Seven Wonders

So Min tagged me last week. Now I get the wonderful task of talking about myself for awhile. Not one of favorite things to do. Unlike Min, I have no prepared speech or strapless dress, if I did, I'd have at least one interesting thing to talk about.

1. According to my daughter, I work at "that stinky place", the Dane County Landfill. I'm a solid waste engineer for the county. My office is near the coliseum, but I try and spend as much time as possible at the landfill. I like it out there. I also manage the county's compost sites, which gives me the pleasure of working the Garden Expo and talking to various gardening groups and at other random conventions. Most interesting part of the job is giving tours at the landfill. Kid's can ask the strangest questions. If you ever want a landfill tour just ask, I'd be happy to do it.

2. My wife says I'm a food snob. I'm not, I just like good food, a lot. Two of my favorite shows revolve around it. No Reservations, which I'm actually watching now, and Bizarre Foods. I like to think I'll try anything once, but that guy is just plain nuts. I like to cook, but it comes primarily from my want to eat. The last two non triathlon related books I've read have been cookbooks. Thai is probably my current favorite.

3. As long as we're on food, I prefer locally grown whenever possible. I'm not an organic nut, I think sustainability is much more important. It drives me up the wall when I'm in the local grocery and I see, for example, apples from washington, potatoes from idaho, and winter squash from mexico. We grow all this stuff in Wisconsin, there is no good reason to keep importing it from across the globe. I don't refrain from citrus or seafood or anything else that we don't produce here. I just believe in supporting the local economy whenever possible.

4. I'm not anti big business, maybe I am, I don't know. It gets back to supporting the little guy, the local shop, the mom and pop type stores. Walmart and the likes top the list of stores I don't voluntarily enter. Roundy's type grocery stores are probably next on the list, but it's hard to completely get away from shopping at them. Chain restaurants are close behind, although I frequent them much more regularly, it's hard not to with kids.

5. If it weren't for my wife, very few people would actually know about my Ironman plans. None of my coworkers are aware. I don't like drawing attention to myself, and I don't do things just so I can beat my chest and pretend I'm all that. This blog runs somewhat contradictory to that, but I keep it more as my own personal log. Turns out it's also a good way for me to actually avoid talking about it.

6. I love me a good nap. Even more so if the dog joins in. I could nap on a daily basis, and I actually think it would make me a better person if I could.

7. Deep breath, we're almost there. When it comes to email, I don't forward anything, ever. Doesn't matter if 14 years of bad luck will follow, some third world country will fold, or if death is certain to come quickly and painfully. If you forward some sappy story, heartwarming fable, or miraculous tale with a plea to forward it to my 76 closest friends, it's guaranteed to find it's way to the trash. End of story, my wife on the other hand, another story all together.

There you have it, seven things. And for reason number 7, I will not be tagging anyone. It falls way to close to forwarding email. Thank you, please come again, back to your regularly scheduled programming.