8/27/06 POD

[Mike]

1.   I live in Oswego, Illinois.  It is a farm community rapidly becoming a bedroom community 45 miles west of Chicago.
2.   Spouse:  nope
3.   Children:  None that I’m aware of
4.   I am a Lucent Technologies retiree (by the skin of my teeth) and current work for a small company that imports frozen Danish Pastry.  I am the Operations Manager.  My primary duty is making sure there is product in our 5 warehouses to sell.
5.   I am 51 years old.  6’0” tall, 205 lbs (but trying to get back to 190 sometime in the future.  The drive to get there is to just look at my father…).  Still have some hair & goatee which are becoming more and more gray/white.  Clifford and I are having a race in that regard.
6.   Dream car………I guess black Porsche Boxter or Nissan 350Z.  So I drive a poor man’s version �" 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse, color �" Sunset (no longer a chick car with this model year!!!).
7.   Hobbies:  used to downhill ski, tennis is going by the wayside (bad back and wrist), just down to music.  Play in 2 concert bands and a rock band (struggling to get started…), have been in a woodwind quintet for almost 30 years.
8.   I like to see southern France and Scotland.  Maine/Vermont for the fall colors.  Definitely stay away from anyplace hot and humid �" makes me turn into a lizard.
9.   Collect anything…….compact disks.  Yes, I am a disk- aholic.
10.   Food is not one of my weaknesses, other than Godiva Belgian Dark Chocolate Ice Cream.
11.   Fav Movie:  Lord of the Rings trilogy (directors cuts with scenes restored)
12.   Fav Color:  generally blue, but like earth tones to contrast
13.   Fav Song/Artist:  see #9, too many to choose from and depends on the genre and my mood
14.   Funny story:  have to think about that, maybe later
15.   Most exciting thing:  most of the “exciting” events in my life have involved music, whether as a spectator or participant.  That would best be broken down by life stages.  College would be on band tour performing “Music for Prague” with the composer in the audience and later getting his autograph.  20’s attending the Chicago Symphony performance of “Pictures at an Exhibition” under the direction of Sir Georg Solti.  WOW!!!  The entire audience JUMPED to it’s feet with a roar at the conclusion.  Sir Georg & the CSO got a Grammy for that recording (I think).  30’s seeing Paul McCartney in concert at Soldier Field in Chicago and the 25th Anniversary tour of The Who’s Tommy.  40’s was performing for Father’s Day service at the village church in Baldenheim, Alsace that my ancestors attended.  Still waiting to see what the 50’s will bring.
16.   If I won the lottery I would disappear into the mountains with a herd of dachshunds.
17.   Most proud of:  can’t think of anything in particular
18.   Other tidbits:  nope, pretty much already laid things out above.  Oh, here’s a self portrait taken in the Cloudgate Sculpture in Chicago’s Millenium Park (locally known as “The Bean”).  Yes, that is one of DD's t-shirts I'm wearing.

[Mike]

Here is The Bean seen from a distance.

[Ruth in MT]

[PattyInAK]

Very well done, Mike.  Very interesting! 

[Leslie]

WOW!  Unka Mike!  You kewl!

Can we join you on the dachshund farm?  Our momma already has a name for it: 'The Lazy Wiener Ranch"!

I can't believe you forgot to tell everyone that your mom made you wear leiderhosen as a kid.   

  And what about your kilt?   We need pictures of that!!!!


Zuzu & Loki

[Kelly]

 :thumb:Good job Mike! Will you and Clifford be in Danville in about 3 weeks?See you there if you are! :thumb:

[Barb]

Mikie - very interesting !!!!   I hear ya on escaping to the mountains with a herd of doxies !!!!!

Enjoy your Person of the Day - hope you get lots of treats.......errrrr.....snacks that you want !!!

Thanks for kicking the POD off......

Hey - do you really have a kilt ?  Would LOVE to see a picture of that !!!!!

[Mike]

 I hear ya on escaping to the mountains with a herd of doxies !!!!!
Hey - do you really have a kilt ?  Would LOVE to see a picture of that !!!!!

For our European cousins, let's be clear on doxies versus dachsies....

And yes, I have a utilikilt, basic black.  I'll be wearing it in a couple of weeks when I go to the Scottish Highland Games in Estes Park, CO. 

[Beth]

The Bean!  Are people still angry about the bean and Millenium park costing so much and taking so long to complete?  I think it's a neat structure.

I think we're planning a trip out your way in December.  We attended a Christmas concert last year at the Tivoli in Downers Grove.  Can't remember what it was called, but it was really good!  Hubby is going to take some extra days off work so we can spend some time there visiting friends.

