some people had a hard time with her but we understood each other very well and I loved spending time with her. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | I appreciate anyone who is honest and not afraid to speak their mind. I am a very open person and I feed off of others who are outgoing and driven to get the task at hand accomplished. |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | I was at the chow hall, sliding my tray down the line when I got to a stand with green beans. I said, "Green beans, please." Simple enough, I said what I wanted to the lady holding the spoon. She cocked her head at me and said, "Graaaaeeebbbbeee?" And I said, "Yes," holding my tray that already had a salad on it, and nothing else. I glanced around as she delivered what I assumed and hoped was beans of the green variety. I glanced down and she had dumped a ladle of gravy on my plate and had another one poised for upending, locking eyes with me as if to say "another one?" My dinner, ruined, an olive already floating in the gravy and the lettuce helplessly slogged with country style gravy, I said, "Sure." |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | I have done a bit of traveling but always on someone else's schedule. I would literally go anywhere in Europe, and just see what happens. Start off someplace and when I got bored, hop on a train, bus or follow some new friend to their next adventure. I've done lots of things on a whim and it has never disappointed me. |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | Already on it, my daughter has definitely grown into my energetic personality and happy demeanor. She is smiling or laughing all of the time. As she and her brother grow older my wife and I have discussed passing on to them the values of honesty and helpfulness. I want them to be fun people to their peers, who they know they can count on. |
