20 Surprising Things You Probably Never Knew About Me

One of the keys to being a blogger is a certain degree of transparency. I want to build relationships with you, my readers. I want you to know me better. And I want to know you, too.

Toward that end, I want to tell you twenty things that you may have never known about me. But you have to promise: no laughing; no making fun; no mockery. OK? OK.

  1. I once had permed hair, down to my shoulders.
  2. I was the lead singer of a Christian, heavy metal band called Messenger.
  3. I shook President George H.W. Bush’s hand.
  4. I played Jesus in Godspell, Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music.
  5. I was a starting half back on my high school football team.
  6. I swam the butterfly on my high school swim team.
  7. I met my wife, Tammy, in a Christian band called Joy, Inc. We traveled the entire country for nine months.
  8. While in Joy, Inc. I sang in a maximum security prison in Texas.
  9. When I was a boy scout I got a badge for doing a mile swim in a lake.
  10. Along with my daughter, I stood on a Broadway stage.
  11. I held Bono’s hand, supporting him on the edge of the stage as he sang during a U2 concert.
  12. I coached baseball for twelve years.
  13. I flew to Israel on Y2K (remember that?)
  14. My first car was a Chevy Vega.
  15. The first band I saw live in concert was ELO.
  16. My first job was as a caddy. I later became a bus boy at the same country club.
  17. The first album I ever bought was Queen’s A Night at the Opera.
  18. Mice scare me to death.
  19. I have lived in Wisconsin, Missouri, North Carolina, and Virginia.
  20. I once went surfing in the Pacific Ocean.

Now that you know more about me, I’d like to know more about you. It’s your turn.

Tell me one surprising thing about yourself.

Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.

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26 thoughts on “20 Surprising Things You Probably Never Knew About Me

  1. I was the big winner on 'Wheel of Fortune' in 1985 and kissed Vanna on the lips. (You may not be surprised to know know that only half that statement is true.)

  2. I sat four rows behind Barack Obama on a Southwest Airlines flight from Houston to Austin. He was reading off his Blackberry the entire time. Before the flight, as Beronica and I explained why we were traveling to Austin (to see our old campus before Concordia, Austin, moved to a new location) he commented, "Oh, you're going on a DATE. Michele and I should go on more of those. Thanks for the reminder." Peace, Pete

  3. I remember our Y2K trip to Israel! I might have seen you in Joseph, also…was that at Concordia?

    And one surprising thing about myself? i played the little old man who lived in a cottage in my kindergarten's rendition of "The Gingerbread Man", which involved a running around chasing the gingerbread man several times. This foreshadowed two of my later loves in life: acting and running.

  4. i sometimes attribute human qualities to non-human things. for example, i will feel badly for a candle i have not used in some time and light it instead of one i have burning more frequently. as a child i used to do the same things with toys and stuffed animals.

    ps. PERMED long hair? that is so awesome.

    • Nothing online. There was an article about us in the Milwaukee paper all those years ago, but I highly doubt it's online. I've got some pictures, but am reluctant to share… 😉

      • I know you have something you could turn into an mp3 and send to me, and the photos would be nice also. Don't tell my conservative friends, but I used to be in the front row at Whitecross concerts head banging my way along.

        • Unfortunately, there are no extant recordings of our group. It was back in the days before MP3's etc. It's probably a good thing.

  5. I knew most of your 20 items… Didn't know about the rock band…and the permed hair. LOL

    How about this about me… the first "band" I ever saw was Donny and Marie at State Fair. To this day.. I still love Donny.

    • Believe it or not, I have seen that movie over twenty times (I saw it 14 times while it was still originally in theatres). I think the three of us could make a very annoying trio.