Friday, June 29, 2007

Eight More Things

Amy Guth tagged me with the "Eight Things About Me" meme, so here goes!

1. I like the Mamas and the Papas. Got a problem with that?



2. One of my childhood heroes was New York Yankee slugger Lou Gehrig. I felt like he wasn't appreciated enough because his teammate Babe Ruth got all the press.



3. When I was a kid, my favorite baseball position to play was third base-- probably because Ron Santo, my favorite Cub player, played at this position.



4. I enjoy biographies a lot. On deck for my reading list is a biography of General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., the son of President Teddy Roosevelt. He was the first general ashore on D-Day, despite a bad heart and arthritic knees. If you've ever seen the movie "The Longest Day," his character was played by Henry Fonda. His leadership in the Normandy landing is credited with averting a near disaster, and was cited by General Omar Bradley as the bravest act he'd ever witnessed as a soldier.



5. I'm not a big "car guy," but if someone decided to give me a 1965 Ford Mustang, I wouldn't turn it down...

6. I read newspapers backward-- I read each section from back to the front, going to the beginning of stories that look interesting to me. I have no idea when I started doing this or why.


7. Though I'm a total peacenik, I'm fascinated with the military and miltary history. I particularly enjoy military aviation museums. My son Adam has inherited this trait from me. On Memorial Day, we went to the Chanute Air Museum at the old airbase in Rantoul, Illinois.

8. One of my favorite artists is Jacob Lawrence. His most famous paintings are his "Migration" series, a sixty-painting history of the "Great Migration" of blacks from the American South to Northern cities around the time of World War I. In 1994, the Chicago Historical Society was able to gather up all sixty paintings, which are now in various collections or owned by individuals, in an exhibition. It was one of the coolest experiences of my life.

14 comments:

Cheer34 said...

I read the last page of a book before I buy it. If I like the ending I will buy the book.

Foofa said...

Before I taught an art unit to my students, I collected paintings and pasted them up around the classroom. Many Jacob Lawrence works were represented. He is oft overlooked.

Alasdair said...

Man, I wouldn't turn down those wheels, either. I also wouldn't turn down a 2007 Mustang. One was involved in a chase with police somewhere around here a while back. I think the car was said to have gone 155 or so during the pursuit. Not that I ever need to go that fast, but...

Danielle said...

Amen to another peacenik.

Have a great weekend

Some Guy said...

I read the paper and magazines the same way. Like you, I have no idea why.

Moderator said...

I have an in-law that lives in what used to be Chanute. Rantoul may be one of the crummiest towns in Illinois.

The Elk said...

While crummy, Rantoul is on an even par with Mattoon and is head and shoulders above Decatur....

Anonymous said...

Huh. I never knew this 'bout you...

SamuraiFrog said...

1. Yes.

No, not really. I'm just trying to agitate.

J.D. said...

I share my birthday with the Mustang. And Barbie. No reason, I just wanted to say it!

Dale said...

How could anyone not love the Mamas and the Papas? If not their music, then at least their drug hazed lives and lore?

Tenacious S said...

My favorite Cub-Rick Monday. I'm not sure why, but I do own his signature.

Coaster Punchman said...

I'm obsessed with Lou Gehrig's disease. And starting the newspaper backwards is only natural what the the Op-Ed pages in the back. That's how I do it. Must start with the bitchy letters.

GETkristiLOVE said...

Ah, another threebee'er. That's my spot too.