I'm 'IT'

I never liked being tagged growing up... It's not fun now when your house or your fence get tagged. I'm pretty sure most animals aren't very happy when they get tagged. But, like it or not, I've been tagged.

And... I don't know the rules... will I die a horrible death if I don't post my response within three days? Is this like a chain letter? Did some kid in Ohio fall into a volcano the day after he didn't respond? I'm not going to take the chance. Here it is:

3 Joys (Could I call them something else, being a guy?)

1. I think it's understood that Annie is the biggest joy in my life. (It's a good thing her name's not 'Joy' or I would have been slapped for that comment.) It took 28 years to find her and she was worth every minute of searching.
2. Well-cooked food. Most people eat just to have something in their belly. I try to only eat things that taste good. Why fill up on things that don't taste good? This may explain the existence of my belly, but with all of the amazing tastes out there in the world, 95% of which I still haven't even tried, why waste time eating ordinary things?
3. Music. Whether listening to music, playing the guitar, or singing, I love music. There's a power in music that's hard to comprehend. I've found that there are good things about all different types of music. A lot of what's out there is garbage, but there are some jewels in with the sludge.

3 Fears:

See, this is why guys don't typically do these silly things. There's nothing to list in this section.

1. But if I have to put something, I guess I'd say that my biggest fear is falling short of living up to who I should be. That includes all aspects of life. The most pressing fear is not being able to provide for my family, followed by not being able to perform work/church duties effectively.
2. If I have to name another fear, I guess it would be dying before completing my purpose. I'm not afraid to die; in fact, I'm strangely excited for it. Every now and then, though, I get little glimpses of what I can accomplish in this life and don't want to check out before I'm able to do it.
3. Clowns. I can't point to a single instance where my view of clowns changed, and always laughed at people who were afraid of clowns, but the older I get the more creeped out I am by them. There's just something creepy about not being able to trust the emotions visible on someone's face (I don't like mimes for the same reason, or people with sunglasses).

3 Goals:

Trying is the first step on the road to failure. I'm not a big goal-oriented person. I've found that my life works out much better if I roll with the flow. Which is not to say I have no ambitions in life, but my goals can't be measured by conventional means, and seemingly have no rational benefit. I'll try to list what I can, though:

1. Learn everything there is to know. Yes, it sounds ambitious, but it's more of a mind-set than an actual goal. I can't stand not knowing how things work. I just don't understand how people can go through their entire lives without knowing how to read music, calculate the pull of gravity, read a topographical map... How can people drive a car without knowing what makes it run? I don't get it.
2. Become a good person. I want to get to the point where I can see problems and work to fix them without thinking about it. I want to be the person who, when seeing a broken-down car, pulls over to help instead of making jokes (like I usually do now). In short, I want to develop myself to the point where at all times, in all things, and in all places, everyone who comes in contact with me comes away a better person for the influence I've had on them. Again, this is not something I expect to achieve, but something I work toward.
3. Achieve my purpose. I don't know what it is yet, and I don't know how to accomplish it. But, if I'm diligent in working toward my first two goals, I'm sure that when the time comes I'll be ready for it. I just need to find the right place and wait for the right time.

3 Obsessions:

Just three?! My obsessions come and go. I'll latch onto something just long enough to master it, then move on to something else. If I have to come up with CURRENT obsessions, though, they'd be these:

1. Carving stamps. Who would have thought? I've carved around 20 stamps in the last few weeks, with nothing even planned for them. It's just been relaxing to sit and carve (and even better now that I haven't cut myself in over 2 weeks!)
2. Italy. Since my mission I can't get Italy out of my head. Everything I do, in some way, revovles around Italy. It's a good thing Annie also served a mission in Italy or I would have driven her nocce by now with my incessant Italy obsession.
3. Playing the Guitar. Yeah, so this is an old one, but I'm starting to get back into it. I've found some new songs to play reecntly and need to make more time to practice.

3 Random Facts:

These had better be good, huh? Everyone already knows the obvious: I can solve the Rubik's Cube, I like to cook, I'm dashingly handsome (or hashingly dansome). I'll try to come up with something original that nobody knows about me...

1. I like some country music. If you repeat that outside of this blog I'll deny it, but there are some country songs that I really enjoy. In fact, I more than enjoy them. Don't tell Annie.
2. I'm right on the edge between regular-sized clothes and "Big & Tall"-sized clothes. I hate buying Big & Tall stuff. It's like buying "Fat Boy" ice cream sandwiches hoping the cashier doesn't make some crack about how "you are what you eat" (I've still never bought Fat Boy ice cream sandwiches. Ever.) So, as a result, my pants are all 2 inches too short, my sleeves are 2 inches too short, and I have to buy shoes based not on the style I like, but on what's available in my size. Actually, the last few years we've been buying Big & Tall stuff, but I like to have Annie there with me to dissuade the cashier from making flippant remarks.
3. I often have conversations with myself in my head. I don't know what it is, but the me I talk to has some really good ideas sometimes.

Hopefully I don't get struck dead by a stick flying out of the ocean or anything for this, but I'm not tagging anyone else. Unless you'd like to be tagged, then go ahead.