If you've got insomnia, read this; it could be your cure!
EHT is involved in some kind of blogging game that I don't entirely understand, but she "tagged" me, so I'm supposed to post eight facts about myself. I'm supposed to "tag" eight other people, but we'll have to see if I get around to that. In any case, here it is--eight facts about me. (I can picture people yawning already.) And EHT, I would only do this for you!
FACT #1: Like EHT, I am left-handed, but apparently it has given me more problems with my handwriting than it has her. My handwriting is atrocious. In fact, when I was a senior in high school, I went to a birthday party, and they had someone analyzing everyone's handwriting. When she came to my sample, the first question she asked was, "Do you have some kind of physical disability?"
FACT #2: Although I had the opportunity to coach hockey at a high school with an outstanding program, I never was a regular when I played. I was a back-up goalie in high school, and then I was a back-up goalie at Bemidji State University. My oldest son was a back-up goalie in high school, a back-up goalie in junior college, and then--like father, like son--a back-up goalie at Bemidji State. Between the two of us, we may have collected more slivers in our backsides than any father-son combination in the history of sports.
FACT #3: I graduated in a class of 440, and I would have been valedictorian if 239 of my classmates had mysteriously disappeared. In other words, I am no rocket scientist--a fact many of you have probably already figured out.
FACT #4: During the school year, I get up regularly at 4:30 AM, and on weekends and in the summer, I get up at 4:45. I like naps--a lot!
FACT #5: I used to golf a lot, but my swing was so ugly that my brother, who is a very good golfer, gave me the nickname of Igor--the name he regularly calls me to this day.
FACT #6: For the past seven years, my 5'2" 114 lb. wife has been the Weight Watcher leader in Warroad. Giving presentations doesn't come naturally for her, so during that seven year period, I have sat through two or three practice sessions every week. So if you want to know anything about Weight Watchers, I'm your man.
FACT #7: My all-time favorite book is The Stand by Steven King, and I have read it six times. (I already admitted that I am not a rocket scientist.) I have a re-read list of 107 novels. I try to read one new novel in-between ones that I re-read, and when I find one I really like, I add it to the list. I may be a little weird, but I'm organized!
FACT #8: My most embarrassing moment as a teacher came one day when I was walking around the room, checking my students' current events journals. As I approached a student in the middle of the room, I heard those words that no teacher ever wants to hear: "Mr. Fermoyle, your fly's open."
posted by Dennis Fermoyle at 1:40 PM
11 Comments:
1. Was that Bemidji State? What kind of college is that?
2. Got some farmer in the bloodlines? A 4:30 wake time in wintry, cold Minnesota seems too cruel.
3. Your wife's situation illustrates a good point. Anybody can speak well in public if they practice, practice, practice.
4. Party a little back in high school days? Where did you pick up the ability to write, and think, so well?
5. Need the re-read list. Have you read Stephen King's book where he explains how he learned to write and his keys to good writing? Can't think of the title. It's a great book. Part autobiography. Part text on how to write.
Lee, thank you for the nice compliment on #4. No I was not a party animal; in fact, I never touched alcohol until I got into college. I'm not sure why I didn't do better. Today, I think I'm pretty good verbally, but I didn't think that back then. My study habits weren't very good, and when I was in high school I had very little confidence in myself as a student, or anything else for that matter. As far as reading goes, I didn't begin to enjoy reading until I picked up a collection of Steven King's short stories when I was 36 years old.
You've never heard of Bemidji State!?!?!?!? Up here, we call it the Harvard of the North!
And finally, I think King's done a couple of books on writing. I read one a long time ago called something like DANSE MACABRE. Does that sound like it?
The King book is called On Writing, and it's very, very good.
Great post. At the risk of making you blush, you sound adorable.
If you like King, you might want to pick up Joe Hill's first book, Heart Shaped Box. Hill is King's son. Nothing can beat King, of course, but he holds his own, I thought. His short fiction is great ("20th Century Ghosts"). I'm a big King fan also.
I'd always wondered what being "tagged" meant. Nice random facts, and somehow getting up at 4:30 and keeping an organized list of books to read fits in with my stereotype of Minnesotans, mostly derived from Prairie Home Companion and Fargo.
We share golf swings. Mine's really embarrassingly bad.
The Stand is also one of my favorite books, which I've re-read a few times. No where near as many times as you have re-read it :)
great random facts. It's always nice to know a little bit more about the bloggers I regularly read.
Anonymous, thanks for the info.
Denever, my face is red! But in a good way ;)
Redkudu, thanks for the tip! I've just started Lisey's Story. King is still one of my favorites, but over the years he's been passed up by John Sanford, with his Prey series. Right from the beginning, those books are very hard to put down.
And Crypticlife, yah, you betcha!
Ms. Teacher, thank you, too! I certainly didn't mean to leave you out. You snuck your comment in while I was typing my previous one.
I'm sneaky like that ;p
Great facts, Dennis! Thank you for indulging me.
I love The Stand as well.
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