Interview #2

ISmile2Much over at Ready or Not... Here I Smile decided to do an interview with me as well! So being the kind soul I am, I've played along again. Hope you like these as well!

1.) How often do you kiss your wife? How often do you tell her you love her? How often do you buy or give her something (including compliments) without being asked to or for no reason at all?

To be honest, I try to kiss her at LEAST once a day, if not more. I feel that giving her a kiss lets her know that I’m thinking of her, and that she means enough to me to make the effort to hunt her down and plant a smooch on those lips.

Buying her stuff? Well, she’s picky about what she gets, so if I “get” her something, it’s usually me letting her take me shopping, and telling her to spoil herself. That doesn’t happen very often, as our budget is kind of tight right now, but when I can, I try to spoil her as much as I do the kids.. I make an extra-special effort to be constructive and positive to her when I talk with my wife, so that includes compliments and praise instead of sarcastic comments and biting criticism. I’m a bit of a pain in the ass, especially after coming home from work, so this isn’t as easy as I make it sound!

2.) What are the 4 best physical traits of yours? What are your 4 best personality characteristics? And then explain why to each one listed. Use MANY details. Don't be shy or modest. :)

My 4 Best PHYSICAL traits? Hmm.

I’ve ALWAYS been complimented on my eyes. They’re very blue, and quite bright and piercing. I also have long-ish eyelashes, and many folks have claimed that they’d kill for eyes like mine.

I’m quite tall, but not monstrously so. This helps me assist folks with things, and yet doesn’t intimidate people shorter than me. I recall when people over 6 feet tall were considered “giants”, so now to be considered normal is a big plus!

Physical, physical…. Ah! My hands. My wife has complimented me on my hands quite a few times.. (not in that way!) They’re on the large side, but they’re gentle and strong. A great contrast, if I do say so myself!

Lastly, my legs. When I was younger, I had aspirations of becoming either a professional hockey player, or soccer player. Those dreams died with the injuries to my knees, but I’ve kept the muscle tone in my legs quite well. They have a bit of flab on them now, since I’ve not been exercising like I should, but they’re still rock-hard!

3.) if you could travel anywhere on vacation for 2 weeks (all expense paid) with JUST you & your wife.... where would it be? if you could travel anywhere on vacation for 2 wks (all expense paid) with your wife & kids.... where would it be?

Just her and I? I’ve always wanted to go back to Europe and tour some of the places I visited while I was playing for the soccer team that went there. But on MY schedule, not someone else’s. I loved Vienna, Brussels, Prague, and Salerno, and I’d really like to be able to get back there to see them better. In my honest opinion, Prague is one of the greatest cities I’ve ever been to. I adore music, and you can see and hear it EVERYWHERE there. It’s really quite amazing.

4.) What are your favorite *types* of books to read? Your 2 fave authors are who? if you could write a book, it would be about what? What was the WORST book you've ever read and why? (DETAILS on each questions... many/many of them....)

My favorite book genre? Fantasy/Sci-Fi. I’ve got an extensive collection, and I drive the wife nuts when I’ll break out a book I’ve already read a couple of times, and read it again, and again, and again..

My two favorite authors?

The late Robert Jordan has got to be first. His “Eye of the World” series caught me, and has kept me coming back for more each and every time. Being able to write such vivid and rich reading while battling cancer also amazes me.

Next on that list would be Jim Butcher. His “Dresden Files” series is one that I’ve been ravenously reading. The ability to combine fantasy and reality in a way that seems plausible just makes my imagination kick into serious overdrive.

If I were to write a book.. I think it would be about my life, and the journey that I’ve taken to get where I’m at today. Being able to turn a life around from a deadbeat dad into a working and responsible father is something that not many people can accomplish. I have my wife to thank for this, and I’d give her all of the credit.

Worst book read? To be honest, I usually shy away from the sappy romance novels. I know that I was suckered into reading one at some point, but I think it was so horrendous that I’ve forgotten who the author was, or what the name of the book was!

5.) What are your 5 most cherished and most proud moments of your whole life? In random order and explain why to each one. What song would you like to have played at your funeral? What do you want to be remembered for most of all? What song always makes you smile and why? (DETAILS, details, details.... the more, the better....) :)

Well, the first three would be easy if I wanted to cheat, but I’ll lump them into one. The birth of my three kids is easily the biggest and beat achievement of my life. I can never be more proud than to be able to introduce my kids to someone. It’s the best feeling in the world.

A very close second to that would be my marriage to my wife. She’s a wonderful creature, and so understanding that I sometimes wonder if she’s really needing some extra medication to deal with someone like me! Words just can’t describe the feelings I have for this woman, and I really do try to earn her love and affection each and every day.

I’m very proud of the fact that I was good enough at soccer to be selected to travel internationally for a time. The memories, the players, the cities, the culture, and the games will forever be embedded in my memory.

The feeling of buying our first house together is also very high on my list of personal achievements that I am quite proud of. Being able to know that you’ve got a place to take your family, provide a stable shelter, and make it a HOME is something that I’ll always cherish. I mean, yeah, my kids visit their mom (my ex) every other weekend, but as my youngest told me. “We visit mom’s house, but I like it when we can come HOME.”

I’m also quite proud of the fact that because of my voice, I was able to travel with my wife to Vegas! I entered a singing competition, and was selected to go to Las Vegas for a weekend to compete. Yeah, I didn’t get further than that, but just to make it that far was (to me!) an accomplishment in itself.

The song I would want played at my funeral?

I’ve always loved the songs that Mark Schultz comes up with. There are four songs of his that have always made me a bit emotional, and each for a different reason. “He’s My Son” is one that I sang and dedicated to a friend of ours who had a daughter dealing with cancer. The words meant so much, and it just seemed to fit. “Letters From War” was another that spoke volumes to me, because being a veteran, I know how difficult it can be to be separated from your loved ones. “When You Come Home” is one that I don’t really know personally, but dream about. It talks about the relationship between a son and his mother. I don’t have a great relationship with mine, but there are times when I really do wonder what it would be like to have the kind of feelings that seem to dwell between the two characters in the song.

But the one song of his that I’d want played at my funeral would be “Remember me”. It talks about the simple things. Each turn of a book, The smell of a room. The glistening light in a garden. The laughter of kids. Each time this is experienced, remember me. Maybe it’s cheesy, and maybe it will fit, but I’d prefer for someone to remember me during the small things in life, than to only think about me at major turning points, you know?

What do I want to be remembered at most of all?

That’s easy. I want to be remembered as a great father, dad, husband, and son. Plain and simple. It’s not an easy thing, but that’s what I’d wish for hands down.

The song that always makes me smile:

Another easy one. It’s the one that I sang to my wife when we got married. Jim Brickman and Michael W. Smith’s song “Love of My Life” will always speak to me about my life, love and marriage to the wonderful woman I’ve got next to me. It brings a smile to my face, a whistle in my heart, and a bit of the song to my lips each and every time I hear or think of it.


Anyway, that’s my answers for ISmile2Much’s questions. I think she cheated by sticking so many extra questions into one batch, but heck, I’m willing to play along!

I hope you enjoyed these tidbits, and now I’ll return (somewhat) to my normal train of thought tomorrow!