7 Things Meme

Parents as Partners team member Cindy Seibel tagged me for the "Seven things you didn't know about me" meme that is making its way around town. I've dropped the ball on a few of these in the past, but I figured I'd give this one a go.

So here are seven things that you don't know about me:

1. I'm a cat lover. As a matter of fact, my wife and I have three. All three are rescue jobs and they've all worked out great. I'm always amazed by the entertaining things that cats do, like when our brown tabby Bucky worked his way into our dining room table centerpiece a few months back (we still can't figure out how he worked his way into the centerpiece without shattering it).

2. I like bikes. I have seven of them and I ride this one to work as much as possible.

3. I'm Facebook contacts with friends from all different periods of my life, family members, past/present parents, past/present students, past/present colleagues, and other teachers spread around the globe. I've really enjoyed using this platform to keep up with the latest doings of everyone and I'm always amazed by the cool things that happen as a result of these connections.

4. I taught elementary school in Milwaukee Public Schools prior to working as 38th Street School's computer lab teacher starting in 1998. In '98 I had a few second grade students in one of my classes write and submit book reviews to the "World of Reading" student book review site. We did this via our only Internet enabled computer, and of course it was connected via dial-up. I think it is pretty cool that these book reviews are still online.

5. I've completed 10 marathons. Actually, I'm lying. I've completed 9 marathons and one 50 mile marathon (the Ice Age Trail run in Wisconsin is an ultra-marathon). The last marathon I did was the Boston Marathon in 2000. I burned out on distance running and got tired of always trying for a new personal best. It got to the point where I wasn't having any fun so I stopped cold turkey. I miss all of the characters that I met along the way and the healthy lifestyle. Someday I hope to run another one, "just for fun."

6. I'm from a family of six kids, three boys and three girls. I'm 5/6 and I have 13 awesome nieces and nephews. Here is a photo of my sister's three little boys.

7. Now for my most embarrassing entry...in 1984 I gave up a ticket to see the Detroit Tigers play the San Diego Padres in Game 4 of the World Series so that I could attend a homecoming float party. Very lame, I know. This is a BIG regret of mine! Luckily, I was able to "slay this dragon" a bit in 2006 when I attended Game 2 of the Tigers-Cardinals series in Detroit with my brother, my best friend, and my best friend's wife.

The following seven folks have now been tagged:

Jeff Johnson
Derek Baird
Steve Taffee
Scott Meech
Collette Cassinelli
Robert Rowe
Patrick Woessner