Saturday 9: Home

1. Do you live close to where you grew up? Why?

For years I couldn’t wait to see my hometown, Ontario, OR in my rearview mirror. Like many people I’ve encountered, we seem to feel that the old hometown is what kept our dreams from gaining wings. Then I went and married a woman from there and the reasons became a little more complicated; my former in-laws live there, and there is a boatload of them! One of my kids summed it up, “Dad, they don’t like you very much”.

2. Have you ever been so angry that you almost lost control?

Yes… I put a hammer through a computer monitor once.

3. Are you a fan of a musical act that slightly embarrasses you?

Yes…

4. Is there a movie that always makes you cry?

Yes… The Family Stone

5. Who is the most famous person that you've met?

2004-06 I had a daily local affairs talk show on a local radio station. I had the opportunity to meet/interview a number of people who are famous in the State of Oregon, Sen. Gordon Smith, Rep. Greg Walden and Gov. Ted Kulongoski. But the person that may be more widely famous is NBA Hall of Famer, Bill Walton. He’s a big deal here in Oregon, mainly due to the part he played on the 1977 NBA Championship Portland Trailblazers! But he went on to play for the Celtics and to be a sports analyst on ABC & ESPN.

6. Before you leave your home, what must you have?

Keys

7. What do you miss the most about being a kid?

I miss the friend I had back then. Hanging out, making fun out of just about anything.

8. Tell us about a passion of yours that your readers would not expect.

I have a passion for finding a way to keep young people from going down the road I followed into adulthood. I was so scared of my sexuality, I thought the only way was to live a lie. In the end I damaged myself, the woman I married and my children.

9. At what age do you think you'd be to think, “I've had a great run”?

At the rate I’m going… 125.