| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | I spent my summer weekends at a lake house with my family and cousins. It was great to get away and spend time in a place where we could have more freedom to explore and let our imaginations wander. One summer in particular, my cousins and I built a swing in the woods. We did not have any rope, but did find an interesting tree that had long vines that extended from the top of the tree into the ground. We cut and trimmed the vines and cleared a large area to swing. Then, we built a platform to jump and swing from about twenty feet above the ground. Lots of hard work went into building the swing that weekend, but it paid off all summer long. Eventually, even the adults were swinging from it like Tarzan. |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | I think I relate most closely to my dad. Our similarities became evident when I recently completed a full remodel of my kitchen and living room with my dad as my primary helper. I seem to evaluate situations and make decisions the same way. From the beginning of the project, it was important to have a detailed plan established, but there were surprises along the way. With each surprise situation we had to re-think and re-strategize on the fly, still completing the project on time. Another similarity between us, and a major reason we completed the job on time, is our similar work ethic. We both share the same “don’t quit” attitude and the desire to put in the many necessary late nights and early mornings to get the job done right. The similarities we share help to maintain our close bond. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | The phrase “honesty is the best policy” is one that I strongly believe in. I think that if people are honest and open, situations work out more favorable for all involved parties. During my youth I was always very open and honest with my parents. The benefit of this was the amount of freedom I was granted. This freedom goes hand in hand with another quality trait I admire, responsibility. My commitment to being responsible has proved invaluable in life. I moved forward on an accelerated path when I was in school and now continue to do so in my adult life. Additionally, I admire kindness. It has been my experience that if you are kind to others, and do not put your own desires before everyone else’s, things still work out favorably at the end of the day. |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | When I was at summer day camp, I decided to be a goof and sit backwards in a swing designed for the toddlers. The type of swing was designed for safety and looked more like a bucket with openings at the bottom where the child’s legs would go through. Being in middle school, I clearly did not fit in the bucket swing, and my legs definitely did not fit in the openings. I ended up getting stuck in the swing for a while. The counselors could not get me free, and they were not sure what to do. After over an hour of being stuck, my dad arrived to pick me up; only to find I was not ready to go. He was not happy, and decided the best way to free me was to cut my pants apart so there was more wiggle room to free me. This worked but left me in my underwear in front of lots of other people. It was not funny then, but years later I can laugh at it. My dad laughed at the time, I guess he figured I got what I deserved. |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | My dream would be to set up residence on the cruise liner called “The World.” It is a ship that travels non-stop around the globe without a permanent dock. It is possible to buy one of the limited number of homes aboard. I would love to live on the ship, having all the amenities of home, but be in a constant state of traveling and experiencing all of the most amazing places in the world. |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | I would like to pass on to my children my ability to find good in almost everyone. I'd like them to treat everyone with respect, but teach them that it's not okay to be a doormat. I want them to have the strength to deal with the difficult situations that life hands them, and see that everything they go through does make them a stronger person. Having my positive attitude and clever sense of humor can make even the hardest parts of life more enjoyable. |
