Tagged: 5 things you didn't know about me...

There is a blog meme going around that I have been tagged to participate. I don't really use this blog to talk about myself so much, but I will give in to the greater powers of the MEME and share after Nathan Gilliatt tagged me.

1. I live in China, but I am from Alabama. This usually raises a few eyebrows and questions such as "How did someone from Alabama get to China?" or "I have never really been to Alabama, but drove through it once on my way to Florida" (a surprising number of Chinese tell me this). I don't have a noticeable southern accent, but I do love BBQ and appreciate a good "meat and 3."
   
2. I have been in two bands: one in Japan and one in China. In Japan, the band was "My Niece's Foot." We did mostly grunge influenced originals. I loved singing, but not everyone loved my singing. We "broke up" in 1994 when we all left (except for Brad, who stayed awhile to internationalize Ultraman and become a Zen master). In China, I was in Das Bund, and we played mostly Bowie, Radiohead and Suede covers. We practiced for 3 months, played 3 times over a 3 day weekend, and then called it quits after the bar owner asked us to quit playing with the drummer because the audience couldn't hold hear themselves talk.
   
3. I love Alabama football. Mike Shula should have been given more time to finish what he started. The program is really at a nadir (consider I grew up under the Bear) and it is painful for me to listen to the games (and I do sometimes get up at 3AM to listen via Yahoo radio). However, I still sometimes shed a tear when I describe van Tiffin's "the Kick" that beat Auburn in 1985 (yes, I was there) and will always bleed crimson.
   
4. I first came to China in 1996. I know there are many who have been here longer, but being here 10 years has given me an incredible experience watching the country, and the city of Shanghai, change at a most incredible pace. I lived through the first dot-com boom here in 1999, working at Chinapay.com (I registered the name in 1998) and Shanghai Huateng.
5. I have an amazing son named Leo. Ok, you probably know that from previous posts, but he is someone I love talking about. I am happy to share pics with anyone who asks!

Next up for tagging (you're it):

Silicon Hutong
Hardcore Zen
ImageThief
Wangjianshuo
ChinaLawBlog