Someone Gave Me Homework...Now It's My Turn

So my friend Tony Baldasaro tagged me in a chain-blogging task which obligates me to share 11 random facts about myself and then to answer 11 questions that Tony has asked. As much as I dislike chain letters and things of that nature, I am excited to do some writing in this space. My blogging has been limited during the first half of the school year, so I want to thank Tony for what I hope will be a kickstart for my resolution to blog more frequently in 2015!

My 11 Random Facts

1. I grew up in the "Little Town of Mendon (MA)"
2. I was a sports writer out of college and covered the Bruins.
3. I got to attend game six of the 2013 World Series with my son Tim #priceless!
4. My dad was at game six of the 1975 World Series at Fenway.
5. My brother Jim was a minor league baseball player and is now the golf pro for Vice President Biden.
6. I hold the world record for whiffle ball home runs and stink at golf.
7. I enjoy hyperbole.
8. I will go out of my way to get Starbucks coffee.
9. My top two take-out restaurants are Las Olas in (NH) and Sammy's Deli (Burlington)
10. I completed a Tough Mudder in 2012. 
11. I was a drummer in high school and still annoy my children by drumming on the steering wheel when a good song is on the radio.

My responses to Tony's Questions

1. Have you ever been to New Hampshire? Yes, I lived there for a few years.
2. What item could you not live without? For this task, my laptop ;)
3. What's the highest peak you have ever climbed? Mt. Monadnock
4. If you could live anywhere else for one year, where would it be? Ireland
5. How many TV's do you have in your house? two
6. At what age do you think it's appropriate for a child to own their first cellphone? sixth grade
7. Who was your third grade teacher? I moved in third grade so I had two...Mrs. Vignone and Mrs. Grady
8. When is the last time you posted a picture publicly? Today
9. Other than the birth of your children and/or the day you were married or met your soulmate, what was the best day of your life? The day I became a teacher
10. What is your most artistic skill? Playing the drums
11. Who has been the most influential person in your life (non family version)? This is a tough question because I have been fortunate to have a lot of great mentors. I will go with my first Principal, Paul Daigle, who hired me for my first teaching position and then my first administrative position a few years later.

Now for the fun part. I have to find 11 more bloggers to keep this thing going and ask them 11 questions (hoping they have not been tagged previously).

1. George Couros 
2. Jennifer Scheffer
3. Michael Podraza
4. Brad Gustafson
5. Daisy Dyer Duerr
6. Dave Meister
7. Cale Birk
8. Dawn Casey-Rowe
9. Jessica Johnson
10. Dwight Carter
11. Anyone who wants to play along! (Just follow the guidelines below)

Here are your questions

1. Have you ever been to Massachusetts?
2. What is your favorite sports team (college or pro)?
3. Besides you, name a blogger that you would recommend to others.
4. When you were little, what did you dream of becoming?
5. How far away do you live from where you grew up?
6. What is your favorite meal?
7. If you were offered a free trip to anywhere in the world, where would you go?
8. Do you prefer Macs or PC's?
9. Other than the birth of your children and/or the day you were married or met your soulmate, what was the best day of your life?
10. What is the best movie you've seen in the last year?
11. What is the last live concert that you've attended?

The Guidelines for your Homework...

1. Acknowledge the nominating blogger.
2. Share 11 random facts about yourself.
3. Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.
4. List 11 bloggers.
5. Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer, and let all the bloggers know they have been nominated. Don’t nominate a blogger who has nominated you.
6. Post back here (in the comment section) with a link to your finished assignment. Go on, you have homework to do.