625 random things about me, part I. #625-313
Jeff tagged me 25 times to write 25 random things about me. Instead of posting 25 different lists, I've put them all into one.
625. I have been known to take a joke too far.
624. I’m making less money now but am much, much happier.
623. I have always had an extremely high hairline. Most people think I’m going bald, until they realize they’ve known me nigh on forever and that it is just really, really high. If I lived in Elizabethan times, I’d be in the heights of fashion.
622. I have been to Luxembourg.
621. I used to be able to count to 10 in Arabic, but most of that has long been forgotten.
620. I studied French for 4 years in high school. The most useful thing I can remember is “Vous avez une tete du fromage” (loosely translated: You are from Wisconsin).
619. At age 37, I still have a smegload of baby teeth. The Secondary teeth never formed to destroy the root and push out the baby teeth. It’s not uncommon to be missing one or two, but I’m missing a lot. Plus side: no wisdom teeth. Downside: Probably looking at implants into the jawbone someday since I’m missing too many to make a bridge.
618. I dislocated my thumb while skiing.
617. I fell off a galloping horse twice (okay, two different horses) onto my right shoulder.
616. I can ride bareback. I can also ride without a shirt.
615. I have more lightsaber toys than I can count because I don’t remember how many I have in the US. I have more in Japan than I want to count or admit to owning. There’s also the problem of what you consider applicable. I have everything from keychain size to full size replicas.
614. I can use the lightsabers with some level of proficiency.
613. Knowing I’m a Star Wars geek is part of the problem. Not caring nor wanting to change it is probably a much larger part of the problem.
612. I stayed up for 45 hours in a row due to working overnight shifts with the release of Attack of the Clones in between them.
611. I did a voice over for a video game character. Fuzion Frenzy 2 for the X-box 360. I did the voice for the character named Dub (so I dubbed Dub…) as well as some of the crowd cheering voices. I would love to do more voice work.
610. I have a tendency to use ellipses.
609. I’d never broken a bone until I was 20.
608. I caught Chicken pox in my early 30s.
607. I had a dream in which I was Bugs Bunny being chased around a train by Yosemite Sam.
606. I used to do a pretty good Tarzan yell. I haven’t tried in ages- I’d probably need some practice.
605. I can do a decent number of pretty good card tricks and few ok coin tricks.
604. I can juggle. Only 3 things at a time, though. I’ve tried 5, and almost had it, but not quite.
603. I was never able to get a Yak Face action figure. It was the only one from the original Kenner release of Star Wars figures I didn’t have, due in large part to the fact that it wasn’t released in the US. I could buy one, but I find the cost prohibitive.
602. I know roughly 1200 kanji, but only the meanings, not the readings.
601. Despite #602, I’m doing a bit of artwork with kanji in it.
600. I had a blast at the Star Wars Celebration Japan.
599. I’ve had some bonehead mistakes turn out pretty well, all things considered.
598. I’ve had some well laid plans go completely FUBAR.
597. I’m usually the one being dumped rather than the one breaking things off.
596. As a result, I’ve heard the “friend” speech times so many times I can say it better than some of those who have given it to me. I’ve even gotten it in Japanese.
595. I can spell “Australopithecus” but I’ve got a mental block about the word “license” and usually have to look it up.
594. I don’t watch sports.
593. My dog’s name is based off a joke I made while teaching a kid’s class.
592. I bought a new digital camera about the same time I got Nana as a puppy. Ergo, many, many pictures of my dog.
591. I am the Halloween man, especially here in Japan.
590. I’m still far too swayed by a pretty face, though that’s gotten a little better over time.
589. Looking back, there are two people I might consider the one that got away. Or at the very least, there are two I should have asked out when I had the chance.
588. On the flip side of 589, there are far more than two that I never should have dated.
587. I used to have a Big Bird stuffed animal that I always carried around when I was 4.
586. At various times, either Oscar the Grouch, Ernie, or Super Grover were my favorite Sesame Street characters.
585. Not only do I have the Indiana Jones hat (see the original 25 random things note), but I’m not too shabby with a bullwhip. Yet rarely have I used a whip while wearing the hat.
584. Favorite TV show is a toss-up: Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Firefly. I liked Angel, but not as much as the aforementioned.
583. Star Wars: A New Hope, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and The Princess Bride make up the triumvirate of my favorite movies of all time. There are many others I really like, but those three still hold the top positions.
582. My hair is a blondish, reddish, brown sort of color. It varies due to lighting conditions. My beard, when I choose to grow one, separates the colors a little more by area, from white blonde to brown.
581. I think George R. R. Martin is by far the best fantasy writer to date. After reading A Game of Thrones, every other fantasy and/or historical fiction book I’ve read dropped 2 or 3 notches lower on the scale of goodness.
580. While I can’t go so far to say I liked Jar Jar Binks, I don’t passionately despise him as so many others seem to.
579. I think George Lucas is taking a lot of undeserved flak. Don’t get me wrong, he’s made some bad choices that deserve flak, but it seems to me it’s the “in” thing to do to profess deep feelings of hatred for all things post-ROTJ Lucas. I think a lot of the flak is overboard.
578. I do a fairly decent Louis Armstrong/What a Wonderful World.
577. I often sing Elvis songs when I go to karaoke. It’s not due to any particular love of the King, baby, but moreso that his songs work with what passes for my singing voice.
576. That being said, I rock out Jerry Lee Lewis’s Great Balls of Fire.
575. I’ve sung Rainbow Connection in the voice of Kermit the Frog, but it doesn’t have the same level of cultural recognition in Japan.
574. I liked Muppet Treasure Island.
573. Red Dwarf put the word “smeg” into my daily vocabulary. I’ve been known to use other kriffing gorram words from fictional smurfy sources.
572. When I was in 4th grade, I was a Smurf for Halloween.
571. I spent five summers working at a summer camp.
570. Chuck Jones is one of my heroes. How can you not admire the guy who created the roadrunner, coyote, and Pepe le Pew, put Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny in Wagnerian opera, created the singing frog, and did so much with Daffy Duck?
569. Even I am somewhat daunted by the task at hand.
568. I forage.
567. After a couple of years, I still play too much Phantasy Star Online.
566. I still think the X-wing series (including TIE fighter) was one of the best PC games made.
565. The sheer amount of useless trivia I know is staggering. Oh, to replace some of that with something useful.
564. I was the Joker for Halloween years before all the Heath Ledger copycats. I won’t use that costume for several years now. Heath did a great job, it’s all the clichéd copycats that bother me.
563. I like heat. Humidity, not so much.
562. When people in Hokkaido complain about how cold it is (-10 C), I like to tell stories about Minnesota winters (-40). Truth be told, though, once it gets a little ways below 0 (C), it’s just plain cold regardless of what the numbers say.
561. I’ve been in Japan so long that for the most part, looking over the current American sports, music, and celebrity “Who’s who” leaves me just thinking “Who?”.
560. I’m eating a lot of potatoes recently because I can buy them cheaply and I need to save money.
559. I have an idea for an illustrated story about a guy named “Ed” to help teach an English grammar point that many Japanese people find difficult.
