Seven

I just realized Schaubs tagged me like ten days ago. Sorry buddy, I thought I was subscribed to you; turns out you were only on my blogroll.

That's fixed now.

So, I was late to the poker blog party. Now I can be late to the 7 Random Things party.


1) I grew up a missionary child in Zaire, currently the war-ravaged nation (or perhaps "nation") called The Democratic Republic of the Congo. On and off, from the age of three to the age of twelve, I lived on a mission station three degrees north of the Equator. Thus, I speak Lingala, though not nearly as well as I did when I was twelve. Many (most?) of my childhood friends are still there. I have no way of knowing at any given time where they are, or how they are doing. A letter every few years or so is the best I can do.

Three fantastic books about Zaire:

Fiction: Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, one of the great books of the 20th centry, not to mention the inspiration of Apocalypse Now.

The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver.

Non-Fiction: King Leopold's Ghost, by Adam Hoschchild.


2) My wife is my very best friend. She amazes me every day. She is one of the most organized people in the world who do not have OCD. She's the most beautiful woman in the world. She doesn't like to shop and she doesn't want to dance. I can't imagine my life without her.


3) I have twin daughters. They're turning three years old this month. They're awesome, and difficult, and hilarious, and infuriating, and gorgeous, and blazingly smart. I cannot imagine my life without them.


4) I have a third child on the way this September. I am very blessed. I'm also about to stop sleeping. Ai yi yi. I can't imagine what my life will become.


5) I have 600 pages of unfinished novel that I haven't touched in over a year. The knowledge of it is pressing on me at all times. I think it has the potential to be really, actually good. It also has the potential to be a steaming pile of horse puckey. I have ideas for about three or four others. I really need to do something about this, soon.


6) I have memorized the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of John. I'm halfway through the Gospel of Mark.


7) I can bend spoons, but not with my mind.


No more tags. Everybody's been tagged, haven't they? If you read this and you haven't been tagged and you want to share, I tag you.

Tag.