I've played drums since age 5. I enjoy seeing people happy by the music I provide. It's awesome! I LOVE hockey and still played and ref'd up until a few years ago, although I still watch UMD, the Wild and HS. I'm an amateaur historian, studying various subjects. I also enjoy building models. As a veteran, I keep up on vet issues and am active here in the Duluth VFW, Legion and Honor Guard. I also enjoy being with my family and friends. This summer, I plan on restoring the "Tran Sam" (for those of you who remember it!) my 1977 Bandit Trans Am, which is now showing her 30 year old age. So this summer, in she goes. Places I've been:
Music
I like everything from Bach to Rock. My influences, or artists that I like are: The Beatles, Van Halen and Van Hagar (I liked them both!) the Cars, Ramones, Grand Funk, the Dead, Dylan, Queen, AC/DC, Metallica, Sting and the Police, Jonny Lang, Johnny Cash, Toby Keith, Dwight Yoakam, SRV, Clapton, Cream, the Clash, Elvis (especially live), Steely Dan, James Gang, Miranda Lambert (I really don't care for her music - she's just HOT!) Travelling Wilburies, Orbison, Petty, Santana, CCR, Sinatra, Dean Martin, Susan Tedeschi. I also listen to big band and jazz, and have a big love of the blues!
I especially love to play music of all types. Metal, I can do it. Rock and roll? Yup. Country? If you can twang the wang, go for it (actually, I encourage it! :-O ) Music is a universal language. It breaks language barriers, can bring enemies together, can make people love, cry, laugh, rage, want, desire, demean, destroy, cherish, empower, motivate, and remember. It's powerful stuff. For those who can master it's talents, it's like being an ambassador of music. Many people listen to music. Fewer can play it. To those who can, I salute you. You make the world a better place. For those who listen, thanks. You give us meaning and purpose.
Star Wars saga ("No, I am your father!"), the Godfather saga ("I'm gonna make em an offer he can't refuse") (or any mob movs) Indiana Jones ("It's not the years, it's the mileage"), Jaws ("You're gonna need a bigger boat"!), American Pie saga ("Is it wrong that it feels so good?"), the Graduate ("Would you like me to seduce you?"), Metropolis (Um - no quotes. It's a silent film!), We Were Soldiers ("I will be the first man in, and the last out!"), Tombstone ("I'm you're huckleberry!"), Top Gun ("We were keeping up foreign relations. You know. The finger?"), the Producers-original ("How do you expect me to excel, I'm wearing a cardboard belt!"), Scent of A Woman ("Don't blame me Charlie, I'm friggin blind! WHOOO AAAAHHHH! LOL!), Miracle ("The name on the front of your jersey is bigger than the one on the back!"), Slap Shot ("They brought they're friggin TOYS with them!") My Big Fat Greek Wedding ("What do you mean he don't eat no meat? Well OK, I'll make lamb!), most of Kubrick's films (2001 ("What are you doing Dave?"), Eyes Wide Shut ("There's one thing we need to do right away. F*ck."), Full Metal Jacket ("Me so horny baby! Me love you long time!"), Dr. Strangelove ("Hell a guy could have a good time in Russia with all that stuff!"), the Shining ("Here's Johnny!!"), Clockwork Orange ("Giving her the ole, in out, in out, real savage like"), That Thing You Do ("This man with a really nice van wants to sign us to a contract!") (love the band thing!), Hard Days Night ("People are funny that way. They'll pick on a nose."), Help! ("Get me the Home Office! He's wrecking my home!"), Star Trek II-Wrath of Khan ("Time is a luxury you don't have Admiral!"), 13 Days ("What did you think they were going to do? Kiss your Catholic a$$? They don't even think we should be in this office!"), most of John Waynes films ("I thought you were dead? Not hardly!").
Television
TV today SUCKs. So I don't watch much of it. Reality TV SUCKS. Being a 16 Y.O. whiney rich b!tch crying on your bling-bling cell phone to daddy cause he won't buy you a BMW and gave you a Mercedes instead, doesn't get my sympathy. Grow up. Try getting shot at. Not once,not twice, repeatedly. Then film it. Thats "REALITY TV" in my book. (I gotta copyright this stuff! I could do a TV show!)
