Well, thanks to Tmronin, I've been tagged to list 20 (hopefully) interesting things about my life. Here goes...you be the judge. 
1) My first car was a dune buggy. A 1969 Empi Imp, to be exact. Remember the cartoon 'Speed Buggy'? That's it! Volkswagen based and metallic lime green with a chrome stinger exhaust! I loved that car so much I still have it...now if I can just get around to restoring it.
2) Now I drive a truck. Plans for it: 6" ProComp suspension lift, 35"x12.5" Nitto Mud Grapplers on 18" teflon coated rims (I'm too lazy to clean 'em) and enough candlepower to make the sun blush! Oh yeah...somebody's going to get crushed.
3) I'm addicted to speed. Not the drug, I just love to go fast. Fastest on 4 wheels: it's a tie at 135mph in a canary yellow 1969 Jag 12-cylinder convertible (with the top down!!!) and an El Camino (of all things). I wasn't driving either time, and thankfully the insane friend driving the El Camino managed to hook the tire and rim over the 6" edge of the asphalt as we went into a curve marked 35 at 135mph. We survived, but the tire and rim didn't.
4) I've had the pleasure of living in or visiting 4 countries, 1 self-governing commonwealth, and both the British and US Virgin Islands, whatever they are.
5) I once drove 12,000 miles in 6 weeks on a cross country oddysey in a truck that got 12 miles to the gallon as a graduation present to myself. Drove the entire length of I-40 from Wilmington, NC to Barstow, CA and then went nuts. Wyoming and Texas were in there somewhere. More states than I can remember and more fun than you can imagine!
6) I used to hike a lot. I figure, conservatively, that I've hiked over 1000 miles with food and everything else I needed on my back. Most of it was in New Mexico and the Appalachians. I miss New Mexico...there is nothing quite like having a bear come into camp to say hello and clean your dishes for you!
7) I'm the only idiot I know who has had 4 skull fractures and managed to come out no worse for wear.
8) Injury total so far: 4 skull fractures, 2 cheekbone fractures, broken jaw, crushed wisdom tooth, torn up shoulder, 70+ stitches in my neck, 1 more in my scalp, broken left arm, two ribs torn away from my sternum that bruised my heart, dislocated right shoulder, dislocated and separated left shoulder, broken nose (3 times: once playing football, once wrestling and once by the doc to put it back where it belonged), torn Achilles tendon, shot twice (once in the butt with rocksalt for trespassing as a kid and once by a kid by accident while dove hunting), 9 broken fingers (one by being bitten by an opponent while wrestling), dog bit twice and bitten by a copperhead once. I'd say I've had enough.
9) After the worst of my experiences (see most humbling moment), the docs decided I needed my head checked to see how much of my brains had been rattled loose. Not too much, it turns out. I'm now a member of Mensa, Intertel, and PGS.
10) No one has ever correctly guessed what I do for a living. Number of publications in scientific journals: 22.
11) Two friends and I once built a pyramid out of beer cans as we drank them. Six days and 14 cases later, we had one helluva beer-amid, but we don't remember much else from that beach trip.
12) I grew up on a farm and I can't live without critters. Pets I've had the pleasure of knowing through the years: Horses, cows, chickens, goats, dogs, cats, mice, rats, snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, ferrets, a pygmy goat, a chinchilla, a raccoon and a fox.
13) I'm the only idiot I know who has managed to pick up and carry a wild, live, adult red-tailed hawk for over a mile without being torn apart. I'll never forget that.
14) Summer freedom is: any time I get to spend on the road on my bike. I love to ride. Whenever the sun is shining, that's all the excuse I need. Rode through a hail storm once and ended up with a purple chest and hands I couldn't use for two days. That was the end of inclement weather riding for me.
15) Did I mention I was a speed freak? Fastest on 2 wheels: >117mph. Beyond that I can no longer read the thumb sized electronic speedo I have on my bike
16) Winter freedom is: any time I get to slide down a big hill on two slick planks. I'm an avid/rabid skier and head up to British Columbia (Whistler) every year (for the last 9 or 10, anyway) to try to break my neck with good friends, Tmronin among them.
17) Did I mention I was a speed freak? Fastest on skis: 67.88mph, and that wasn't even on my long boards. I've been faster, but that was the fastest when being timed
18) Coldest I've endured: Temp. -15F, wind chill -70F. Skied all day in that mess. That's Stowe, VT in January for you. And -15 was the HIGH for that day. Yes, I am nuts.
19) Somewhere in Kansas while on that cross country adventure I mentioned earlier I ran across, at a truck stop, the funniest t-shirt I've ever seen. Front: Elvis is Alive... Back: ...and blowing sailors for spare change and candy bars. I know, Steve, I know...I'm going to hell for that.
20) Funniest quote ever: These words of wisdom fell from my father's lips as we sat in a very nice restaurant soon after our waiter left the table. Let's just say that the only word that comes to mind to describe this particular waiter is flaming. Dad said quietly, so that only I could hear in order not to offend anyone, and I quote: "Something tells me that boy can no longer hit 'high C' on the butt trumpet." I'm certain I shortened my own life with the effort I put into trying not to burst into hysterical laughter...it still wasn't enough.
Ok, that's it, and now comes the passing of the torch. Tmronin tagged Brighton, Logan and me...3-5 you say; how about 4. I'll tag Acidflesh, Derelict, Jessikaaaa and, just because I'm curious, Midnyte. Tag, you're it!!!
