26 Random Things

I hate responding to things because I've been "tagged," but I love talking about myself enough to override my fear of following the crowd. I am responding, but I'm doing it on my blog so nobody else will get tagged and continue the foolishness.

1. I am currently working on an associates degree in Aircraft maintenance and a bachelors degree in Organizational Leadership. In addition I would like to earn two masters degrees: One MPA (Masters of Public Affairs) and one MCRP (Masters of City and Regional Planning. I would then like to earn a law degree, and a PhD in either Juris Prudence or Sociology. The PhD is a maybe.

2. I once passed a county sheriff going 105 m.p.h. in a 55 m.p.h. zone on a two lane road without getting pulled over. As soon as I could, I pulled off to the side roads. I didn't want to find out if he had turned around to get me.

3. I had a dream about all of my kids before I even met my wife. So far the dream has been accurate.

4. I really want an early 70's Stingray Corvette.

5. I read the Book of Mormon 20 times on my mission. I finished it for the 21st time about a month after I came home.

6. I can't whistle and my wife can't either.

7. Nobody in my immediate family has graduated from BYU except my father who only went there after a bachelors and masters from the University of Utah, and after the U of U took too long on his law school application. On the flip side, nearly everyone in my wife's family has attended and or graduated from BYU.

8. I've read War and Peace (unabridged), Les Miserables (unabridged), and all six books of the Lord of the Rings (that is how it was originally published before it was later turned into a trilogy). I hope to someday read East of Eden, Ulysses, and The Brothers Karamazov.

9. I own an n-scale model train set. I want to someday make a rough model of the rail yard that I work in now.

10. I always wanted to name a boy William or Matthew. My wife won't let me because those names are taken by my adorable nephews William and Matthew respectively. I don't think it is fair, but I also know that there are plenty of good names still available like Fred.

11. I was in the inaugural cast of the revamped Nauvoo Pageant in 2005. I played an immigrant, an apostle, an apostate, a temple mason, and a pioneer.

12. I have always been afraid of water. I still am, and cannot even shower without my fear affecting me. The ocean is the worst.

13. I have m&m sized bumps all over my body. The doctor says that they are benign lipomas. It's a little strange.

14. Within the 3 1/2 years since my mission, I have been a forklift operator, a limousine driver, a security guard, a catering server, a construction worker, a factory peon, an irrigation specialist at a golf course, a text book sorter, a life insurance agent, an Air Force airman, a structural mechanic for the Air Force, a ramp attendant at the local airport, a tank washer, and now a rail yard / trucking company supervisor.

15. I have tooth that never grew any roots. The dentist says that one of these days it will just fall out.

16. I hate pasta.

17. I have the most eclectic music tastes of anyone I know. I'll listen to Fergie, Mozart, Patsy Cline, Keith Urban, Moby, Glen Miller, The Beatles, Heart, Pearl Jam, Coldplay, The Supremes, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Plain White T's, Motab, Three Dog Night, P!nk, Simon and Garfunkel, Ella Fitzgerald, Morcheeba, Jars of Clay, Jim Croce, O.A.R., Van Morrison, Counting Crows, Liszt, The Foo Fighters, The BeeGees, Carly Simon, John Williams, Queen, Metallica, Stevie Wonder, and many more. I love putting my library of over 9000 songs on random and listening to the mix of it all.

18. I have an innie.

19. My most favorite movie of all time is Rudy.

20. I was the academic monitor in my military basic training flight. As academic monitor I led my flight to win the academic achievement banner. Our sister flight won the female fitness banner. Our chants on the way back from the awards ceremony were "the boys have the brains and the girls have the brawn." When I left basic training my Drill Instructor shook my hand and thanked me for getting the banner.

21. I built home made spud guns, and a catapult on my mission. With the spud guns, I shot a table leg through my window, I covered my companion with bread crumbs, and I surprised my neighbor by aiming the spud gun at her when she knocked on the door.

22. My favorite scripture is actually a line from one verse and the beginning line of the next verse. It is 2 Nephi 4: 19-20 "Nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support."

23. I haven't worn my wedding ring in over two years. It is a safety hazard at work and it is too big. I almost lost it once.

24. I plan on being a millionaire someday, God willing.

25. It took me five days to come up with this stupid list. Consider this the last time I ever respond to a "tag."

26. I met Elder Ballard at Cafe Rio in Cottonwood Heights. He shook my hand and put his other hand on my neck and told me to work extra hard that afternoon to burn off all of the food I had eaten.