Jimmy profile picture

Jimmy

Dumpy and nerdy, I'd be a savant if I had a talent

About Me

Heaven is the place where all my questions are answered: Why does the word "suckle" evoke so many emotions? Why is the atypical/ abnormal/ different from self so threatening? Why is symmetry so pleasing and my musculature so asymmetrical? How many people, who have ever existed, lived more fulfilling lives than mine?If you're a Psych major or just an insightful person, please don't answer, as I'm waiting for heaven (that's an awful lot of faith for an agnostic).I'm 30, but I feel like 19. I wake up early on Sundays so I can nap during the NASCAR race. I love consistent displays of integrity. I'd like to get everywhere in the world (except western Europe) by the time I'm 40. I'll do Western Europe when I'm old. Some things I'm keen on seeing are the Great Wall, Niagra Falls, Egyptian pyramids, Galapagos islands, and Iguazu Falls.I read to gain insight into humanity. Great characters and dialogue just do it for me.When I'm off track, the gym is my home away from home. Racquetball, racquetball, and racquetball. You'd think I'd be a better player, but I enjoy the competition, the rivalry, and (most of all) the triumph.Dreaming: boy do I dream! I'm kind of like the male Ally McBeal. I hold conversations, have some rather gratifying experiences, and live about 62% of my life in my mind. You oughtta try it, it's a great place to be (not my mind, yours).
TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF - The Survey
Name: Jimmy
Birthday: October 12
Birthplace: Granada Hills
Current Location: Northridge
Eye Color: They were green when I was little, hazel now, brown soon
Hair Color: Brown (what's left of it)
Height: 5' 8 3/16"
Right Handed or Left Handed: Right
The Shoes You Wore Today: hiking boots
Your Weakness: My racquetball backhand, dark chocolate, and the Russian alphabet
Your Fears: Dying before I suck the marrow out of this life
Your Perfect Pizza: Cheese, stewed tomatoes, and garlic on a thick crust
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year: I'd like to compete in at least three racquetball tournaments, visit at least three countries, and be out of town for at least three months (all things come in threes)
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger: what's instant messenger?
Thoughts First Waking Up: Yes! Another day to throttle!
Your Best Physical Feature: Isn't that obvious? My back hair (I'll try to post a picture).
Your Bedtime: 10 p.m. (I love the sunrise)
Your Most Missed Memory: I don't miss any of them. I have them all, and I experience them whenever I choose.
Pepsi or Coke: I rarely drink soda (only when I must have caffeine or when I'm out of the country and don't trust the water).
McDonalds or Burger King: Neither, that stuff is terrible for you.
Single or Group Dates: Whatever (as long as my date is female by birth, as opposed to operation)
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Tea is not my cup of tea,
Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate.
Cappuccino or Coffee: Nor is coffee my cup of tea (I try to stay away from caffeine).
Do you Smoke: Once, I was twenty and in Kuwait, and I smoked orange flavored tobacco from a Turkish water pipe.
Do you Swear: Very rarely
Do you Sing: Oh yeah. When I'm on the treadmill I sing along with my ipod (it clears the treadmills next to me).
Do you Shower Daily: Usually twice.
Have you Been in Love: You betcha. Those are some of my best memories.
Do you want to go to College: Already did.
Do you want to get Married: Oh yeah.
Do you belive in yourself: Absolutely. Considering the amount of times I have failed, I have more confidence than I ought to.
Do you get Motion Sickness: Nope.
Do you think you are Attractive: Besides the physical aspect, I'm one hot guy.
Are you a Health Freak: I eat too much chocolate to be a true health freak, but I exercise all the time.
Do you get along with your Parents: Yup, they're some of my best friends.
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Do you play an Instrument: Air guitar.
In the past month have you Smoked: No way (filthy habit).
In the past month have you been on Drugs: Worse than smoking!
In the past month have you gone on a Date: Why yes. Yes I have. Quite the young lady.
In the past month have you gone to a Mall: Nope.
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos: I don't eat partially hydrogenated oils.
In the past month have you eaten Sushi: I don't eat fish.
In the past month have you been on Stage: I am merely a player.
In the past month have you been Dumped: Not in the past month.
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping: It was 10 below zero today in Colorado Springs.
In the past month have you Stolen Anything: I don't steal.
Ever been Drunk: Just in case my students are reading this, I plead the fifth.
Ever been called a Tease: Have you seen my picture?
Ever been Beaten up: Nope.
Ever Shoplifted: Never, ever. There's no integrity in stealing.
How do you want to Die: I want to die as I fall in love again.
What do you want to be when you Grow Up: Major League baseball player, novelist, military general, travel writer
What country would you most like to Visit: Egypt sounds pretty cool right now, I was only there in a stopover once, but I saw the pyramids from my plane seat.
In a Girl..
Favourite Eye Color: As long as they sparkle (I like girls who can smile with their eyes).
Favourite Hair Color: Brunettes (blondes and redheads are good too)
Short or Long Hair: Yes.
Best Clothing Style: Do jeans and a t-shirt count?
Number of Drugs I have taken: I've only taken perscription drugs.
Number of CDs I own: 20 or so
Number of Piercings: 0
Number of Tattoos: 1 (I was 19 and stupid).
Number of things in my Past I Regret: Only the things I didn't do.
! - or - ..a

