
25 Things, a meme reborn
During the year that I was on Facebook (2009), I participated in the viral survey called “25 Random Things About Me.” The idea behind it was simple: you list 25 random tidbits about yourself and post it in hopes that people find you more interesting. It proved incredibly appealing (and annoying) and for about a month everyone had one to share.
Unfortunately I don’t have a copy of the list I made then (I wish I did), so in the spirit of vanity I’m going to do it again, from scratch based on life as it is in 2011.
25 Things
- I don’t own a microwave.
- I have cats, not children. They sleep on my face.
- I hold my breath while sleeping. This is not related to #2.
- I went to third grade at the US Embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. I once spent an afternoon roaming the subway system there, alone.
- As a teenager I lived in perpetual terror that someone was going to slip me LSD. Ironically, this actually happened to my wife Stephanie at a party.
- I’ve forgotten most of what I learned in grad school.
- It’s true, my brother has a very high IQ, but I’m taller.
- I’m more likely to learn Finnish than finish Infinite Jest.
- I often struggle to remember the names of things. I will call a chair a curtain, or a dog a grape. This is a quirk I inherited from my mom, the other musician in the family.
- Buying a Steinway was the best $35,000 I’ve ever spent.
- In the past couple years I’ve discovered that I love exercising
- And reading (or should say, re-discovered)
- When I stay in hotels I never turn on the television.
- I almost burned my house down when I was 11.
- I once owned a bar in rural Texas.
- I once camped out in a parking lot waiting for Steph to get off work, then pretended to run into her as she was leaving. That contrived encounter morphed into our first date.
- When I was 9, I had a man crush on Barry Manilow. I even performed “I Write The Songs” for my fourth grade class. I later dumped him for Stevie Wonder.
- When I was 14, my hero was Michael Boddicker, someone you’ve probably never heard of, yet his work as a studio synthesizer player was ubiquitous during the early ’80s (Thriller, Xanadu, Flashdance). I wrote him a six page fan letter. Three months later he responded. I still have the letter.
- Winning the Presidential Physical Fitness Award in sixth grade was my first great moment in life, mostly because I wanted it more than anything and worked my butt off to get it. Proof that any goal can be attained if so desired.
- That being said I have no talent for sports.
- I dry shave
- …while driving
- In retrospect, I wish I had majored in something other than Mathematics.
- I can name all the Best Picture Oscar winners since 1966. On a good day, I can enumerate all the presidents too. I’m always eager to demonstrate this important skill.
- Every day I suggest an alternate name for myself, like “Today I think I’m going to change my name to Uma Thurman.” I usually forget these monikers within ten minutes.


7 Comments
Heather
Come on, are you going to let a book defeat you?!?
I like number 16.
Brian wants to know if you also dry shave your head.
Fauxmat
Yes and while driving if necessary.
Ken Mondshine
They say Barry Manilow is the gateway musician to the harder stuff. Also, I find it interesting that Uma would cut his off knowledge of Best Picture Winners at (or after rather) the Sound of Music in 1965………such a memorable movie. That is a slight! 🙂
Fauxmat
Uma has modified said talent to coincide with The Sound of Music win.
Ken Mondshine
So…Uma…who won best picture in 1965?
Fauxmat
Can’t tell you. Julie Andrews promised that I keep it a secret.
Ken Mondshine
Very good Uma. You’ve got skills!