Scooter Chronicles

So here are the answers to another round of “Ask Scooter Anything”. There were only two participants this time around, but there were lots of questions. Like before with these, nothing here is meant to offend anyone. If it does, my apologies.

And surprisingly, there were no opinions about sports teams/events/players this time around. (Though I still think Gary Bettman is a … well, go see Roger’s question about swearing, and you may guess how I would finish that.)
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Internet friend Roger has asked quite a few questions. He also has paid tribute to James Lipton with some of them.

How’s about your love life? I mean, did you have a high school sweetheart that broke your heart, or have you known Marcia that long ago?

I dated a girl named Amy the last half of my senior year in high school. Not sure if you could call her a high school sweetheart since she was a freshman in college at the time, and went to a different high school. We both worked at Burger King together. Though we only dated for a few of weeks while both there. I soon left for a “real” job. By the time I graduated (1988), she was pretty much done with me. She was my first girlfriend, while I was a “rebound” of sorts for her. I was, or thought I was, devastated by her ending the relationship. I obviously moved on.

In 1990 I was reintroduced to Dawn. She had dated a friend of mine in high school, and another friend not from high school knew her, too. She went to a cross-town rival of our school, and she was a year younger me. We ended up getting married in the summer of 1994. However, she had a change of heart, or decided to deny something in herself that had always been there. Just weeks before our first anniversary, she thought we should separate. Exactly two months shy of our second anniversary, we were officially divorced.

I met Marcia online at a fan club web site for the band Yes that was started by David, who happens to be our brother-in-law now. We talked on the phone and chatted online quite a bit, then finally met face-to-face in January of 2000. At the time I was living in Dayton, Ohio temporarily. She eventually moved out there with me a couple of months later, and the rest is history.

Military service - any? If not, ever consider it?

I have never served in the military. I have never really considered it. Not to say that I find anything wrong with it. You can learn a lot serving in the military. And I have heard and seen a few guys that you thought might not have amounted to much serve in the military and it really change their lives. But it’s not for me. Amongst other things, I think I would make a lousy soldier.

First childhood recollection.

I vaguely remember standing by the window watching my parents drive away to the hospital the day (or day before) my Mom gave birth to either of my brothers. For some reason I thought it was my brother Todd’s birth, but I was three months shy of my second birthday at the time, which seems very young to remember something. So I lean towards my brother Brian’s birth, making me about 4 and a half at the time. But the most vivid of earliest memories are of playing in my (and my brother Todd’s) bedroom with the girl from across the street. Her name was Julie and we were in kindergarten together. The family moved the following summer or around then (I know she wasn’t in our school come first grade). I also can remember some events in kindergarten itself.

Your 10 desert island albums choices.

Oh boy. This was not easy. I went to my list of favorites on the site, and whittled down 60 to just 10. Here they are in alphabetical order.

1. “Black Market” - Weather Report
2. “Citizen Dan” - Steely Dan (I am cheating a bit with this one.)
3. “Close to the Edge” - Yes
4. “Duncan Sheik” - Duncan Sheik
5. “Finally We Are No One” - Múm
6. “Moving Pictures” - Rush
7. “Nil Lara” - Nil Lara
8. “Superunknown” - Soundgarden
9. “Tales” - Marcus Miller
10. “Wish You Were Here” - Pink Floyd

Some of my choices are for variety purposes.

Now for the James Lipton type questions.

What is your favorite word?

Not sure I have one. However, “juxtapose” comes to mind. No one uses it in everyday conversation, and since I know the meaning, I have used it.

What is your least favorite word?

Probably the dreaded “C” word that all women hate. It seems to be the nastiest of all curse words. I don’t like when guys use it, and part of that is because I know that if a woman overhears it, she is going to be furious and offended.

What turns you on?

OK, I am going to assume that it’s the more general phrase here. A beautiful autumn day. An exciting hockey game. A great bass line in a good song. A good book. A get together with friends and family. Marcia and I talking about something or doing something that we both enjoy together. And most importantly, anytime that I get to spend with Nigel when he’s not whining or cranky.

What turns you off?

Again, assuming the general phrase. All the sports athletes that start a sentence by saying “I mean …” You haven’t said anything yet, so you don’t need to say that as if you are trying to further explain something that you just said, when you didn’t! People that drive in the passing lane and don’t get over to let faster traffic pass, and talking on their cell phone on top of that. Also, cigarettes.

What is your favorite curse word?

Probably “ass”, because, so it seems to me, has lost it’s vulgarness as I have grown older. I hear it now on sit-coms, and it seems to invoke more of a joking term then a vulgar curse word. And maybe I am bias from watching so many episodes of “That 70’s Show” and Red saying, “You’re a dumbass!”

What sound or noise do you love?

Leaves in the trees being rustled by the wind.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Nails on a chalkboard. Or on aluminum siding. Nigel has done that on my Mother-In-Law’s deck. Yikes!

