50 things about me (Aaron)

Inspired by Amy's list on her blog, www.dailygnome.com...
(A warning, it's pretty heavy on the pre-college stuff...)

1. I didn't like pizza until I got to middle school. I always made my parents order me spaghetti instead.


2. My cousin and I drove the family car at 2 years old.


3. That same cousin and I painted his younger brother with white house paint a year or two later.


4. I used to canvas the neighborhood looking to wash cars for a few bucks.


5. I learned multiplication from buying 45 cent candy bars at the AM/PM


6. I used to love "suicides", which is when you buy a fountain drink and then mix all the sodas together. Not so much anymore.


7. I was parked in the family car just down the street from our house with my first girlfriend. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that since it was a cul-de-sac, my parents could still see us. My sister and my mom walked right by us, twice, and neither of us noticed. :)


8. My parents have lived in the same house since before I was born.


9. I went to the same private school from first through eighth grade, and of my graduating class of 21 kids, 9 of us had been together that whole time.


10. I used to love watching when my sister played Castle Wolfenstein if she threw grenades. Such a satisfying animation. :)


11. I was in the first graduating class of the Westchester High School Math-Science-Aerospace magnet.


12. I went to basketball camp every summer until high school.


13. I can remember the name of all my elementary school teachers.


14. Since we had cable, if I saw a movie from the 80s, I probably watched it dozens of times.


15. I didn't really appreciate my sister until after she left for college.


16. My sister used to hold a basketball up so I couldn't reach it. My parents warned her that that wouldn't work soon. They were right.


17. I skipped a grade in Math during 2nd grade with Jason Musicer and Ann O'Brien.


18. My team won my third grade gold rush simulation. About a week before it started, my family went to a Chinese restaurant, and I got two fortune cookies that said something like "You will come into a lot of gold soon," so I always think about the gold rush when I go to Panda Express.


19. I enjoy singing.


20. When I was twelve, my friend Dave told I was going to be the drummer in our band and gave me a pair of drum sticks. As anyone can attest, I can rarely go for more than few hours without banging out a beat on whatever surface is available, even if no music is playing.


21. I love hearing my mother sing or whistle old tunes as she tends her garden or waters her grass.


22. I have never worked in retail, but I have worked in tech support.


23. I used to love Big League Chew. It tasted so good that I used to swallow it.


24. I loved getting sodas at the vending machine at the park when growing up because then I got to drink Cactus Cooler.


25. I had major surgery when I was 14 to repair a curved breastbone. I was in the hospital for 5 days.


26. My friends dubbed the scar "Mr Frowny Face"


27. I love playing Boggle with my mom.


28. I'm very proud of my parents for their commitment to civil service. They've been honored by the LA city council, and even have a certificate of commendation signed by the whole council, a few govt officers, and mayor Villaraigosa.


29. My parents volunteered so much at my high school, people used to ask me if they worked there.


30. I don't particularly like my middle name.


31. I have lived in LA for my whole life, except for 367 days when I lived in Austin, TX. I miss it there.


32. The first pop song I remember hearing on the radio and paying any attention to was "Don't You Want Me" by Human League. I was a late bloomer to the radio - even though I was 4 - 14 years old, I didn't know 80's music til later.


33. I was my high school's valedictorian.


34. So was my wife.


35. I used to eschew local establishments and only go to chain restaurants, but my wife has taught me that I enjoy the unique experience of local flavors.


36. People think I'm a stoner sometimes. Definitely not.


37. I do enjoy a drink every now and then, but it's not usually worth the consequences, since I suffer more than the usual sick stomach and headache. It's harder than you think to not drink with other adults.


38. I love it when my wife smiles.


39. I've always wanted to go to Alaska sometime and see the glaciers. Definitely during summer, though.


40. I play sports to have fun. I mainly have fun when I'm playing well. Which hopefully leads to winning.


41. I think people who play rec sports "to win" above good sportsmanship are jerks, like guys who don't call their own nets or touches in volleyball.


42. There's another Aaron Schneider who won an oscar last year, and I started getting phone calls after the award was announced.


43. There's another Aaron Schneider who went to U of Nebraska. He got the domain name. Dammit.


44. There are a lot of people named "Aaron Schneider" on LinkedIn


45. I follow the NBA very closely.


46. I love me some regular M&Ms.


47. I'm not very organized. My wife complements me well in this regard.


48. I enjoy my work. Most of the time.


49. I like a good deal. Even if it's a deal for something I don't really need.


50. My wife loves making lists.