Family, friends, playing/writing/recording music, hiking, camping, canoeing, and lazy days with no deadlines or expectations.
I'd like to meet:
Friendly people that share similar interests as well as people with different perspectives on life. I think everyone has something to offer, and look to find people who are inspired by something....whatever that might be.
Music:
I pretty much like it all. My latest interest is in old-time music (think barn party) - such as Old Crow Medicine Show (my heros). If you don't like this kind of music, go to a festival where acoustic music is played and camping is encouraged. You will realize it is some of the most real and "honest" music out there. Some of the other bands that I like are: Scott Miller and the Commonwealth, Poi Dog Pondering, Reeltime Travelers, SonVolt, Malcolm Holcombe, Wilco, Tom Root (not real well known yet - but he will be), Cold Play, Cake....and of course Lost Mountain String Band (shameless self-promotion - this is the band I currently play with). ; ) For more shameless self-promotion, please check out a solo CD that I did a couple of years ago - click on the Rob Chittum link on my friends list. I know it's cheesy, but I don't know how else to link it.
Movies:
One of my favorite all time movies is American Beauty. I don't know why, but I can really identify with Kevin Spacey's character in that movie. My favorite scene is the clip of the leaves swirling in a whirlwind while one of the characters narrates some profound insights about life. Some other cool movies - The Truman Show, Big, Waiting for Guffman, Napoleon Dynamite, any Kevin Spacey movie, The Untouchables, House of D, and The Notebook (I know - I'm a sap).
Television:
Despirate Housewives, House, CSI, first couple episodes of American Idol (ouch, it's painful to watch some of those folks), Everybody Loves Raymond, Seinfeld re-runs, M.A.S.H. re-runs, and Beauty and the Geek (what a cool concept). My favorite was the first season of The Joe Schmo Show (now THAT was good TV!).
Books:
About the only thing I read these days are Children's books! I read to one of my kids every night before puting them to bed. Best children's book ever is "The Three Questions." For those who haven't seen this book - I'll tell you the three questions "When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do?" If you want the answers....read the book, even if you don't have kids to read it to! It was based on some of Tolstoy's writings. I recently read "The Field" and liked it a lot.
Heroes:
My dad. Not because that is the most generic person I could pick, and not because he is the smartest, or most influential guy in the world. I actually tried to think of someone that finds the fun in life, and doesn't get rattled by anything. He is the only person I could think of that truly fits that bill. I wanted to be just like him when I was a kid. Now I think I am just like him in a lot of ways, but I doubt I will ever be as mello as he is. I have never seen him get angry, or stressed about anything. He lives in the moment and literally tries to "find the fun" wherever he is, and is everybody's friend. I think that is the perfect behavioral state....life is good, what's next kind of attitude.
