Hotseat! Grill a MoFo: mark f

Well, well, well, look who the cat dragged in.

I'm not sure how to start here since I feel I have to treat my elders with respect (and boy are you my elder Hahaha!), but, alas, I shall dive right in.

1). What writer do you like to read best?
2). If you could pick any state other than Cali to live in, which would you pick and why?
3). Jaws is your favorite movie, I see. Did you ever pause when going into the water after seeing it?
4). What is your favorite subject to teach?
5). Do you have any chillun?
6). Do you think, administratively speaking, that Caitlyn or Sedai is the better moderator?
7). Do you have any phobias? If so, what are they?
8). Are you a RinTinTin or a Lassie man?
9). If you were to liken your own perceived shortcomings to a Wizard of Oz character would you be most like the Tin Man, The Cowardly Lion or The Scarecrow? Why?
10). Under what genre do most of your favorite films fall under... say if you went out to a top 100 list?

What writer do you like to read best?

I have to confess to not reading many "newer" books. My favorite books are One Hundred Years of Solitude by Marquez and The Maltese Falcon by Hammett. My daughter Sarah (yep, my one child) just bought Huckleberry Finn, so I have a yearning to reread that one. The author whose books I've probably read the most is Charles Dickens, so you can see that I'm not really up on modern fiction. My wife Brenda reads about 15 novels a month, and Sarah seems to buy that many, so maybe my latter-day illiteracy will recede by their example, but so far, it hasn't happened.

If you could pick any state other than Cali to live in, which would you pick and why?

The thing about California is that it is so very large and filled with so many types of geography and climate. I've lived in other parts of Cali, but I've never lived in a remote area. I often think I'd like to go live in Upper Mariposa Grove in Yosemite, but that's still California. For many of the same reasons, I'd like to live in Utah because I love Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Capital Reef, Mesa Verde (close enough), etc. Before Sarah was born, Brenda and I drove across the U.S. up to South Dakota, stopping at all the National Parks and Monuments we could. Of all the spectacular places we visited, Zion was probably my favorite, but all the parks in Utah make it a great place for scenic wonder.

I have to step away for awhile, but I'll try to add some more soon. I'm not really thrilled with this school laptop. I think I could do it better at home.

__________________
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page

Jaws is your favorite movie, I see. Did you ever pause when going into the water after seeing it?

I went gaga for Jaws in the summer of '75. It literally saved my sanity and my college degree. I have a B.S. from UC Irvine in Biology, but I was getting burnt out on all the science classes I was taking and most of the what I'll call "cutthoat" students. I was just about ready to give up after my sophomore year, but then I saw Jaws and kept going back all summer. When I returned to school in the fall, I started taking as many film classes I could. I decided that I wasn't going to change my Major because the first two years of the Bio program were definitely the two toughest, but I no longer had any desire to go to Medical School, so I took all my available elective units in film. I ended up taking 11 film classes, which is roughly equivalent to a year of school.

Anyway, I still went into the ocean after Jaws, but I certainly kept my eyes open for fins a lot more than previously, and no, I never ever saw one fin.

What is your favorite subject to teach?

I enjoy teaching Algebra and Algebra II the most, but it's really difficult sometimes. Unless you're lucky and have a class full of honor students, you will always have students who don't like Math and have felt that way for several years. It's very frustrating to try to motivate someone who doesn't like even the most basic level Arithmetic to try to stay focused enough to give it another chance. I'm not saying that I'm the greatest teacher around, but when you do see someone's eyes light up after they were glassy for several weeks/months/years, it does make it seem worthwhile. But I'm realistic enough to know that even some of the most diligent students will still have trouble with math because they never learned the basics, and in this day and age with state-enforced standards and benchmark testing, a high school math class isn't really allowed to take the time to go over things which should have been learned in elementary school.

I hope these answers aren't too long, boring and/or off topic. I have to post this now because with this computer and the Internet connection, I might get booted off at any time.

Do you have any chillun?

I have one daughter, Sarah, who turned 16 last May. Yes, it seems like she was a tiny tot just a short time ago, so I have to tell you to enjoy your kids at every age because time really flies when you get to be an old fart. I won't go on too much about her, but I'm proud. She does very well in school in all her classes, plus she's the Photo Editor of her school yearbook, the editor of the school newspaper, plays on the softball team and is involved in several clubs, including being the President of the recently-approved Film Club. So now, the big concern is where is she going to go to college?

