25 Things About Me

1. I love the feeling of melancholy. It makes music sound better, colors muted and food taste bland. It’s good every once in a while.

2. The last scary movie I saw was “Children of the Corn.” I’ve been horror free since 1984.

3. My secret dream is to own my own taco wagon. I’d like to drive it up and down the PCH one summer listening to nothing but Van Halen.

4. I am doing exactly what I’ve wanted to do since I was 11. I opened my first ad agency that year marketing things in our house back to my mother. I was pretty unsuccessful. I’m slightly better now.

5. I am an art school drop-out.

6. The difference between clever and stupid is a space I can't find. I hope I never do. Both have their uses.

7. I have 734 bottles of wine and my favorite pairing is pizza or a cheeseburger. The best bottle of wine I’ve ever had was drunk in the parking lot of a tamale hut in Walla Walla. I have only a vague idea of what it was.

8.My 2 boys are the most interesting thing that will ever happen to me. Every day they change my perspective. I love them both more than anything and always will.

9. I am a germ freak. I’m not overly neat or anything, but if I sense someone is sick I often fake a bloody nose or phone call and leave the room.

10. I once shared an elevator with Elvis Costello and all I could think to ask him was how he kept from catching a cold with as much travel as he does. He looked at me like you are looking right now. He didn’t answer.

11. My favorite musical memory is sitting in Jim’s living room in 1983 listening to a 3rd generation recording of Run-DMC. It was mind bending. I remember being startled and manically giggling. It was totally different. It was Kirkland. It was 1983.

12. I love to channel surf. I’ll sit in front of the TV for 2 hours just changing channels. When I’m done I will have watched nothing. I love thinking something better is on the next channel. Satellite is good.

13. I have 4 pairs of the same jeans. I have had a pink oxford in the mix since `82. I have the same sport coat in 3 colors. I have 16 pairs of Nike Dunks. If I go missing my wife will have a good idea of what I’m wearing.

14. I graduated from the University of Washington when I was 30. I was only there 3 years. I was really, really trying to make up some time.

15. In 9th grade I un-ironically wore a Michael Jackson glove for about 2 months.

16. I was in a bad motorcycle accident in `04. I landed on my neck ½ a block away. Right before my helmet took a hunk of the curb off I heard a voice say “relax your head.” The next day I was able to walk to coffee. I like to leave the voice open to interpretation but I’m pretty sure I know who it was.

17. When we were in France we stayed at an old farm house in Burgundy. I videotaped Keegan, who was around 2 talking to a baby cow in the yard. It was a 17 minute discussion. He used the phrase “I’m serious.” He got it from me which is both funny and sad. Funny, because it was a cow. Sad, because I say that too often. I wish I wasn’t.

18. Guitar Hero checks off all my boxes. I only ever play the easy level. Then I buy the next game. I like to think it’s more “punk” to play 3/5 buttons.

19. I went to the `06 World Cup in Germany. I attended a game in Leipzig. On the way back to Berlin I shared a train compartment with 4 random guys from Ghana, India, Philippines and Norway. I was excited to talk Football (soccer) and impress them that a Yank knew the game. But all they asked me about was Sex in the City. The consensus was that Samantha would never marry. That is why I love media.

20. In high school I shared a house with my dad. He traveled 200 days a year. How the house stayed up and I graduated on time I will never know.

21. The argument for best running back in the history of the NFL goes through Bo Jackson. You know I’m right. If you extrapolated his shortened career he would own every record and the Raiders would have 5 Super Bowls. Be he didn’t, so they don’t, and I said I wasn’t going to cry….

22. When Joanne and I first got together we lived in a shabby apartment with little heat and lived on Hot Pockets she would put on her student card. On Friday we would splurge on a medium pizza. It was what the week was lived for. I can’t tell you how glad I am we go that far back.

23. In my bag I always have a book, 2 magazines, iPod and notebook.

24. I regret too often.

25. I remember Live Aid happening not for the concert but because it was also the day 7-Up released “Cherry 7-Up.” I spent the morning calling stores to find some. I didn’t really care about Cherries or 7-Up. I just remember being puzzled that they would do it and felt compelled to take part. Again, not “compelled take part” in the musical-political touchstone of my generation but rather in a marketing gimmick. It says a lot. The cans sat in the fridge for a year. I think of this when I see it on the shelves, or when I hear “Do they know it’s Christmas?”