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Two that would be fun, but a lot of work for both, and both are far-fetched, and probably not what you would consider a true profession: a hockey player or writer. In some ways I wouldn’t mind trying to be a librarian. And I am not just saying that. Another would be working for ESPN in the stats department. I am good for remember all kinds of stats that mean nothing in the real world. I think it would be fun to work with/for The Schwab.

What profession would you not like to attempt?

Surgeon. I don’t see how regular general practice doctors deal with all the stuff they see. But there is no way that I would want to be involved with surgeries. I am very squeamish and would not be able to handle it.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

I am not sure. But just a reassurance that it’s not a mistake that I am there.

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My sister Jenn has asked the following questions.

Who is your favorite actor?

Too tough to name only one. I will name five (in no particular order).

1. Johnny Depp - He has very good range. He also can do a great job faking an English accent. It seems that every movie I see him in turns out to be good at the very least. Plus he is very good with strange roles. (And to this day, I still think he deserved the Oscar over Sean Penn in 2003! Of course, Penn should have gotten the Oscar in 1995 instead of Nicolas Cage, but that’s another story.)
2. Robert DeNiro - Of all the actors I have seen many films with, he has the biggest range by far.
3. Kevin Costner - Even though he seems to bring a bit too much of himself into most of his roles, he also has been in a few of my favorite movies: “A Field of Dreams”, “Bull Durham”, and “Dances With Wolves”.
4. Tom Hanks - Maybe mostly because I am still amazed that the guy that won Oscars for “Forest Gump” and “Philadelphia” is the same guy that was on “Bosom Buddies”.
5. John Cusack - I can’t think of a movie with Cusack that I don’t like. Even “Better Off Dead” and “One Crazy Summer” are great.

An honorable mention to Cary Grant. I haven’t seen a lot of his films, but have enjoyed watching the few that I have seen.

Who is your favorite actress?

Again, too tough to limit to one. Here are five (in no particular order).

1. Cate Blanchett - She is just a stunning actress. She isn’t a over-the-top beauty, but she can act circles around many that are thought to be great actors and actresses.
2. Nicole Kidman - To be honest, some of this has to do with her good looks. But she too does a very believable job at parts that show her range.
3. Laura Linney - Her characters always seem so real. I think she is rather underrated.
4. Gwyneth Paltrow - At times her characters seem too serious. But she obviously has range. She won an Oscar for “Shakespeare in Love”, and that character was full of fun and life.
5. Claire Danes - Mostly because I have had a crush on her since her days on “My So-Called Life” (which I didn’t watch nearly enough of). It was reintroduced after seeing “Stardust” a few weeks back.

Wow, look at that. All blondes (well, sort of). Seriously folks, I prefer brunettes. But I was going for actresses that I enjoy watching act and based on that talent, not being attractive. Marisa Tomei and Liv Tyler, to name a few, would be near the top of my “best looking actress” list.

What was the last movie you rented?

Since Marcia and I are members of NetFlix, we always have three DVD’s in our possession to watch. The last one that showed up, as of this writing, was “1408″ starring John Cusak and Samuel L. Jackson. The last one we watched, as of this writing, was “The Upside of Anger”, starring Joan Allen and Kevin Costner.

This is just one I want to know ….. have you ever read anything by Clive Barker and if so what and what did you think of it?

Nope. Never read any of his books. But your timing is impeccable. (Look at the column on the right.) This past weekend we went to Marcia’s Grammie’s place where we have some things stored. I brought back my copy of Barker’s “Imajica” because I have had a real interest to read it lately. I also have a copy of “Weaverworld” on it’s way thanks to BookMooch. I am starting “Outside the Dog Museum” by Jonathan Carroll, and I am not sure what I will read after that. One of these two books by Barker are the leading candidates, along with a book by Robin McKinley that I have been meaning to read for a while now. After I read the novels by Barker, you can read my review here and see what I think. ; )

What was your favorite Halloween costume when you were a kid?

I’m not sure. Probably the punk rocker thing near the end of my Trick-Or-Treating days. I did wear a Sherlock Holmes outfit for a party back in 1998 that Neil and Janice hosted. We did a road rally type thing before which was a lot of fun. We had a camera to take pictures, and Doug and Dan (my teammates) took a picture of me sitting on a kiddie ride at Meijer’s with the pipe in my mouth trying to figure out a clue. It wasn’t planned, but turned out to be a favorite at the end of the night.

Are you looking forward to taking Nigel trick or treating?

Yes and no. I am not sure where we will be living when he’s old enough to go out and Trick-Or-Treat. If we live in an area like we do now, it will be a real work out. There are some steep hills, and big distances between houses, as compared to the neighborhood we grew up in. Also, there are no sidewalks. However, I am sure most of that will be trumped when I get to see the excitement he gets out of it Trick-Or-Treating.

Would you ever dress up in a costume just to take Nigel trick or treating?

Sure! I have a great costume we bought from the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire a few years ago. I just need boots to go with it.