Tag!! You're It!!!
Hmmmmm.....
I wish I knew seven interesting things about myself.
Let's see.....
1) I do a good Elvis impersonation. Long time ago, my mom, and one of my three brothers, were big Elvis fans. So I have heard a ton of Elvis in my life. Ain't that rite, 'Silla, baby....We cain't go on togeth-ah with suspisious minds....My brother cried the day Elvis died. I looked at him like he was crazy. My problem is, though, I will probably ball like a baby when Eddie Van Halen dies. I pray for him. I have done so since probably around '82 or so. Youth group leaders used to look at me like I was crazy...pray for a guy who plays rock music! Hey, I thought we were supposed to pray for sinners, for their conversion.
2) I learned to play guitar. Actually, it came pretty natural. The whole family was musically inclined to some degree. Well, except for my Dad. He made up for it though with a very hearty love for music. Swing bands, you know, Glenn Miller...hmmmm....The old, old, OLD, Grand 'Ol....Oh what is it....the Grand 'Ol Opry. I guess it should be "opra" but, you know, it was a country thing and so you say "opry" or "oprie." There was one guy named "String Bean," who was a tall skinny fella. You had "Earl and Schruggs" (I prolly didn't spell that right, but anyway...) "Little Jimmy Dickens." My mom and dad's favorite song was called "Tennesse Waltz." I don't think they ever really paid attention to the lyrics though. Anyway, when I was growing up, and Pop pulled out the records, he would always play that song last. He and my mom would always slow dance to it. Oh yeah... I said Glenn Miller. My dad had this one Glenn Miller album, and a song on it, "In The Mood," I believe was the name of it, well, it had this quiet part to it. If you listened close to the background on that quiet part you could hear German planes bombing the city (that particular version of the song was recorded in England). Anyway, I learned to play guitar. I was pretty versitle. I could play anything from "Wildwood Flower" to "...And The Cradle Will Rock" by Van Halen.
3) I used to write, and still do to a degree, short stories and poetry. That has always been part of my life. Although I was never any good at it, I have been published. I wrote a lot of horror and fantasy fiction. Robert E. Howard was a big influence. H.P. Lovecraft to a certain extent, an English guy, Ramsy Campbell. I have gotten to exchange a note or two with Stephen King. Anyway, I had my first peice published before my mom died. That was cool.
4) I wrestled in high school. I was in the 160's. Loved the sport. Still do. They will broadcast the state championships on a local cable channel. I watch those. There is a new high school not even a mile from my house. I'll have to go check their team out next season. I don't think I could ever go to an event at the high school I graduated from. Whenever I ride by there, I don't know, it's that feeling you get, I guess...that feeling that comes crashing in on you like that part of your life was another time, another place, and you get lonesome for those times, and you begin to maybe wish that your heart was a time machine...
5) My dad was a Navel hero. He was stationed on an aircraft carrier during the Korean War. He was stationed in Bioler Room #2 on the ship. What happened was that boiler room # 1 blew up, and something added with something else (real technical, huh?), which caused a chain reaction and boiler room # 2 was in danger of blowing up. My dad stayed at his post which was just outside the room door. The room filled up with superheated steam and the boilers began to go critical. He rushed in and shut the boilers down and evacuated those who had somehow survived the steam blast. Pop never talked about it much, though. I think I was around 14 or 15 when I found out about it. There was a write-up about it in the local paper a week or so after it happened. I found that little article before my dad died. I still have a copy of that article. I was proud of my dad. It's funny, now that I think about it -- he took me to see "Jaws" when it first came out. And of course, he and I went to see Jaws 2. I remember he took me to see Godzilla vs. Megalon. That was .... man... that was way back when!!!! We saw it at the Gem Theater in downtown Concord. We sat in the back underneath the balcony -- second row, first two seats on the right! Yeah, Pops always chose those seats in case he had to go pee he wouldn't go to the wrong seats when he came back. Yeah...I am sure it was for his benefit, not mine. ;-)
Well, that is five....
Hmmmmm.......
6) I am a boring person!
7) I have never been anywhere. Well, except for the beach, and a visit to my sister in law when she lived in Tenn. I got to go to the Wal Mart there.... I would like to visit Spain, Scotland, England, and Germany. My peeps are from Germany -- Baveria.
Aftr going through this list, I really am a boring guy!
17 Comments:
Hey, this must the be the extended version because I only saw 4 nteresting facts on your blog Doug...what gives?
