8 things you don’t know about me
My friend Dawn asked to know more about me recently, so I thought I’d share with you. For many, I’m just the simple guy. But, oh, I’m more complex than that. See for yourself:
- I grew up on 30 acres an hour north of San Francisco. We had no animals, but we had plenty of fruit trees, a barn, a tire swing, and lots of land to play around on.
- A donkey man lived on our property for almost a year. John Stiles was wandering the country with his two wagons (he slept in one) and a plethora of animals* when we offered him a place for the winter. It ended up being a nine month gig, and he built a third wagon during that time.
- I once looked up gullible in the dictionary to prove a friend it was there. That is not a proud moment.
- In college I started a radio station. As ever, it’s barely hanging on, but it’s still around. Like many things I’ve had a hand in starting, I did it because I wanted to participate, but there was nothing like it.
- I ran a BBS in high school. This is where I earn my geek cred. I built myself a second computer, got an inbound-only phone line, and invited people to connect their computer to mine. I even wrote games for users to play and had a short-lived, but profitable, software company. The name of the BBS? Fallen Chaos, after misheard lyrics (”crawling chaos”) from a Metallica song.
- I’ve never seen The Wizard of Oz. No, I have nothing against it, and one of these days it’s going to happen. The time just hasn’t been right yet. Don’t rush me.
- There is a street named after my family in Windsor, CA. I was the fifth generation to live in the formerly tiny farming town. This year is the 100th anniversary of the DuVander Ranch (now mostly a Raley’s shopping center). When they created the new downtown a few years ago, they honored our family with a few hundred feet of blacktop. Bonus trivia: DuVander Lane is situated in what used to be the field where I first met the Donkey Man.
- I have been in three bands, and each played a version of Sloop John B. I sang in all of them, played guitar in the first two, and switched to bass for the third. I even have a few MP3s hanging about here and there. The names: A.J. (Adam and Josh), The Rash, and trailBOSS.
Your turn: what don’t I know about you?
* Yes, El Guapo, I know what a plethora is. His animals, as I recall: Two mules, 18 donkeys (plus two born while he was with us, minus the two who died from bee stings), three goats, about a dozen chickens, and three or four doves.
Awesome. I love learning new random things about people I already thought I “knew”
Interesting, intriguing, even a little odd. Totally enjoyable. Thanks for sharing!
oh, c’mon. i knew that. well, i knew some of that… ok, you’re right, i only knew like 2.33 of those things.
now, here’s 8 things you don’t know about me:
1) what i’m wearing right now
2) what i had for breakfast
3) what number i’m thinking of right now
4) my maternal grandmother’s maiden name
5) what i want to be when i grow up
6) my favorite of the 31 flavors
7) my debit card pin number
8) the number of elementary schools i went to
Actually, come to think of it, i’m not sure anyone knows #8 for sure. but i have a pretty good estimate.
the picture with the donkey man is priceless. It’s exactly how I imagined him before I saw the picture. Beware of your roadkill.
The Wire! It’s shocking the thing is still around, but I’m glad it is. I love these things. I might have to do another one my new site.
I knew all of those but #7, but I guess I’ve been around you for a while. I *hadn’t* see a picture of the donkey man before, and I think I expected him to be a little more rotund.
Something you may not know about me: I was sick last week, and willed myself well enough to play frisbee by 3:30pm.
SUCH A CUTE PICTURE OF YOU WITH THE DONKEY MAN. Interesting stuff man!