Do you think, administratively speaking, that Caitlyn or Sedai is the better moderator?

That's a funny question since I don't get to see a lot of what they do. I believe they are both equally excellent though. I know Sedai, somewhat, from another site we were at a couple of years ago, and I'm getting a little crush on Caitlyn right now, so I'd better stifle.

Do you have any phobias? If so, what are they?

I don't have most of the phobias I had when I was a kid. In fact, I think I outgrew all of those, but as I get older and bigger, I have more of a phobia of cramped spaces. I'm not sure it's a bonafide fear of the tight space itself, or just the fear that I'll get stuck in it.

Are you a RinTinTin or a Lassie man?

Growing up, my family always had cats but no dogs. After I met Brenda and she always had a dog, I've grown fond of dogs too. Now, the only dogs we've had have been female, so I guess that makes me a Lassie guy, but I'm sure that I'd enjoy Rin Tin Tin-types too, especially if they were actually males. We still have cats here too, and the pets all seem to get along fine with no extreme signs of mass hysteria so far.

If you were to liken your own perceived shortcomings to a Wizard of Oz character would you be most like the Tin Man, The Cowardly Lion or The Scarecrow? Why?

I'd probably say the Tin Man. I can cry at movies, music, literature, artwork, etc., but I find myself sometimes being too hard on the people I love the most and spend the most time with. I may just be over critical of some things, and I'd really like to be able to "fully" empathize with others' problems. I mean, I try to help everybody who needs it or shares their problems with me. I'll help physically, emotionally and any other way that I'm able to, but I still feel, deep inside, that I'm holding back something and being semi-detached. So, in that way, I'd like to have a better heart, or at least one with some more open chambers.

Under what genre do most of your favorite films fall under... say if you went out to a top 100 list?

I'm not 100% sure about this, but probably Adventure. Now, in that Super Genre, I'd be including Westerns, War Thrillers, Action Movies and even some Fantasy (since I certainly think of Raiders and Star Wars as adventures). If that genre is too all-encompassing, I'll try to think harder how the numbers break down. One thing is certain: I don't have a genre of films I won't watch. I even put up a post about Singapore Sling!

Superb job sir! I have a project due this morning and an event to attend this afternoon so it may be tomorrow before I'm back to this. Just wanted to thank you for your responses and reassure you that they are neither boring nor lengthy!

That, sir, is an epidemic!

Here's a few more for your Mark.


How did you and your wife meet?

How did you know she was the one for you?

What do you love most about her?

Household chores...what you like the least and what do you like the most (or should I say don't mind too much )?

What advice have you given to your daughter about boys and dating?

Has your daughter ever asked you an embarassing question about boys that left you tongue tied? Annnd...what was that question?

How did you and your wife meet?

My wife and I met on the job in 1985. We were both center air traffic controllers. We had been hired after Reagan fired many of them for striking. I was working at Oakland Center for about a year before she arrived, so as it turned out, I was one of the first people to train her on-the-job. As things progressed, we realized that we had much in common.

How did you know she was the one for you?

As I said above, we had much in common. We graduated from high school and college the same year. We were both from California. We both liked LA sports teams and hated the Bay Area ones. We would get together with other controllers at times (that's what ATCs do since they have such weird schedules), so we started seeing more of each other. There was one party where there was a swimming pool in the backyard. I'll admit that I'd had a few beers, but I started chasing her around the pool and eventually landed in it. It was at that point, she says, she knew I was the one. So, as they used to say, my goose was cooked right there.

What do you love most about her?

She is very easy going about most things. When she gets frustrated over something, she can make a loud noise, but it's over pretty quickly. She doesn't need to cry and whine, although she will certainly tell me about problems at work (she's a 4th grade school teacher). She can just let it slip away when she comes home by laying her head on my shoulder. Hey, it's a very good marriage. We can certainly improve, but that's something to look forward to because we know we are never going to be apart.

Household chores...what you like the least and what do you like the most (or should I say don't mind too much )?

I actually do most of the common chores around the house. My schedule is such that I have more free time, and I'm used to it. Dusting is certainly not my thing though, and vacuuming is not that interesting either. Plus, don't get me started on cleaning the bathrooms! I can do the cooking, dishes and laundry easily enough since I have a routine. I don't want to make it sound like Brenda doesn't do these things sometimes, but she'd be the first to say that she appreciates the fact I do them. It's not a biggie to me because when I was younger, both my parents got ill and I did it for them, so as I say, I'm used to it.

