25 Things you probably don't know (or care to know) about me

1. My first car accident was when I was 16 & 2 weeks old.  I was hit by a drunk driver whilst "borrowing" my mother's car to cruise around with my girlfriend.  It scared the crap out of me.
2. My first job was working in a pizza place.  I lasted 2 months.  I learned a lot: don't work in the food business, & don't complain about everything.
3. I can't decide what my favorite color is.  Sometimes it's blue, sometimes it's green.
4. When I was a kid I longed to work at Lego.  It was my dream job, and I really thought I had the "stuff" to do it.  I later came to the realization that I really wasn't that good. :)
5. When I was 16 I skipped out on the family tradition of going to our church's Christmas Eve service (which I really did enjoy).  Instead I went to my girlfriend's family party (yes, the same one in #1).  It was then that I learned how much my then-girlfriend enjoyed the bottle & the pipe (if you know what I mean).  I vowed to never skip Christmas Eve service again.
6. I love dance music.  About 8-9 years ago my friend played me some Detroit Techno.  I then went to explore other types of electronic music and finally settled on dance (house, club, euro-trance, etc).  Internet radio has been my saving grace in this regard.  I've blogged about Pandora.com many-a-time.
7. I really, really, really, want to travel to Europe and see a huge, spectacular DJ show like Sensation White, Armin Only, Mayday, etc.  See #6.
8. My first car was a 1979 Chevrolet Nova; maroon, inline 6, automatic.  The trunk was rusted shut and the valve cover gasket leaked oil like a gunshot victim on blood thinners.
9. The first time I went to Canada I was 19, dumb, and asked too many questions.  I tried to make chit-chat with the Canadian border patrol.  When they were searching my car (the Nova), they found a couple of my girlfriend's feminine hygiene products in the glove compartment.  They asked me whose it was since she wasn't with me.  I said, "My girlfriend's".  They asked me to open the trunk.  I said I couldn't; it's rusted shut.  I showed the officer and that was good enough for her.  Obviously this was well before 9/11.
10. My first time having a beer cooler was during my trip to Canada (see #9).
11. I've always thought that my life would make a good movie.
12. I’ve lived my entire life in Michigan.  Although some days in the winter I’d like to move someplace warm, I don’t think I’ll ever leave.
13. I married the girl I took to my high school senior prom:

14. When I was a kid (<12), whenever I fell off my bike, I made sure to get up quickly & not make much fuss, because I felt like an idiot when the neighbors would come out to “rescue” me.
15. When I was 13, my friend & I would sneak into a quiet place in the house and listen to Eddie Murphy tapes.
16. About 4 years ago I spent a week in Amsterdam on a short-term mission trip assisting a local church called Zolder50.  Although we were there doing God’s work, it didn’t really feel like we accomplished much.  I loved the city, and want need to take my wife there.
17. I have a serious problem with authority, namely cops.  I have a feeling this is an inherited trait, which strangely, makes me proud.
18. I’m constantly intrigued by people and society.  I often wonder how people cope with their individual life struggles, and who their friends are.
19. I’m a jack of all trades, master of none. I am often jealous of people that are really good at things I am interested in, e.g. photography, Guitar (Hero), home improvement, parenting, etc.
20. I changed my own oil in every car I’ve owned.
21. I love cars like I love dance music (see #6).  I just can’t afford to own anything new(ish).
22. My first computer was a 386 DX20 with a 40MiB HDD.  It was a Christmas present in 1989, & cost about $3400.  When I installed a copy of Windows 3.1, it was 20 floppy discs, & I had to use a Stacker program to bring my HDD to 80MiB.
23. I always complain about not having any friends, but I’m not willing to do all the work to obtain/maintain them.  What to 2 married men talk about anyway, their wives?
24. When I was quite young (<6) I would sometimes play doctor with the girl down the street (per her request).  One day my buddy got busted by her mother for playing the same game, and was banned from seeing her again.  I was too little to really understand what was going on or its ramifications.  I even, often, felt uncomfortable playing that “game” but didn’t have any idea about how to express my feelings.  She & I eventually stopped playing each other when she moved on to Jr. High (she was a few years older than I).
25. Although I’m not a fanatic, I do love movies.  I prefer dramas, but I’m also a sucker for those sappy romantic comedies. 
    