1) My first car was a dune buggy. A 1969 Empi Imp, to be exact. Remember the cartoon 'Speed Buggy'? That's it! Volkswagen based and metallic lime green with a chrome stinger exhaust! I loved that car so much I still have it...now if I can just get around to restoring it.
2) Now I drive a truck. Plans for it: 6" ProComp suspension lift, 35"x12.5" Nitto Mud Grapplers on 18" teflon coated rims (I'm too lazy to clean 'em) and enough candlepower to make the sun blush! Oh yeah...somebody's going to get crushed.
3) I'm addicted to speed. Not the drug, I just love to go fast. Fastest on 4 wheels: it's a tie at 135mph in a canary yellow 1969 Jag 12-cylinder convertible (with the top down!!!) and an El Camino (of all things). I wasn't driving either time, and thankfully the insane friend driving the El Camino managed to hook the tire and rim over the 6" edge of the asphalt as we went into a curve marked 35 at 135mph. We survived, but the tire and rim didn't.
4) I've had the pleasure of living in or visiting 4 countries, 1 self-governing commonwealth, and both the British and US Virgin Islands, whatever they are.
5) I once drove 12,000 miles in 6 weeks on a cross country oddysey in a truck that got 12 miles to the gallon as a graduation present to myself. Drove the entire length of I-40 from Wilmington, NC to Barstow, CA and then went nuts. Wyoming and Texas were in there somewhere. More states than I can remember and more fun than you can imagine!
6) I used to hike a lot. I figure, conservatively, that I've hiked over 1000 miles with food and everything else I needed on my back. Most of it was in New Mexico and the Appalachians. I miss New Mexico...there is nothing quite like having a bear come into camp to say hello and clean your dishes for you!
7) I'm the only idiot I know who has had 4 skull fractures and managed to come out no worse for wear.
8) Injury total so far: 4 skull fractures, 2 cheekbone fractures, broken jaw, crushed wisdom tooth, torn up shoulder, 70+ stitches in my neck, 1 more in my scalp, broken left arm, two ribs torn away from my sternum that bruised my heart, dislocated right shoulder, dislocated and separated left shoulder, broken nose (3 times: once playing football, once wrestling and once by the doc to put it back where it belonged), torn Achilles tendon, shot twice (once in the butt with rocksalt for trespassing as a kid and once by a kid by accident while dove hunting), 9 broken fingers (one by being bitten by an opponent while wrestling), dog bit twice and bitten by a copperhead once. I'd say I've had enough.
9) After the worst of my experiences (see most humbling moment), the docs decided I needed my head checked to see how much of my brains had been rattled loose. Not too much, it turns out. I'm now a member of Mensa, Intertel, and PGS.
10) No one has ever correctly guessed what I do for a living. Number of publications in scientific journals: 22.
11) Two friends and I once built a pyramid out of beer cans as we drank them. Six days and 14 cases later, we had one helluva beer-amid, but we don't remember much else from that beach trip.
12) I grew up on a farm and I can't live without critters. Pets I've had the pleasure of knowing through the years: Horses, cows, chickens, goats, dogs, cats, mice, rats, snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, ferrets, a pygmy goat, a chinchilla, a raccoon and a fox.
13) I'm the only idiot I know who has managed to pick up and carry a wild, live, adult red-tailed hawk for over a mile without being torn apart. I'll never forget that.
14) Summer freedom is: any time I get to spend on the road on my bike. I love to ride. Whenever the sun is shining, that's all the excuse I need. Rode through a hail storm once and ended up with a purple chest and hands I couldn't use for two days. That was the end of inclement weather riding for me.
15) Did I mention I was a speed freak? Fastest on 2 wheels: >117mph. Beyond that I can no longer read the thumb sized electronic speedo I have on my bike
16) Winter freedom is: any time I get to slide down a big hill on two slick planks. I'm an avid/rabid skier and head up to British Columbia (Whistler) every year (for the last 9 or 10, anyway) to try to break my neck with good friends, Tmronin among them.
17) Did I mention I was a speed freak? Fastest on skis: 67.88mph, and that wasn't even on my long boards. I've been faster, but that was the fastest when being timed
18) Coldest I've endured: Temp. -15F, wind chill -70F. Skied all day in that mess. That's Stowe, VT in January for you. And -15 was the HIGH for that day. Yes, I am nuts.
19) Somewhere in Kansas while on that cross country adventure I mentioned earlier I ran across, at a truck stop, the funniest t-shirt I've ever seen. Front: Elvis is Alive... Back: ...and blowing sailors for spare change and candy bars. I know, Steve, I know...I'm going to hell for that.
20) Funniest quote ever: These words of wisdom fell from my father's lips as we sat in a very nice restaurant soon after our waiter left the table. Let's just say that the only word that comes to mind to describe this particular waiter is flaming. Dad said quietly, so that only I could hear in order not to offend anyone, and I quote: "Something tells me that boy can no longer hit 'high C' on the butt trumpet." I'm certain I shortened my own life with the effort I put into trying not to burst into hysterical laughter...it still wasn't enough.
Ok, that's it, and now comes the passing of the torch. Tmronin tagged Brighton, Logan and me...3-5 you say; how about 4. I'll tag Acidflesh, Derelict, Jessikaaaa and, just because I'm curious, Midnyte. Tag, you're it!!!
VIEW 13 of 13 COMMENTS
song:
i don't know why but number 8 is really sexy 
derelict:
I still have yet to complete my tagging, but I've had alot going on this week...I was even arrested this week. How crazy is that????