My Interests

Our team record: 3-53 I spent three years with these girls and not one of them can hit a kick serve. I don't know if that says something about my coaching ability or the level of talent I had to work with (I assure you it's the former). Tennis skills aside, I wouldn't change a thing about any of them (well, maybe Christy). Smile Yvette, smile. In addition to tennis, I teach some great English learners. We went to Angeles National Forest and I only lost two students. We found them after we called search and rescue. They were lost, crying, and dirty. I made sure all the other students laughed at them. How many times do I have to pretend that I don't know that they're going to push my head into the cake? Maybe one more. Aside from teaching, playing racquetball tops my list. I actuallly enjoy running the treadmill and I love the way it makes me feel (like I can inhale extra oxygen). Reading quality fiction and watching cheesy VH1 shows is also pretty cool.

I'd like to meet:

I like people. I want to grow. I am not a poor player. I may be an idiot, but my tale has significance.

Music:

Cheesy '80's rock: Pour Some Sugar, Sweet Child, Love Hurts. Some newer stuff: I love that new song You're Beautiful. I know, I know, I'm a sheep. I dig a bunch of country music. You can throw Canon in D major by Pachelbel, and Pomp and Circumstance in there too. How's that for an eclectic list?

Movies:

Christopher Guest movies rock. All time favorite is Field of Dreams, but I love Groundhog Day, and quality 80's movies (Karate Kid, Rad, Back to the Future). Ooh and Lucas, which is pretty much my life story (except for the part about Corey Haim being a sex symbol and then a drug addict). I just saw Spanglish and thought it was great. Also, my ex-girlfriend used to "drag" me to a bunch of girly movies which I pretended to hate, but secretly loved (damn, that Hugh Grant is charming! (and hot!!)). Oh, and I don't know if I've ever seen anyone more beautiful than Olivia Hussey; if I were only born thirty years sooner.

Television:

I don't own a TV, so I have to go with a classic.

Books:

My all time favorite is Shel Silverstein. I also like anything by Larry McMurtry, John O'hara, Isabel Allende, John Steinbeck, or Shakespeare.There are a ton of other authors I read, but these are my favorites. I love character driven novels (as opposed to plot driven novels). My favorite contemporary author has got to be Cormac:I read junk fiction every once in a while, but, as an English teacher, I have to pretend that I hate it. (John Grisham, Stephen King, and Michael Crichton, bah!)I am also a huge Calvin and Hobbes fan, HUGE!There are three girls who I will always love: Abra from East of Eden, Jane Eyre, and Catherine Barkley from A Farewell to Arms. Here are some manifestations that movie directors thought these girls would look like. The directors were not even close. You should see these girls in my mind.

Heroes:

Mom and dad.

My Blog

Reaction to Philip Roth

I read this passage last night: -The great biological joke on people is that you are intimate before you know anything about the other person.  In the initial moment you understand everything.&nb...
Posted by Jimmy on Sat, 22 Sep 2007 06:12:00 PST

Why I Love Jellyfish

You stepped off the pier and screamed. You sat down and picked up your foot. You looked at the bottom of it and held it out to me. I sat in the warm sand and inspected your foot. A thin, sharp splinte...
Posted by Jimmy on Wed, 19 Sep 2007 08:45:00 PST

Olanchito 3

Si, si, yo pinte.  On the postcard in front of us we saw a perfect rendition of the restaurant we were in. The walls, while still light blue, were more vibrant than they appeared in reality. In t...
Posted by Jimmy on Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:16:00 PST

Olanchito 2

I whistled for the waitress.  It was time to order. You squinted as your eyes adjusted to the shade. You looked at the menu; a single sheet pressed between two peeling pieces of lamination. The w...
Posted by Jimmy on Tue, 11 Sep 2007 05:22:00 PST

Waiting for you in Olanchito

The short, sharp iron gray hair protruded from the mole in her neck. She asked -Le gustaria ordenar? -No, estoy esperando todavia; puede traerme otra Coca? She nodded and left. The ceiling fans pushed...
Posted by Jimmy on Sun, 09 Sep 2007 08:26:00 PST

That Damn Cormac McCarthy

"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray...
Posted by Jimmy on Mon, 06 Aug 2007 01:46:00 PST

Puff the Magic Dragon

        Every semester I expect a bang.  Every semester I get a whimper.  The students take their final exams and in the last three dead days; the days the...
Posted by Jimmy on Fri, 13 Jul 2007 09:06:00 PST

Personal statement 4

I was 6000 miles away from home and two hours into a blackout, when I solved my very first existential crisis.  I had toyed (again) with the ideas of religion, family, and legacy, but each had al...
Posted by Jimmy on Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:53:00 PST

Personal Statement 3

6000 miles away from home and two hours into a blackout, I sat alone in my dorm room and experienced my very first existential crisis.  I had traded family, certainty, and security for adventure,...
Posted by Jimmy on Sat, 28 Oct 2006 06:17:00 PST

Personal statement 2

Okay, here goes my second attempt at a law school personal statement.  As always, your comments are appreciated.  -jhg   I knocked.  "Report."  "Airman Gutzman reports as orde...
Posted by Jimmy on Thu, 19 Oct 2006 05:04:00 PST