Is it really this easy to write a hit song?

Look no further. This will look awesome on my desk. Filled with black roses. Or licorice.

I'm not one to respond to every silly little viral blog thing that comes my way, but when a person like internet superstar Steven Garrity (I totally work with him!) tags you, you have no choice but to respond.

The rules:
1. Link to your original tagger and list these rules in your post.
2. Share seven facts about yourself in the post.
3. Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names and the links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged.


7 things:

1. I have a Masters of Religious Education from Acadia Divinity College. This 2 year program was the hardest i've ever worked at anything in my life and i consider it to be one of my proudest accomplishments. Upon graduating, my goal was to work full time as a youth pastor - instead i spent 4 years working in a call center. Eventually i did get full time work in a church - then after a couple of years of that, realized it really wasn't for me. Now i'm a full time nerd.

2. This might come as a surprise to many of the friends i grew up with, but I like country music. I need to clarify that - i like older, classic country music. Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, Waylon Jennings - all the old dudes. I even enjoy some of the cheesy 70's country music - like Kenny Rogers, and Conway Twitty.  I DO NOT like modern country music. In fact i consider it to be the modern day 'Hair Metal' - which i think this video actually proves. Though i should also confess, i do have a fondness for actual Hair Metal.

3. Random confession time - I am oddly addicted to the show John and Kate Plus 8. I never actually plan to sit down and watch it, but if it's on, and i happen upon it while flipping through the channels, i have to stop and watch it. As a single guy with no kids, i'm not sure why this is. The kids are hilariously cute, and as parents, it must be cool to have 8 little people like that who have to love you back... I think my biological clock is ticking and my vagina might be showing.  

4. In 1983, as an 11 year old, I worked security for Prince Charles and Lady Diana. I can't imagine something like this happening in this day and age - but at the time, all Cub Scouts on PEI were recruited to 'hold the lines', while the Royals made their way up and down Grafton Street to shake hands and meet with the common people. We were told  by our Scout leaders to lock arms and we formed a line in front of the crowds. I can remember feeling like this was the most important job in the world, and looked forward to maybe actually meeting Prince Charles. Instead, Lady Di was on my side of the street. She stopped in front of me and spoke at length with the people behind me. She really was a beautiful lady.

5. I have served as a groomsman in 8 weddings and have performed 1 wedding ceremony. Always the groomsman, never the groom.. or something like that.

6. Throughout high school and university, I loved to write and receive handwritten letters. In the days before email, i had a number of friends off Island that i would write to on a semi regular basis. I should also note that if you have ever sent me a handwritten letter, i still have it in a box somewhere. Though not generally a 'pack rat', i find it hard to throw away letters. I still go back to those letters sometimes and reminisce about old friends - some that i haven't heard from in many a year.

7. I didn't get my drivers license until i was 26 years old. My family didn't own a vehicle, so there really wasn't a need for it when i was younger. I took a lot of Taxi's in my university days, and it wasn't until a job i was applying for required that i have my class 4 license that i decided to take the test. I passed the driving test my first try, and a week or two later passed my class 4 first try as well. I then spent the summer working as a camp director and drove around in a 15 passenger van that had a giant smiley face on the front that said 'Smile, Jesus Loves You!'. 4 realz.

Now the hard part.

I have to tag 7 people.

- Ami Seymour - my sister, who is newly married and living in Australia.
- Aaron and Erica Kenny - old and dear friends who are serving as missionaries in Kenya.
- Rodney Macleod - good friend who hasn't updated his blog in many a moon - but has the best domain name ever.
- Ben Wright - another old friend who hasn't updated in a while. Probably because he is too busy with his job blogging for the Atlanta Thrashers.

Every other blogging friend that i have seems to have already been tagged for this, so i will now resort to people i don't actually know, but kinda wish i did.

- Spencer Tweedy - son of Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, and an amazing young blogger.
- Donald Miller - Author of Blue Like Jazz and a number of other great books. A guy i would really like to have coffee with.
- Zach Lind - drummer for Jimmy Eat World, and part time theologian.

According to my last.fm profile, these are the top 10 albums I listened to in 2008 - this list does not include iPod or "in car" listening.

1. The Clash - The Singles
2. The Who - Who's Next
3. Bruce Springsteen - Magic
4. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Anthology
5. The Tragically Hip - Yer Favourites
6. Cold War Kids - Loyalty to Loyalty
7. The Replacements - All for Nothing/Nothing for All
8. Two Hours Traffic - Little Jabs
9. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
10 The Black Keys - Attack and Release

A few surprises on there, but last.fm does not lie.

And again, the top 10 list for what i listen to in my car would be totally different, as i have to listen to CD's in my car since some jerk stole my iPod:

1. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
2. Matt Mays and El Torpedo - Terminal Romance
3. Wilco - Kicking Television
4. The Gaslight Anthem - The 59 Sound
5. The Clash - The Singles
6. Two Hours Traffic - Little Jabs
7. Guided by Voices - Human Amusements at Hourly Rates
8. Mardeen - Read Less Minds
9. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
10. Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall

If this doesn't help you get through the day, nothing will.

When a rock and roll legend comes to town - or in this case, to a town that is 4 hours away, it is always a good idea to try to get tickets. If the rock and roll legend happens to be Neil Young and the opening band is Wilco, then you should probably get up at 7:30am on a Saturday so you can sit in front of your computer, hitting the refresh button on the ticket selling site to make sure you get yourself and 3 of your friends floor seats to said show.

On Saturday November 29th, those 3 friends and I made our way to the Halifax Metro center, expecting a pretty decent show. What we got was an ear drum busting, mind blowing, back breaking rock and roll show.

4 realz.