558. Even after six years in Japan, I find some ‘L’ and ‘R’ mistakes hilarious, especially when it changes the meaning of the words. For example, at a baseball game when the entire audience stood up and crapped their hands…
557. I still use a Superman mug my aunt gave me fore Christmas 10 years (or so) ago.
556. I’ve read all of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan books, as well as his Mars and Venus series. While a lot of the Tarzan books were cranked out, they still make for rollicking good adventures. A few of them, mostly among the earlier ones in the series, actually stand up quite well as literature.
555. I’ve read all of the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories by Arthur Conan Doyle 3 or 4 times.
554. Despite being a Theater major with an English minor, I haven’t read all of Shakespeare’s works in their entirety. I have read many of them, but not all.
553. Surprisingly, since I quit teaching English, I can feel my English level returning to its former level. I just figured it had atrophied.
552. I’m overdue to delete all the emails in my phone.
551. Everything I own in Japan is in a state of constant bombardment of dog hair.
550. My Lord of the Rings DVDs are a mix of the US and Japanese releases.
549. I have a multi-region DVD player, so #550 is no big deal.
548. I saw the Ice Capades when they had Ewoks (based off the animated cartoon series).
547. I was first exposed to curry in Birmingham, England.
546. I met a lot of very pretty German women when I lived in England. When I was in Germany, not so much. Do they export all the good looking ones?
545. I did a lot of fencing when I was in England. I would like to have continued it, but never really had the opportunities where I was living afterward.
544. I really should be sleeping now.
543. When I was three years old, my favorite joke was “What do you call a cat that drinks lemonade? A sourpuss.”
542. I used to think my dentist was one of the coolest guys in the world.
541. I let my dog sleep on the bed.
540. I had considered getting a cat because I’d heard there mouse problems in the house I would be living in. Then I found out that Ao Daisho snakes lived under the house. They are non-poisonous, fairly shy and docile, and eat mice.
539. I once found a shed snakeskin about 5.5 feet long from one of the Ao Daisho.
538. I used to blow bubbles off my 7th floor apartment’s balcony.
537. I’ve taken a woodbaby puppet to Hanami in Ueno park.
536. I have two of my T-shirt designs for sale in a souvenir shop in Hirafu.
535. I have a plan to become a Jedi. No, really. Yet, at the same time, it’s probably not what you’re thinking.
534. I’ve seen the site of the grave of Takuan, zen Buddhist from the 1600’s.
533. I used to buy carrots solely for the purpose of feeding them to my guinea pig.
532. I brought Looney Toons refrigerator magnets to Japan.
531. My current house has no bathtub, though there is a shower stall.
530. I have to connect the hoses from the washing machine to the shower.
529. I used to think vampires were cool, but now I think they’re overrated thanks to Anne Rice and the current crop of imitators.
528. I used to run a Star Wars Role-Playing game back in my University days.
527. I spoil my dog.
526. I’m a pack rat and a collector. Bad combination.
525. I find myself singing the Ballad of Serenity in the car.
524. The car at work only has a Michael Jackson tape in it, so I’m listening to him far more than I did in the ‘80s.
523. I had the Hamburger Helper jingle stuck in my head last night.
522. I have a Santa Claus hat with Mickey Mouse ears that I bought at Tokyo Disney.
521. I met Mark Hamill. He signed my DVD of the Muppets Star Wars episode.
520. I’ve been more places outside my native country than I have within.
519. I once sent postcards to everyone I knew who lived in another country and asked them to send them to another friend of mine on the same day. I’d written “wish you were here” and signed my name on all of them.
518. I had a bit of fun with the Flat Stanley project a couple of years back. I went so far as to make a video, which is still being shown in a certain elementary school teacher’s classroom. Copies are on my youtube site.
517. I use various versions of 6 8 10 for my username on different websites. It’s a sort of pun that works out to my name in Japanese.
516. I’m enjoying the quiet.
515. I’m currently out of books to read, though there’s a small pile waiting to be ordered from Amazon.
514. I’ve read Descartes.
513. In addition to being an English minor, I also have a Philosophy minor.
512. My original declared major was Physics.
511. I took guitar lessons for about six months. Not because I wanted to, but because my parents gave my brother a guitar for Christmas and he took lessons first, but dropped out of it. I can now play maybe two chords. Five with some practice.
510. I wrote a comic strip for a University newspaper for two years. Looking back, they’re a bit rough around the edges, but I think I got better as time went on. I felt a certain sense of accomplishment when I once found one of my strips cut out and stuck to the refrigerator of someone I had just met.
509. I just paused for a bathroom break.
508. I finally turned off almost all of the Facebook email notifications. Like I don’t look at the notifications tab in facebook anyway…
507. I make a lot of bad jokes, but I hear people re-telling them later.
506. I wonder sometimes if the things I do are worth the effort. Now, for instance.
505. I have a Godzilla toy with which I take a lot of pictures in Japan. Evidence at Flickr.
504. I just might be able to bring my dog to work, but I haven’t done it yet.
503. I know way too many “You might be a redneck if…” jokes and can quote way too much Steven Wright.
502. I used to teach riflery, archery, and martial arts. Not all at the same time, mind you.
501. I couldn’t decide whether to make this one a Star Wars reference (regarding Vader’s 501st legion) or a comment on Levi’s blue jeans.
500. I have sushi refrigerator magnets that a student gave me as a going away present.
499. Despite 6 years in Japan, I still don’t like sushi.
498. I didn’t start drinking alcohol until I was 29.
497. I wish I had some Pringles right now.
496. I should be writing my story now instead of this.
495. Natto is a wonderful Japanese food… for me to poop on.
494. I’m finding #495 funnier than I should.
493. I used to think Pepe Le Pew was my hero. Now I realize he’s my totem/spirit animal.
492. I don’t really like the flower print curtains on the windows that came with the house, but I haven’t gotten around to replacing them yet.
491. I keep thinking I should take some pictures of the inside of the house to post online, but then I realize that means I have to clean first. Not that I don’t clean, it’s just that there’s a permanent state of semi-disorder here.
490. Since I started the new job, I can’t keep track of the days of the week. I only check the schedules by date.
489. I remember being a kid and waking up from a nightmare, being so scared that no sound would come out when I tried to yell.
488. I sent in my four proofs of purchase for a Boba Fett figure. I was mildly disappointed that it didn’t have the rocket firing backpack, but still though he was really cool even though I didn’t know if he was a good guy or a bad guy at the time.
487. I have mixed Star Wars toys with Smurf figures.
486. I believe in a separation of Church and State.
485. My dog snores sometimes. So do I. Neither of us has fleas.
484. I tried to teach a Japanese girlfriend the song “Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head”.
483. I spent a week in a Japanese hospital.
482. I have trouble finding socks my size in Japan.
481. I’ve worked in fast food, but thankfully not for very long.
480. For a little while in University, I did the plasma thing for spending money.
479. I spent far too long working in retail.
478. I have a secret fear that somewhere, somehow, I’m a bit like Arnold J. Rimmer.
477. I wish I had the international version of Shorin Soccer (Probably titled Shao Lin Soccer outside Japan) on DVD. I do have Kung Fu Hustle.
