13 QUESTIONS

Not being one to jump on the bandwagon (ha! me?) , I saw these interviews on other blogs and just had to do one. Our good buddy Special K

provided these questions.


1. At a rough estimate, what's the square footage of your body that isn't currently tattooed?

Roughly, about 13...to put this into perspective, both legs are completely sleeved from ankle to just below the knee. My back is completely covered from just below my belt line up to the middle of the back of my neck. Both arms are sleeved from wrist to armpit hairline. Hands are both tatooed between thumb and index finger and all knuckles.Chest is about 75% covered,stomach about 30%.

2. Finish the sentence: If I knew then what I know now, I would _________________.

That's a tough one. On education, I would have stayed in school and gotten that degree. On life in general, I would have made very different choices in regard to the years 1986 to 1992. On the economy, I would have saved more money and invested it more wisely.

3. What were you like before puberty hit?

I was a typical rough and tumble boy. I played army, I built forts and treehouses and had a fascination with critters. I spent the last part of latency in the country, west texas and ranch country just east of austin and finally the hill country before it became a gated community. I was always outside running around in whatever wilderness was available. One of my fondest memories of west texas was catching horney toads on this ranch that butted up to webb air force base housing. They were thicker than flies back then, we'd come home with buckets and shoeboxes full of them, keep 'em for a day or so then let them go. I used to go on archealogical digs with my parents and their friends there too. Oh yeah, I can't forget fishing and crawdad hunting and frog gigging....Now that I think about it, I had a pretty awesome childhood despite all the moving around.

4. If you could, would you be a woman for a year? Give reasons for either a yes or no answer.

Initially, I thought "hell no! Who wants to deal with that shit"? Because I, like most other men, think they understand women. But the truth is, I only understand women based on the experiences I've had with the women in my life starting with my mom and my sister. Unfortunately, most of the women I've had relationships with were crazy in one way or the other (in some cases, more than one way). I've had some amazing friendships with women as well, and with Ann I have a relationship and a great friendship. So the answer is yes. I would do it if only to understand what a woman really experiences in life to make her ( or in this case ...me) what she/me is.

5. If you could commit the perfect murder, would you? If you answered yes, then whom would you put on ice and why?

Unfortunately, there's no such thing. But if there was....uh, nevermind. I have been angered to the point of wanting to kill very few times in my life, I can count them on less than one hand. And since I have reasonable impulse control (even when drunk) enough time passed that the urge to draw and quarter someone and leave their head on a pike waned (usually in less than a day or so).Now, with that said, if this question was "If you could beat the living shit out of someone and get away with it" the answer is easy. Yes, I would. And that person is Andy Hines. But you don't get away with that kind of behavior these days either. I don't EVER want to go to jail, for any reason. And while I could gleefully stomp him into a mudhole without an iota of guilt, it's more of a reflection of how much I hate him than a serious intention.

6. Was there a time in your life when you were extremely proud of yourself, and what did you do?

Yes. I was a manager of a transitional treatment center for 6 years, where I had an awesome team and a high success rate with our clients. We did good work, the most perfect application of the craft in all my years in the field and I was the leader. I was connected.

7. Was there a time in your life when you were extremely ashamed of yourself, and what did you do?

I had a rather nasty speed habit for awhile that effected me on a number of levels from '83 to '89, it ruined a marriage, spawned a dysfunctional relationship that all the soaps rolled into one couldn't compare to and almost cost me my pride and my job. I woke up one day in '89 and said that's enough. And I stopped and never went back, just like that.

8. What, in your opinion, is an unforgiveable act?

Cruelty through the conduit of ignorance.On many levels.

9. What do you like best about yourself?

I'm a jack of all trades, master of some. I'm accepting.

10. What do you like least about yourself?

That I forget the answer to # 9 and get down on myself sometimes.

11. Who was your nemesis when you were a kid? (We all had one.)

Rednecks and jocks, and one redneck in particular who made my life miserable until I finally freaked out on him and challenged him, called him out during a passing period with lots of other kids around, and the fucker backed down and never messed with me again. But being a hippy in a school brimming with rednecks meant the nemesis was always around the next corner,until they started smoking weed in junior year then it was just the jocks.

12. Are you looking forward to being a grandfather, or does it scare the shit out of you?

I'm scared, but not for me. My whole freakout was about being too young for this. But the reality is, I'm not. I don't want to be a grandfather for completely selfish reasons and I have to deal with the fact that I'm not a young man anymore. That's on me, totally. I have very fond memories of my son as a baby and a toddler and the rest of it is maybe not so fondly remembered, but we're here and all in one piece and it was worth the trip. I hope I can be a good grandfather, to the child and to his/her parents.

13. When's dinner? (I'm starving.)

As soon as I post this, I'm doing brats and red beans and rice. But usually about an hour ago.

So...there it is. Hello? Hey! Wake up dammit! Get the hell out of here! :)
See ya!