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5things
September 2009 
Five things you probably do not know about me
Posted on Dec 27th, 2006
by 
Donan
Donan
I was set to this task by my friend Nishtha who was set to the task by Darshan who was tagged by Kent Bye who set the whole thing in motion. Initially, when I received Nishtha's email saying that i had been 'tagged' i started checking to make sure that i had not been spray painted with graffiti. Finding myself relatively paint-free, considered the task and thought it impossible--but then i set my other computer to rendering a graphic...and rendering...and rendering...now the writing is done, but not the rendering...
5 things you probably don’t know about me...
1) It took me 30 years to decide on a favorite color. I have only sensed that color after a spring afternoon thunderstorms when the clouds still hang heavy and blue and the sun is still high. The light is filtered perfectly to reflect the new foliage on the side of the mountain...I have only witnessed this particular green under these conditions and only get to see it a few times a year. No other frequency has spoken to me enough to be called a favorite. Oddly enough, I generally don’t care for greens all that much.
2) I was once a state champion road and track cyclist. I have ridden with the likes of Davis Phinney, Eric Heiden (he was a cyclist as well as 5 time olympic gold medalist speed skater-legs like tree trunks), and Nelson Vails. I’ve been caught in a water bottle fight with giro winner Andy Hampsten and I have even loaned tools on the velodrome infield to Lance Armstrong’s coach, Chris Carmichael, after he flatted on a borrowed wheel (Chris was not quite so well known then—though he was a top US track cyclist). I used to change my chain once a week. I was young. I am no longer fast, feel like I’ve tagged an extra '0' onto my under 3% body fat, my bicycle is a collectors item and moths have eaten holes in the cuffs of my winter wools. And I have some great memories.
3) I started working when I was 12 and stopped school after the 8th grade--usually working a 12+ hour day. I only stopped this madness to attend university. As much as I might desire it, I have never known a ‘normal’ schedule—to wit, I am at work during a week of holiday at 3 am writing this while I wait on a computer to finish an image...
4) I sang solo on the stage of the Sydney opera house on two occasion...the first simply to know what it felt like when the stage was dark, and the second time two years later to a sold out house. Both are special to me. It is a magnificent building. The stage piano, which I was privileged to play after rehearsal (they rarely allow this), is a custom made Steinway that is extra long and built this way to fit the acoustic of the hall.
5) On this second tour of Australia I was handed a card hand written by my mother that was written the day before. My mother however was in a little mountain village outside of Sao Paulo Brazil and had been for close to three months. The gentleman who gave it to me had been sitting on a couch reading an English newspaper in a common area off of his hotel room in Sao Paulo. My parents, encouraged to visit the city (population 16 million) by a power outage persistent from three days past, were given a room which was one of five that shared the common lounge. They struck up a conversation. The man was from Sydney Australia and was headed home the next morning. At breakfast my mother wrote a note on the back of the man’s business card--no one really expected me to get it as Sydney is quite spread out geographically. The man then flew half way around the world to be greeted by his wife who, while he was gone, had organized ticket sales for a university chorale...she saved him a ticket thinking that he might want to attend--even though he would be jet-lagged. He handed the card to me at intermission and reading the look of shock mixed with delight on my face, relayed the story of his chance meeting with my parents. I still have the card somewhere...probably with my passport. Here is a true story that must cast doubt on the logic of any who would reject a premise on the mere basis that it is unlikely; highly improbable clearly does not equal impossible.
and I will pass the proverbial wand(s) to:
Kat
Metta update-Metta's 5 things
Sandra update-Sandra's 5 things
uma update-Uma's 5 things
Oh, I finally killed the process, tweaked a few things restarted and the rendering just finished...only 14 to go :-|
And finally a tip...if you lose a post or email to a screen of death or login or whatever...use the back button in your browser...
Access: Public
Bravo!!! Your list of 5 things is really interesting to me, and actually thrilling! What a beautiful story about the card from your mother! To heck with the passport! You've gotta find that card!!! (Passports, after all, can be replaced–albeit with a little hassle.)