25 (not so) Random Things About Me

So these lists are making their way around my Facebook circle and I’m in a take stock of myself kind of mood anyway so I decided not to completely blow this one off. But I thought I’m going to do it right. I’m really going to make it 25 random things about me. Not 25 semi-interesting, semi-connected minor factoids. No I was going to make a truly random snapshot of my personality. So I spent a couple of days doing free associative writing. All the events and emotions of my life I could think of were there on a long numbered list. All my plans, dreams, schemes, pains, joys, fears, lusts, triumphs, secrets, shames and embarrassments were all there. Then I plugged the whole thing into a number generator to get a truly random look at me. 

The results were astounding. A quick view snapshot into my very psyche. Publication of such a document could be such a release. A release, for example, from my job. From the small circle of friends I’ve managed to hobble together. From all family ties. Not to mention probable inditement from local, state, and federal officials. Possibly even a war crime tribunal. 

So I did what I had to do. I selected all, and hit delete. And then did a secure empty on my computer’s trash. And then over wrote all the blank space on the drive. Then formated the drive with 7 passes of write zero. Then removed the drive, dismantled it, scratched the beginning of the Gettysburg Address on the platter, took all the pieces on the Larksburg Ferry and dropped them into separate areas of the bay. Then I went home and wrote this collection of semi-interesting, semi-connected minor factoids about me. 

1. I had my 1st pacemaker put in the week of my 4th birthday and mylast one taken out just before I started High School
2. I may not have a phobia about doctors but I sure do avoid them. It's been 15 years since my last office visit. 
3. I mocked my friends for playing MTG when it came out and kicked myself hard about missing all the classic cards when I got into it 10 years in. 
4. I have a pretty dim view of sales and salesmen. Guess what I've done for a living for the past 10 years.
5. The only thing I miss about moving out of the burbs is the Stanford Theater. 
6. I haven't driven a car in over 3 years. 
7. For the first time since I was 18 I have no points on my driving record. 
8. I live a couple of blocks from Union Square. For the year I ran our store downtown I hardly ever ventured outside a 10 block radius. 
9. I used to live on a sailboat that was too small to stand up in.  
10. After that experience my present 250 square foot apartment isn't a space issue. But you can believe it has high ceilings. 
11. I spent the first 20 years of adulthood mucking up my health, finances, romantic and work lives. 
12. So far my 40's are all about repairing the damage of my 20's & 30's. 
13. This is the happiest stage of my life so far. 
14. My wedding day remains the happiest day of my life. 
15. All I wanted to do after high school was get a job and apartment by myself in The City and embrace some kind of artistic expression.
16. The above plan did work out. It just took 20 years longer than I expected.  
17. While I complain about it as much as any other San Franciscian, I secretly love Muni. 
18. I have a 500 movie collection on my computer attached to my TV. 
19. I haven't had cable in over 3 years. 
20. I keep my movie and music collections sorted by year. It's the only way I can find anything. 
21. I went to cancel my land line and they told me it would reset my Internet and I would be unplugged for 3 days. I said forget it, I'll keep the damn phone. 
22. Bankruptcy may have been the smartest thing I've ever done. 
23. I've always been a big history buff. Every school bond issue that comes up makes me remember the American History teacher that gave me an F. My vengance is my no vote.     
24. I've been known to get up for popcorn when the car chase starts. Really I've seen this part before. Get on with the plot and the character development already.
25. My Christmas tree goes on top of the fridge. It's the only place it fits. 

I am forgoing the chain letter aspect of this exercise as I don’t want to inflict the above on anyone else. Even though I remain convinced that this recession came about because someone refused to forward a list of happy thoughts to ten of their friends last spring.