Have you ever found yourself revisiting a particular dream more than once?
It doesn’t happen often, but I sometimes have a dream that I’m back in college. I’m the age I am now, I am aware that I can’t believe I’m in college, but I have a test coming, and I am completely unprepared.
In your opinion, what is an essential life experience that every individual should undergo at least once?
Work in a restaurant, or retail in general. Learn quickly how to handle heat, deescalate tension and problem solve.
Practice saying yes to anything adventurous or outside your comfort zone that comes your way if you can make time for it. Yes and no are habits. In this context, yes is a good habit.
What’s currently playing in your ears?
Years ago, I made a Kimbra station on Pandora. From the beginning, I started filtering out anyone I was already familiar with, and any male singers. I wanted the algorithms to send me female projects that came from a Kimbra construct. It’s a great station. I listen to it often when I run.
What is one book that changed your life?
The Count of Monte Cristo. It is incredible.
If we’re treating, what beverage would you choose?
An ice-cold bottle of Miller High Life.
Share with us a significant dinner memory that stands out for you.
That dinner starts with The Clash. Combat Rock is responsible for the lightning strike moment when I was a kid and saw Rock The Casbah. MTV was brand new, and my friend and I rode bikes to his house after school so we could check it out. I saw Billy Idol’s White Wedding, and then Rock The Casbah. I remember thinking, “These are the coolest guys in the entire world, and I want to be just like them.”
Fast forward many years, I’m with my parents where they were now living in Virginia. This was days before my father passed. I was in the basement of their house looking at old pictures. I’d been in this house many times. I opened a box I didn’t remember seeing before that had a stack of old vinyl inside. In that stack I found my Police, Men At Work and so many other of my old albums. Then, I saw The Clash Combat Rock! The one I had bought. I was dumbstruck. My parents had saved these.
I went upstairs with the records and told them the story of what The Clash meant to me. My Dad got to hear that before he passed away.
Can you recount a challenging work experience that you consider to be the least enjoyable?
When I was in college, and had very little money, I saw an ad in the paper for Telemarketing, from 6-9 pm. It was very close to campus. I had no idea what it was, but I thought I could pick up a little cash, and still get back to any party before I missed anything. It was awful, and I was so happy when I got fired after an hour.
Reflect on the day that brought you the most joy in your life.
I have had a lot of these. Every time Rebecca (my wife) and I met each of our three kids for the first time top the list.
If you had the chance to jet off anywhere right now, where would your destination be?
Costa Rica. It is paradise.
Who holds the title of your favorite fictional hero?
When I was a kid, Spiderman. And Tobey Maguire was a perfect Peter Parker.
As an adult, Denzel Washington in The Equalizer.
How would you like people to remember you?
That I was aware of the silent battle each of us is quietly fighting.