| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | Going to Disney World as a kid. We had a terrible road trip getting there, car trouble, lost reservations, and food poisoning. It rained the first half of the day we were there, but that didn't stop us from riding every ride in the park. I was at the perfect age to go, and when I met Mickey Mouse and the other cartoon characters I watched every Saturday morning it really was magical. I believed they were real and that day they were. |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | My grandfather, Pops. He was the funniest man I've ever known. Highly intelligent and chivalrous. He raised his sons to be gentleman, which in turn was passed on to me. He always treated my grandmother like a queen, and taught my father and me to do the same. He was a veteran and a smart businessman, who created a good life for his family and led by example. He carried with him a quiet confidence and you just felt good being around him. I try to live everyday in a way that he would be proud of, as he will always be a big part of my life and who I am. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | A good sense of humor is important to staying balanced. Intelligence and compassion are important, a sense of adventure and passion for life are very admirable traits. I like people who see the good in situations, and can let their guard down and have some fun. I appreciate creativity, musical and artistic talents, and people who are trying to leave this world better than they found it. |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | At summer camp when I was twelve we got rained on for an entire week. After five days of watching movies and playing indoor games while staring out the window in dismay I decided to do something about it. During lunch in the dining hall I stood up on my chair in front of everyone and said if we were going to get lemons and get rained on all week, we might as well make some lemonade. I ripped my shirt off, ran out the door, and took a flying leap into a big puddle and yelled, "MUDFIGHT!!!!" Everyone bolted out the door to join me and what ensued was the most spectacular mud brawl of all time. We flopped around and smashed mud pies on each other's heads until we were covered from head to toe. It was utter mayhem and I will never forget the hysterical look in the other kids' faces as we splashed around and got dirtier than we had ever gotten in our lives. It was epic. |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | Fiji, Australia, Thailand, and the entire Caribbean. I would rappel down the Eiffel Tower and run laps inside the Roman Coliseum. I would get lost in the Egyptian pyramids, and surf the waves of Hawaii's North Shore and Indonesia. I would scuba dive every reef in the world. Hike the mountains up to Machu Picchu and explore the jungles of Madagascar. I would play a round of golf at St. Andrews and have a glass of the finest Scotch in all of Scotland. I would sail through the tropics, eat the food, drink the drink, and dance the dance of every culture I came across on my journey. |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | My musical talents, sense of humor, athletic ability and passion. My left-handed, right-brained creativity and excitement for adventure. I've got a lot of love in my heart, I want them to have it to. A sense of chivalry, confidence and the knowledge that they have a father who loves them and will always protect them, and a vigor for life and the beautiful adventures that lie ahead of them. |
