Things I Did (Not “About Me”)

I learned to solve the Rubik’s Cube, the day after Christmas 2008, in less than four minutes, one day after I opened the present. There are five steps and seven simple algorithms. And then, in late February, I was all bragging to my kid’s friends and was taken to school by Phillip, the great, 13years old, 2:19 seconds. I have now been whopped by a AARP Member and a kid.
Dr. Seuss
I met Dr. Seuss when I was 4 or 5, he signed a book for me at Hudson’s in downtown Detroit. It was the day before the Thanksgiving Parade. Motown was bleak; bleaker now. But I became a believer in McElligot’s Pool, and nothing was the same after that.
Recently, I tried unsuccessfully to rescue a baby squirrel to the nest that spurned it. In the end, I took it to Wildlife Rescue off 969.
In an effort to gain admiration from a rancher’s daughter, I castrated nearly 40 goats; I gained a point with the Dad, but forever lost affection from the daughter.
I have never killed an animal that wasn’t already terminal.
A few things on my list were illegal, yet very fulfilling.
Louisiana State Capitol @ Baton Rouge
- In late summer 1992, I hand-caught several salmon from a stream in Kodiak, AK, and shared a nice meal under the hypnotic northern lights with a proud, but neglected, nomadic Vietnam veteran. This experience ranks high in my top ten reasons I love (& hate) America list.
- I helped dump over 2 tons of coal in front our nation’s capitol in protest of bad energy policies.
- I repelled off the Louisiana state house (500 ft?) unfurling a banner which denounced environmental racist state policies.
My greatest, and least glamorous, accomplishment has been participating in a healthy marriage over ten years to a remarkable woman, and raising three curious, meddling, creative children. The oldest is ten, so this is still on the todo list.
I have led international teams in excess of 20 on fruitful projects. One of which netted over 1000% ROI, quarter over quarter.
I have managed $1.5M annual budgets.
I have laid off friends; I have been laid off by friends.
I never killed a moose and don’t plan on it.
I am friends with the Chairman/Publisher of The Washington Post Company on Facebook, but I don’t think he has the faintest idea who I am. I did work for him though. Same story with Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Society.
I have tons of personal conflicts, but hardly any conflicts with people.
I have run the Austin Marathon. I have run the Seward Mountain Marathon (1.5 mile straight up cliffs, scree and ice fields, then 1.5 down). The latter produced irrevocable memories and physical scarring.
I was the main character on a UT produced feature film, which went to Cannes, but I never actually watched it myself. I have acted professionally in addition to being a professional actor.
And recently, I became a born-again wattmonkey.