26. (Bonus) I have 2 tattoos.  One on each arm.

Technorati Tags: 25 things, personal, friendfeed

Sunset

In an effort to ignore the freezing weather & tons of snow falling from the sky...


Sunset by AmateurX on Zooomr

Flewallen Family Reunion

Flewallen family reunion from Mark Nielsen on Vimeo.

Here's a video of Laura's family reunion over the 4th of July. Hillbillies, fireworks, guns, and fire, what more can you ask for? Click thru for the hi-def version!

Just got back from Vacation...

..and boy am I whipped. I know it's "vacation" so I'm supposed to be recharged. Well, when you go camping with an overworked wife, and 3 kids under age 9, relaxation isn't automatic. I'm making some attempts to get back into the craziness of the city. I'll post pics later...

Zoom boycott challenge results

Ok, so the other day I posted a challenge directed by the Digital Photography school. I used my 85mm, because that's the only fixed-focal length lens I have. I took many, many pictures. But I only really liked a couple.

Technorati Tags: pictures, photography, family, vacation

Can you resist the zoom?

Digital Photography School has a weekend challenge; can you do it? I'm going to try it. Since the only fixed focal length I have is an 85mm, I'm going to use that. I've done this before, albeit not for an entire weekend. We'll see. I'll be sure to post the results next week.

Technorati Tags: photography, challenge, digital

Last day in NYC. Part of me will miss it, the other part of me will NOT. I can't wait to sit my out-of-shape ass on my quiet front porch and drink a $1 beer. mmm...

Has to be one of the best musicals I've ever seen! If you haven't seen it, do so. If you have but don't like it, don't talk to me.
Mark

First day in NYC. I'm glad to see that I have a RIGHT to a taxi driver that speaks English. But, due to a "taxi shortage" the fare is double. Doh!

I kept saying that this first family vacation was going to be a learning experience and oh, boy was it ever. i'm starting a laundry list: football, swim fins, 4-square ball, amongst others. I'd say patience is the thing I need to work on the most. All in all i think it was a success... but ask the kids to make sure.
Mark

The first day of the camping trip always starts with the multi-hour car trip. this marks day one. :-) I'm looking forward to a dip in the lake, and roasting marshmallows.
Mark

Mourning, at what point does it cross the line?

It's New Year's Day, mid afternoon. I realize that I had left the phone in the van since the night before. I find the phone & it says 34 Missed calls. Oh, crap! I give it to Laura & she checks the messages. She promptly calls her mother who informs her that her 48 year old brother (Laura's uncle) has died. Her mother immediately transitions into yelling at her because she didn't answer her phone, & she's been trying to get a hold of us since 4am. (Now, keep in mind, had I heard the phone, I wouldn't have answered it anyway.) We had to come get the kids. She even managed to drop a few F-bombs to Laura in her fit of rage. Paraphrasing: "You never answer your F-ing cellphone!"

Laura, not use to this kind of verbal abuse, breaks into tears. Right; not because of her uncle dieing, but because of the yelling on the other end of the phone.

Of course, I flip out and declare that they will never watch our kids again, & that there is never an excuse for yelling at somebody like that. I'm on the verge of screaming because I am so offended, & exasperated.

On the 2 hour car ride out to her folks' we discuss further. She makes a good point, that if I had lost somebody close, she would be the first I would yell at. I agreed that we often take out our grief on the people closest to us. And, since anger is the first stage of grief, it only made sense that she was angry at Laura. The problem I have is the intensity, & manner with which that anger was unleashed upon her. I still find this unacceptable, except I have not experienced loss to that degree. I really am curious of your opinion. Please, make a comment. Was that unacceptable?