What advice have you given to your daughter about boys and dating?

I believe that Sarah is like her parents in that she's not really into dating right now. Neither one of us were big on dating in high school. Sarah never seems to have that much free time anyway. Plus, I know where she's at most of the time because I take her to school and pick her up every day. Basically, our advice right now is "Don't do it!" Honestly, she's never mentioned any boy that she likes, and even if she likes one, she's probably too shy to talk to him. (I'm basing this on my own ancient experiences.) If she talks about a boy, I'll definitely be open to whatever she says.

Has your daughter ever asked you an embarassing question about boys that left you tongue tied? Annnd...what was that question?

I think I can honestly say that she's never asked that question. She's asked me plenty of questions about movies, music, books, photography, her writing, etc., and sometimes I have a difficult time answering those, but that's because half of her DNA is from me, and I'm crazy. Sarah hangs out with lots of other girls who are similar to her in that they all are really interested in school and extracurricular activities. They just don't seem too interested in boys, and I don't think we've really sheltered her about it at all. I know you're thinking she doesn't tell me everything, and I'm sure that's true, but she tells me almost everything. She's stuck in the car with me 30 minutes a day with no way of escaping.

I know you're a big L.A. Dodgers fan, so how excited are you for the Joe Torre era to begin? If the pitching stays healthy this year do you think they have a chance at the Western Division? Which free agents on the market this winter do you think the Dodgers could best use on their roster?

O.K., enough of the Howard Cosell.


If you were allowed to be guest programmer at Grauman's Chinese Theatre for a special weekend and you could choose any six films to screen (and assuming great prints of each could be found), which are those personal favorites you'd just HAVE to put on the big, big screen?


Since you and your wife have been in the commercial airline industry, in your experience which movie or movies most accurately capture what goes on in the tower and in the cockpit?

And having worked in that business, is it kinda like working at a restaurant where after you see what goes on behind the scenes you're less likely to eat out, or have your and your wife's experiences made the prospect of flying commercially more calm and reassuring?


I know you and the family took a trip to New Zealand not too long ago. Describe your best day there, and what other distant trips have the three of you made together over the years?

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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra

Great questions, Holden. I'm going to have to wait until I get home to address the others, but I'll try to cover these now.

Since you and your wife have been in the commercial airline industry, in your experience which movie or movies most accurately capture what goes on in the tower and in the cockpit?

We were both Center ATCs. That means that we control the aircraft in between airports and approach controls. Airports have no reason to care about overflying aircraft if they're at least 5,000 feet high or more than five miles away and not landing. So that is the Center controller's job. Another interesting part of the job in my specific area was that we worked oceanic traffic going to Hawaii, the Orient, Oceania, etc. Believe it or not, I gave departure and arrival clearances to Midway Island! Since there is no radar out in the ocean, all of this was done "manually" and communication was done through HF radios using ARINC.

Brenda is also a single engine pilot, so we know the ATC system from several perspectives. Before 9/11, all ATCs were required to take familiarization flights in jets in their jumpseats. It was a way for us to exchange info with the commercial pilots, see what it's like in a jet cockpit and fly FREE to destinations of our choice.

Anyway, the other day, The High and the Mighty was on, and even though I don't think it's a good movie, it's very realistic about what goes on in the cockpit and on the ground. I believe this has to do with WWI aviator William Wellman being the director. Even if some of his aviation films have some hokey effects, they all have more of a nuts-and-bolts realism about flying and ATC than something which is incredibly ludicrous on the subject (Die Hard 2). I'll try to add some more later.

And having worked in that business, is it kinda like working at a restaurant where after you see what goes on behind the scenes you're less likely to eat out, or have your and your wife's experiences made the prospect of flying commercially more calm and reassuring?

