Facts

These are the facts- the rest that you hear could be rumors, especially if they paint me in bad light. Just kidding!

For those that know me well, I am very hard on myself and others. I have a perfectionist bent. I like to be efficient and organized and can be very compulsive. I have to guard my environment and pray a lot. I’m also very driven and competitive.

I don’t know that I’m the most humble person in the world. Writing this list is not a humble act. I try to let others praise me and not myself but that’s so hard. Anyways, here is a list of facts about me. This is an interesting exercise because for one it gives you a lift  and helps to create a more positive self image. On the other hand it feels like really bad self promotion but I refuse to write it in the third person.

Hopefully you’ll find parts of it funny and maybe many of you will put together a list like this for yourself. I would love to know this kind of stuff about my readers, my friends, my family and my business associates.

1. I won an award for best penmanship in Kindergarten, it’s been down hill ever since.
2. I am the only Montreal Expos fan living in Louisville, KY. I can’t pull for anything in Washington D.C.- sorry Nationals.
3. I refused to play tee ball because my dad and step dad threw me the ball when I hit.
4. I made the baseball All stars at Germantown Little League in Louisville, KY the first year I played baseball.
5. I puked before almost every baseball and basketball game as a kid- I was a nervous little kid.
6. I made the All stars every year in baseball from age 8-18 except age 15 and 17. At age 15 I switched to Beechmont Babe Ruth League and they went to the World Series that year. The other year I broke my pinkie finger the first game of the year. The only bone I’ve broke.
7. I have nearly fainted twice looking at xrays or discussing bones.
8. As a kid, I ate pizza upside down with no toppings except the sauce and I ate white castle hamburgers without the burger, onion and bread- actually I just got a box of pickles.
9. I didn’t eat chili, spaghetti, hot dogs or much of anything until I was like 12.
10. I hit back to back home runs with Brian Greene to lead off an All star game in little league.
11. I played for these teams in Little League, Frisches, Hardees, and Breintenstein Carpet. Other leagues played for the Cubs, the Dodgers or the Yankees- We played for whoever sponsored our team.
12. I was the sixth man on the 5th grade 1987 Louisville Basketball City Champions- the Most Blessed Sacrament Pioneers.
13. My favorite baseball player ever was Tim “Rock” Raines.
14. My favorite golfer has always been Fred “Boom Boom” Couples. Now I like KJ, Zach Johnson, Badds, Justin Leonard, Ben Curtis, Steve Stricker, Brad Faxon- basically anybody who is a grinder, or loves to give back.
15. My favorite basketball team growing up has always been the Kentucky Wildcats. I also liked the Philidelphia 76ers- Moses Malone, Charles Barkley, Julius Erving, Bobby Jones, Mo Cheeks and Andrew Toney.
16. I grew up in a 500 sq foot rental house by Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY but I didn’t go to the Kentucky Derby until I was in college.
17. I have lost and gained over 35 lbs 3 different times in my life. I’m in the 4th cycle- on the losing side finally.
18. I can’t carry a tune in a bucket.- I’m tone def, along with voice and throat issues; so I worship in my car or  in the balcony of church.
19. I was an alter boy until the fifth grade.
20. I played tennis, golf, baseball, softball and volleyball growing up, but I never played one game of organized football.
21. I completed the Body For Life challenge 7 years ago.
22. All 3 Catholic grade schools I attended are now closed.
23. I didn’t like girls until I was in the 8th grade. I didn’t date them until High School. I couldn’t keep them away in college- just kidding but it sounded good.
24. I married by wife Ashley after courting her for only 5 months. We discussed marriage on our first date.
25. I have 3 children within 3 years of each other. We’ve been married 4 years.
26. I won a Young Authors Award in grade school for my work ” Larry and the Locked Door” about a kid getting locked in the school after hours by the janitor. I think it was fiction but it could’ve been true.
27. I had 2 different paper routes in high school.
28. I have worked as a maintenance assistant in grade school, done over 20 roofing jobs with my step dad, worked in a hospital materials department, been a runner for a law firm, a project manager for an affordable housing company (about the time I became an extreme conservative), swept floors in a warehouse, was an insurance salesman,  financial advisor, fee based financial planner, recruiter, sales manager, accounts payables/receivables clerk, network marketer, retirement consultant, Vice President of Family Homebuilding Business (gave myself the title) and currently a Professional Organizer and digital coach.
29. I passed the Series 7 examination yet failed my life insurance exam. Amazing. One is the equivalent of the bar, the other is 50 mutliple choice and takes 45 minutes.
30. I grew up on softball fields and at softball tournaments.
31. My mom and stepdad were married on a softball field- Bishop David which is now Holy Cross.
32. My dad played on a hall of fame softball team- Zeplein A.C.
33. My grandfather bowled two 300 games and had a hole in one.
34. I have a hole in one at Woodlawn Springs in Bardstown, KY. Doc Greg Witte and Mick Welscher will confirm- they were there.
35. I was with Jon “Smitty” Smith when he had his hole in one. Mine was a wedge from 130 yards. His was a 4 iron from 200 yards, but both were 1′s.
36. I won the Midland Trail Match Play Club Championship in 2006. Almost blew a five up lead through 12 holes.
37. I have maintained a 1 handicap in golf the last 3 years.
38. I won the State Softball ISA D championship in 2001 with Knight’s A.C. I made the all tournament team. We won 5 major tournaments that year.
39. I played with the Seekers softball ministry for 3 years and led the ministry for 1 year. We played in prisons across Kentucky and Tennessee and shared the gospel with inmates. They are still going as we speak.