476. I’ve never seen a full Bruce Lee movie. Seen large parts of a couple.
475. I’m not sure why there’s a roll of packing tape on my table.
474. I like mechanical pencils.
473. You can get a pet monkey in Japan. I’ve considered it. Idea nixed for time and money.
472. I want to do more traveling throughout Japan.
471. I spent a lot of time out in the woods as a kid.
470. I wanted to be an animator at one point, but felt that my drawing skill- while not bad- wasn’t up to being an animator. Those people are amazing.
469. I then wanted to do voice work for animation.
468. I have a couple of decent ideas for short films, but I am not much of a film editor. See examples on youtube.
467. If my shoulder were better, I’d probably have made a snowfort outside. I have dug a hole to the ground to see how deep it is.
466. I still like Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
465. At one point, I was considering a degree in Anthropolgy.
464. I can sing the Underdog theme.
463. I have taught an entire one hour English lesson without speaking. I made it into a class on non-verbal communication. This was partly inspired by the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode “Hush”.
462. I was working on a script of a Zombie parody movie, but Shaun of the Dead did it far better than I would have.
461. I’m starting to hate Jeff.
460. I have decided that I am never doing another one of these again.
459. I think #461 was a momentary lapse. Hate, anger, fear… the dark side are they.
458. I don’t always agree with James Randi, often only by a matter of degrees or severity, but I appreciate the work he’s doing.
457. I’m thinking about writing a story about a summer camp that’s got monsters, maybe a junior adult or kids book. More along the lines of Wayside school, less along the lines of Harry Potter.
456. I just realize I was wrong about not breaking a bone until I was 20. I broke my little toe when I was 18 or 19.
455. I’ve never smoked.
454. When I practice martial arts, I like to practice some things that have little direct practical application (though they might help balance, control, and flexibility) but are fun to do. Flashy, twirly lightsaber and bo staff moves, or some multiple kick kicking drills, for instance.
453. I’ve been told I look like celebrities that I have absolutely no resemblance to; Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Nicholas Cage, Edward Norton, Ewan MacGregor. I don’t know what some people are seeing.
452. I am not, nor have ever been, a member of the communist party.
451. Of course I’ve set certain Star Wars quotes on my computer. Startup sound: Vader saying “What is thy bidding, my master”.
450. I’m not even sure what I’ve got in all of the boxes in my attic.
449. Though I’m living in a ski town, I haven’t been on the hills yet this year. Too much risk of re-injuring my shoulder. Two of my co-workers came in this week with their arms in a sling after falling. For me, it re-inforces the point. I’ve loaned one of them the sling I used after my surgery.
448. I wish I could go back to many of the countries I’ve been to. Most of the cities in Europe that I went to were just for a day or two at a time.
447. I spent a school year in Birmingham, England.
446 I first came to Japan on a 9 day vacation. I quit my job 3 days after I got back.
445. The first time I had sake, I’d thought it was a glass of water. You drink it quite differently, actually.
444. I used to bowl in High school. My average got into the 150-160 range.
443. My highest bowling score is 192. 10th frame went strike-9-spare. Had the 9 been another strike, I’d have been over 200.
442. While in Japan, I started playing darts. The people at the darts bar were really good about helping me with my Japanese practice (and being patient). I stopped playing due to the shoulder. I may start again soon.
441. The worst place I ever lived was an apartment that was too small, too near the train station, and next door to a karaoke place, in a town that exists mostly for the airport and an air force base. See why I said before I’m enjoying the quiet?
440. I want to go skydiving someday.
439. I think Yukie Nakama is beautiful.
438. I did a small art exhibition a year and a half ago.
437. I’ve introduced quite a few people to Red Dwarf.
436. I did an open mic night at a comedy club in the Twin Cities once. I think it went ok.
435. I used to watch Knight Rider.
434. I used to have a crush on one of the daughters on the show Kate and Allie.
433. I spent an entire summer working in an old folks’ apartment building doing nothing but washing windows.
432. I always used to order the same thing at Coco Ichi Curry Restaurant. I would always walk in thinking I should go for something else this time, and then end up ordering my favorite. The staff started putting the order in when I walked in the door.
431. My birthday is close to Christmas. Even my parents would just pull a Christmas present and say it was for my Birthday.
430. I’ve had a lot of roommates.
429. I used to be embarrassed about my middle name. Then I thought about it; my middle name is my Grandfather’s first name. Sure it’s old fashioned, but he was a cool guy.
428. I hadn’t seen any episodes of Buffy The Vampire Slayer until I came to Japan and had a student who loved the show. She would download and print scripts of the episodes from the internet, and then use them to study English. She’d ask me questions on things she didn’t understand, and I realized just how well written the show is.
427. I have the complete Far Side and Calvin and Hobbes. I’m getting the Peanuts volumes as they come out.
426. I used to be a distance runner on the track team.
425. When I was a kid I would jump off of anything I could climb up on top of.
424. I like candy. Willy Wonka bottle caps, runts, gum drops, Jelly beans, etc.
423. Smirnoff Ice is nice. I like it with those gel mint strip thingies.
422. I do some proofreading work on the side. That being said, I should probably go fix my typos.
421. I like visiting Tokyo, but I probably wouldn’t want to live there.
420. Though my computer’s operating system has been set to English, some of my programs are only in Japanese. There are a lot of functions I just don’t know how to use.
419. I’ve climbed a volcano and gone swimming in a caldera.
418. I carried a little ticket stub that said “keep this coupon” on it in my wallet for years. I don't remember where it came from, I just thought it was funny to keep it.
417. I haven’t worn a noose, I mean “tie”, in a year.
416. While teaching kids was fun and had its moments, I had finally reached a burn-out point.
415. I’ve also at some point considered getting a de-scented skunk for a pet.
414. I like ravens.
413. I hate it when people use the elevator to go down one floor, especially when the elevator is right next to the stairs.
412. I failed miserably at making flowers out of tissue paper in kindergarten. I ended up with some sort of fan-like thing.
411. Perforated edges hate me and will not tear along the proper line.
410. A guy once thought one of my jokes, in which the punch line sort of comes out of nowhere, was funny. I said something to the effect of the ones that blindside you are best, only to realize a couple minutes later (due to the seating arrangement) that he had lost an eye at some point in the past.
409. I’ve read a couple of Stephen King novels, and while they were ok, I don’t see what all the fuss is about.
408. I liked physics, I wasn’t so big on chemistry. Sort of put my dreams of being a mad scientist to rest.
407. I wish I could fly, Superman style. Of course, a bunch of other super powers would be cool, too.
406. When I was 11 or so, I ordered the Charles Atlas program. It didn’t give me huge muscles in 7 days, but it was a decent stretching and strengthening routine that served as a good base for things I later got involved in.
405. I used to be pretty good at water skiing. I’m probably not bad now, but it’s been a while.
404. I don’t like mittens, but gloves don’t work to keep my fingers warm, and I’ve tried just about every insulated style of glove there is. That’s why I wear the big hand puppets.
403. One of my earliest memories is of the dog walking through and spilling the water glass I was using for a set of water color paints.
