I was asked to do this by several of my Facebook friends (what? I happen to like Facebook). I'm posting it here and there.
In no particular order...
1. I have played Stratego against my sons 50 times in the last week (they've been home from school, sick).
2. I've never fired a gun--not because I have a philosophical problem with it--but because I'm sure I would somehow shoot myself.
3. The battery in my car died last week, which was easy enough to resolve. But when the battery dies, the radio can only be restarted with a code, which I can't find. (I've discovered I really enjoy driving in silence.)
4. I gave up beer for Lent last year. I'll never do it again.
5. I bought my wife a sweater for Christmas. It had been so long since I went shopping for women's clothing that when the saleslady asked me who I was buying it for, I answered: "My girlfriend...um...I mean, my wife." (I've been married more than 17 years.)
6. I made up a word ("stoink") just to irritate my boys. I use it to answer any question I don't want to answer, and will never define it.
7. I always knew I would love working from home, but I could very easily become a hermit.
8. My wife and I didn't have a boy's name picked out for any of our kids until after they were born because we were sure it was going to be a girl all three times. (The girl's name was Grace.)
9. Bridget only got mad at me for sharing too much personal information on the radio or in my writing one time--when I talked about my vasectomy. (Whoops--just did it again.)
10. I didn't know what to call my in-laws the first four years I was married. I just waited until we had kids so I could go straight to "Grandmom and Granddad."
11. When I first started in radio, a program director tried to get me to change my name because "Kaempfer" is too ethnic. He suggested using my middle name as my last name. (My name would have been "Rick James.")
12. Some of my best radio stories will never be publicly told.
13. My father's name was Eckhard. He remains the only Eckhard I've ever met. (And I grew up in Germany)
14. I'm a right-brained creative, but I was raised by Germans. That makes me a punctual space case.
15. My mechanic suspects I don't know much about cars, but if he knew how stupid I really was, he wouldn't need any other customers.
16. I tell one joke. It's not clean. Most people don't laugh at it. But those that do, quickly recognize it's the funniest joke ever told. (I didn't make it up)
17. My little brother, my own flesh and blood, is a White Sox fan.
18. I'm the oldest child in my family, but my sister was always put in charge when my parents left us alone. It was a wise decision.
19. I believe the first act of "The Producers" is perfect.
20. I saw "Field of Dreams" the day before my dad died (in 1989) and was going to tell him what a great movie it was, but never got the chance. The "Wanna have a catch" scene at the end crushes me now every time I see it.
21. When I tell Bridget she's a great wife, she tells me I'm a great Chevy dealer. (She stole that dialogue from an '80s local TV commercial...but it cracks me up every time.)
22. I love the Beatles, but I'm fortunate my wife had the good sense to veto "Ringo" as my oldest son's name.
23. I Tivo four shows...The Daily Show, 30 Rock, The Office, and Top Chef.
24. I've met hundreds of celebrities and consider myself pretty jaded, but I've never been more excited than I was the day I met former Cubs outfielder Jose Cardenal in the produce section of my local Jewel.
25. I'm working on three book projects and two screenplays right now, but I just spent 15 minutes doing this instead.