Most of the floor controllers were good people and I'd trust our lives with them, but the Supervisors and management often worried me. However, if you look at the safety record, it's very impressive, and I'm a little surprised that the system is run as safely as it is. Brenda and I both quit our jobs (I did it after 5+ years) not because of the stress or pressure of the actual work, but because Management was constantly in our faces, forcing us to change tried-and-true procedures every time there was a human error which resulted in a "deal". A deal is when the planes get too close together, and it's usually caused by not pre-planning your flow of traffic well, or in the Oceanic area, by transcribing numbers written down on the strips used to ensure proper aircraft separation. Every time a deal occurred, there were special briefings and "bandaid" procedures were instituted to allegedly correct the problem. Basically, what the FAA was handing out is that we trained you, we certified you, we awarded you, but because of an unforseen human error by someone, we don't trust anyone to do what we have you doing. These things would occur often enough so that it was maddening and insulting. Combine that with the fact that the blind, old Flight Surgeon at the center was a whacko who scared Brenda into thinking she might have cancer and that I didn't want to have to be anywhere in the same building with him because I thought I might punch him out and get arrested. That was fun.

The real reason we ended up quitting was that we wanted to have children, and we didn't feel working on opposite shifts, combined with these other hassles, was worth it. The FAA is very much into seniority, so you bid for your days off based on that. By the time things got around to Brenda and me, our choices were such that we couldn't share any days off together. OK, now that must have been off topic!

We don't really even think too much about ATC when we take our flights. I'm surprised that more airplanes don't go down or explode based on maintanance and age issues, so I probably better not worry about who's controlling the airplane because, yeah, some of those people are scary, even outside of the restroom.

1. What is your shoe size
2. What did you want to become when you were little.
3. What do you like better: apples or pears?
4. Nancy or Frank Sinatra?
5. Worst dream you ever had..

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I Amsterdam

And do check my "art": Deviant

What is your shoe size?

I don't know if this translates to where you live, but I wear a 10 Wide or a 10 1/2 Regular.

What did you want to become when you were little?

A Los Angeles Dodger baseball player and/or an astronaut.

What do you like better: apples or pears?

I like both, but I prefer a crispy apple, so I'd go for a Granny Smith or the Honeycrisp I had today for lunch.

Nancy or Frank Sinatra?

Frank has done so much more in music and movies, so I'll pick him. If you're talking about whose boots I wanted walking over me in their prime, I'd take Nancy, thank you.

Worst dream you ever had?

This one is tough. I have several random dreams where I'm being chased by some monsters out of [pick your favorite monster chasing me movie], but they never catch me. Then I have dreams about family members dying, but even if they start out scary, they tend to end up peacefully reassuring. I'll have to get back to you because even though I'm good at remembering dreams, my scariest were all when I was a kid and couldn't keep track of whether the spookiness was real or a dream.

Can't really think of too many new questions, but I do have one - why use Abe Simpson as an avatar? I've wondered that for a while.

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Iro's Top 100 Movies v3.0

I'm a decrepit old man, but I have a family who loves...tolerates...me.

Plus I'm deluded enough to think I'm funny, but with my Alzheimer's...

What does the F in your usename means?

What movie genre are you interested in the most?

Was High School the best years of your life?

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Hey Mark, 'sup man?:

1. What are your favorite movies by decade? - Only one per decade please.

2. Have you ever been skydiving?

3. Do you like Flash Gordon ~ 1980?

4. Have you ever streaked in a public place?

5. Name a vegetable that you will never eat and why?

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“The gladdest moment in human life, methinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton

I know you're a big L.A. Dodgers fan, so how excited are you for the Joe Torre era to begin? If the pitching stays healthy this year do you think they have a chance at the Western Division? Which free agents on the market this winter do you think the Dodgers could best use on their roster?

O.K., enough of the Howard Cosell.

I'm not sure I'm fully prepared to answer, but Brenda is still at her school's Holiday Party, and she gave me the A-OK that I didn't have to attend, so I'll try. Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the Dodgers' last World Championship, and that does actually coincide with my marriage. Brenda and I were on our second honeymoon in Clint Eastwood's Carmel when Hershiser was leading the Dodgers past the Mets. Then, we were in Bre's hometown of Bakersfield when Kirk Gibson produced what amounted to me as the Shot Heard 'Round the World.

I'm happy to have a successful player and manager such as Torre on board, and every year, I believe that the Dodgers have the right stuff to get into the playoffs. It's just that they usually hang tight and find some way to slack off at the end of the season. I'm not sure if the average fan realizes how competitive the NL West is. Anyway, I'm not really up on the free agent market since the Yankees seem to have that monopoly cornered. But I am very happy with Russell Martin, James Loney and Matt Kemp. Chad Billingsley did a good job too. The Dodgers need to keep their youngsters and not trade them. Part of the problem the Dodgers have had since their last World Series victory is that they trade away their best players just when they should all be crystallizing as a team. Well, nobody said that Baseball owners and GMs were smart, at least not at my house for about 20 years.