402. I can say “I don’t speak (insert language)” in several languages. In many of them, that’s all I can say.
401. I’d probably be rich if I didn’t buy so many books.
400. I don’t particularly like driving. I don’t particularly hate it, either, I just don’t derive any sort of joy from it like some people seem to.
399. My favorite way to have eggs prepared is scrambled.
398. I still make the occasional PBJ.
397. For a while, I ate at McDonalds far more in Japan than I ever did in the US. It was close to where I worked and my lunch break was usually pretty short. After switching jobs, I hardly ever ate there.
396. Sometimes I find myself craving foods that I haven’t found in Japan. Sometimes it’s things I hardly ever ate before I came here, and I don’t really understand why I suddenly crave them.
395. I used to save one of the Lik-m-aid sticks for last.
394. I don’t like cola.
393. I don’t like carrots.
392. I do like spinach.
391. I’ve never owned any incarnation of a Sony Playstation, though I’ve had several different Nintendo systems, Dreamcast, Atari, Colecovision, and X-boxes.
390. I’m considering buying snowshoes.
389. I usually don’t like fighting games, but I have a couple of DOA and Soul Calibur games that I do like, even though I’m not very good at them.
388. I can still go back and play Warcraft II or Starcraft on occasion.
387. I read Moby Dick for pleasure, not for class.
386. I read Frankenstein when I was 10. I’m sure a lot of it went over my head.
385. I’ve written a few vampire stories. They were fun to write at the time, but they would need some major revision to see print.
384. Before going to England, I got pretty heavily into Arthurian literature, which led to a lot of other fantasy reading.
383. My first visit to Japan just happened to be during Hanami (cherry blossom) season, a very lucky coincidence.
382. I couldn’t say which I like better: Pizza or Curry.
381. I sometimes have a tendency to be repetitious.
380. I think Toy Commander for Dreamcast is one of the most underrated games of all time.
379. I’m not studying Japanese anywhere near as much as I should.
378. Generally speaking, I usually think you can tell when a politician is lying because you can see their lips moving. There are a couple that give me some hope.
377. I was on a little league team for one year. We never won a game.
376. I used to sit on the doghouse and pretend I was a WWI flying ace like Snoopy.
375. I made a Wonder Woman costume out of paper and watercolor for the girl who lived next door when we were 4 or 5 years old.
374. I can’t believe I’ve stuck with this for almost half of it, either.
373. The biggest soap bubble I ever made was about four feet in diameter. No, it wasn’t off a little wand you blow through.
372. I can’t dance. I don’t let that stop me from trying sometimes, but it’s been a while since I've had such a lapse in judgement.
371. Origami is beyond me. Reference above with the kindergarten/flower story.
370. I used to think it would be cool to tame a squirrel or a chipmunk. You can actually buy a chipmunk at the pet store in Japan, but I haven’t.
369. Only two of my many pets over the years have had Star Wars based names.
368. When I get much better at Japanese, I want to go somewhere with a hand puppet and pretend that I don’t understand any Japanese, but the puppet is capable of translating.
367. I just realized I’m on page 19 of double spaced text.
366. I had ingrown toenails while on the track team.
365. I sunburn pretty quickly, but it fades pretty quickly as well.
364. The first thing I did after breaking my wrist and getting a cast was to write a very messy letter to a friend.
363. While working at summer camp, I was the Counselor Hunt Champion. I did get caught sometimes, but I made them work for it.
362. I think the “better to have loved and lost” saying doesn’t apply to getting your ass dumped.
361. I’ve never had a splint on my finger, though I have had stitches.
360. I’m just old enough to have had a pong system.
359. I have some halfway decent makeup skills. Costume construction, however, is a different story.
358. I shaved my head for a Halloween costume. I could have done a bald head cap, but I didn’t have the time or materials.
357. I can play 2 and a half songs on a harmonica.
356. I’ve been much closer to a wild skunk than I care to be. Didn’t get sprayed, luckily.
355. I sometimes put cottage cheese on rice.
354. I’ve played over a thousand games of Free Cell, but it’s on my old computer and I don’t remember my win/loss ratio.
353. I’m pretty good at minesweeper, but don’t play it much on my laptop since I usually don’t have a mouse plugged in.
352. I like dragonflies.
351. Someday I will probably live in that scary old house at the top of the hill- the one the kids run past and dare each other to go knock on the door.
350. I hate liver.
349. I tend to let the dishes pile up and then do them all at once.
348. I used to hate it when certain cousins would come for a visit because I knew it meant my toys would get broken or pieces would get lost. Considering the number of family members making their way onto Facebook, I’m not saying which ones.
347. I got rained on in Egypt. Absolute downpour.
346. I can say a few tongue twisters in Japanese.
345. It never ceases to amaze me when I see Japanese people playing paper-rock-scissors at the speed of light.
344. I hate it when I’m sitting at a corner unnecessarily waiting to turn because the idiot I was waiting for wasn’t using his turning signal.
343. I’ve played a lot of Halo.
342. I’ve taught my dog to bark on command.
341. I used to be a security guard.
340. I’ve dated older women as well as younger ones (not at the same time…). I feel age is irrelevant for the most part, it really depends on the individuals involved.
339. I’m a decent mimic of animal sounds.
338. When taking a shower, I usually start from the top and work my way down.
337. I never liked candy corn that much, but it was better than those orange and black supposedly peanut butter things that would just coat the roof of your mouth.
336. There are times when heating something up in the microwave feels like too much work.
335. I like squid and octopus, depending on how they’ve been prepared.
334. I think the World of Golden Eggs is amazingly hilarious. It sort of grows on you.
333. I’ve had epiphany moments.
332. I’m not that into music. I don’t own an i-pod and the only reason I bought a CD walkman was so that I could listen to Japanese language CDs while I was walking to Budokan.
331. I’m sometimes embarrassed by the behavior of certain Americans on X-box live. I’m amazed at the ignorance and willful stupidity of some individuals. They give all the rest of us a bad name.
330. When I was working in retail, I was always amazed at the complete and utter stupidity of some people and the utter callousness of others.
329. I’ve never named my computer. Ditto the car.
328. I once had a cat for several years that I never found a good name for, so it remained nameless. The cat didn’t mind.
327. I like the Japanese style of Valentine’s Day better: women give things to men. The turnaround on that is a month later on White Day, when men give things to women. What’s convenient about this arrangement for me is that I know exactly who I need to get something for.
326. I thought it was strange at first, but I grew accustomed to corn on pizza.
325. I don’t like mayonnaise.
324. I comfort my dog when she whines in her sleep.
323. I want to go to Easter Island.
322. I’ve seen the cave paintings in southern France firsthand.
321. I went through a period where I watched a lot of westerns. I even read a couple Loius L’amour novels. I did not get into country music.
320. I don’t like opera. Once the fat lady starts singing, I think they should end it.
319. I have a Milli Vanilli CD. Somewhere. I think I left it in the States. It was great to lip synch to.
318. I like the older style Mickey Mouse, the one with the pie-eyes.
317. Carl Barks was also a genius, in my opinion.
316. I have my moments. Not many of them, but I do have them.
315. I can get lost in a set of Encyclopedias for quite some time.
314. My favorite number is pi.
313. I think palindromes are kind of neat.
625. I have been known to take a joke too far.
624. I’m making less money now but am much, much happier.
623. I have always had an extremely high hairline. Most people think I’m going bald, until they realize they’ve known me nigh on forever and that it is just really, really high. If I lived in Elizabethan times, I’d be in the heights of fashion.
