Meme-a-holic

Since this current “10 things I’ve done that you haven’t” meme started spreading like a virus across the ‘sphere, some folks have asked if I’m going to participate.

Usually, these kind of things inspire complete terror as I rack my brain for memories that are still available to me or that pass the internal censor. But having done so, here’s mine…

• Got kicked out of a Howard Johnson’s in Burlington, VT at age four for throwing a horrendous temper tantrum, and when my family and I returned the next year, the waitress asked if I’d calmed down yet
• At seventeen, convinced my parents to drive me to Montreal so I could semi-stalk a crush
• Sang first soprano parts for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Carmina Burana within 2 months of each other, thus ruining my voice for the rest of the semester
• Watched Ben Johnson run the 100m at the Canadian Olympic trials and have photographic evidence he used steroids
• Posed for pictures with Dennis Martinez and Tim Burke during Expos picture day (and asked Burke if he was related to my dad’s friend who had the same last name)
• Skipped fifth grade
• Woke up at 6 AM and waited in line for hours to support a friend as she auditioned for Canadian Idol
• Sang Shel Silverstein’s “Freakin’ at the Freakers Ball” in front of a small crowd while a friend videotaped the proceedings – and I was not drunk at the time
• went missing for a day — sort of
• Reviewed books for the Globe & Mail and the Washington Post (twice) along with the Baltimore Sun gig. NYTBR, here’s looking at you…