Anyways, when I do watch TV I still try and catch the classic Trek and M*A*S*H. For more modern TV, I like Seinfeld, That 70's Show, Spin City, West Wing and am starting to get into Mad Men. I try and catch pieces of Will and Grace cause I think Megan Mullally has got just awesome kickin curves (and Col. Kurdatz likes that!!) besides Irish chicks rule!!!! Even older ones!!!! LoL!! I also watch a lot of the History Channel and like Mail Call. Some made for TV series I like are The Sopranos, From The Earth To The Moon, and Band of Brothers.
Books
I cant read. Lol!! Let me see. Big Steel, Down By the Ore Docks, The Corporation, Frozen Memories, How to Lose a Football Game in 4 Quarters or Less Without Trying That Hard (written by the Vikes), Tom Clancy and Clive Cussler novels. Anything that trips my trigger at the moment.
Heroes
Captain Kirk, Buzz Aldrin, Jim Lovell, John Wayne, Hawkeye Pierce, my grandpa "Salvatore" Sam, the men and women of the US Armed Forces. And although he's not really a hero, I've admired Dino Ciccerrelli while growing up playing hockey. If that little guy could take it, he could dish it out too!! RIP MN North Stars!
About me: I joined the military while I was a Sr at Duluth Denfeld HS in MN. (I still remember getting up early AM after Sr. Prom cause I had drill that morning! SUCKED!!) After graduating, I went from being the Sr. Class President to the lowest ranking guy in the military. Back to climbing the ladder I guess. So I spent 12 years in the military. While I was in, I became a three time expert marksman (M-16, and 9 mil) and also qualified on a bunch of other weapons - the 203 grenade launcher and M-14 rifle were among the many. I was primarily a supply sergeant, but also spent time as a security policeman, a property re-utilization specialist, a cargo aircraft loader, and a classified air courier, and a property reutilization specialist (try saying that one ten times fast!!) I was also on the prestigious USAF Honor Guard, doing funerals and military ceremonies. I have to say that it was some of the most rewarding duties I ever had.
While I was in, I saw all kinds of stuff, that most people wouldn't normally see - flying in planes, seeing other stuff blown up, met famous (or infamous) people, protected VIP's and the President of the US, all kinds of stuff. My travels took me all over the world. Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Cyprus, Germany, Spain, Ireland (Irish chix are HOTTT!!!! I say again - HOT!!!) Canada and Mexico. Stateside, I've been to AK, CA, AZ, NM, TX, NV, FL, MO, IL, IN, MI, SD, ND, IA, and of course, MN and WI. Nowadays, I enjoy making people happy with my music. I currently sit in with my uncles band, the Pot Bellied Stallions (they rock!) and play drums for AM Rubin. I've met and played with some fantastic musicians, including Jonny Lang, Owen Temple, Becky Barksdale, Susan Tedeschi, BB King and Clyde Stubblefield to name a few. It's been a trip!
Oh, and I own a Darth Vader costume so real it scares grown adults!
Who I'd like to meet: Buzz Aldrin Jr, Jim Lovell, Alan Alda, Bill Shatner. Buzz Aldrin was the second man on the moon and a distant relative. Jim Lovell was the most travelled man in space up until the advent of the space shuttle and was most famously known as the commander of Apollo 13. Alan Alda is the man behind Hawkeye Pierce, one of my favorite characters as is Bill Shatner -whom I think probably doesn't need an intro. If he does, you might be too young!
Those pics are awesome Sammy! I still remember when there were train tracks around 57th ave.west, that was cool! Also, not sure where I heard this..But, at one time this open field area use to be a race track? Not sure about that though..
Lol, yup Sammy..My profile pic is the one you have there, that pic of mine was takn this past Summer...I love going up in that area during the warmer months, it's very nice! I thought you lived right around that area. I was actually thinking of going there on Monday if that Ice Storm would've panned out, but that didn't happen.
That kicks ass that UMD won the championship, they had one heck of a season! It's about time UMD won something in football..Hopefully the mens hockey team will win it or get to the frozen four soon. Keep warm, I think were having an old fashion winter..Sure seems to be trending that way.