622. I have been to Luxembourg.
621. I used to be able to count to 10 in Arabic, but most of that has long been forgotten.
620. I studied French for 4 years in high school. The most useful thing I can remember is “Vous avez une tete du fromage” (loosely translated: You are from Wisconsin).
619. At age 37, I still have a smegload of baby teeth. The Secondary teeth never formed to destroy the root and push out the baby teeth. It’s not uncommon to be missing one or two, but I’m missing a lot. Plus side: no wisdom teeth. Downside: Probably looking at implants into the jawbone someday since I’m missing too many to make a bridge.
618. I dislocated my thumb while skiing.
617. I fell off a galloping horse twice (okay, two different horses) onto my right shoulder.
616. I can ride bareback. I can also ride without a shirt.
615. I have more lightsaber toys than I can count because I don’t remember how many I have in the US. I have more in Japan than I want to count or admit to owning. There’s also the problem of what you consider applicable. I have everything from keychain size to full size replicas.
614. I can use the lightsabers with some level of proficiency.
613. Knowing I’m a Star Wars geek is part of the problem. Not caring nor wanting to change it is probably a much larger part of the problem.
612. I stayed up for 45 hours in a row due to working overnight shifts with the release of Attack of the Clones in between them.
611. I did a voice over for a video game character. Fuzion Frenzy 2 for the X-box 360. I did the voice for the character named Dub (so I dubbed Dub…) as well as some of the crowd cheering voices. I would love to do more voice work.
610. I have a tendency to use ellipses.
609. I’d never broken a bone until I was 20.
608. I caught Chicken pox in my early 30s.
607. I had a dream in which I was Bugs Bunny being chased around a train by Yosemite Sam.
606. I used to do a pretty good Tarzan yell. I haven’t tried in ages- I’d probably need some practice.
605. I can do a decent number of pretty good card tricks and few ok coin tricks.
604. I can juggle. Only 3 things at a time, though. I’ve tried 5, and almost had it, but not quite.
603. I was never able to get a Yak Face action figure. It was the only one from the original Kenner release of Star Wars figures I didn’t have, due in large part to the fact that it wasn’t released in the US. I could buy one, but I find the cost prohibitive.
602. I know roughly 1200 kanji, but only the meanings, not the readings.
601. Despite #602, I’m doing a bit of artwork with kanji in it.
600. I had a blast at the Star Wars Celebration Japan.
599. I’ve had some bonehead mistakes turn out pretty well, all things considered.
598. I’ve had some well laid plans go completely FUBAR.
597. I’m usually the one being dumped rather than the one breaking things off.
596. As a result, I’ve heard the “friend” speech times so many times I can say it better than some of those who have given it to me. I’ve even gotten it in Japanese.
595. I can spell “Australopithecus” but I’ve got a mental block about the word “license” and usually have to look it up.
594. I don’t watch sports.
593. My dog’s name is based off a joke I made while teaching a kid’s class.
592. I bought a new digital camera about the same time I got Nana as a puppy. Ergo, many, many pictures of my dog.
591. I am the Halloween man, especially here in Japan.
590. I’m still far too swayed by a pretty face, though that’s gotten a little better over time.
589. Looking back, there are two people I might consider the one that got away. Or at the very least, there are two I should have asked out when I had the chance.
588. On the flip side of 589, there are far more than two that I never should have dated.
587. I used to have a Big Bird stuffed animal that I always carried around when I was 4.
586. At various times, either Oscar the Grouch, Ernie, or Super Grover were my favorite Sesame Street characters.
585. Not only do I have the Indiana Jones hat (see the original 25 random things note), but I’m not too shabby with a bullwhip. Yet rarely have I used a whip while wearing the hat.
584. Favorite TV show is a toss-up: Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Firefly. I liked Angel, but not as much as the aforementioned.
583. Star Wars: A New Hope, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and The Princess Bride make up the triumvirate of my favorite movies of all time. There are many others I really like, but those three still hold the top positions.
582. My hair is a blondish, reddish, brown sort of color. It varies due to lighting conditions. My beard, when I choose to grow one, separates the colors a little more by area, from white blonde to brown.
581. I think George R. R. Martin is by far the best fantasy writer to date. After reading A Game of Thrones, every other fantasy and/or historical fiction book I’ve read dropped 2 or 3 notches lower on the scale of goodness.
580. While I can’t go so far to say I liked Jar Jar Binks, I don’t passionately despise him as so many others seem to.
579. I think George Lucas is taking a lot of undeserved flak. Don’t get me wrong, he’s made some bad choices that deserve flak, but it seems to me it’s the “in” thing to do to profess deep feelings of hatred for all things post-ROTJ Lucas. I think a lot of the flak is overboard.
578. I do a fairly decent Louis Armstrong/What a Wonderful World.
577. I often sing Elvis songs when I go to karaoke. It’s not due to any particular love of the King, baby, but moreso that his songs work with what passes for my singing voice.
576. That being said, I rock out Jerry Lee Lewis’s Great Balls of Fire.
575. I’ve sung Rainbow Connection in the voice of Kermit the Frog, but it doesn’t have the same level of cultural recognition in Japan.
574. I liked Muppet Treasure Island.
573. Red Dwarf put the word “smeg” into my daily vocabulary. I’ve been known to use other kriffing gorram words from fictional smurfy sources.
572. When I was in 4th grade, I was a Smurf for Halloween.
571. I spent five summers working at a summer camp.
570. Chuck Jones is one of my heroes. How can you not admire the guy who created the roadrunner, coyote, and Pepe le Pew, put Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny in Wagnerian opera, created the singing frog, and did so much with Daffy Duck?
569. Even I am somewhat daunted by the task at hand.
568. I forage.
567. After a couple of years, I still play too much Phantasy Star Online.
566. I still think the X-wing series (including TIE fighter) was one of the best PC games made.
565. The sheer amount of useless trivia I know is staggering. Oh, to replace some of that with something useful.
564. I was the Joker for Halloween years before all the Heath Ledger copycats. I won’t use that costume for several years now. Heath did a great job, it’s all the clichéd copycats that bother me.
563. I like heat. Humidity, not so much.
562. When people in Hokkaido complain about how cold it is (-10 C), I like to tell stories about Minnesota winters (-40). Truth be told, though, once it gets a little ways below 0 (C), it’s just plain cold regardless of what the numbers say.
561. I’ve been in Japan so long that for the most part, looking over the current American sports, music, and celebrity “Who’s who” leaves me just thinking “Who?”.
560. I’m eating a lot of potatoes recently because I can buy them cheaply and I need to save money.
559. I have an idea for an illustrated story about a guy named “Ed” to help teach an English grammar point that many Japanese people find difficult.
