Who is The Phoenix?

The motivation for me creating this blog was to both inform and entertain. Personally, it's me just getting back to writing for an audience. For those that regularly come here, I want to thank you for making this such a wonderful experience. One thing this blog is not, however, is a personal journal.

Many of you are curious about me and I've been tagged at least a dozen times. I apologize for not participating, but because of the nature of this blog, you won't see me indulging online. However, I would like to share just a few random things about myself to satisfy your curiosity. I hope the following gives you a better idea about the kind of person I am, and at the same time allow me to maintain my comfort level of privacy. Or maybe you're not curious and you wish for me to get back to my regular posts...if that's the case, I apologize and urge you to return in a couple days.

1) I was born in the Bronx. I share my birthday with Alyssa Milano, Kristy Swanson (the original Buffy), Reggie White (ex-Packers lineman), Jake Plummer (Broncos quarterback), Warren Sapp (Raiders tackle), Daryl Hannah, and Tim Reid (played 'Venus Flytrap' on WKRP in Cincinnati).

2) I was a high school English teacher for five years. I taught 9th and 10th grade. Overall, it was a great experience, but I couldn't stand being in one room all day long. My problems were never with the kids, just their parents.

3) I received a Division I athletic scholarship for tennis. I played one year and decided that college tennis sucked. My fellow teammates were egomaniacs, and my coach was always breaking NCAA rules. The men's program folded less than two years later, so no blood on my hands.

4) I love Star Wars. George Lucas' masterpiece takes me back to childhood. I've passed my love for all things Star Wars to my 5 year old son, Little Phoenix. He's been known to hum the Emperial March song when we're out.

5) Seafood makes me sick. However I love chocolate, Gummi Coke bottles, french fries, and warm chocolate chip cookies - not all at once of course. That's gross.

6) I am neither Republican or a Democrat. It seems that I do lean to the right a little bit, but that may be because my right leg is shorter than my left. OK, that's not true, although I do believe my right foot is slightly bigger than my left.

7) I have great admiration for those that play musical instruments. I did take up the clarinet in grade school, but quit in the 6th grade after the band teacher made me uncomfortable.

8) My parents are immigrants from the Philippines, so many people would say that I'm Filipino-American. That's fine with me. But if anyone asks me what my nationality is, I always say "American." If the Philippines went to war, I wouldn't go over there and take up arms. But if America was attacked, I would die defending her.

9) I have written two complete novels in my lifetime, each around 500 pages. I wrote them in college, and I really have no idea where the hell I put them.

10) On the Myers-Briggs Personality test, I am an ENFJ. With the Keirsey Temperament tests, I am a Teacher Idealist. I also have a nack for eidetic imagery, a.k.a. "photographic memory."

11) In college, I was a Sigma Nu.

12) In high school, I was a big slacker. I never really tried very hard and I was more interested in after school activities and socializing. In college, however, I became studious and graduated magna cum laude. Amazing what paying for your own schooling will do.

13) I was near death in 2002. Maybe someday I'll write about it, I don't know. I don't even talk about it.

14) I'm very competitive, and I am a terrible loser. From ping pong to air hockey, I play to win. You wanna piece 'a me???

15) I also have a great admiration for those that write poetry. I cannot do it, nor will I ever. Anything I write always ends up a minimum of 50 pages.

16) Superman is my favorite superhero, and I still wear Superman shirts. I own four of them...actually I own five but my Superman baseball raglan got put in with the reds and now it's pink. I'm not wearing a pink Superman shirt.

17) I can do a few impressions. I do a wonderful Ernie from Sesame Street, Shaggy and Scooby Doo, Adam Sandler (particularly from The Water Boy, The Turkey Song, and Hanukkah Song), and the stereotypical Middle Eastern man working at 7-11.

18) I was raised Catholic, although I'm more spiritual than religious.

19) My most memorable Christmas present was from Santa, and it was a chess set. It had the typical black and white board, but the chess pieces were translucent white and blue plastic. I have no idea why thinking about that chess set evokes such feelings of satisfaction, as I don't like chess at all. It's my earliest Christmas memory, and I think I was 5 years old.

20) My very first kiss was in the 1st grade and her name was Liana. Unfortunately, I also lived on a street named Liana. So when I told all my neighborhood buddies about it, they all thought I was so full of it.