Summertime and Ephemera for the Navelgazer’s soul

It’s been a while since I’ve updated. Been really, really... really busy lately. I’ve got a deadline for the manuscript edits and have been doing a lot of other writing – my writing gigs definitely pick up in the summer. So, with the help of my friend the Captain St. Lucifer and her blog, I’m nicking her “ephemera” section and offering up 100 things that you may or may not know about me. I needed to do this not to talk about myself more than I already do, but rather to feed this beast called a blog which, after a really thrilling start, has been punished with severe neglect. Thankfully, this blog's not a sentient or it would be wetting the carpet right about now.

I’d tell you that this post is a start of posting resurgence, but I’m making no promises anymore. Call it capitulation in reverse... it’s just nice to have a virtual bathroom wall to write on, I suppose. And the L'il Man, family, friends, pets, summer events and paying gigs, of course, all come first in that order.

1. Next winter, I will have been professionally writing and editing as long as I haven’t been.
2. I still like seeing the byline, but I am much less obsessive about it now.
3. I have only lived in the Cleveland area.
4. I can’t see myself moving from Cleveland anytime soon. I love it here.
5. When I finally write my New York Times best seller, I’ll move to the Old Port in Portland, Maine.
6. I will not start rooting for the Red Sox because of it.
7. To me, dining al fresco is a total luxury. And locations don’t matter: expensive bistro, café, picnic and tailgate all work for me.
8. At one point, I considered moving to Maine or Nova Scotia to become a commercial fisherman. 
9. After watching a couple of episodes of “World Deadliest Catch,” I decided that growing a beard and eating homemade chowder with Goldfish crackers in it would be safer.
10.  A huge fan of Yuengling Beer from Pennsylvania. Loved it long before Barack Obama laid claim to it.
11.  Also a huge fan of Barack Obama.
12.  I met John McCain a few years ago while in Arizona. He looked extremely frail to me at the time.
13.  I own 12 pairs of shoes, but hate matching up socks after doing laundry.
14.  Number one pet peeve: stepping in liquid wearing formerly dry socks.
15.  I have extreme aversions to root beer, bubble gum, licorice and anything that is flavored raspberry or banana. And cough medicine. Related? Probably.
16.  If I could, I would eat a Five Guys bacon cheeseburger with Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle, Onion and Mayo every day... and I’d be 350 pounds.
17.  A daily Two Lights Lobster Shack lobster roll would be even better.
18.  I could probably live on coffee, caffeine free diet Coke and beer.
19.  I’ve had three cats in my life - a black cat (Sebastian), an orange tiger tabby (Hollywood) and a psychotic, calico beach ball with a head (Camille).
20.  I have had one dog in my life – an English Foxhound-Lab mutt named Annie.
21.  She came from an animal shelter in a rural town north of Cincinnati.
22.  Annie was an “I was downsized from my job, Happy 30th Birthday” present to myself.
23.  She “helped” me build a brick patio in my backyard.
24.  So did The King of Beers.
25.  I like home projects… after they’re done. Not during. I complain during.
26.  I play(ed) the trumpet and bass. Haven’t had time for either in years.
27.  I have been a guest on AM, FM and streaming online radio.
28.  I was the president of my high school marching band.
29.  And the captain of the diving team.
30.  Though only mildly athletic, I did well at the latter.
31.  I have literally been to “38 states and half of Canada,” to quote a local radio station. Want to fill in the remaining states/provinces before I turn 50.
32.  I drove cross country when I was in my mid-20s.
33.  That travel led to the falling out with a very high-maintenance friend.
34.  We haven’t talked since. It’s just as well, really.  
35.  I have been out of the country several times. Everyone needs to do this to broaden their perspective on the world.
36.  I read my horoscope every day… at the end of the day to see if any of it was accurate.
37.  Not interested in astrology, but I am a pretty typical Gemini.
38.  I am also a firm believer in Mercury Retrograde. 
39.  Progressive rock, jazz and ambient/ downtempo music are my favorites.
40.  I’m also something of a closet “Easy Rock” fan.
41.  I won a bicycle from the “Barnaby” show on Channel 43 when I was little.
42.  For some odd reason I can’t recall, I never actually got the bike.
43.  I can go three months without washing a t-shirt.
44.  Just like Indiana Jones, I hate snakes. Spiders, too. 
45.  My next laptop will be a Mac, because Windows Vista is absolutely craptastic.