558. Even after six years in Japan, I find some ‘L’ and ‘R’ mistakes hilarious, especially when it changes the meaning of the words. For example, at a baseball game when the entire audience stood up and crapped their hands…
557. I still use a Superman mug my aunt gave me fore Christmas 10 years (or so) ago.
556. I’ve read all of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan books, as well as his Mars and Venus series. While a lot of the Tarzan books were cranked out, they still make for rollicking good adventures. A few of them, mostly among the earlier ones in the series, actually stand up quite well as literature.
555. I’ve read all of the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories by Arthur Conan Doyle 3 or 4 times.
554. Despite being a Theater major with an English minor, I haven’t read all of Shakespeare’s works in their entirety. I have read many of them, but not all.
553. Surprisingly, since I quit teaching English, I can feel my English level returning to its former level. I just figured it had atrophied.
552. I’m overdue to delete all the emails in my phone.
551. Everything I own in Japan is in a state of constant bombardment of dog hair.
550. My Lord of the Rings DVDs are a mix of the US and Japanese releases.
549. I have a multi-region DVD player, so #550 is no big deal.
548. I saw the Ice Capades when they had Ewoks (based off the animated cartoon series).
547. I was first exposed to curry in Birmingham, England.
546. I met a lot of very pretty German women when I lived in England. When I was in Germany, not so much. Do they export all the good looking ones?
545. I did a lot of fencing when I was in England. I would like to have continued it, but never really had the opportunities where I was living afterward.
544. I really should be sleeping now.
543. When I was three years old, my favorite joke was “What do you call a cat that drinks lemonade? A sourpuss.”
542. I used to think my dentist was one of the coolest guys in the world.
541. I let my dog sleep on the bed.
540. I had considered getting a cat because I’d heard there mouse problems in the house I would be living in. Then I found out that Ao Daisho snakes lived under the house. They are non-poisonous, fairly shy and docile, and eat mice.
539. I once found a shed snakeskin about 5.5 feet long from one of the Ao Daisho.
538. I used to blow bubbles off my 7th floor apartment’s balcony.
537. I’ve taken a woodbaby puppet to Hanami in Ueno park.
536. I have two of my T-shirt designs for sale in a souvenir shop in Hirafu.
535. I have a plan to become a Jedi. No, really. Yet, at the same time, it’s probably not what you’re thinking.
534. I’ve seen the site of the grave of Takuan, zen Buddhist from the 1600’s.
533. I used to buy carrots solely for the purpose of feeding them to my guinea pig.
532. I brought Looney Toons refrigerator magnets to Japan.
531. My current house has no bathtub, though there is a shower stall.
530. I have to connect the hoses from the washing machine to the shower.
529. I used to think vampires were cool, but now I think they’re overrated thanks to Anne Rice and the current crop of imitators.
528. I used to run a Star Wars Role-Playing game back in my University days.
527. I spoil my dog.
526. I’m a pack rat and a collector. Bad combination.
525. I find myself singing the Ballad of Serenity in the car.
524. The car at work only has a Michael Jackson tape in it, so I’m listening to him far more than I did in the ‘80s.
523. I had the Hamburger Helper jingle stuck in my head last night.
522. I have a Santa Claus hat with Mickey Mouse ears that I bought at Tokyo Disney.
521. I met Mark Hamill. He signed my DVD of the Muppets Star Wars episode.
520. I’ve been more places outside my native country than I have within.
519. I once sent postcards to everyone I knew who lived in another country and asked them to send them to another friend of mine on the same day. I’d written “wish you were here” and signed my name on all of them.
518. I had a bit of fun with the Flat Stanley project a couple of years back. I went so far as to make a video, which is still being shown in a certain elementary school teacher’s classroom. Copies are on my youtube site.
517. I use various versions of 6 8 10 for my username on different websites. It’s a sort of pun that works out to my name in Japanese.
516. I’m enjoying the quiet.
515. I’m currently out of books to read, though there’s a small pile waiting to be ordered from Amazon.
514. I’ve read Descartes.
513. In addition to being an English minor, I also have a Philosophy minor.
512. My original declared major was Physics.
511. I took guitar lessons for about six months. Not because I wanted to, but because my parents gave my brother a guitar for Christmas and he took lessons first, but dropped out of it. I can now play maybe two chords. Five with some practice.
510. I wrote a comic strip for a University newspaper for two years. Looking back, they’re a bit rough around the edges, but I think I got better as time went on. I felt a certain sense of accomplishment when I once found one of my strips cut out and stuck to the refrigerator of someone I had just met.
509. I just paused for a bathroom break.
508. I finally turned off almost all of the Facebook email notifications. Like I don’t look at the notifications tab in facebook anyway…
507. I make a lot of bad jokes, but I hear people re-telling them later.
506. I wonder sometimes if the things I do are worth the effort. Now, for instance.
505. I have a Godzilla toy with which I take a lot of pictures in Japan. Evidence at Flickr.
504. I just might be able to bring my dog to work, but I haven’t done it yet.
503. I know way too many “You might be a redneck if…” jokes and can quote way too much Steven Wright.
502. I used to teach riflery, archery, and martial arts. Not all at the same time, mind you.
501. I couldn’t decide whether to make this one a Star Wars reference (regarding Vader’s 501st legion) or a comment on Levi’s blue jeans.
500. I have sushi refrigerator magnets that a student gave me as a going away present.
499. Despite 6 years in Japan, I still don’t like sushi.
498. I didn’t start drinking alcohol until I was 29.
497. I wish I had some Pringles right now.
496. I should be writing my story now instead of this.
495. Natto is a wonderful Japanese food… for me to poop on.
494. I’m finding #495 funnier than I should.
493. I used to think Pepe Le Pew was my hero. Now I realize he’s my totem/spirit animal.
492. I don’t really like the flower print curtains on the windows that came with the house, but I haven’t gotten around to replacing them yet.
491. I keep thinking I should take some pictures of the inside of the house to post online, but then I realize that means I have to clean first. Not that I don’t clean, it’s just that there’s a permanent state of semi-disorder here.
490. Since I started the new job, I can’t keep track of the days of the week. I only check the schedules by date.
489. I remember being a kid and waking up from a nightmare, being so scared that no sound would come out when I tried to yell.
488. I sent in my four proofs of purchase for a Boba Fett figure. I was mildly disappointed that it didn’t have the rocket firing backpack, but still though he was really cool even though I didn’t know if he was a good guy or a bad guy at the time.
487. I have mixed Star Wars toys with Smurf figures.
486. I believe in a separation of Church and State.
485. My dog snores sometimes. So do I. Neither of us has fleas.
484. I tried to teach a Japanese girlfriend the song “Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head”.
483. I spent a week in a Japanese hospital.
482. I have trouble finding socks my size in Japan.
481. I’ve worked in fast food, but thankfully not for very long.
480. For a little while in University, I did the plasma thing for spending money.
479. I spent far too long working in retail.
478. I have a secret fear that somewhere, somehow, I’m a bit like Arnold J. Rimmer.
477. I wish I had the international version of Shorin Soccer (Probably titled Shao Lin Soccer outside Japan) on DVD. I do have Kung Fu Hustle.
