I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany.

Stephanie has "tagged" me to share six things about me that would put me in the category of weird. After months of deliberation a panel of experts on the subject have compose such a list, which is provided for your enjoyment and educational purposes only.

(No animals were injured in the creation of this list.)

1. Topping the charts would have to be the peculiar lingo I've developed over the years, most notably "slooge" and "cag."

It's always easier to make things up than to remember, so I've taken many liberties with the English language. This might particularly be weird for one "allegedly" pursuing a PhD in Rhetoric.


2. I wear bow ties. In fact, I have only worn a "slooge tie" (i.e., non-bow tie) twice since 1995, for seminary graduation and a wedding (still tender here, Oilcan).

That's not, as they say, how I roll.

I have been, am now, and forever will be, Semper Bow Tie, the way God intended it.

C'mon! Join ... the few ... the proud ... the bow tie guys.


3. This one may be the most weird of the list, but it's time to come clean. I have an extreme aversion to green vegetables. I'm talking borderline phobic. There, I said it; it's out.

No one's really sure from whence this phobia originated, though I "allegedly" ate green beans as a baby. That's hard for America to believe, since green beans top the most hated list. I don't like them on my plate or even on the table, truth be told.

I don't want green food anywhere near the proper food, lest it become contaminated. This means no pickle on my White Castles and no lettuce on my tacos.

I realize it's likely an unsubstantiated fear, since I've never, to my knowledge, tasted of many of the fares in this genre of food. But, since when did fear have to be rational? In order to avoid the accusations that I was a picky eater at the homes of others growing up, I actually concocted the excuse that I was allergic to the chlorophyll in green plants (HT high school biology).

Due to desensitization training, I can actually eat lettuce (iceberg), in a salad (covered in bacon pieces and ranch dressing, of course). So, if you make me some funky weird dish that entails greenage, don't be tender if I find my appetite gone.


4. I love to relive movies by quoting from them and I only use quotes from movies as the titles for posts on my blog. Using and rehashing movie quotes is not unique to me and I've seen others ripping off my material by using movie quotes in this way as well.

However, that's all I use. Shortly after I began my blog I submitted to this constraint, which means at times it takes me longer to find a suitable title than it does to actually write up the post.

My original hope was that folks would recognize the titles and perhaps even give the movie its props in the comments section, but that has been rare. Nonetheless, I have included each movie sited in a list in my ethos.


5. I am a huge Marilyn Monroe fan, and have been since living in England as a teenager. I'm not sure I can explain this one, but I've always enjoy(ed) her movies and singing. She was/is a larger than life personality and one I would have been interested in meeting.

I've read biographies and find her a bit of a tragic hero(ine) as well. Born June 1, 1926, she would be 80 years old, if not for her tragic death at age 36. Like many, I have still yet to forgive the Kennedys for their role in her death.


6. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I enjoy watching "professional" wrestling. It all started when I was a kid watching it with my Grandpa Collins in St. Louis ("Wrestling at The Chase"). I enjoyed me some Iceman King Parsons and fell in love with the Von Erichs. Who could forget Kerry Von Erich, the Modern Day Warrior strutting to the ring to the tune of Rush's Tom Sawyer?! Who could forget the epic battles of the Von Erich's versus the Freebirds (i.e., Michael Hayes, Buddy Roberts, and Terry Gordy)?

I was out of the loop for about 15 years, but the with advent of the greatness of TiVo, I'm able to check in periodically and follow that which may very well be described as a soap opera for men. I know it's silly and merely theatre, but it's quite entertaining in a very neanderthal sort of way.


See ... I told you I was weird and you didn't even get to hear about the many leather-bound books in my mahogany smelling office.