May 09, 2007 6:54 AM
Nope, not boring. I enjoyed that. I also like how that your memories are so detailed. Your mind works very similar to mind.
I would also like to know how many books you have in your library. I'm astounded at the obvious amount of reading that you have done.
May 09, 2007 6:57 AM
Now, it is time to see that your comment count excedes mine on my meme.
May 09, 2007 6:59 AM
You are a former wrestler. Good stuff.
Just how many books have you read?
May 09, 2007 7:03 AM
I see very clearly that I have got to learn to wrestle. I never had any opportunity to play ice hockey either. I've heard of Glen Miller, but who is Van Halen?
wayne
May 09, 2007 8:41 AM
Doug, I was an Elvis fan too. :)
I saw him in concert 5 months before he died, which was one the highlights of my (early) life. I, too, cried when he died. Well, I was only 18. To date, I've not cried for any other 'celebrity.' It was all just so tragic with my Elvis...
Thank you for posting this!!!
May 09, 2007 10:02 AM
"Just how many books have you read?"
More than my fair share! LOLOLOLOL!!!! All together, it would around 800 to 900 titles. That is pretty sad though when one thinks about how dumb I am.
May 09, 2007 10:26 AM
Now, I think this post is fascinating! You are FAR from boring!
Your first point reminded me of a letter to the editor of some magazine after the publication had an article bashing Oprah Winfrey. I keep the letter on my frig as a reminder to myself. It states (in part):
"Sadly, many celebrities are living amoral lives, don't embrace the gospel, and are terrible role models. But here's the problem as I see it. Unsved people are going to behave and speak and believe like unsaved people. ... Absolutely, pastors and leaders must decry what goes against God's Word. But just as important, they need to communicate the broken heart of God in these matters. Remember when Jesus wept over Jerusalem? His heart was totally broekn for His people's blindness and sin and lostness.
"Sure, the sewer our society has become is sickening. But I thinkn we need to check our attitutdes to see if our hearts break like God's does for people He wants in His kingdom. If I'm unwilling to spend as much time in prayer for these celebrities as I am criticizing their behavior, I've got some repenting of my own to do."
May 09, 2007 11:11 AM
Susan, excellent comment!
May 09, 2007 11:20 AM
Doug,
I would love to serve as your personal guide throughout England and Scotland. Oh please, please, please! Just pay my expenses and I'll show you everything!
Dave
May 09, 2007 5:34 PM
Wayne, who is Van Halen?
Duuude!
May 09, 2007 5:53 PM
"I would love to serve as your personal guide throughout England and Scotland."
Sure thing, brother! ;-)
May 09, 2007 5:54 PM
Hi Doug, my cousin is an Elvis impersonator. He's pretty good. I got to see one of his shows this year. My mom loves Elvis so I grew up listening to him. There are a few songs of his that I like.
Van Halen! Yep, liked them too. I still do, but try to kill that part of my flesh. Though, I'm not always successful.
Wayne, remember that video of the Toyota commercial on my blog? The one with the GI Joe and Barbie? Well, the song playing is by the group Van Halen.
May 09, 2007 5:55 PM
Hi Dawn,
"Van Halen! Yep, liked them too. I still do, but try to kill that part of my flesh. Though, I'm not always successful."
Yeah, I know what you mean.
May 09, 2007 8:59 PM
Van Halen! You guys are so old.
May 10, 2007 4:01 PM
Doug,
I think it is great you pray for
Eddie Van Halen. We should just not pray for the folks around us, there are so many folks to pray for. I use to love to listen to Elvis,he sure had a beauitful voice. I always wondered about his salvation. I believe his mom was a believer and she brought him up in a Baptist Chruch I think. That kind of lifestyle can really bring you down...I always wanted to learn how to play the guitar. Our son bought a real good guitar and has used the internet to teach himself. I really enjoyed what you sahred about your dad, he must have been a very humble man. Thanks for sharing Wayne, I enjoyed getting to know you a bit better *S*
Cristina
May 10, 2007 8:46 PM
Hi Cristina,
"I use to love to listen to Elvis,he sure had a beauitful voice. I always wondered about his salvation. I believe his mom was a believer and she brought him up in a Baptist Chruch I think."
I don't know for sure if it is true or not, but the pastor of the church I grew up in was once told me the same thing as recorded here. He said that Rick Stanly told him.
http://paskewich.typepad.com/paskewichcom/2006/08/was_elvis_presl.html
May 10, 2007 9:29 PM
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