25 Random Things

I was tagged by a friend with one of those, "Share 25 random things about yourself." In theory, my whole blog is a collection. I started my blog about 4 years ago. I've had 3,647 posts since then. You could say I've got 3,647 random things out there. Here's 25 more:

1. I started with computers when I was ten. We had a TRS-80 color computer with a tape recorder setup with it. We would type in programs from magazine's and I learned to program by debugging them. The computer was plugged into an outlet that was controlled by a light switch, so periodically someone would accidentally flip the switch and kill all of our work.
2. I went to Catholic school for one year - first grade. It was mutually agreed upon by the Principal and my parents that this was not the best option for any of us.
3. My administrative assistant at work went to elementary school with me. We figured this out in a conversation as we did the "where did you grow up" and slowly narrowed it down to the fact that we were in the same elementary school and same classes.
4. I have met two presidents and shaken their hands: Gerald Ford and George W. Bush
5. I was once detained for touching the constitution when I was in high school and visiting Washington d.c.. It was an accident and took place in the National Archives. I was detained and questioned.
   
6. Cathie and I dated my senior year in high school and all through college, except for a 3 month break, soon after which we got engaged. I proposed to Cathie near Wells Hall next to the Red Cedar River. It was a rainy day and Cathie held the umbrella as I got down on one knee. We were later married in the MSU Alumni Chapel.
   
7. I have seven computers in my house. Two desktops and five laptops.
   
8. I have a collection of about 500 CDs and no CD player. I've ripped them all to MP3s and store them on a central server in my house and play them on my stereo through my Mac computer.
   
9. I am addicted to my iPhone. One of my new years rosolution is to keep my iPhone in my pocket when I'm with my kids and be more present with them.
   
10. I met one of my best friends, Will, when he was engaged to my wife's cousin about 18 years ago. They are no longer together, but Will and I are still great friends.
    
11. Cathie and I lived in Married Housing our first year of marriage in a 400 square foot apartment. No one around us spoke english. We had a giant wooden box in front of our house that Webb Smith helped me build. We store all of the valuables in the box that we couldn't fit in our apartment.
12. I had a pet snake in college. It was a ball python named Leviathon, Levi for short. It escaped in my apartment one day and I never found it. This was slightly after we had gotten a kitten and I was afraid the snake would eat the cat.
13. I hate cats. I owned one in college and Cathie and I have owned three. The first one we had a neighbor accidently release to the wild when, the second went to "live in a farm" and the I'd be fine if current one we've got released himself into the wild.
14. My wife is one of the few that doesn't mind my smoking cigars. She actually bought me a humidor for my birthday 13 years ago.
15. I love watching TV. Some of my favorite shows are Scrubs, American Idol, The Office, Heroes, Mythbusters and Dr. Drew Celebrity Rehab. I never claimed to be deep.
    
16. I've worked out of my home for the last 12 years that I've been with Xerox. Most of that time has been spent traveling quite a bit.
    
17. I spend at least 6 hours a day on the phone in my job. I have a wireless headset so I can move around while I'm talking. It has a mute button so I can use the facilities while on conference calls. I've almost never not had the mute button off when it should have been on.
18. I read a book or two a week. I went from buying books online to getting through our local library. They've got this web interface and they e-mail me when the books are in. It's genius.
19. I love photography. I've got zillions of pictures both film and digital. I've been converting the film over to digital slowly, but it's expensive. I've got my pictures backed up on multiple systems at home and off-site through online backup.
20. I was in cub scouts, Webelos and Boy Scouts growing up. I made it up to being a life scout, only a merit badge and project away from my eagle scout. Thankfully, my brother Jon and I learned that anyone can buy an Eagle Scout badge on eBay for $5, making us both honorary Eagle Scouts
21. I've read the bible cover to cover twice in my lifetime. My Mom used to do read it every year and did it for 20+ years.
22. I love music and would love to be able to sing well. Unfortunately, I have a pretty horrible voice and almost no sense of rythm. I've taken guitar lessons and really want to learn to play, just not badly enough to make it important enough to schedule the time.
    
23. Before last year, I'd never run as a form of exercise. I set my goal to do a half marathon in under two hours, which I accomplished. I had my goal for a 10k at a pace less than 7m30s and I accomplished that also. My goal this year is to complete a triathalon.
24. I used to be able to complete the rubic cube, even with my toes. I participated in a local competition where I scored a time of 20 seconds and won a prize for it. My brother Dan taught me how. I would lube the inside of the cube up with vaseline so it would turn faster.
25. My favorite cereal is captain crunch with the crunchberries. I just wish someone would find a way to soften it enough so that it didn't shred the roof of my mouth.