I've Been Tagged!

Todd Sherman, the creator of the wonderful SmartBoxDesign which produces some of the best games for brains in the world, tagged me. I need to post 5 things about myself that most people who know me may not know.

1. I'm a huge Prince fan. I've been a fan of his since his first album "For You"....waaaaay before he really hit it big with Purple Rain album (remember those?) and movie. During my college years at Cal, I would buy 2-3 copies of the same album just to do my part in helping boost sales (as if he needed it, but, hey...I was and still am a fanatic). I'd paste his album covers front and back and the record sleeves onto my wall making for a rather cool, Prince collage.

2. I cried during Prince's Purple Rain concert (ouch!)

3. At one point, I was the strongest dude in my high school...au natural...no steroids.

4. I graduated with a degree in Economics from the best university in the world: the University of California, Berkeley. Go Bears!!

5. I served as a missionary for 15 years in the Philippines about a year after college. I started out as a volunteer for three years then got the call to go full-time until about 2 years when I returned to the US. My starting pay was $100/ month. My job was 24/7. I didn't get a TV until my 9th year in the mission field (couldn't afford one). Finally got a "hand-me-down". I didn't get a car until my 14th year on the mission. My wife was bed-ridden and almost had spinal surgery. A generous person whom I was counseling offered the car for dirt cheap. He literally had a new car for every day of the week so he could afford to make my payments low. My wife and I oversaw the jungles of Mindanao. For those of you who aren't familiar with the area, if you've seen masked Philippine rebels on CNN with rifles...THAT is Mindanao.

Whenever I'd visit, I made sure I was accompanied with a Christian local who was fluent with the dialect. If we came across someone, I'd play mute while my companion spoke to the person. If I trusted them, I'd initiate speaking. This was done for my protection in that area. That area isn't too kind to Americans...didn't matter that I was of Filipino descent, my accent would give me away as a "foreigner". I've gone to the top of the Philippines active volcano, Mount Mayon. Then, we went to the bottom where the waters were, obviously, hot springs. That was really a trip. I've seen the Philippine national bird which is the largest flying bird in the world: the Philippine Monkey-Eating Eagle. And, yes, they do hunt monkeys.

Man...that was hard to keep it at only 5 questions!

I'm going to tag:

Scott Hansen who created the best memory scripture application ever!

Antoine J. Wright, who's the brains and heart behind Mobile Ministry Magazine.

Sammy McGloughlin, who is the heart and soul of Palm Addicts.

Jeff Lancero, the local Asian Arnold and cool blogger.