Yesterday, Memorial Day, I got meme’d, against my wishes. Got one of those Internet chain letter types of things called a MEME where I am supposed to yap about me and share stuff I wouldn’t ordinarily. Since I was busy with business I didn’t get this done until today. Sorry, Irina.

Mary McKnight initiated this Memorial Day Super 8 MEME, based on the number 8, you know like 8-ball, figure 8? Her rationale? It’s her favorite number, the 8 is the infinity symbol if you turn it on its side, and it’s 2008. Whatever. Anyhow, she meme’d Laurie Manny, who meme’d Irinia Netchaev, who decided I ought to be part of the 8 bloggers she needed to meme. Lucky me.  Since I tend to be a law abiding citizen, and meme law according to Mary McKnight requires that I answer these questions AND find 8 other lucky bloggers to do the same, I cooperated. Sort of a twist on “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Here’s Mary’s MEME

Here’s Laurie’s MEME

Here’s Irina’s MEME

Anyhow, here are the 8 questions (do you see the trend?).

1. Who is your favorite musical artist (post a YouTube Video)

This is impossible. I don’t have a real favorite. There are many artists that I really liked, or have liked over the years, and picking one out of all these doesn’t seem right. I enjoy classic rock and roll – The Rolling Stones are high up there, for example. Can’t leave out the Beatles. Pink Floyd and The Moody Blues were favorites of mine at some point. Love Annie Lennox from the old Eurythmics (my kids when they were young called them The Arithmetics). Oh, and Fleetwood Mac too. I’m a big jazz lover and the list of artists is endless. Chris Botti is a fave, as is (was) Chet Baker. And blues is right up there – Etta James may top that list. Since I have to pick one for a video, here’s Sweet Dreams sung by Annie Lennox.

2. Who is your favorite artist? (Post a Flickr photo)

I have been interested in art for many years, and credit my wife, Kay, with cultivating that love and appreciation. I love visiting galleries and museums (The Uffizi in Florence,  Italy was certainly a highlight, but then there was the Tate in London, and the  Getty in LA, and…). My wife and I also collect art, and had an art gallery in Cambridge MA for 3 years before heading to California. Not sure I would pick a favorite artist since there are so many good ones, especially contemporary which tends to be a love of mine. So here’s one from my own collection (and I don’t have to worry about who owns the Flickr photo, right?). “Martinis” by Rob Brooks.

3. Who is your favorite blogger?

Nope you won’t trap me there. Don’t have one – there are so many great bloggers I enjoy reading.

4. If you could meet anyone (dead or alive) who would it be and what is the most interesting thing about them?

Again, this is a tough one…how does one choose? I guess the one person that immediately comes to mind is Mother Theresa. This short video of her message says it all.

5. What did you want to be when you grew up? 

Hmmm, I don’t think I wanted to grow up. That’s sounds Peter Panish I suppose. I know at one point being a vet intrigued me. And as a teen I got interested in real estate (my Mom was with RE/MAX) but then pursued my love for psychology in undergrad and grad school. Did that for a bit and found it was not for me, at least not working in a medical environment.

6. What is the most interesting piece of trivia you know? 

I can’t ever remember any of that stuff, and I am miserable at Trivial Pursuit. But I found a fun tidbit in honor of Irina since she writes about Pasadena:

“ In Pasadena, it is illegal for a secretary to be alone in a room with her boss”

7. If you could live in any point of history, what would it be and why?

I’m not a history buff, and I think I have lived in the times I liked best – grew up in the 60s, lived through the disco age, worked for a DotCom company and went through that meltdown, and have seen tremendous advancements in technology in the 1990s into the 21^st century. What could be better?

8. What is the most interesting job you have ever held?

Hmmm, well there have been some that are not so much fun. And I suppose I would be wimping out on this question if I said my current career in real estate, which I enjoy the most because of the diversity of stuff I get to do and the people I meet. But thinking back, I would otherwise say my last Human Resource position at HookMedia as VP was the most interesting. I was the 6^th employee and got to help grow the company to 103 folks in 3 cities, build the culture, design all the programs, etc. I had the most fun of any corporate job I have had and it was a great place to end my corporate life.

Soooo, NOW I get to pick 8 lucky bloggers as part of this MEME. Yes, it is no longer Memorial Day, so maybe that makes a difference. I don’t know but I don’t want anyone saying I didn’t do my part. Maybe one of them will respond. Remember the meme law?

Sally Cheeseman – Aloha! Hawaii Real Estate and Relocation Blog

Neal Bloom - Weston Florida Real Estate Blog

Linda Scanlan – Fort Worth Real Estate

Maureen Henry – Home Staging Rockland County NY

Jeff Belonger – Mortgage Knowledge at Its BEST

Sharon Simms – Real Estate Musings from St. Pete, Florida

Lenn Harley – Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com in Maryland and Virginia

Kelly Sibilsky – Lake Zurich Illinois Real Estate

I actively participate in a real estate blogging network site called ActiveRain, which has been great for learning more about blogging, sharing and acquiring real estate knowledge, and getting to know agents from around the country.

Recently there was a meme contest, and everyone who participated was asked to "meme" 3 other people and to share 5 things about themselves that no one on the network know. Here were mine:

1. I have been married for 27 years and have 2 daughters - one 26 (in LA) the other is 25 and living in the Boston area. Our first daughter was born on our 10-month anniversary - yes, people were counting

2. My wife and I are avid art collectors and had an art gallery for 3 years in Boston; currently we have well over 100 pieces (and not enough room)

3. I have ridden my bike on 2 AIDS benefits rides between Boston and New York ('bout 350 miles)   [BTW the organization that used to sponsor them had some financial difficulties and ultimately dropped out as sponsor/organizer.]

4. I have lived in 9 homes (in 5 states - Ohio, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, California) and 3 rentals since I got married.

5. I was in the opera "Aida" in Philadelphia when I was 12 years old (and no, it was not singing).

Oh, BTW - that pic up top was the one of myself that I doctored for the Christmas holiday and used on my ActiveRain profile. Cool, huh?!