this 25 things meme is too big to ignore. i wrote, re-wrote, revised, and re-wrote this list only to lose it entirely. i finally got around to re-re-rewriting it, and here are a few choice snippets:

2. I’ve ducked death a few times. The first time I was skiing with my family at Alpine Meadows. I spent the day in ski school — they taught me how to board a lift and ski to safety. When my parents picked me up from ski school, I was eager to show them what I learned. I showed them to the lift, boarded it, and then froze up during the “skiing to safety” portion of the demo. It turns out, I picked the wrong lift (one that was closer to the bottom of the hill). I was racing towards a drop off, which would’ve landed me on some pretty nasty boulders in a creek bed. Luckily, my dad raced after me and pulled me to the ground a mere feet from the drop off. I’ll never forget how safe I felt, lying in the snow while he checked to make sure I was OK.

3. I’m a comic book nerd. Growing up, I truly thought I was a mutie, and each day that my powers neglected to surface ended in disappointment.

4. As a kid I wanted an Atari 2600 so badly that I started having re-occurring dreams about it. In the dream, I would wake up every morning, race to the living room, and find one installed under our TV. I was so happy I would dance for joy, until I woke up, raced to the living room, and was crushed under the absence of an Atari 2600 under the TV. My dream, ultimately, would be realized.

5. I’ve always been able to enter a meditative state-like trance by concentrating on my the palm of my hand and repeatedly focus on the following concept: “this hand is a part of you.” I find the process of exploring that I am simultaneously looking at a living organism, and that said organism is, in fact, a part of me extremely transfixing and calming.

9. I’ve always been obsessed with death and chance. In 2nd grade, one of my friends was supposed to come over for a sleepover on a weekend. He canceled at the last minute, and that weekend his father came home with a machine gun and killed him and his mom. He thought she was going to leave him. In 7th grade, one of my close friends was hit by a school bus on his way to school. I’ve never fully been able to shake these moments.

10. I was an English Lit major before I switched over to Film and Digital Media. I originally wanted to be a lawyer after watching Judd Nelson in From the Hip. I grew to despise this idea and opted to be a doctor instead. That didn’t really work out.

12. I’m obsessed with LOST. Seriously. Ask me about it if you dare.

13. By 3rd grade, my obsession with horror films had fully burgeoned. I watched A Nightmare on Elm Street with my cousins and couldn’t sleep for a week. I was hooked, and drew mazes colored in red and green, with blades and spikes all over the place. My teacher found my mazes and suggested my parents meet with the principal. I’m still not sure what happened.

14. I’ve shot one feature film, one documentary, and written several scripts that may never see the light of day.

18. When I was 11, I got the opportunity to sit in on a press conference interview with Bill Walsh, the then head coach of the 49ers. I was writing for a local youth oriented newspaper at the time. I’ve always been a little football oblivious, but I did it anyway. During the press-conference, I asked him a question and it made all of the local papers (SJ Mercury News, SF Chronicle, etc.). One headline read: “Walsh sacked by 11-year-old.” I lost sleep thinking that I’d somehow squandered my “15 minutes of fame.” The question was: “What was running through your mind when Joe Montana was sacked for the 4th time in the same game?”

19. I played clarinet in elementary, sang in the choir, started a rock band in high school, and have always longed to play the accordion.

20. I’m an insomniac, but deep down I think I’m really, really tired.

23. I’m a film junkie — I’ll watch anything and everything. I’ve been obsessed with film from an early age, but the fact that I don’t get to sate this urge more often is crippling.

24. I’m a sushi, pizza, and soup fiend. Some would say on the verge of snobbery.

25. I don’t just like cheese. I love it. It’s an unhealthy relationship, but I can’t help it.

26. These last two made me hungry.

for those of you who are facebook friends, you can check out the full list here.