Debi recently tagged me to do the “Seven Random Things About Me” meme, in order to get my mind off politics for a minute or two. But since I already did “Eight Random Facts” last year, I thought I would paste those here and add a few more.

1. While in Band in Junior and Senior High school and at Eastern Kentucky University for one semester I played the Oboe, the Trombone and Baritone in that order.
2. In 1976 at the Church of God Youth Camp in Kentucky I won two awards:  Mr. Scholastic and the Badminton Champion Trophy.  Yes I was once a scholar/athlete.  Why I never got a Rhodes scholarship is beyond me.
3. I once said that there were two things I would never do:  become a pastor and get a divorce.  I ended up doing both.
4. In my first semester at Eastern Kentucky University I stayed awake during finals week from Sunday until leaving for home on Wednesday.  This was not a good idea since lack of sleep induced hallucinations are rarely conducive to doing well on tests (we were in the midst of role-playing game marathon). I have not, however, given up this kind of foolishness, since even now at the old age of 45 I find myself still doing all-nighters at times, especially on Saturdays.
5. In my pre-pastor days, my senior psychology project at EKU on “Locus of Control, Death Anxiety, Seat Belt Usage and Other Variables” placed first among the student presentations at the Kentucky Academy of Science Psychology section, netting me a $100.00 award, publication in the KAS proceedings, and led to my receiving the Psi Chi Research award at EKU that year.
6. My first real love and goal in life was to become a politician and get elected to the Kentucky legislature.  To this end I applied for, was accepted into, and worked for eight months as an intern in the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission in 1982.
7. I believe that the only pie really worth eating is a pecan pie, preferably served warm and with a big slab of vanilla ice cream on top.
8. In college I was given the nickname of “fish.”  This was because of my tendency to argue one point of view until I had almost convinced my opponent of it’s correctness, only to then turn around or “flip flop” and begin arguing the other side.  I loved and love to debate and argue!  Plus, at the time, I thought this talent would serve me well when I got elected to political office : )
9. My original career goal was to get a PhD in Social Psychology at Miami University (Ohio).  I had been accepted into their program and had been offered a four-year fellowship.  Instead, God came calling and I went to work as a Student Assistant Minister for one year at the lofty salary of $2,000, and then went to Drew Theological School.
10. My favorite food is steak, grilled medium rare.  Add a baked potato slathered in butter, and I am in heaven.
11. The very first car I ever owned was a 1972 Buick Skylark SE.  Imagine the car in the picture in a deep red color with a black vinyl top.  What a cool automobile.  Too bad it ended up being wrapped around a telephone poll (I continued to drive the car for almost a year after this though, with a crushed in driver’s side door and a shattered windshield – there was no annual state inspection back in the day . . . 1982-83).
12. My first kiss came at the lips of a young girl named Pam when we were in Kindergarten at the back of the lunch line.
13. Though I pretend to be cynical and jaded, I am a romantic at heart.
14. At the age of 31 I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea.  It was so bad that my blood oxygen level dropped to 33% at one time during my sleep study, at which point they woke me up afraid that I might die in my sleep.  I subsequently had a UPPP surgery which ended the Apnea.
15. Although I hate cats, I have two of them (well, technically they are my daughters, but they live with me).  I am sure that mine will accomplish what the Sleep Apnea failed to do:  bring about my premature death.  (Really though, cats are okay I guess.  I just prefer dogs).
16. One of my great desires in life was to become a monk (an ecumenical or protestant monk, btw, but a monk nonetheless).

There you have it.  More than you ever wanted to know about yours truly.