Wednesday Meme

I was tagged by Elise, so here goes…

1. What were three of the stupidest things you have done in your life?
a. In high school, I participated along with some football jocks in a Christian-athletes thingy in front of the whole school. Rather than insisting that I get to do one of the events I would have been good at (believe it or not, the sit-up competition: during my senior year I could do 120 sit-ups in a minute) I agreed to the football relay race. When the ball was handed to me, I fumbled it, then kicked it halfway across the gym. Smoove.
b. Not going abroad when I was at Macalester College, where they practically pay you to go abroad.
c. Not taking any serious math or enough foreign-language courses in college.

Also, I’m beginning to think that grad school was pretty dumb. Or at least nigh-on useless.

2. At the current moment, who has the most influence in your life?
Misters Anheuser and Busch. No, just kidding.

My wife Shannon and my baby Julia are equal influences on my life.

3. If you were given a time machine that functioned, and you were allowed to only pick up to five people to dine with, who would you pick?
Franklin D. Roosevelt – a great dinner guest
Eleanor Roosevelt – because she’d squabble with FDR
Abraham Lincoln – great, sad, gay?
Caesar – what an attitude!
Mary (aka the Virgin) – what was up with that kid of yours, anyhow?

4. If you had three wishes that were not supernatural, what would they be?
Wishes that are not supernatural… I.e., achievable dreams, I guess?
1. A faculty job at a decent school.
2. A comfortable but interesting life.
3. Health for my family and friends.

5. Someone is visiting your hometown/place where you live at the moment. Name two things you regret your city not having, and two things people should avoid.
We need…
1. A better sense of why we ought to preserve the things that made Minnesota a great state: excellent schools, tolerance, bipartisanship, an affordable cost of living, etc.
2. More substantial commercial areas in the neighborhoods, a la Chicago. My ‘hood, for instance, doesn’t have many stores, coffee shops, or restaurants within walking distance, but it could and should.

Please avoid…
1. The exurbs. Yuck.
2. Any restaurant that’s part of a non-local chain.

6. Name one event that has changed your life.
Leaving the Upper Peninsula to go to college.

7. Tag 5 people. (I can only accomplish 60% of this.)
Dad
Beth
Alison