All About Me

I always think of great things to write about when I'm out running or when I'm driving long distances, but when I'm actually sitting here in front of the computer with an evening to myself (Tara is at a rehearsal and Jonathan is already asleep -- was ready to go to bed at 6 pm after having a busy day out on the ballfield -- we let him free on a baseball diamond to run, and he went wild. He actually ran all the bases, touching each base as he got to it, though running the "basepaths" isn't yet his thing). So anyway, I'm going to do this all about me thing... I hope it's not too lame.

10 Years Ago: I was a year out of college. In fact, by this time, Garrick had moved to Hyde Park, so I was living in my Rogers Park apartment in the wonderful neighborhood where I went for a walk my first weekend and was solicited by two prostitutes and offered crack cocaine. Tara and I joined the First Presbyterian Church in Evanston, where we worked with the NUBS junior high group. Just think, those NUBS have graduated from college by now...

5 Years Ago: I was starting my final year of seminary. I could go rooting through records to tell you what classes I was taking, but that would be kind of pointless. Jeff and Donna had graduated 5 years ago this past May, so our small group was done with. I was singing in the Southland Christian Church choir and having a good time at it (mostly). This was the season that I was doing a supervised ministry with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. I enjoyed the early morning drives to Robertson and Deming Counties (great quote from a girl in Robertson Co: Have I ever been out of the country? I've never been out of Robertson County!). I was also in my last year coaching soccer at Lexington Christian Academy. I loved my boys. They gave me a clock at the soccer banquet that year; it's hanging right above my desk here in the office. It's engraved: Coach Brian Vinson/ Thanks, LCA JV boys 2000. I especially enjoyed getting to have Troy C as team captain. And little Brandon E, with his heart problem and hearing problem, working his tail off to try to keep up with the bigger, stronger (healthier) kids. Of course, I loved working with Pete. He's a great coach and a great guy, and it's no wonder he was named Kentucky Coach of the Year last year.

1 Year Ago: Life was pretty rough a year ago. Jonathan was only 4 months old, which meant he was sleeping through the night, but I was exhausted. I hadn't really gotten any time off after his birth, and working with a new pastor (who had really just started at the beginning of September after taking a 3 week vacation) had already started going south. Couple that with the exhaustion of covering for Gary for his final pre-retirement year, and things were rough.

5 snacks I enjoy: snickerdoodle cookies, smoothies, pie, tapioca pudding, ice cream

5 songs I know all the words to: Take This Job and Shove It (Johnny Paycheck); Forever (Chris Tomlin) -- we'll be doing this one this week in service; Bad Indigestion (Lost Dogs); One Bourbon, One Scotch, and One Beer (George Thorogood); Here's a Quarter, Call Someone Who Cares (Travis Tritt).

5 Things I would do with 100 million dollars: I would give so much of it away. I seriously can't imagine what I would do with all that jack. I'd give my dad the "Take this job and shove it" card from the CMI game and let him retire now. But then I'd have to find something for him to do so he didn't bug my mom all day. hehehehehehe. I think I'd buy a new car. Maybe a hybrid or something that would get good gas mileage, even though I wouldn't care about gas prices anymore. Or maybe, like David Lowery, I'll "donate half my money to the city, so they have to name a street or a school or a park after me." What else? Oh, of course I would travel. We've always wanted to go to Australia, so we would go. And all sorts of other places. And I would take my friends and their families with me on different trips. Wouldn't that be fun?

5 places I would run away to: Running away is silly. You can never really escape. Not on foot, anyway.

5 favorite tv shows: let's see... I'd have to include the A-Team -- that was always a good one. As were the Dukes of Hazzard. Professional Wrestling (I'm talking about the 1980s version, especially the AWA) ruled. I used to hurry through Sunday lunch to sneak downstairs and watch the carnage. I remember being shocked when Dr. Jerry Graham (world's most scientific wrestler) cut Bobo Brazil's hair. I mean, that hair was like a Cadillac to him! Then when the Great Wojo wouldn't wrestle Terry Tyler, who had to hitchhike his way back home to Detroit, well, that was a travesty. I'll finish my list with any soccer and Big Ten college football games.

5 bad habits: well, not to get too personal with this and not to gross anyone out by telling them that I sometimes pick my nose, I don't think I'll divulge my bad habits. besides the one that I'm lazy.

5 biggest joys: seeing Tara smile; Jonathan, especially (but not limited to) when he's cuddly; playing soccer (I get to play tomorrow as a part of a tournament -- the organizer has put together a team to play against a local U19 team); travel; when someone "gets" what being a Christian is all about.

5 favorite toys: well, Jonathan's favorite toys are trucks, cars, stuffed animals (especially Bruiser (his build-a-bear dog), Simba, Snuggle Puppy, and the other dog), his music table, his ball popper, and his musical soccer goal), but my favorite toys have to be a soccer ball, my Palm Pilot, our digital camera, my guitar, and my bass.

You know what? I should have written this in quiz form and made my faithful readers try to guess what I was doing 10 years ago and what my favorite toys were and so forth. OK, I've got an idea. Forget what you just read and try to guess...