40. I’ve been on 3 mission trips to the Dominican Republic to do baseball and softball camps. I led 1 trip.
41. I’ve been to Sweden on a mission trip to do golf camps.
42. I won the Member-Member Tournament at Midland Trail Golf Club in 2008.
43. I’ve never won the Club Championship at Midland Trail Golf Club, but I’ve blown a gasket in the final round a few times and lost it on #18 last year.
44. I have only been to 2 NFL games, 5 MLB games and I’ve never been to an NBA game- no regrets there.
45. I was in Lexington, KY when Kentucky beat Utah in the 1998 NCAA Basketball Championship.
46. I played college baseball for 2 days at Bellarmine College in Louisville, KY. I was a walk on who walked off.
47. I had a 4.0 GPA as a Senior in High School. I had a 3.7 GPA as a Senior at the University of Louisville. I finished well but didn’t start so good at either place.
48. I passed an Art History class at UofL after attending the first class, mid term, and final. I got a C. Never liked teachers who puked the book onto the board. I just read the book cover to cover and enjoyed my time studying things that interested me. (don’t read this kids)
49. My favorite TV show as a kid was Murder She Wrote.
50. My favorite series now is Poirot (Hercule Poirot from Agatha Christie fame).
51. I got cut from freshman basketball in high school.
52. I went to the State Golf Championship in 1993 with my team from DeSales High and we finished second to last. I shot 88-92- not so good.
53. I’ve won 5 scramble long drive contests in the last two years, along with 1st place in 7 scrambles. We have “most wanted” pictures in clubhouses around Louisville.
54. I am named after a street in the south end of Louisville.
55. My mom had my stars read and I should have been a doctor or politician. I’m not fond of either.
56. I had a dog as a kid that hit a car. Yes you read it right. Petey hit a car, the car didn’t hit him. He ran into the side of it. Good dog, but not real bright.
57. I have a fear of rust. And mold. And giving blood. And clutter. And heights make me nervous.
58. I didn’t like rollercoasters as a kid because they made my _________ feel funny. Now I’m OK with them sometimes.
59. I’ve been to Disney World in Orlando around 7 or 8 times and could go every year.
60. I made all district and regional All stars as a Senior in baseball at DeSales High School.
61. I played really competitive volleyball for a few years. I was not one of the best players. I set. I’m 5’9″.
62. I am a San Francisco 49ers fan because of Joe Montano, Jerry Rice, Dwight Clark, John Taylor, Roger Craig, Tom Rathman, and Ronnie Lott of course.
63. I am a Yankees fan because my aforementioned favorite player Tim Raines was traded there in 1996- conveniently just before they started winning World Series Championships.
64. I was baptized at Southeast Christian Church on Jan 12, 2002. The old became new.
65. I hit my only home run between the ages of 14-18 off of one of my best friends Jeff Summers. He says he served it up. I still don’t buy it.
66. I played Frisbee golf for a couple of years and never shot more than a couple under par. Which isn’t good!
67. I refereed kids flag football and dressed up as Ninja Turtles for Christmas through Louisville’s Metro Parks Department. Thanks JT!
68. I have been to Augusta for a a practice round. I can still see it like yesterday.
69. I haven’t had a prescription in 14 years.
70. I have had some massive business failures but have never stiffed anyone. If I have please tell me.
71. I have won one of my Fantasy Football league’s top prizes the last 3 years.
72. I am the most conservative Texas Holdem player in history. Actually Doc Witte is, but I’m second. Haven’t played in a long time.
73. I own a business called Simplified Solutions, LLC.
74. I volunteer at our Churches Sports and Fitness Center the first Saturday morning of every month- 8 years and running.
75. I love speaking to large groups of people. I don’t like speaking to small groups.
76. I can speak Spanish. Well I can say like two or three sentences and know a whole lot of words.
77. I took German in grade school for 4 years. Can’t speak a lick of it either.
78. I loved playing with army men as a child and playing guns. I’ve never been hunting. Maybe someday.
79. I used to play marathon games of Axis and Allies. I was so methodical that others would quit.
80. I can’t stand video games.
81. I don’t like cars, boats, trucks, planes, tractors, motorcycles or any other mechanical toys.
82. I am a Taurus. Very bull headed if you believe that stuff.
83. My favorite tennis player was Michael Chang. I have probably watched 5 hours of tennis since he retired.
84. I have no full blood siblings. I have a step brother and 2 half brothers.
85. I used to skateboard. I was terrible but could jump a small street ramp and do a caveman.
86. I used to wear parachute pants and skids, but I’m going on the record to say I never owned a pair of z cavaricci pants.
87. I like to wear Sperry deck shoes and New Balance running shoes.
88. I was a member of the 3% club. Neat experience.
89. I can only remember getting in trouble twice in grade school.
90. I don’t drink. any longer! I was never very good at managing it.
91. I used to own 500 music cd’s which I gave away when I became a Christian. I would like to have some of them back. It was a good decision for some of them, but I miss the oldies and Chicago.
92. I used to own every song Jimmy Buffet produced and I went to see him at Riverfont. I regret most of it. Good music if you don’ t listen to the words.
93. I have never owned a new car. Don’t care if I ever do.
94. I was a member of a fraternity that was closed for lack of members.
95. I was the Athletic Director of Knights A.C.
96. I run the annual Middletown Lions Club Golf Scramble. I’m also a member.
97. I memorized the state capitols with help from my Papa as a child and I still can remember them all (performed without fail last year- right Perry?)
98. I love Triva, Trivial Pursuit, Jeopardy- and basically any kind of trivia.
99. My favorite game is Balderdash- which has nothing to do with trivia. Makes sense.
100. I ate way too much spam and bacon as a child. Lots of boils.