25 Things About Me

For Starters…

I thought I would share a list of 25 Things about me. I actually posted this on another website of mine (it is a bit more technical than this site) and thought it would be nice to share with this group here!

Why am I doing this?

Well, today starts a new Ultimate Blog Challenge – I am going to be writing 31 posts in 31 days. As I mentioned above, this post was originally written for the site in which I am using for the challenge (by the way, that site is I Need Help With WordPress). This has many benefits including attracting new visitors to the site. Since there are some new folks here, I thought I would tell you all a little bit about me – some things that even my friends may not know!

Is there anything else to say at this point? I don’t think so. In that case… Without further adieu, here we go!

1. I was born and raised in New York City at 79th and Broadway. I AM a New Yorker!
2. I was married at Disney World in a very private ceremony. Our families knew we were getting married and on what day, they just did not know where. So, it was the 2 of us. We have pictures of us at Cinderella’s castle – we went there before the Park was open and had a photo shoot there (I guess you can say we had the park to ourselves!)
3. I LOVE Apple, their computers, and the iPhone! I used to work there part-time for the sheer pleasure I received from working there. I did not care what they paid me (but it was nice to get paid).
4. I am a night person, but recently, I have been fading fast and in bed by 1 am.
5. I prepared for my MBA through one of the first Online Programs back in the 90s (people always thought it was a correspondence course at the time). I used to tell people I went to class from 10 pm to 2 am when my wife was sleeping.
6. I had a blast when I went SkyDiving! It was only once, but it will not be the last time.
7. I LOVE SCUBA diving. Any chance I can get, I will go diving.
8. I am the middle child – I have an older sister, Paulette, and a younger brother, Erik. (Yup, for a while, it was just Paul and Paulette – people think that is funny.)
9. I used to compete in Triathlons – the longest one I completed was a 1/2 -Ironman. I swam 1.2 miles, got out of the water and jumped on my bike and rode 56 miles, parked the bike and then ran a half marathon of 13.1 miles. I did this in just over 6.5 hours – in the world of competitive sports, this is not an impressive time, but I did complete it!
10. I really like photography, especially with digital equipment. Expensive digital equipment.
11. I enjoy investing in the stock market. It is fun AND profitable when you know what you are doing!
12. My best friend from High School is still my best friend from High School.
13. I am an X-Files Fan – the Truth Is Out There – and I find it hard to believe that it has been off the air (first run) for 10 years already!
14. I recently sold the first house I bought and am in the process of buying a bigger, older one.
15. I have a watch collection, although it has not grown much in the past few years.
16. I think I have at least 5 iPods that each has a use. I have 2 physical computers set and a virtual computer up in my office at home. They each have a purpose. These do not include a couple of laptops that get used on a regular basis.
17. I have a weekly Mastermind Call with 3 other people to discuss our goals, our plans, and our trials and tribulations. I have only met one of them in person so far. These calls started back in 2006!
18. I love music and have a very extensive CD collection.
19. I wear tie-dye shirts!
20. I run the local cable TV station – I am in charge of all the technical equipment and ensure it is all up and running smoothly.
21. For the past year, I have been working out with Kettlebells! When I first started, I thought I would purchase my own 40-pound kettlebell to swing around at home – I thought that would be the most I would ever need. Today I am using the 100-pound kettlebell at the gym. I have yet to purchase a kettlebell to use at home!
22. I was flying over the Atlantic Ocean with 2 friends in college and the aircraft lost an engine. The plane dropped in altitude quite rapidly. When that happened, I had no regrets and my life did NOT pass before my eyes. I did, however, feel the need to put on my sneakers. I don’t know why!
23. I have regretted not doing more for my mom when she was battling (and then passed away from) cancer.
24. My father was a composer/conductor. He was the musical director for the Edge of Night, as well as the musical director fo the original games of Tic-Tac-Toe, Concentration, and others. As a child, I loved going into work with him and seeing the “phony stuff” – all the sets with the fake backdrops, the non-working telephones, and the doors that lead nowhere!
25. I have been teaching something since the 5th grade. It started helping out helping with the 1st graders and has progressed to teaching Graduate Level college courses. I also did some student teaching work over in London. Currently, I am teaching a Comp Sci course at a Community College. I love to teach. I have fun while I am doing. First-time students do not know what to think of me!

There you have it! 25 miscellaneous tidbits that you may not have known before reading this!

Be Well.
Paul.
The Gratitude Guru