Twenty-five

The first day of summer of course means another birthday and today I hit the big 2-5. At work, there was a little party thrown for me which was very nice of them. I received a "bumpy cake". It's like a big HoHo, chocolate icing, chocolate cake with white cream filling. It is native to Michigan and is very good. My favorite part of my day is hearing from all of my family members on the phone. It's nice of them to think of me. At any instant when I start to feel the least bit lonely, I quickly remind myself of my support system of family and friends. Then I no longer feel alone. Thank you family and friends.

Anyway, in honor of my 25th birthday, I thought I'd give 25 unknown facts about me, and I think I'll stump most of you with these.

• My parents believe that my fascination with sports, specifically ESPN, began with the 1983 America's Cup. The America's Cup is the world championship of yacht racing, held every 4 years or so, an event that the US won every time from 1851 to 1983. I believe it's the oldest existing sports trophy. In the summer of 1983, I got sick and my dad stayed up with me while I couldn't sleep. During those summer nights, I guess we watched the America's Cup. Oddly enough, Australia defeated the US, making history as the 1st country other than the US to win the Cup.
• The 1st thing I can remember doing was watching Da Bears, no joke. I think I liked Da Bears because my room's wallpaper was made of bears, and I had the stuffed animal Paddington Bear. I remember watching Da Bears lose the NFC Championship to the 49ers. Of course, we know what happened the next year.
• Staying with Da Bears, the next year was when my middle uncle got married. One of his groomsmen's first names was Steve. So of course, being the 4-year old that I was, I thought he was related to Steve Fuller, who was Da Bears backup quarterback. During the wedding events, he pretended that he knew him, humoring me. I must have been really annoying haha.
• My first time on a plane was when another uncle of mine got married in Omaha, Nebraska. It took place during the fall, so I thought it was a huge deal getting to fly somewhere during school. We had to stop in Chicago, which I thought was great. In the hotel, we got HBO, and I got to see the Tyson/Bruno fight. I kept calling my aunt's parents, again annoying me haha.
• I apologize to some of you because I've lied about something. The first movie I saw in the theater was not Follow That Bird. It was An American Tail, Fievel, "Somewhere Out There."
• The first music tape I owned was the single, "Kokomo". First whole album, MC Hammer "2 Legit 2 Quit".
• I was in a split 2nd/3rd grade class, and I happened to always be ahead in my work. If I didn't feel like reading, I would take the restroom pass and slowly make my way down and back, multiple times during the day, even if I didn't have to go to the restroom.
• I went to my first basketball camp after 4th grade, and my first pair of bball shoes were Chuck Taylors. It's fair to say I quickly learned they weren't in haha. My first coach was Spud Collins, great guy. I hope he's doing well wherever he is.
• In 5th grade, in the school spelling bee, I misspelled the word "knottiness" (left out one t).
• That was also the year I dressed up as Steve Urkel for Halloween. Sadly enough, my voice can no longer go that high.
• At my first junior high dance, I was so shy I refused to dance with a single girl. At the spring dance, I danced with basically the whole girls cross-country team. Boy, did I think I was hot stuff.
• In the same 7th grade bball game, I hit 2 free throws with 4 seconds left to send the game to overtime. But in overtime, I crossed the inbound line before throwing in the ball, costing my team possession. Talk about going from high to low.
• I ran for Freshman Class President, and lost.
• I had a good freshman year, except for one thing. During a concert, I got a measure ahead during one of the songs. So for one section of a piece, the band was like a runaway train. I was so embarrassed. The director didn't yell at me, but I could tell he knew it was me, his stare was not good. We had another concert the next night, and he moved us Bass Clarinets to the back so we wouldn't be heard as much (another sign he knew it was me). Luckily for the band and me, I came back strong during that concert, and we were moved back to our original spot near the front.
• For junior year homecoming dance, I was turned down by three girls that I regularly hung out with. I have the feeling they thought I'd be too much of a stiff. So what did I do. Naturally, I went stag, hung out with them, since they were my main group of friends and danced circles around their dates. I felt pretty satisfied with my performance afterward haha.
• In my last basketball game, I hit two free throws late in the game, which were received by a standing ovation from the Northmont crowd, something I'll never forget.
• On our family vacation to Yellowstone National Park, I made my first videotape depicting stupid things people did. These ranged from people stopping in the middle of the road blocking both lanes of traffic to look at a deer to getting too close to a black bear and other assorted things.
• On the first day of freshman year at Miami, one of my roommates showed up in capri pants. Not the best way to make a good first impression.
• After Miami beat Temple that year in basketball, my friends and I saw ourselves on every local newscast and SportsCenter.
• Also that year, I volunteered at a soup kitchen in Over-The-Rhine in Cincinnati, where later that year, riots would break out. I'll never forget the impression that was made on me.
• My three final choices for schools were Miami, Notre Dame, and Indiana.
• In elementary school, I scraped my knee badly enough one day I had a small rock stuck in my knee. That was not fun.
• When I first went to my dad's football games when he coached, I did play-by-play in the stands, then if the game was a blowout in the 4th quarter, he'd let me come down on the sideline, which I thought was the greatest thing in the world. In his last year when I was in 3rd grade, I was the team's ball boy. I thought I was hot stuff.
• After I save enough money, I would like to begin a scholarship at Northmont or Miami or both if possible that I would give to someone like me. Involved, spirited, good student, caring, someone who does the little things without fanfare and carries a good attitude with them.
• Wow, I'm 25 years old, ahhhh!

Alright, gotta finish folding laundry before bed, talk to you later.