Random Things You Wouldn’t Know About Me Unless You Asked

I’ve been tagged but rather than getting all miffed about it I’ve decided to have a little fun with it.

A “meme” is something that spreads quickly from one person to another across the net… with this one, the idea is to share some random things people wouldn’t know about me unless they were nosey (or caring) enough to ask. (Which James Wheelock, of Houston, Texas was curious about.)

Now, I’ve lead a decently colourful life so you’re about to learn about some of that… but some of them may be a bit embellished... because of the way I remember things.

While touring homes for sale for the last 19 years I have repeatedly checked the mileage of the dust covered and cobweb laden exercise bicycles in people's basements. The winner? 6 miles.

With every client that I meet, I am curious about their occupation and life history, as we can always learn life lessons from another.

When on vacation, I will often tour the new home sales sites to see what they are making. I found Europe fascinating. The bathrooms are ceramic tiled from wall to wall with a centre floor drain. There were no tubs or showers to speak of, just the spray off the wall. It's a concept that I hope comes to Canada. Finally a shower where I cannot bump my elbow on a wall.

As a child, I was encouraged by my father to play a musical instrument and actually achieved the Rank of Concert Master with the Violin in my Grade 8 middle school orchestra. Being Concert Master I found out, meant that I carried the music stands to the bus. There must be some left over teaching there, as I still have a goal of learning to play the piano. Maybe when I retire.

The mentors in my life that I most appreciate are Stan Peter, who had a local camera photo studio. [He] taught me some wonderful life lessons and focused my youthful energy into employment. Alex Duff was VP of Corporate Lending that took me under his wing and taught me to delegate tasks successfully. Another is a friend of 35 years who recently passed and I think of him often. Ultimately my father, who sacrificed to provide for his family. I swore I would never be like him. Yet, alas at 51, I still hear his words very clearly in my head, finding the greatest memories and laughter from our last years together.

While revelling in the past, I often consider how thing might have been, had I taken a different path. Yet the excitement of meeting new people and learning about their life lessons and achievements is truly wonderful. To those special friends, thank you for sharing with me.

I read this recently and I find it to be timeless; "There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. get started now. With each step you take you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self confident, and more and more successful." Mark Victor Hansen