The buckeyehoppy Top 25

Inspired by a trio of classmates from my high school days: all female and all marvelous and, unfortunately for the single guys out there, all married, I am going to take a stab at the 25 things you (may, may not, may not want to) know about me. Hope you enjoy:

1. I miss both of my parents everyday and wish I was able to talk with either of them again as often as possible.

2. I LOVE the Food Network...I have a man crush on Guy Fieri!...and if I could have an affair with anyone other than my wife, it would be with Giada DeLaurentiis from "Everyday Italian".

3. I LOVE the people I work with in the HOB kitchen.

4. I want to make a pilgrimage to Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia...the hometown of my favorite hockey player: Sidney Crosby from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

5. I think Cleveland is great...don't mind the weather in winter because I know the trade off is going to be a marvelous summer.

6. I am certain that snow is useless unless one is skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing or making a snowman.

7. I am in genuine awe of Warren Miller...60 years worth of skiing documentaries and they are the ONLY movies truly worth seeing on a big screen.

8. I believe that life is too damned short for hate...there are things that annoy me, but I am slowly, but surely, eliminating hate from my life one issue at a time.

9. I'm not much for wearing suits, but I really want to know if they sell men's clothing where Don Cherry gets his wardrobe. I watch Coach's Corner on NHL Network during the 1st intermission of the first game on Hockey Night in Canada when I'm home on Saturday nights just to see what he is wearing.

10. I believe the most necessary things in life are a sturdy bar stool, an imperial pint of REAL beer and a bar keep that can hold up their end of a discussion.

11. I am sure that Flannery's, Melt Bar and Grilled, The Buckeye Beer Engine and Sullivan's Pub are all great rides in the amusement park of potent imbibing.

12. I believe that if you can't afford the cab or bus fare after a night of drinking that you have no business being out in the first place. Drinking and driving is expensive on many fronts and is a dumb idea.

13. I am genuinely hopeful for the presidency of Barack Obama. I just fear that the damage he will need to clean up is too great and will consume his first term in office.

14. I am sure that non-mechanized travel by bicycle or foot is far superior to cars or buses.

15. I am inspired whenever I hear Pat Metheny play guitar. I've never had many heroes, but he is a hero to me.

16. I believe one of the most breathtaking cityscapes in America is emerging from the Fort Pitt tunnel from the Parkway West (I-279) to see the skyline of the city of Pittsburgh. It's like entering the Emerald City in the "Wizard of Oz". Every city should unfold like that.

17. I feel much more accomplished everyday when I've had the chance to work a crossword puzzle. I also feel smarter when I can do one in pen and make no mistakes.

18. I am sure that if I brought a dog in to live with us that my cats would never want to deal with me again. They are the brattiest creatures ever...but I still love them.

19. I'm not sure what people listened to before Sirius Satellite Radio, but I fairly sure that the choices were neither as many nor as interesting.

20. I am addicted to internet discussion boards...and I am a total "post whore" :)

21. I believe that baseball's Opening Day should be declared a national holiday.

22. I would write more. But I get off on the feedback that writing brings and I don't always get that feedback. Ergo, I don't write as much as I would like because I am never sure what the response will be.

23. I am radically different now than I was in high school...and I like it that way...it is so much more peaceful to not have to worry about actions or what everyone else thinks.

24. I KNOW that there is no greater group of people in the world than the Bay High Class of 1984...and THAT'S the TRUTH!!!

25. Finally, I don't know about you...but I'm gonna have a beer...taking an inventory of "random thoughts" can be a helluva challenge! Cheers!!!

P.S. I am sure there is crap that I didn't think of mentioning!!! :)

P.P.S. Yes...here's some bonus add ends:

1. I can tell you that there is nothing cooler to watch in weather than storms approaching off Lake Erie.

2. I am much better creatively when listening to jazz...there's just something about the rhythm of jazz that allows for unfettered thought.

3. I am convinced that I would be a better commissioner for the NFL than Roger Goodell.