If you can't tell by now...music is a big one...I'm always listening to something...I love movies...I own quite a few on DVD...alot of them are TV shows on DVD...of course I like video games...my PS2 gets alot of use...I'm a trivia nut...I used to be at the bar every night to play NTN trivia...but I have cut back since my hey-day...I do have over 7 million players plus points...I love poetry, literature...and of course am a crazed sports nut...
I started bowling at age 5...(it's a family sport) at one time in my mid 20's I was way too serious about it, and was in 4 leagues while averaging over 200 in each of them...it was about that time that I got the revelation that although I was good...I was not fun to be with because of my attitude...so now I'm in 2 leagues and having fun...I enjoy the game and the people around me...I love my super-duper bowling friends...
I've been asked...Why do you have 3 damm jobs...? Simple answer...the first at Concorde is my main 40 hour a week 7am to 3pm lunch pail BS earn my living job...I got this job over 7 years ago...we started at Illbruck...which is a factory in Minneapolis, the company is based in Germany, and what they do is make foam and insulation of any type. Our department makes insulation pieces for catalytic convertors. We went thru the difficulty of the 9/11 issue...dropped 3rd shift...had voluntary layoffs (thank god I wasn't a part of any of that) and at one point just over 2 years ago it seemed our whole division was going to be shipped out to Wisconsin due to a cheaper labor cost and proximity to our main customer, Delphi. Well then our division was bought by a minority owner...we moved to Brooklyn Center...brought back 3rd shift...and our jobs were secure...which leads us to today...
Job 2 is something I've done for over 20 years...I work sporting events for my old high school...(you say wait...since you were a teenager...) yep...I was in 7th grade...and started working junior high basketball games for 5 bucks a pop...and here I am...21 years later...still doing games for a school I still love.
Job 3 is one I've had almost 8 years...Joe Ericksen hired me to take care of softball fields and games back in 1998 for the city of Brooklyn Center. I spent a year or so basically working 2 nights a week...having to listen to 16-17 year old kids trying to tell me what to do...and at the end of the first year, Joe came to the magic conclusion that I...was the only one he could trust to show up every night during the summer...and...to do the job correctly. So into my 2nd year I was already in charge of the main fields in the city...but rewinding back to that first summer of '98...I was keeping statistics for the biggest softball tournament in this part of the country...The Dudley/Budweiser Classic, and before the final championship game, (it became a 2 game series) the well known announcer had a flight to catch, so I was allowed to take over the mic as the announcer...and with my previous experience...and my preformance in that game...I have not left the announcer table yet. As well as keeping statistics for this tournament...I give the call of every game on the North Field of Central Park...I average about 42 hours of work for the weekend every year...it is some of the best ball you see with the greatest players in the country...
Now...why do you do it...I love to be busy...I love to work...I love sports...and I am dedicated to the people who gave me my opportunities...and this is my chance to say hello to any competitive softball fans or players out there...
When it comes to Fall/Winter....I bowl in 2 leagues....Tuesdays in a men's league at Earle Brown Bowl with my good friends: Rick Japor Chris Fowler Ken Vnoucek and Rick's dad: Renato Japor we have fun together...and aren't a bad group to be around...I also bowl an alternating Sunday league with my mom and 3 of my 5 aunties...Bobbi, Mary and Micki....this year we have moved our league to the new Brunswick Zone which was built about a mile from where I live..
My other silly obsession is sports...I run a fantasy football league...we have a 10 team league...we have traveling trophies for the winner...(It's a real big trophy...and my name is on it once...) and a trophy with a horse's butt on it for last...(it's called the Ryan Leaf Memorial Award) my draft party is a big to-do...I grab Uncle Miltie and we BBQ up a case of ribs and a case of Wings....get a keg-o-beer...and do the damm thing!!! I can't wait for this season to come...
I'd like to meet:
Funny category....it's easy to say every single musician, actor, athlete, important person who inspires me to reach higher....but actually...I'd rather meet good friends....so feel free to send me a message and say HI....
How heavy metal are you?? Your Result: Metal God When it comes to metal there is no one that can top you. Your whole life is based on metal. You live for the slamin head bangin screamin suicidal mayhem!! You bleed metal. Rock on F---ER!!
F---ing Hippie
How heavy metal are you??
Music:
As an owner of over 1200 CD's...my tastes are far reaching...my fave music is progressive metal with bands like Fates Warning, Dream Theater, and Enchant. But I also listen to normal metal, jazz, blues, classical and new age as well...I try to be an educator of music to people...