If you were allowed to be guest programmer at Grauman's Chinese Theatre for a special weekend and you could choose any six films to screen (and assuming great prints of each could be found), which are those personal favorites you'd just HAVE to put on the big, big screen?

I could go into detail here, but first, I'm just going to list the movies. Somebody please ask me the whys and wherefores if you're interested. I would love to see the following on the Big Screen (and I would hope every film buff would too!)

Sunrise: The Story of Two Humans (F.W. Murnau, 1927)



The Bitter Tea of General Yen (Frank Capra, 1933)



A Matter of Life and Death (Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger, 1946)



The Innocents (Jack Clayton, 1961)




Days of Heaven (Terrence Malick, 1978)



Excalibur (John Boorman, 1981)



I have seen the last four on the big screen, but I would love to see what kind of prints we could get for them now.

I know you and the family took a trip to New Zealand not too long ago. Describe your best day there, and what other distant trips have the three of you made together over the years?

That is a question I wanted to run by Brenda, but I asked Sarah, so I'm pretty sure she'll agree. There are too many choices to pick only one! The trip to Milford Sound by car and then on the boat was very unique, especially when the boat took us all under a waterrfall from the fjord. But the trip on the north Island to the Kauri Museum where we saw everything about the second largest tree in the history of the world was great. As was traveling down south of Invercargill where we saw a penguin come up on shore, even though it was a bit afraid of us. Those are some of the best places we shared together as a family, but one of the best things about New Zealand is that each night we stayed at a Bed and Breakfast, and most of those were people's homes, so we got to meet lots of really friendly people of all ages. It was a trip, and I'd highly recommend it to all.

As far as other far-off trips, that was probably the first one we've taken as a family, and the reason we did it was because the Ninety-Nines had their International Convention in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2006, so we took advantage of some deals and went there for 18 days. The Ninety-Nines is an international organization of women pilots. If anyone's interested, since I'm a husband of a Ninety-Nine, that makes me a Forty-Nine-and-a-Half! Next year, the International convention is in Anchorage, Alaska, so we'll be there for as long as we can afford it.

Thanks for answering all of those questions and for being such a good sport. Lets continue....

You're two years younger than my husband...so in my eyes, you're not an old decrepit man.

However~~

Have you ever had a mid-life crisis or feel the beginning stages of one?
If so, what did/does it entail? Motorcycles? A sudden need to do something you've never done? Working out more? What?

Do you relate to any of the movies with a mid-life crisis as a theme? Which ones and Why?

What do you feel are your greatest strengths and your biggest weaknesses?

Gosh, I hope I'm still that on-the-ball when I hit the 'decrepit' stage of my life.

Anyway, indulge me a little curiosity.

According to your profile you once worked as an Air Traffic Controller. Do you have any horror stories from that period?

Does your family have a motto, and if not what do you think would be most fitting?

If you could go back in time and pass on one piece of advice to your 18 year old self, what would it be?

If you could pick any one person to receive a lifetime achievement Oscar, who would it be and why?

Considering that in a little over three billion years the Milky Way will collide with the Andromeda galaxy and our solar system will most likely be destroyed as a result, do you prefer your potatoes mashed, baked or roasted?

For Aniko, and guys above her, forgive me. I didn't even see your questions until now.

Have you ever had a mid-life crisis or feel the beginning stages of one? If so, what did/does it entail? Motorcycles? A sudden need to do something you've never done? Working out more? What?

I'm not trying to duck out on the question, but I've always lived a kind of alternative life style. I've never really bought into searching for the gold at the end of the rainbow or selling my soul for the Dollar. When I was younger, I took care of my parents after I graduated from college. That's not exactly what a normal college graduate does. I also spent a lot of time exercising because I can put on weight if I don't do that. I worked for a guy who was trying to get a massive film reference book out for several years, but it wasn't a 9 to 5 job. I've had several jobs, and the ATC one probably was the most like something which could get you thinking about missing out on life, but I met Brenda there, and we eventually got out and started a family. I seem to have come to most things later in life than many others, so maybe that makes me eternally young or just eternally immature. My bottom-line answer is that I don't feel I've had a midlife criss, although I have slight regrets that I haven't left something behind for people to remember me by. But usually, when I start to think about that, I just remember my daughter Sarah.

