Six Random Things

Awhile back, September 29th to be exact, @portlandjosh (aka: Raging Dad), challenged me to post six random things about myself.  In the spirit of self-disclosure, transparency, social networking, and not leaving a challenge unabated, here goes:

Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write 6 random things about yourself.
4. Tag 6-ish people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know he/she has been tagged.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

1. I am a direct descendant of Roger Williams. Although Wikipedia rightly tags him as a theologian, the things that most impress me about Roger are his stand for religious freedom and the independent spirit of leaving Boston and founding Providence, RI.  I resonate with that sort of independence and rebellion towards the status quo.
2. My Great-Great-Grandparents emigrated to Oregon in the 1800s. They built a home on the Oregon Coast, in Alsea, and my father was born in the log cabin they built.  In fact, they helped bury soldiers after Custer’s Last Stand at Little Bighorn.
3. I was hospitalized over 10 times to correct facial birth defects.  I was born with a bilateral cleft-lip and palate which, being one of the worst cases, took numerous surgeries to correct – in addition to 17 years of orthodontia.
4. My first car was a 1965 Mustang. I would probably still have the car today, except someone ran a red light at SE 82nd & Foster and totaled my Mean Green Machine!
5. I am a self-taught, bicycle-rider and self-taught, guitar player. At the age of four I kept picking up my friend’s  bike until I learned how to ride.  I will ride a bike in public, but I won’t play the guitar in public.
6. I was awarded the Emergency Medical Services Impact Award in 1994 & 1995, by the State of Oregon. In 1994, this was given for my work as chair of the standardized EMS database committee – the first in the nation.  In 1995, it was shared amongst my coworkers for our commitment to quality at Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue.

So, there you have it.

(and here come the six, not so random links)

• Raging Dad
• Another Blogger
• Blogan
• Dadomatic
• Link en Fuego
• Life, Love, and Learning