25 Random Things About Me.

Something going around Facebook right now is a thing called "25 Random Things" where you're supposed to tell your friends 25 random things about yourself.

After seeing how much I enjoyed reading 25 random things from a few of my friends, I decided to write my own.

And now I share mine with you ...

1. I was born minutes before midnight on December 28, 1971 in North Hollywood, California.

2. Since then, I’ve moved 21 times, living in 5 different countries on 3 different continents (USA, France, England, Israel and now Netherlands). The nomadic gene comes from my mother, and her father before her, continuing the constant migration of Jews for thousands of years. I plan to move again this year.

3. I actually have 4 different nationalities, although I’m thinking of getting rid of 2 of them.

4. I’ve attended 5 different schools from K-12, and I took classes at 6 different colleges/universities before I finished my Bachelor’s Degree at the age of 27.

5. I’ve never held a job for longer than 3 years. Despite this, I’ve never had a hard time finding a new one. Among the jobs I’ve had (in no particular order): soldier, waiter, hotel housekeeping, accountant, construction worker, bowling alley janitor, telemarketer, driver for strippers, poker player, and high school math teacher.

6. In my early 20’s, I came very close to becoming a stripper.

7. I’ve gone skydiving, bungee-jumping and have run a marathon. I’ve done all these things only once, and have no desire to do them again. I’ve always wanted to do a triathlon.

8. I’m addicted to online news. I often update myself on news several times a day. I read CNN, Haaretz, Fox News, LA Times, Time, Al Jazeera, Christian Science Monitor and PBS Frontline, among others.

9. I never thought I would join a social networking site. I received invitations to join facebook for about a year before I eventually joined. Now that I’ve joined, I’m thoroughly addicted, and I read all my friends’ updates!

10. I have a very addictive personality. I think that if I enjoyed the taste of alcohol, I would definitely be an alcoholic. For me to drink alcohol, it has to taste very fruity, and it helps to have an umbrella or cherry in it.

11. I feel disheartened and torn when countries I love and identify with do things I disagree with.

12. If I could have any job in the world (other than my own), I would play shortstop or 3rd base for a Major League Baseball club, preferable the Angels.

13. I love sleeping, but I hate going to bed. I’ll procrastinate for hours before going to bed, but then I’ll do the same before getting out of bed. Staying in bed after waking up is probably the best feeling in the world.

14. In LA, I used to lie in bed for hours listening to KCRW. In Holland, I do the same with the BBC World Service.

15. I’m extremely competitive. I want to win at everything I do. Despite this, I think I’m a pretty gracious winner and loser.

16. I have been very lucky in finding my wife and life partner, Margreet. She has one of the least complicated, no-drama, laid back personalities of any person I know. I never thought I would meet someone like her, and am thankful I got much better than I deserved!

17. I love marmalade jam and dark chocolate. Pims cookies are the best, with chewy chocolate chip cookies coming in a close second. And peanut butter should be chunky.

18. I’m allergic to cats, dust, wool, mornings and hard work.

19. For someone who thinks himself as being risk-adverse, I’m surprised how successful I have been as a poker player. Maybe I’m not as risk-adverse as I thought.

20. I love keeping statistics on things. In poker, I record time and profit/loss made every night in an Excel spreadsheet, then I have other pivot tables that analyze all the data, showing average hourly rates by day and month and I also create charts and graphs.

21. I find it so cool that spas here in Holland are co-ed. It almost makes up for the crappy weather and the dog shit on the sidewalks.

22. I think Southpark is the best show ever. I’ve watched every episode at least 4 times. Then again, I used to really be into Mad About You and X-Files, so my judgment can’t always be trusted.

23. When my sister Tori and I were young, and Nasser was living with us, we used to BBQ chicken on the grill every Saturday night and watch the Love Boat and Fantasy Island together. “Boss! The plane! The plane!”

24. When I lived in LA and my mother lived in England, I could expect a wake-up call from her every other Sunday at 11am sharp which would last for 20 minutes. At the time, I couldn’t wait for the call to end. Now that she’s been gone for 4 years, I kind of miss it.

25. I can watch the Obama “One Voice” ad and Will.i.am’s “Yes We Can” song on YouTube over and over again. Your voice can change the world! Brilliant!

If you enjoyed reading these 25 Random Things about me, check back in a week's time, and I'll post Margreet's! Hers is even better than mine!!!