476. I’ve never seen a full Bruce Lee movie. Seen large parts of a couple.
475. I’m not sure why there’s a roll of packing tape on my table.
474. I like mechanical pencils.
473. You can get a pet monkey in Japan. I’ve considered it. Idea nixed for time and money.
472. I want to do more traveling throughout Japan.
471. I spent a lot of time out in the woods as a kid.
470. I wanted to be an animator at one point, but felt that my drawing skill- while not bad- wasn’t up to being an animator. Those people are amazing.
469. I then wanted to do voice work for animation.
468. I have a couple of decent ideas for short films, but I am not much of a film editor. See examples on youtube.
467. If my shoulder were better, I’d probably have made a snowfort outside. I have dug a hole to the ground to see how deep it is.
466. I still like Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
465. At one point, I was considering a degree in Anthropolgy.
464. I can sing the Underdog theme.
463. I have taught an entire one hour English lesson without speaking. I made it into a class on non-verbal communication. This was partly inspired by the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode “Hush”.
462. I was working on a script of a Zombie parody movie, but Shaun of the Dead did it far better than I would have.
461. I’m starting to hate Jeff.
460. I have decided that I am never doing another one of these again.
459. I think #461 was a momentary lapse. Hate, anger, fear… the dark side are they.
458. I don’t always agree with James Randi, often only by a matter of degrees or severity, but I appreciate the work he’s doing.
457. I’m thinking about writing a story about a summer camp that’s got monsters, maybe a junior adult or kids book. More along the lines of Wayside school, less along the lines of Harry Potter.
456. I just realize I was wrong about not breaking a bone until I was 20. I broke my little toe when I was 18 or 19.
455. I’ve never smoked.
454. When I practice martial arts, I like to practice some things that have little direct practical application (though they might help balance, control, and flexibility) but are fun to do. Flashy, twirly lightsaber and bo staff moves, or some multiple kick kicking drills, for instance.
453. I’ve been told I look like celebrities that I have absolutely no resemblance to; Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Nicholas Cage, Edward Norton, Ewan MacGregor. I don’t know what some people are seeing.
452. I am not, nor have ever been, a member of the communist party.
451. Of course I’ve set certain Star Wars quotes on my computer. Startup sound: Vader saying “What is thy bidding, my master”.
450. I’m not even sure what I’ve got in all of the boxes in my attic.
449. Though I’m living in a ski town, I haven’t been on the hills yet this year. Too much risk of re-injuring my shoulder. Two of my co-workers came in this week with their arms in a sling after falling. For me, it re-inforces the point. I’ve loaned one of them the sling I used after my surgery.
448. I wish I could go back to many of the countries I’ve been to. Most of the cities in Europe that I went to were just for a day or two at a time.
447. I spent a school year in Birmingham, England.
446 I first came to Japan on a 9 day vacation. I quit my job 3 days after I got back.
445. The first time I had sake, I’d thought it was a glass of water. You drink it quite differently, actually.
444. I used to bowl in High school. My average got into the 150-160 range.
443. My highest bowling score is 192. 10th frame went strike-9-spare. Had the 9 been another strike, I’d have been over 200.
442. While in Japan, I started playing darts. The people at the darts bar were really good about helping me with my Japanese practice (and being patient). I stopped playing due to the shoulder. I may start again soon.
441. The worst place I ever lived was an apartment that was too small, too near the train station, and next door to a karaoke place, in a town that exists mostly for the airport and an air force base. See why I said before I’m enjoying the quiet?
440. I want to go skydiving someday.
439. I think Yukie Nakama is beautiful.
438. I did a small art exhibition a year and a half ago.
437. I’ve introduced quite a few people to Red Dwarf.
436. I did an open mic night at a comedy club in the Twin Cities once. I think it went ok.
435. I used to watch Knight Rider.
434. I used to have a crush on one of the daughters on the show Kate and Allie.
433. I spent an entire summer working in an old folks’ apartment building doing nothing but washing windows.
432. I always used to order the same thing at Coco Ichi Curry Restaurant. I would always walk in thinking I should go for something else this time, and then end up ordering my favorite. The staff started putting the order in when I walked in the door.
431. My birthday is close to Christmas. Even my parents would just pull a Christmas present and say it was for my Birthday.
430. I’ve had a lot of roommates.
429. I used to be embarrassed about my middle name. Then I thought about it; my middle name is my Grandfather’s first name. Sure it’s old fashioned, but he was a cool guy.
428. I hadn’t seen any episodes of Buffy The Vampire Slayer until I came to Japan and had a student who loved the show. She would download and print scripts of the episodes from the internet, and then use them to study English. She’d ask me questions on things she didn’t understand, and I realized just how well written the show is.
427. I have the complete Far Side and Calvin and Hobbes. I’m getting the Peanuts volumes as they come out.
426. I used to be a distance runner on the track team.
425. When I was a kid I would jump off of anything I could climb up on top of.
424. I like candy. Willy Wonka bottle caps, runts, gum drops, Jelly beans, etc.
423. Smirnoff Ice is nice. I like it with those gel mint strip thingies.
422. I do some proofreading work on the side. That being said, I should probably go fix my typos.
421. I like visiting Tokyo, but I probably wouldn’t want to live there.
420. Though my computer’s operating system has been set to English, some of my programs are only in Japanese. There are a lot of functions I just don’t know how to use.
419. I’ve climbed a volcano and gone swimming in a caldera.
418. I carried a little ticket stub that said “keep this coupon” on it in my wallet for years. I don't remember where it came from, I just thought it was funny to keep it.
417. I haven’t worn a noose, I mean “tie”, in a year.
416. While teaching kids was fun and had its moments, I had finally reached a burn-out point.
415. I’ve also at some point considered getting a de-scented skunk for a pet.
414. I like ravens.
413. I hate it when people use the elevator to go down one floor, especially when the elevator is right next to the stairs.
412. I failed miserably at making flowers out of tissue paper in kindergarten. I ended up with some sort of fan-like thing.
411. Perforated edges hate me and will not tear along the proper line.
410. A guy once thought one of my jokes, in which the punch line sort of comes out of nowhere, was funny. I said something to the effect of the ones that blindside you are best, only to realize a couple minutes later (due to the seating arrangement) that he had lost an eye at some point in the past.
409. I’ve read a couple of Stephen King novels, and while they were ok, I don’t see what all the fuss is about.
408. I liked physics, I wasn’t so big on chemistry. Sort of put my dreams of being a mad scientist to rest.
407. I wish I could fly, Superman style. Of course, a bunch of other super powers would be cool, too.
406. When I was 11 or so, I ordered the Charles Atlas program. It didn’t give me huge muscles in 7 days, but it was a decent stretching and strengthening routine that served as a good base for things I later got involved in.
405. I used to be pretty good at water skiing. I’m probably not bad now, but it’s been a while.
404. I don’t like mittens, but gloves don’t work to keep my fingers warm, and I’ve tried just about every insulated style of glove there is. That’s why I wear the big hand puppets.
403. One of my earliest memories is of the dog walking through and spilling the water glass I was using for a set of water color paints.
