Okay, okay, we've seen this enough times by now to know that somehow, somewhere I end up on a deserted island.
I was going to go with the idea that I was hang gliding with Eva Longoria and we were whipped out to sea by an El Nino wind where - quite unfortunately - the glider is ripped to shreds, Eva plunges precipitously to her demise and I wash ashore the desert island. Hey, it's my dream.
Then I realized I had the old; "where do you put your wallet" problem and decided that hang gliding with Eva is a just an improbable fantasy and decided to go with something a little more concrete.
As it were.
So, I start out here:
We hit a storm:
Last thing I remember is grabbing my wallet getting a raft.
I end up here:
With this as my view:
My two watches are:
1) My Panerai 104. I take it with me everywhere, it's my go anywhere, do anything watch. Plus it's a classic, or a modern classic, or a neo-modernist retro interpretation or basically - cool.
This was taken on deck right before the big "event."
2) My second watch is something I don't own but hope to one day; the JLC Extreme World Chronograph. Fancy materials engineering, highly shock resistant, the ability to check the time in multiple time zones, and a chronograph function all contribute to a fantastic watch – well, at least I think so. Just the thing I need to ensure my croissants don't get to well done once I figure out how to make them over the fire.
My two songs are related in genre and even genealogy but completely different in tone and scope.
The first song is Texas Flood by Stevie Ray Vaughan - the Live at the El Mocambo version. This song is a torrent of energy and sonics and captures the essence of Stevie's live performances. I never saw him play - one of my great regrets.
The second song is by the great Albert King; I'll play the blues for you (Parts 1 &2).
The master of the groove, he played left-handed and upside down pulling the strings down rather than bending them up. That and his unique tunings give him an eerie, immediately recognizable sound that permeates the soul of anyone listening.
My book is the Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. Since I'll have all the time on the island I'll probably read the songs next time.
For the movie, I'm going with Blade Runner, a extraordinary movie that still holds up today over 25 years after its original release. Probably the last real analog sci-fi movie and given the fact that they are at least 5 different versions, the newly released final cut, the original director's cut, the US theatrical release, the European release, and a few others I'll be able to study in intricate detail the multiple subtleties and inherent dichotomies in each version.
The one photograph; wow, this is tough. In the end I went with this one of my nieces and nephews.
I love being an uncle and my brothers have produced some fantastic kids and while we all live several time zones apart we try and get together as much as possible. Lately it's been at funerals for other family members but it's the kids that definitely keep everyone grounded and feeling alive.
From left to right; Anna, Lance, Luke, and Ava.
How my two brothers - supposedly independently - both have single-syllable sons that begin with "L" and daughters whose names begin with "A" and are palindromes - I have no idea. I am, however, grateful that I can be part of their respective lives and watch them grow up.
Oh, and another great thing is that when they leave my house gets quite again.
My one memory; again this is another really tough one but I’m going to mix family, travel and sports. Back in 1998 I had the chance to go to Ireland for work and Tina and I decided to make it an adventure and go for 6 months. During that time, my younger brother Brendan and his wife Lisa come over to visit and we took some time and went to Galway in the Western part of Ireland for fun and recreation. We decided in the spur of the moment to play some golf.
Brendan and I found a real links style course called Lahinch right on the Atlantic coast.
My brother and I, barley having enough time for 9 holes, rented clubs and started out. Once on the course, however, it become very clear, very quickly that we had no idea how to play a real links course and being on the Atlantic coast, while picturesque, was a disaster for actually knowing how or where to hit the ball. To make matters worse nearly every shot was blind – by that I mean – you had the general idea of where to shoot but you had no idea of where the ball went because you could never see it land much less ever find it again.
Once we reach the fourth hole we’re basically demoralized and nearly out of golf balls. The fourth is a Par 5 and I actually hit a decent enough tee shot so that I can see the thing. The second shot is a monster over this huge dune called the “Klondyke” and is, of course, completely blind. I pull out a 3 wood and just try to hit the thing over the dune, never expecting to actually see the ball again.
As I walk up through the gulley and over the dune some folks (from the 8th hole) are making comments about an amazing shot, an astonishing monster shot that is not only on the green but a possible eagle. Admittedly, I miss the eagle putt, but I got the birdie and little bit of self-respect on an amazing golf course. The really amazing part is that my family was there for the fun and my brother and I discovered Irish whiskey later that night.
My one meal is rather pedestrian; you could go out today, this very afternoon and have the same exact one - a Wendy’s double cheeseburger with fries in a “biggie” size.
Let me explain.
After my second hip-replacement surgery I’m at home convalescing. I have like 30 metal staples in my leg, I’m using a walker with tennis balls on the feet to get around and I’ve got about another week or so before I get the staples out and I can take a real shower and not a sponge bath in the sink. It’s takes me 10 minutes to haul my body up the stairs since I can’t put any weight on my leg for 6 weeks and I’ve been on a steady diet of hospital food, home improvement TV shows, physical therapy, pain killers and no real sleep.
My friends from work, Jesse and Steven, decide to surprise me for lunch one day and have the great fortune to bring Wendy’s. Not knowing what I normally order they get the double cheeseburger (with mayo), fries, diet coke, etc. Now, I don’t normally eat double cheeseburgers. Singe cheese burgers, sure, singe cheese burgers with bacon and blue cheese crumples – absolutely. But double cheese burgers, well, it just wasn’t my forte. And no mayonnaise. I never eat mayonnaise, it’s just one of those things that I don’t do. I like mayonnaise but over the years I’d learned to live without it.
So here I am in my own home, no shower, no sleep, and enough metal in me to set off alarms in any airport in the country eating a Wendy’s cheeseburger with great friends, oh, and with mayonnaise.
The best burger one of the best meals I’ve ever had.
My one person is my wife Tina.
The short story is that I met Tina her first day of college in 1984 and we got married in 2002.
Hey, I’m a guy who likes to be “sure.”
She’s my best friend and knows me better than any one person really ever should. I can’t say much more than that.
wow. a lot of information, well written, I learned all about you !
May 22 2008, 7:59 PM
well done !
dated your wife 8 years ?!
harder to make a commitment to a wife than a panerai, huh ?
I'm glad you got washed ashore, and did not fall to your demise.
These seem to be getting better and better. Take care of that hip, and the next time you're in Big D we'll head out for some Texas Style Music and a big old steak (sorry, Wendy's won't do).
cosmicmike
232, 27, 113
Big D
"It ain't easy being cheesey."
"No, maybe I can't win, maybe the only thing I can do is just take everything he's got. But to beat me, he's gonna have to kill me, and to kill me, he's gonna have to have the heart to stand in front of me, and to do that, he's gotta be willing to die himself and I don't know if he's ready to do that..."
nice one Conor.
