A few years ago I read a blog post about how to improve blog posts – an odd industry of advice giving if there ever was one. I don’t normally pay any attention to those pieces but for some reason I read that one and for some reason I liked one of the author’s nuggets of wisdom. In it he made the correct point that blogs are all about the individual behind the site and bloggers should make every effort to get to know their readers and vice versa. Since then, and even before to be honest, I have shared parts of my life I rarely talk about and open up emotionally in a unique way that can only be done online. So, in keeping with what is now a yearly tradition of inviting everyone into the weird depths of my psyche, here are a few more tidbits about me and who I am as a person. I hope you enjoy and try not to judge me too harshly. (He said jokingly)
1. I once cruised with Alex Trebek
A few years ago I won a sweepstakes, a special one as it turned out. For its 25th anniversary, Jeopardy! held a sweepstakes where 25 people (plus guests) won a trip to the Galapagos with Alex Trebek and the Jeopardy! Crew onboard a Lindblad Expeditions ship. The experience was extraordinary, not just for hanging out with Alex and his lovely wife, but for the Galapagos experience itself. It was that travel experience more than anything else that inspired me to start this site and in the process change my life. So thanks Alex!
2. Pastries are my great weakness
Everyone has something that they can’t resist, and for me it’s pastries. While I’ve rarely been known to turn down any sweet, for some reason well-executed pastries are something I just can’t resist. Cinnamon buns, doughnuts, fritters – you name it, and I love eating it, especially if it’s been spread with a generous amount of icing. So if you ever want to win me over, be sure to show up with some fresh blueberry fritters or the like.
3. Have very little coordination
Sad but true, I’ve never been the sporty type not only from a complete lack of interest, but also from a lack of coordination. Some things I’m ok at, like riding a bike, but if you make me catch a ball then all is lost. Once in a while it all clicks and I can manage it, but in general I am not the most coordinated person in the world.
4. The most Type A of Type A personalities
When I was in the 6th grade a teacher told me that “Matt, you’re going to have an ulcer by the time you’re 40.” Well, less than a year away and still no ulcer, but her point was well made. If there’s something to worry about, it’ll concern me in some way. This of course translates to every aspect of my life, from lists categorizing my other lists to a closet in which shirts appear in order of color and hue. I have, in my own defense, tried to relax a little, but it’s admittedly a process.
5. Weight has fluctuated
Throughout my life it seems that I’ve gone through long cycles of being skinny and being overweight. I’m not really sure why, being in average shape used to be my default position, but now it seems I go through long, 5-10 years arcs of immense bodily change. Luckily I’m on the skinny end of the spectrum at the moment and this time I’m determined to keep it that way.
6. Incredibly sarcastic
We all have our idols growing up and for better or worse mine was Garfield. You know, the sarcastic comic cat that defined the cartoons of the 80s. He was my two-dimensional hero and it’s actually the reason why I still enjoy a nice lasagna on my birthday every year. And while my innate sense of sarcasm isn’t entirely attributable to Garfield, reading the countless books featuring him certainly didn’t help mitigate it either. My odd sense of humor and intense, very dry sarcasm has gotten me into trouble many times throughout my life; many folks just not understanding my brand of humor. In college a friend once said that I needed a ‘Sarcasm in use” sign and I couldn’t agree more; it would have saved me years of explanations and apologies.
7. My taste in music is decidedly eclectic
I remember when I was in grade school the teacher gave us a project to create an art piece featuring the lyrics of our favorite song. Most of the other kids picked Janet Jackson or U2, but not me. No, I selected “76 Trombones” from the musical “The Music Man.” That’s just the kind of person I am, totally unique and slightly off-kilter, especially when it comes to my taste in music. We didn’t have cable growing up, so I never really watched MTV and as such I was never into pop music until well into high school. A quick look at my workout music only highlights this tendency towards completely random taste in music. While I’m on the elliptical machine I listen to:
- “Paint It Black” – The Rolling Stones
- “Blue (Da Ba Dee)” – Eiffel 65
- “Castles In The Sky” – Ian Van Dahl
- “Hava Nageela” – Harry Belafonte
- “Sing For The Moment” – Eminem
- “Bye Bye Bye” – *NSYNC
- “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” They Might Be Giants
- And more
So there you have it, another peek into the odd but I hope interesting personality that defines me and in the process this site. As always, please let me know if you have any questions or want to know even more about me!