402. I can say “I don’t speak (insert language)” in several languages. In many of them, that’s all I can say.
401. I’d probably be rich if I didn’t buy so many books.
400. I don’t particularly like driving. I don’t particularly hate it, either, I just don’t derive any sort of joy from it like some people seem to.
399. My favorite way to have eggs prepared is scrambled.
398. I still make the occasional PBJ.
397. For a while, I ate at McDonalds far more in Japan than I ever did in the US. It was close to where I worked and my lunch break was usually pretty short. After switching jobs, I hardly ever ate there.
396. Sometimes I find myself craving foods that I haven’t found in Japan. Sometimes it’s things I hardly ever ate before I came here, and I don’t really understand why I suddenly crave them.
395. I used to save one of the Lik-m-aid sticks for last.
394. I don’t like cola.
393. I don’t like carrots.
392. I do like spinach.
391. I’ve never owned any incarnation of a Sony Playstation, though I’ve had several different Nintendo systems, Dreamcast, Atari, Colecovision, and X-boxes.
390. I’m considering buying snowshoes.
389. I usually don’t like fighting games, but I have a couple of DOA and Soul Calibur games that I do like, even though I’m not very good at them.
388. I can still go back and play Warcraft II or Starcraft on occasion.
387. I read Moby Dick for pleasure, not for class.
386. I read Frankenstein when I was 10. I’m sure a lot of it went over my head.
385. I’ve written a few vampire stories. They were fun to write at the time, but they would need some major revision to see print.
384. Before going to England, I got pretty heavily into Arthurian literature, which led to a lot of other fantasy reading.
383. My first visit to Japan just happened to be during Hanami (cherry blossom) season, a very lucky coincidence.
382. I couldn’t say which I like better: Pizza or Curry.
381. I sometimes have a tendency to be repetitious.
380. I think Toy Commander for Dreamcast is one of the most underrated games of all time.
379. I’m not studying Japanese anywhere near as much as I should.
378. Generally speaking, I usually think you can tell when a politician is lying because you can see their lips moving. There are a couple that give me some hope.
377. I was on a little league team for one year. We never won a game.
376. I used to sit on the doghouse and pretend I was a WWI flying ace like Snoopy.
375. I made a Wonder Woman costume out of paper and watercolor for the girl who lived next door when we were 4 or 5 years old.
374. I can’t believe I’ve stuck with this for almost half of it, either.
373. The biggest soap bubble I ever made was about four feet in diameter. No, it wasn’t off a little wand you blow through.
372. I can’t dance. I don’t let that stop me from trying sometimes, but it’s been a while since I've had such a lapse in judgement.
371. Origami is beyond me. Reference above with the kindergarten/flower story.
370. I used to think it would be cool to tame a squirrel or a chipmunk. You can actually buy a chipmunk at the pet store in Japan, but I haven’t.
369. Only two of my many pets over the years have had Star Wars based names.
368. When I get much better at Japanese, I want to go somewhere with a hand puppet and pretend that I don’t understand any Japanese, but the puppet is capable of translating.
367. I just realized I’m on page 19 of double spaced text.
366. I had ingrown toenails while on the track team.
365. I sunburn pretty quickly, but it fades pretty quickly as well.
364. The first thing I did after breaking my wrist and getting a cast was to write a very messy letter to a friend.
363. While working at summer camp, I was the Counselor Hunt Champion. I did get caught sometimes, but I made them work for it.
362. I think the “better to have loved and lost” saying doesn’t apply to getting your ass dumped.
361. I’ve never had a splint on my finger, though I have had stitches.
360. I’m just old enough to have had a pong system.
359. I have some halfway decent makeup skills. Costume construction, however, is a different story.
358. I shaved my head for a Halloween costume. I could have done a bald head cap, but I didn’t have the time or materials.
357. I can play 2 and a half songs on a harmonica.
356. I’ve been much closer to a wild skunk than I care to be. Didn’t get sprayed, luckily.
355. I sometimes put cottage cheese on rice.
354. I’ve played over a thousand games of Free Cell, but it’s on my old computer and I don’t remember my win/loss ratio.
353. I’m pretty good at minesweeper, but don’t play it much on my laptop since I usually don’t have a mouse plugged in.
352. I like dragonflies.
351. Someday I will probably live in that scary old house at the top of the hill- the one the kids run past and dare each other to go knock on the door.
350. I hate liver.
349. I tend to let the dishes pile up and then do them all at once.
348. I used to hate it when certain cousins would come for a visit because I knew it meant my toys would get broken or pieces would get lost. Considering the number of family members making their way onto Facebook, I’m not saying which ones.
347. I got rained on in Egypt. Absolute downpour.
346. I can say a few tongue twisters in Japanese.
345. It never ceases to amaze me when I see Japanese people playing paper-rock-scissors at the speed of light.
344. I hate it when I’m sitting at a corner unnecessarily waiting to turn because the idiot I was waiting for wasn’t using his turning signal.
343. I’ve played a lot of Halo.
342. I’ve taught my dog to bark on command.
341. I used to be a security guard.
340. I’ve dated older women as well as younger ones (not at the same time…). I feel age is irrelevant for the most part, it really depends on the individuals involved.
339. I’m a decent mimic of animal sounds.
338. When taking a shower, I usually start from the top and work my way down.
337. I never liked candy corn that much, but it was better than those orange and black supposedly peanut butter things that would just coat the roof of your mouth.
336. There are times when heating something up in the microwave feels like too much work.
335. I like squid and octopus, depending on how they’ve been prepared.
334. I think the World of Golden Eggs is amazingly hilarious. It sort of grows on you.
333. I’ve had epiphany moments.
332. I’m not that into music. I don’t own an i-pod and the only reason I bought a CD walkman was so that I could listen to Japanese language CDs while I was walking to Budokan.
331. I’m sometimes embarrassed by the behavior of certain Americans on X-box live. I’m amazed at the ignorance and willful stupidity of some individuals. They give all the rest of us a bad name.
330. When I was working in retail, I was always amazed at the complete and utter stupidity of some people and the utter callousness of others.
329. I’ve never named my computer. Ditto the car.
328. I once had a cat for several years that I never found a good name for, so it remained nameless. The cat didn’t mind.
327. I like the Japanese style of Valentine’s Day better: women give things to men. The turnaround on that is a month later on White Day, when men give things to women. What’s convenient about this arrangement for me is that I know exactly who I need to get something for.
326. I thought it was strange at first, but I grew accustomed to corn on pizza.
325. I don’t like mayonnaise.
324. I comfort my dog when she whines in her sleep.
323. I want to go to Easter Island.
322. I’ve seen the cave paintings in southern France firsthand.
321. I went through a period where I watched a lot of westerns. I even read a couple Loius L’amour novels. I did not get into country music.
320. I don’t like opera. Once the fat lady starts singing, I think they should end it.
319. I have a Milli Vanilli CD. Somewhere. I think I left it in the States. It was great to lip synch to.
318. I like the older style Mickey Mouse, the one with the pie-eyes.
317. Carl Barks was also a genius, in my opinion.
316. I have my moments. Not many of them, but I do have them.
315. I can get lost in a set of Encyclopedias for quite some time.
314. My favorite number is pi.
313. I think palindromes are kind of neat.