46.  Kayaking and biking. Need to do more of both, actually.
47.  I think the words “craptastic” and “asshat” look better in print than sound when uttered (see #45).
48.  I was on a plane ten days after 9/11.
49.  It took me three beers – first thing in the morning – to be OK with getting on board that day.
50.  I was a passenger on a Metro Traffic Control single-engine plane covering rush hour traffic once.
51.  The MTC chap who flew with us told me “nothing bad has ever happened on my 20 years,” as he had me sign a hold-harmless legal waiver.
52.  That same plane hit a cell phone tower days later. Both that MTC chap and the pilot died.
53.  Surprisingly, I have no real “apoplexy” or aversion toward flying. 
54.  My first airplane trip was to Chicago to speak at a college journalism convention.
55.  Nearly 200 people came to my session to hear me speak.
56.  I am a not a morning person, only that way out of necessity and habit.
57.  In an ideal world, I would get up at 10AM and go to bed at midnight.
58.  Trader Joe’s Lemonade. In the carton, in the cold case. And Revive Vitaminwater. 
59.  I worked at Trader Joe’s part time to supplement my writing income. 
60.  I was surprised at how much I missed it when I left. 
61.  Girl Scouts Samoas and soft coconut macaroons.
62.  I am a political junkie. And a foodie.
63.  For books, non-fiction. 99% of the time.
64.  As a kid, I always liked movie trading cards better than the sports cards. 
65.  I have been blogging since 2005, in a few different places. 
66.  My best/worst comment came from (I believe) film director Kevin Smith. 
67.  Ideal weather: 68 degrees, sunny, breezy. Maine-like summer weather.
68.  I am not the typical Clevelander who complains about the weather; I like the seasons… but the thrill is gone with snow after Valentine’s Day. 
69.  I have met most of my musical idols because of my work. 
70.  I’m not sure I have any idols now – pop culture or otherwise.
71.  Would still like to interview Eddie Vedder, Anthony Bourdain, Keith Olbermann, the Dalai Lama, Kevin Spacey and Andrea Immer.
72.  I had scarlet fever when I was in kindergarten and rheumatic fever as a sophomore in high school.
73.  Oh, and some sort of walking pneumonia in college.
74.  I own over 1,200 CD’s.
75.  I rarely listen to them now that I have an iPod, Sirius Satellite Radio and stream Soma FM online.
76.  Rachel Maddow of Air America and MSNBC is oddly compelling to me.
77.  Also oddly compelling, I once met Janeane Garofalo at a bar in Texas.
78.  She was actually very nice… and made me feel really, really tall.
79.  My driver’s license says I’m 5’ 7”… I’m either shrinking or lying.
80.  I almost never have a clean car. Don’t psychoanalyze me for it.  
81.  I have a Nintendo Wii. Still in the box. Haven’t had time to set it up yet.
82.  Marvel, then DC. Even despite Batman.
83.  I long to run a wine and import/specialty food shop.
84.  And have my own cooking show. And food product line.
85.  My favorite place in the world to date is Westminster Abbey.
86.  I’d like to add the Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal to that list.
87.  My wife already has.
88.  Family is extremely important to me.
89.  I’m a perpetual eight-year-old at heart. I still like Kiss, Star Wars and Pac-Man.
90.  I really resent Gene and Paul dressing up two other schlubs like Ace and Peter to use as replacements. What a cop-out. Just retire already.
91.  I also resent Rolling Stone putting out three good issues every year, sucking me into another subscription, and then sucking mercilessly the rest of the year.
92.  I hate puzzles, Jumble, Sudoku and brain teasers, but I love trivia.
93.  I have a toddler at home, who puzzles and brain-teases me plenty.
94.  Love, love, love Edmeades Late Harvest Zinfandel. With dark chocolate.
95.  Can’t stand “corporate speak,” e.g.: “herding cats,” “boiling the ocean,” “drinking from the firehose,” et. al.
96.  Pad Thai. And Chicago-style hot dogs. Not at the same meal, though.
97.  The 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans-AM. Black and gold. Leather interior.
98.  The Outer Banks of North Carolina.
99.  I’m not getting paid for product placement in this list. But I should be… so if you’re a representative, you’d better send me something.
100.  Most uttered line since 2006: "The little guy is up, so I’m out of time." 

More whenever... back to editing,

PCHQ

Comments

[Jeannie]

Awesome blog Peter! Love it! Love it! Love it! Clever and well-done, just like you! LOL!!!

[Your wife]

I knew all of those except #41, #42 (winning the bike and not getting it) and #52 (the plane crash).

Glad I didn't know #52.

[michele]

Phew Peter! I have no idea how you are going to find time to get all of that done! But I am sure you will enjoy the ride.