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.

• Talking on cell phones in poorly chosen locations.
• Deciding that people have no morality or integrity without ever trying to get to know them.
• Being rude to wait-staff for no apparent reason.
• Boring writing, namely of the academic variety.
• Not speaking clearly or directly into the microphone, and thus making me play guessing games that could affect my entire life as I know it.
• Trying to steal the table that is so not yours.

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.