I've been to some of the greatest concerts from Iron Maiden, to Rush, to Yes, Joe Satriani's G3 tour, Dream Theater...and a great piano show by Christopher O'Reilly, where I got to sit on the stage right next to him while he played Radiohead tunes.
The latest New age artist that I had the chance to discover is David Nevue...I just bought 4 of his discs...he exudes magic from his fingertips thru his piano...My latest obsession in a prog sense have been the groups Redemption and The Gathering...ok we'll update it again...my friend Brett got me to listen to Anathema...and they rule...I've been into those girl rock groups like Lacuna Coil and Evanescence...but they are blown away by the speed metal angelic power of Echoes of Eternity
I have been asked...how...or why?did you buy or get into this much music...well I blame myself...and my brother...and my mother...and my good friend Chrisfor this...I blame my brother for opening my world to Metal and the most awesomest guitar players out there...I blame my brother for taking me to my first dozen or so concerts...(including Saigon Kick 4x) I blame my mother for telling me to listen closely to music and figure out for myself what is good and bad in it...and I blame Chris for everything else...he is just like me in a music sense...I have polluted his mind into listening to some of my fave music that he now loves...(Fates Warning, Acoustic Alchemy...all kinds of New Age stuff) and he did the same to me...(Enchant, Lacuna Coil...etc) Chris and I have racked up some 30+ concerts in the past 8 years...and in June I will get to see Robert Rich for the 2nd time in concert...what a great sound technician...his soundscapes sweep through the inner part of your being...and he presents a video display to accompany his sound designs and performance...Dream Theater will be back in August...it will be the 6th time I will see them...and Redemption is opening for them...talk about a dream concert...reminds me of the Halford/Queensryche/Iron Maiden show I saw...Rush will be back in September...Queensryche in late June...Echoes of Eternity and Symphony X in July....boy what a summer we got in store...
My advice to anyone who believes to be a music fan....listen closely...find what's good in the music to you and defend it...although I detest most pop music and rap...I can stomach it...I don't discount it...I try to show what is good in any music to people...(remember this comes from a guy who has seen Barry Manilow in concert with his mother...)
Movies:
An easy theme for me is comedy....keep me laughing...and it's all good...
What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com
Television:
Well...I watch alot of sports...ESPN is my friend...I love South Park...I love the old comedies like Cheers, Home Improvement, Monty Python...when I'm with my friends I tend to get sucked into the reality shows, I liked ER before Anthony Edwards left...and of course the Simpsons and the Family Guy...and who didn't love the Muppets...
You Are Animal
A complete lunatic, you're operating on 100% animal instincts.
You thrive on uncontrolled energy, and you're downright scary.
But you sure can beat a good drum.
"Kill! Kill!"
The Muppet Personality Test
You Are Elmo
Sweet and innocent, you expect everyone to adore you. And they usually do!
You are usually feeling: Talkative. You've got tons of stories to tell. And when you aren't talking, you're laughing.
You are famous for: Being popular, though no one knows why. Middle aged women especially like you.
How you life your life: With an open heart. "Elmo loves you!"
The Sesame Street Personality Quiz
Hosted at YourSpaceNow.com
Books:
Most of the time I like to read my poetry anthologies...from the classics to the beat generation writers...and a good biography never hurts...also I have this new animation...and you see my tattoo...I love and adore...and have all the books of Calvin and Hobbes...It was me back then minus the tiger...a smart-alecky kid with an overactive imagination and a huge vocabulary who was always asking questions...
Hosted at YourSpaceNow.com
Hosted at YourSpaceNow.com
Hosted at MySpaceNow.com
Myspace Layouts
Heroes:
All the musical groups and artists that have influenced the person I am... musicians inspire my life to be what it is...
My biggest hero is my brother Chad... he was my idol growing up...I walked in his shadow...and it may have annoyed him at times...but he always handles things cool...has the common sense all the time...he took the risk of leaving a career where he was making plenty of money...to break himself, go bankrupt...and go back to school...now he's helping others...a paramedic working on a rig...his dream is to be on the air rescue...I can never find enough words to say how proud I am to have a brother that gives himself so that others can be well...and I am so lucky to have a brother that is such a friend...and someone I can always ask for help and advice...(eventho I'm always borrowing him money...) I only hope that I can return the help he has given me on learning to live...
I have more....My MOM for being so awesome and understanding to me....gives up everything for her kids...and is what a Mom is supposed to be... the next is my friend Mary Ann Block....her 2 1/2 year battle with cancer has just come to an end...and although she is no longer here with us...she will live in my heart til I see her again...
