16 Hryck-O-Facts

Ok, here's my 16 things:

1. I'm not so good with computers and things like that. Example? My camera shoots video, and Dan shot a video moments before this that make me look, as Jennifer Aniston would've put it, uncool. Tried to post that, failed, you get this instead.

2. I'm a pretty calm and laid back guy. I haven't raised my voice at someone since 2002.

3. One of the only things I can think of that would get me angry is if you get me lost while driving, and do what I perceive to be "not enough" to get us unlost. Like take a nap, call your mom, or start pointing at random.

4. Despite this, I've been in two real fights in my life. One taught me what needs to be done to win a fight, the other taught me that some fights just can't be won.

5. I grew up really religious, and when I was younger, I wanted to be a Catholic priest. That died a quick death when I was 12 and learned that girls are kind of cool. Definitely cooler than celibacy.

6. I have been in the local newspaper twice in the past couple months. Once for being dressed up as a zombie in the Monroeville Mall, and once for getting a little drunk and jumping in the Monongahela River on New Year's Day.

7. Some women have doctors for sons. Some women have sons that change the world. In Beaver County, there is a woman that has newspaper clippings of her drunken, undead, frozen son, and somehow, she feels pride.

8. I'm reading "Blood Meridian" by Cormac McCarthy right now. I'm loving it, maybe in spite of/because of Mr. McCormac's writing style. Also, quite possibly the most unflinchingly violent book I've ever read.

9. Yuengling as my staple beer, Newcastle if I want to enjoy a beer, Jameson whiskey if I'm feeling fancy.

10. I was in the Peace Corps in the Russian Far East. I measure my success there by the things that didn't happen to me, but happened to friends. I'm happy to report that I didn't get shot, stabbed, beat up, get alcohol poisoning, or married.

11. When I feel lost in life, I read page 18 in Raymond Chandler's "The Simple Art of Murder". Before we jump to conclusions, it's a book of short stories and essays, and page 18 is the last part of an essay on what makes Phillip Marlow a good detective. Seems like pretty good instructions on how to be a good man, too.

12. I have the ability to smoke without getting addicted and quit whenever I want. I used to smoke a pack a day and quit cold turkey without really any problems. This annoys the hell out of my girlfriend, who is not enjoying her attempt at quitting.

13. My off-the-boat Ukranian grandparents demanded that my mother name me John, after my Dad, or Michael, after my uncle. They were old school, and expected her to name the first born male after an elder male in the family. Their jaws must've hit the floor when she randomly blurted out "Todd" as my name.

14. I get into about 1 car accident a year, and I'm kind of proud that I haven't caused one in about 7 years. Last year's was my favorite, when a crack head claimed that I parked my car on top of her's. Turns out, I didn't and she was a crack head.

15. I once got "mugged" while shooting in a bad part of Pittsburgh. He wanted my camera, then we both realized that I was his kids' social worker, and I got his kids a ton of Christmas gifts the previous week. He complimented me on my camera and we both got the hell out of there.

16. For personal reasons, I have an intense dislike of Disney World, and all things Disney. Long story, and you'd have to get me insanely drunk for me to tell it.