Do you relate to any of the movies with a mid-life crisis as a theme? Which ones and Why?

I certainly relate to the concept of a midlife crisis, at least in film. That's one of the things about film; it lets you indulge in some vicarious fantasies without really harming anyone else. I'll always remember Play It Again, Sam where Susan Anspach drives off away from Woody Allen on the back of a motorcycle and tells him, "I'm a doer and you're a watcher! You're always watching movies!" Sometimes I feel like I've let life slip away, but I've gone many places, have a good family and am still able to help problem students out at the Continuation High School. But sure. I'd like to live on a remote island as John Cassavetes does in Tempest. I also have a soft spot for the Gene Hackman character in All Night Long (1981). I'd like to tell bosses to take a hike (well, I already have), change my entire way of living and become an inventor. I'd just need to do it while keeping my family intact. I'll tell you what though. Sarah goes to college in two years, so let's see if that changes anything.

What do you feel are your greatest strengths and your biggest weaknesses?

I believe I've covered some of these. I'm pretty reliable. If I say I'll do something, I'll do it, and if you ask me to do it, I'll say I'll do it unless it's a conflict of interest or involves a problem with time or a previous commitment. I'm a good planner and problem solver, which means that things which others I know would never even attempt, I'll whip into shape in no time. I'm talking about social functions, secret "parties", arranging field trips, setting up schedules, etc. I'm also pretty good at communicating. I know who I can talk to in what way, especially to try to get people who don't like each other to agree. So, in that way, I'm probably a good negotiator. I've also communicated clearly enough to judges, the police, doctors and hospitals to have had a few contested tickets overturned and several thousands of dollars written off in medical payments during the stretch after we quit the FAA and didn't have any health insurance.

As far as the bad goes, it probably outweighs the good, but I'm a little hesitant to bring them all up. I do feel like I don't empathize enough with people. I believe I'm harder on them than I am on myself. I'm also a very tough grader in school. I've worked out this way of getting through things by talking about them. I used to just hold things in and periodically explode. Now, I just talk about them, letting off steam. However, my talking about them in front of others can often cause unforseen confrontations if they take things personally. I don't talk about people when I "let off steam", but I do talk about their actions sometimes, so I can understand why it could be taken personally, but I never speak loudly or damningly; it's mostly just a why would that happen or how could that happen tone. I understand that everyone has been brought up a certain way and has bad memories relating to things involving their family and friends. I just find it interesting that I can bring people together at the same time I can get them temporarily mad at me. Plus, I have an addictive personality, but at least I don't smoke!!

Shutting down now before this becomes even more of a snoozefest.

For Bill:

How are you doin' there, Son?

What does the F in your usename mean?

Well, it just stands for my last initial. I don't think I'm gonna give it out yet, but Holden knows what it is. One of the perks of being an ATC is that you have to sign off all communication and writing with two initials. I was allowed to use "mike foxtrot" (MoFo). The other controllers remarked that they were surprised that I could use it because several combos are not allowed; "foxtrot uniform", for example. Poor Brenda wasn't even allowed to use her natural initials, "bravo juliet", but they didn't seem to have a problem with "bravo yankee".

What movie genre are you interested in the most?

Hey, you've got a genre, I'm interested. It's just that I have to weigh my options more now. The days when I could watch 1500 movies a year are long gone. I started watching low-budget B&W horror/sci-fi flix on TV, but I've always been a sucker for adventure films. I also really like screwball comedies and political satires/thrillers. And then there's...

Was High School the best years of your life?

No. I was pretty anti-social in school. I played intramural sports, but not school team sports. In fact, a group of my friends and I used to play the varsity basketball team at the local community center, and we won more than we lost. Maybe I didn't have that much school spirit. I was probably considered a nerd because I tried to get all my work done at school, so I could play sports afterward. I just wasn't into anything too organized. I guess I wasn't very disciplined and resented somebody trying to "whip me into shape". I also didn't go to any dances or have one date in high school. I was very happy to look, but I was pretty shy around girls. I did go to all the basketball and football games though because I was the team statistician, plus I phoned in the results to the local papers. On the other hand, I didn't go to any of the post-graduation festivities, and I've never gone to a class reunion, even though, surprisingly, I made many friends in school.