Oh but surely just for one day, we could fight and we could win. And if only for a little while, we could insist on the impossible

Yeah.

I've done these before...but it circled back around on Facebook and one of my new students "tagged" me in one of these memes. She said she wanted to get to know me better...and I really like this kid and didn't want to disappoint her.

So, here's 30 things about me...

1. The last two CD's I purchased are by Frank Turner (Poetry of the Dead & Love Ire & Song). My life is better since listening to them.

2. My favorite authors are Douglas Coupland and David Foster Wallace.

3. I'm a dog person. I'm also an anti-cat person.

4. I do the dishes in my house almost every night.

5. My diet & exercise program goes in spurts. Instead of moderation all the time, I'm like three months of intense working out followed by 2.5 months of doing nothing.

6. I don't watch much network television (other than live sports) because the best original television being made right now is on cable.

7. I never really wanted a son. I've been smitten with my daughters and they've made it easy for me to both love and like them.

8. I like Thanksgiving better than Christmas. Too much hullaballoo and stress around Christmas.

9. I enjoy reading newspapers. On my phone, I have apps for most major US cities' papers. The perspectives are different and help me to think about what I believe.

10. I simply couldn't care less about fashion. I'm all about comfort and function in this arena. People have tried to make me care and I just can't.

11. I've always wanted to live downtown in a big city.

12. Contrary to popular belief, I don't detest living in the suburbs. I like to think I see through the unintended mixed messages this lifestyle affords and try to expose those. But I do like good schools, unlimited opportunities, safe neighborhoods and all the good stuff about the 'burbs, too.

13. I've enjoyed every single stage of parenting people tried to warn me about, but I don't want to go back to relive any of them.

14. I've never been very good at video games. I still don't play them unless it's for fun on the Wii with friends. Even then, I don't win much.

15. I have workaholic tendencies. I never take my vacation time until my supervisor reminds me the end of the year is coming up and if I don't use them, I lose them. I've only missed a handful of days at work due to illness.

16. I can juggle pretty well.

17. I had a pretty great childhood up until age 13. After my dad died, I went through a lot, but I've always had a loving family and supportive friends. I've been surrounded by great people pretty consistently.

18. Before I came to my current church, I was getting ready to leave ministry forever. I'd been in two very difficult ministry situations and had enough of the professional minister's life. My current church fixed that. Now I can't imagine doing anything else.

19. One of my pet peeves is when any adult discounts the emotions/experiences a teenager has with comments like, "It's only puppy love" or "You don't know what stress is yet." Teens go through real, albeit age-appropriate, stresses. An adult wouldn't like it if someone discounted their stresses and strains because the hearer could claim greater stress.

20. I've always had an innate sense of balance, and doing things that require that come VERY easily to me. Snow skiing, riding a bike, ice skating, when my dog runs under my feet I don't fall, etc.

21. I grew up in Alabama in the early 70's and still never understood racist beliefs or actions. Martin Luther King, Jr. was right when he said we should judge people not by the color of their skin but the content of their character.

22. I spend a great deal of my time wondering how the rest of the world sees things one way and I don't see them that way at all. I feel like an a visitor in places I should feel at home.

23. I'm thinking about getting another tattoo.

24. I never even tried a cigarette or cigar, nor any illegal drug. Just never seemed all that interesting to me.

25. I don't like board games or card games. If I have to play a board game, The Game of Life is okay. If I have to play a card game, Phase 10 is bearable.

26. I don't dance. Can't dance. Won't dance. Although I imagine I'll do the mid-school sway with my daughters if they get married. And if my wife wants me to slow dance with her on those days, I imagine I could be persuaded.

27. My wife is a better person than me. In almost every way. She's smarter. She's better with people. She's artistically talented. I'm still floored by the reality that she sticks around. I'm no day at the beach. And I love her more today than the day we married. Whoever says that doesn't happen is telling you nonsense on stilts.

28. I played either baseball or softball for 18 seasons and never, ever hit a home run over the fence.

29. I'd rather eat a dive with incredible food and wipe my mouth with a paper towel than eat and a fancy place with drizzle over the food and fine linen.

30. All my grandparents passed away before I was 30, and my parents both passed before I was 40. I always thought my sister was great and especially came to admire her as we got older, but I cherish her now. It's the most important relationship I have on the planet that doesn't live in my house.