Five Things

Wow. So this meme has really traveled by the time it reaches this humble blog (arguably an oxymoron, I know.) Apparently it started with Jeff Pulver. I got tagged by Jeff Haynie. Jeff has also tagged me for a more substantive post, but that will have to wait.

A number of people have compared this to a chain letter. I would never pass along a chain letter, but I’ve actually enjoyed watching this make its way around. I’ve learned that Liz Lawley was a Pantherette, that Chad Dickerson and I both had Buick Regals for our first cars, that Haynie’s step-father is a motivational speaker, and much more.

So, here are 5 things about me that you might not know:

1. I played football in high school.

What really surprises people about this is not so much that I played high school football but that I played offensive guard for a AAAA team. I didn’t weigh much more than I do now, but I was much more muscular. I was on the power lifting team, too.

Man, have I ever fallen.

2. I met my wife in high school.

This means she has seen me in much better condition. (See above.) She has stayed with me anyway—though she has been known to comment on my slide into relative softness from time to time.

3. “Coty” is my middle name.

“Henry” is my first. Every year at the beginning of school when roll was called for the first time, my teacher would call “Henry Rosenblath”. Kids would laugh. I’d explain. Every year.

The world is not set up for people who don’t go by their first name. Forms always take middle initial—not middle name.

My sons both go by their first names.

4. I’m not Jewish.

I know my last name makes it sound as if I should be, but I’m not. (Not that there is anything wrong with that.)

I did play the Jewish father in the Hanukkah segment of one of my elementary school Christmas plays.

I don’t think there were any Jewish boys in my class.

I suspect my teacher may have thought there was one.

5. I haven’t have a Coke since 1982.

Any cola drink, really, and it may have been a bit longer than that, too.

I don’t recall what exactly made me stop. I think it was just the start of the period when I was obsessed with my health, strength, etc.

It is a bigger deal that you might think given that I live in Atlanta. I was once at a dinner at Emory for a law school scholarship I was in line for (There’s number 6 for free. I almost went to law school—twice, actually.), and little Coke bottles were at every place on every table. There was a toast made later in the evening with the Coke.

I faked it.

I tag Sanjay Parekh, Jeff Schilling, Will Clarke, Dr. Nic Williams, and Reginald Braythwayt . Let’s see who actually reads this and/or ego surfs effectively. Apologies if you’ve already been tagged and I missed it.