[Mike]

I can't believe you forgot to tell everyone that your mom made you wear leiderhosen as a kid.   

And what about your kilt?   We need pictures of that!!!!

Not to be picky, but they are lederhosen (leatherpants), not liederhosen (song pants).  LOL, I completely forgot about those.  Mom didn't make me wear them, I wore them because I like them.  They fit until I was about 4 or 5 years old. 

And ya just gotta wait for a kilt pic.

[Mike]

Good job Mike! Will you and Clifford be in Danville in about 3 weeks?See you there if you are! :thumb:

Thanks, Kelly.  I won't be in Danville for the 10th picnic.  I will be in Colorado that weekend.  Give all the dogs a pat on the head for me.

[Sandishooligans]

  Mike!  What a great bio to kick off POD.  It was wonderful meeting you in person at Julia's house a coupla years back.  Sounds like you have plenty of things to keep you busy.  For all your hard work, you deserve a piece of shortbread...just don't tell Dolly.

[Leslie]

Not to be picky, but they are lederhosen (leatherpants), not liederhosen (song pants).  LOL, I completely forgot about those.  Mom didn't make me wear them, I wore them because I like them.  They fit until I was about 4 or 5 years old. 

nuh uh, no I think you did say you had a pair of song pants.  :crazyeyes:. 

[Barb]

nuh uh, no I think you did say you had a pair of song pants.  :crazyeyes:. 

Ok Mike - you have done it now......we want a picture of you in your song pants and your kilt....no excuses...... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!  Seriously - you OWE us a picture !

[Mike]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I just knew those things would pop up somewhere.

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

ROTFL! Yes...of course we all do need to see you in the song pants!

Clifford you have a very interesting Dad!! This POD is a great idea. I learned lots of new (interesting!!) stuff about you! LOL you might want to look into #3 further if you aren't  "sure".    Love the "bean" pictures that is very cool. And yes I recognized that shirt right off! (I'm selling out all of my doxie shirts, so there are just a few of those left.) Where did you get your utilikilt, they are made in Seattle (unless they have expanded now). I actually know quite a few people who have them. They have some really cool ones.

You are a very well rounded and talented guy...and I think all of us doxie board members should be the official danish pastry taste testers. 

I hope you get your place in the mountains with a herd of doxies, sounds like a wonderful way to retire some day!

[Leslie]

  Oh, here’s a self portrait taken in the Cloudgate Sculpture in Chicago’s Millenium Park (locally known as “The Bean”). 

That makes you a BEAN POD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :stupid:

Thankya thankya, I'm here all week, folks, try the veal...!

[TerriL]

What a nice fun write up for our first POD!  Thanks for sharing Mike! 

[Delia and girls]

This is a pretty cool idea! Very good job, Mike.  Ron, my husband, has a utilikilt also. His is light brown. He wears it to Scarborough Faire.

Wow! I didn't know you were that talented. The more we learn about each other, the more talent emerges. Um.....don't look this way for talent! 

[Roberta]

I had a father that wore the real thing ans not the right length, this only occured AFTER we left Scotland :idiot: the embarisment factor as  teenager was 10.
Mike, you've put the bar high for the rest of us, now I'll have to go and find some photos.
Roberta
PS tell clifford he is to allow you a few more pastries to-day

[Jenny G]

Yay, Mike!  Hope you get lots of belly rubs on your POD day! ...or maybe just some CDs!

[Mike]

Where did you get your utilikilt, they are made in Seattle (unless they have expanded now). I actually know quite a few people who have them. They have some really cool ones.

I bought it at the Quad Cities Highland Games in Davenport IA last August.  I had talked with the store in Seattle about a year before that after hearing about them from Ron in TX.  I went to this year's games this past weekend specifically to buy a coyote face sporran.  Those were just a wee bit too large (picture a face attached to my  um, you know's.)  So I ended up with a black fox head with white rabbit pelt for the pouch.  Striking with the black kilt.

[Mike]

Ron, my husband, has a utilikilt also. His is light brown. He wears it to Scarborough Faire.

Yep, it was from Ron I first heard about them (back when y'all would stop in to chat...)

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

Les...you need your own show! LOL!

Yep Ron is good for anything Renn-ish!  :thumb: We tried to visit the utilikilt in Seattle when they were here last but couldn't fit it in. We need to see some pictures of you in these get ups!

[Frankys_mom]

Happy POD. 
This was a great idea and you've set the bar pretty high! 
Song pants?????? :scratch: