Five things you don't know about me

My friend Cheryl Lykowski (an amazing teacher!) has "tagged" me to play the 5 things you don't know about me game so here goes...

1. My father-in-law is Jimmy Carter! No, not THAT Jimmy Carter, but really, his given name is JIMMY, not James. So now that I have your attention...

2. My first teaching job was on the Crow Indian Reservation in Lodge Grass, Montana. One of my education profs at Bowling Green State University had taken the job of high school principal there. He kept an index card on every one of his students with contact information and college major. When he needed a band director in the middle of January, I was on a very short list of people he contacted. I had just graduated in December, and on February 1st, after a 2 day trip on a Greyhound bus with a suitcase full of clothes, I started a full time teaching job. Oh, to be young, carefree, and foolish again. Even better, I met my wife there (and she was also a BGSU grad, but that's another story).

3. Yes, you read correctly: band director. Before my current gig as an instructional technology specialist, I was a school band director for 20 years! I've also been our church's organist for 18+ years, and the choir director for 5 or 6 (I lost count).

4. I was THIS CLOSE to enlisting in the Air Force in the mid 80's. I had heard the Air Force Band perform at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, and I really missed performing. I talked to some of the band members after the concert, and was encouraged to audition (and enlist). Some of my stand partners in the band and orchestra at Bowling Green went on to play in symphony orchestras, so I thought I had the "chops" to play in the Air Force Band. I then met with a recruiter who talked me out of enlisting. I had two young children at the time, and I couldn't imagine putting the Air Force ahead of my family.

5. I am a HUGE baseball fan! I've attended games in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, Chicago, and Milwaukee, and visited the baseball hall of fame. This past spring my college-aged sons and I attended a few spring training games in Florida, and we also went to the all-star game in Chicago in 2003. If we ever meet in person remind me to tell you the story about the "incident" at the baseball hall of fame!

And now I'm supposed to tag 5 others. The problem is, my favorite bloggers have already been tagged with the exception of Clarence Fisher. So Clarence, TAG, you're it!