16 "interesting" things about me

I was tagged by an...I was going to say "old High School friend," which would only be 3/4 correct since we're not old...by a friend I met back in High School to post 16 "interesting" things about myself. The only problem is, I'm not so sure I'm a great judge of what's interesting. So with that in mind, here are 16 things that you may or may not find interesting about me:

1. I played Gonzorgo, the pirate with the parrot, in the musical Babes in Toyland at a children's theater in PA shortly after High School. I loved it, and I still have the parrot. (You can see it on my Facebook profile pic.)

2. I love to camp. I love, love love to camp. But between chronically cold toes and an inability to sleep through loud noises (e.g. crickets chirping, trucks barreling down the adjacent highway, Scouts making flatulent noises and giggling about it) I almost never actually get to sleep when camping. Even when I bring ear plugs, I just can't sleep for more than a half-hour or so at a time.

3. I really enjoy working with Cub Scouts, moreso than I ever thought. I'm the leader for a group of Tiger Cubs (1st graders) and I always have a lot of fun.

4. When sufficiently motivated, I can be highly organized. There was a winter backpacking trip two years ago that I spent months organizing. I had map routes, GPS waypoints, 3 potential campsites depending on how far we got the first night...you name it, I had a plan for it.

5. I coordinated an auction/fundraiser for two of my dear friends who were very much in love, so that they could meet one another face to face. We raised over $1000 dollars (enough to get him to Europe and both of them back) among a small group of friends--in large part due to the selfless monetary and material donations of a bunch of Internet friends who had mostly never met each other. We've lost a few from our circle, and gained one or two, but I think there'll always be that special bond between all of us who worked together on that common goal.

(There was also a highly charged "feline" bailout that just about did a few of us in!)

And now I'm waxing all nostalgic. *Ahem* On with the boring stuff. I mean, interesting stuff.

6. Since the last time I got meme tagged, I taught myself the harmonica.

7. (Geez! Not even halfway there yet?) I'm rather ADD. There was this one time in school, where my teacher...what was his name? Oh! That reminds me! I need to get a new name tag at work soon. Wait. What was I saying?

8. An unfortunate skateboarding accident shortly before I turned 16 put a rather dramatic end to my pole vaulting career. That really had me down for a while. Heh.

9. I never reached Eagle Scout. Some of you who know me might be shocked to hear that, but that was the time when my father was very sick and I think my parents had bigger things on their mind than motivating me to advance in Scouts.

10. Nobody I know can tie a greater variety of knots than I can AND name their uses. Bowline, two half hitches, square knot, sheepshank, prussik...you name it. Rob Wilson may come close.

11. (Am I still really working on this list?) I can wiggle my ears, flare my nostrils, and wiggle my eyebrows all at the same time.

12. Dessert is my favorite food group. Breakfast is my second favorite. Dessert is also my third.

13. If I were independently wealthy, I'd probably devote a lot more time to volunteering in Scouting, and I'd also probably build wooden things (like Adirondack chairs and such). Anyone care to make donations to the "Brig Needs To Get Rich" fund? Maybe I'll hold a telethon.

14. My wife is an exact, prefect complement of me. She doesn't mind taking care of many of the things I despise doing (finances!), while I take of the things where he confidence is lacking (fixing things, like cars and computers!). I provide many of the project ideas, and the enthusiasm to get them started, while she provides the endurance to finish them up.

BC <3>15. With my recent purchase of a convertible--and what a joy it is to drive!--I think I've ticked off every major thing on my list of "things I want to do before I die."

Scuba dive? Check.
Drive a motorcycle? Check.
Own a convertible? Check.
Skydive? Check.
Bungee jump? Check.
Snow ski? Check.
Sing in the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City (home of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir)? Check. (And at a General Conference, no less!)
Sing at Disney World? Check.
Get married to the woman of my dreams? Check.
Get a Master's Degree? Check. (MSCIS from UoP Online)

I guess the last few I have to wait on: see my sons achieve Eagle Scout, and see them off on missions for the church.

16. I am a rather decent shot at rifle, shotgun, and archery, especially for someone who doesn't shoot regularly. (Mostly just at summer camp.)

Well there they are, my 16 things. Now I tag the following 16 people to go through the same laborious exercise I went through! (Isn't that like when a mother wishes that her son has kids just like him when he's a dad?)

Robb G.
Brooke W.
Grant P.
Lulu (who didn't complete my previous tagging!)
Katrina H.
Liz H.
Sheldon C.
Kim W.
Shauna E.
Sarey-Loo Who
Shani E.
Chris "Pete" P.
Julene C.
Marianne K.
Melanie M.
Linda W.

Comments

Teric said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Teric said…
Woa, Brig! That's a lot of cool stuff. ;)

Yeah, I'm sure you've got me beat as far as knot-tying, but I do have quite a few that I know from memory. In fact, the only knot that I *didnt* recognize from your list was the Prissik (sp?)

I was just thinking about your pole-vaulting the other day... you were getting pretty good at that. It's really crummy that you had that accident (in front of my house, no less).

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