20 random things about me

Some of the things I do other than work:

I’m only including this since it might tell you more about me than official bios and resumes:

  1. I’ve lived in Phoenix, Arizona for the past 10+ years.
  2. I grew up on Long Island NY, and have lived and worked in Atlanta, Titusville Fl (outside of Cape Kennedy), Los Angeles, Paris, Silicon Valley, Washington DC.
  3. I spent a semester in seminary school. Most people find this hilarious, and I’m still not quite sure why. 
  4. I travel quite a bit, all around the world, for business and pleasure – often getting a lot of quiet writing time done on a cruise ship, a tropical beach or in European city cafe.
  5. I workout in the gym every other day. and try to run 7-9 miles on alternate days – even getting used to running in 110 degree Phoenix heat.
  6. I am the Walter White of popcorn making, While I wont divulge my formula – it involves steam, ground rosemary and white popping corn. It is 99.6 % pure. It’s called White Magic.
  7. I put myself through college by performing sleight of hand magic and comedy, and at age 16, I wrote a book on “spongeball magic”
  8. I’m not ignoring you. I probably can’t hear you. I’ve had less than 50% hearing in both ears, since age 18. I wear state of the art Bluetooth enabled hearing aids. This is far from a handicap. It is my mini-superpower.
  9. I like to design and build things. Woodworking, carpentry and DIY projects are my therapeutic escapes. Nearly half of my projects don’t collapse.
  10. I’m a huge movie fan. My favorites are classics like The Godfather, or anything by Scorsese, Tarantino, Hitchcock or Woody Allen. Also at the top of my list is “Spinal Tap”, and anything by Monty Python or John Cleese.
  11. While writing, I love binge-rewatching TV shows like Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, Fawlty Towers and Arrested Development.
  12. I love The Beatles. I’m still grieving over the death of John Lennon, and the solo career of Paul McCartney.
  13. Way before Dancing With The Stars was cool, I learned Ballroom Dancing, and once performed that dance routine at the end of “Dirty Dancing” (including the lift).
  14. I spent 23 years learning and practicing diverse martial arts styles. taught for 8 years and had my own dojo (school) for 5 years. I have advanced black belts in several styles, and in some weapons styles. I studied Brazilian Jujitsu with the Gracie Family when most of their students were LA gang members. And that’s the last I will talk about any of it. 
  15. I blew up my 6th grade science classroom – twice. Once by experimenting with yeast and nitrates inside an incubator, and once when I mistakenly aimed a model rocket towards the 3rd floor classroom window.
  16. My first business, at age 11 was selling climate data to Long Island fisherman and HVAC businesses. 
  17. I’ve been bitten by a scorpion twice (two different times, by, I suspect, two different scorpions). Not surprisingly, I’m no fan of scorpions (or anything that crawls or slithers).
  18. I spent a stint working for the USAF (Air Force) – working in Intelligence, Strategy and Artificial Intelligence.
  19. I love spending time with my wife and large extended family.
  20. I love playing with dogs – any dogs – especially our dog, Bailey. Not so much a feline fan, however, I love birds and fish – particularly with lemon juice and dash of garlic.