Seis Cosas de Phil

I had an excellent idea for a post today, involving yet another cell phone incident. But I decided blogging about cell phones two days in a row would be bad karma, and also I was tagged by none other than Marshgarsha! And so I now have blog material for today and tomorrow. So here goes.

Name six behaviors/habits that bother you in other people:

Well, my easy-going nature makes this one a bit of a challenge, so I'm instead going to mention six things that have annoyed me in the past, that I've blogged about. Click the links if you want the full details.

Name six places you dream of vacationing:

  • Australia and New Zealand
  • Brazail
  • Madagascar - To see some rain forests and maybe to meet some pirates.
  • Europe
  • Canada - I've never been, and I hear Vancouver rocks.
  • Central America - not just for vacationing, but also to check out all the amazing historical stuff.

Name six favorite pasttimes:

  • Reading a good book
  • Watching movies and listening to music (sometimes simultaneously)
  • Doing Sudoku puzzles
  • Writing
  • Hanging out with friends
  • Playing card games

Name six things you would like to accomplish by next year:

  • Start writing a book.
  • Finish reading a substantial number of books on the growing list of books I have to read.
  • Complete my chapters for 360 Audiophiles
  • Sell my old student violin
  • Boost my bowling average to at least 175
  • Find more time to play music

Name six things people would be surprised to know about you:

  • I'm a juggler. The most balls I can juggle well (all at once) is five, and I can also ride a unicycle.
  • When I was little, I was not very fond of insects or anything that had a gross or slimy feel to it, and now I love nature, am fascinated by insects (especially spiders), and slimy is good.
  • Though I've played guitar and violin for quite some time, I really want to be a drummer.
  • About a year ago, I did not like writing, and all the stuff I did write at that point was nothing short of dreadful. Not that what I write now is any better, but the difference is, I like to write now.
  • I have a hard time driving a car that's standard transmission if I'm wearing flip flops. I do it anyway, though.
  • I love jumping. Give me a trampoline or a diving board, and I'm happy for hours.

Name six songs that describe your personality:

  • "I Walk Alone" by Oleander - A really cool song that always reminds me that it's perfectly okay just to be me.
  • "Stare at the Sun" by Thrice - A killer song that is full of hope, truth, and just life.
  • "Solitary Shell" by Dream Theater - Sort of reminds me what I was like before I fully accepted myself as being who I am.
  • "Far Behind" by Candlebox - Something about saying "maybe," I guess, just leaves so many possibilities open.
  • "My Spirit Will Go On" by DragonForce - Sort of my mantra, not only because the lyrics are cool, but also because it all-out rocks.
  • "I Don't Know" by Lostprophets - That line "I don't know how to change from being me" speaks volumes.

Name six people you will never forget:

There's obviously way more than six people to include here, so because I've been engrossed in education for quite some time now, I figured I'd list mostly various teachers I've had who've had at least some form of impact on my life.

  • Mrs. B. - Sixth grade English teacher whom I drove crazy, and yet she still seemed to love me anyway. Thanks to her, I love language.
  • Mrs. R. - Orchestra conductor in sixth grade, one of the funniest people ever, and her respect for us as students made her that much better as a teacher.
  • Joan W. - My violin teacher for over four years, who made me realize that it's not about who you're trying to please, it's about music.
  • Mrs. McD. - Junior English teacher in high school who helped break me out of my little "shy" shell my first day in her class. I got moved into her class a few weeks into school, and when I arrived she and some students were talking about the definition of 'dork' (it really is a whale penis), and that discussion spilled right over into class time. No more shyness for me, that class was a blast.
  • Mr. O'G. - World history teacher, senior year in high school. One of the smartest teachers I've ever had, and he even had a sense of humor about his subject. Plus, what's not to love about celebrating Strom Thurmond's birthday just so we could have a party in class?
  • Rabbi Steve Greenberg - Not a teacher, nor have I met him in person (though I have corresponded with him over email and on the phone). He's an orthodox Jewish Rabbi, and he's gay. I first stumbled upon an article he published in 1993 (I found it about two years ago; I had no idea I was gay back in 1993, considering I was all of 9 years old), and then I also read his book. It is he who made me truly realize that it is possible to be both Jewish and gay, and for that I will never forget him.

Well, that's the end of the tag. I'm supposed to tag six people, but I will instead leave it up to you if you want to be tagged. If you'd like to play along, be sure to say so in your comment so that I can be sure to go check it out.