As I write this, I’ve been at St. John’s for a little more than six months. I get asked every now and again about likes and dislikes, life experiences, and whatnot. Since it is summer, I’ll share thoughts based on some of the questions I’ve received from you thus far. I hope this helps you to get to know a little more about me. I’ll probably write something like this from time to time. Please feel free to pose an inquiry. As Willy Wonka says, “All questions must be submitted in writing.”

Hobby?

I collected baseball cards when I was growing up: Topps, Fleer, Donruss, and other brands. My parents would buy me a single-pack or two anytime they stopped by 7-11. My older brother and younger sister would usually get a candy bar or Slurpee. But I preferred baseball cards. Heck, I’d even forego the rock-solid, flat, rectangular piece of bubble gum in the pack which usually stuck to the bottom card on one side and the packaging on the other. My mom would chew it, though. I even took my mother’s scissors and cut baseball cards off backs of cereal boxes, as well as the boxes of individually wrapped Hostess products like Twinkies and Ding Dongs.

I loved (and still love) baseball because the sport provides some of my earliest childhood memories. At an early age, I knew of Pete Rose and the Big Red Machine from Cincinnati. (Yes, Rose would later bet on baseball and receive a lifetime ban. Maybe it’s time to forgive and move on. Put the guy in the Hall of Fame for his playing days. But I digress). Besides Rose I knew of Hank Aaron, Vida Blue, Tom Seaver, Johnny Bench, and others. When America was graced with cable television and we could then watch not three but 12 channels, I spent most every night of the summer watching the Atlanta Braves on the fledgling WTCG, channel 17. It eventually became TBS.

Why did I become obsessive about baseball cards? They helped me learn. Not only could I recite stats for players by reading the backs of baseball cards, I learned how to pronounce their names, and found on the map the city, state, and in some cases international locale each player was born. Baseball cards nurtured my love for the sport and supplemented my education. I embarked on a new adventure each time I opened a pack. And, yes, I still have all of my baseball cards from childhood.

What music is on your iPod (iPhone)?

Here are the artists currently on my playlist called “Curt’s Jams” –

• Ben Folds Five, Led Zeppelin,
• Stone Temple Pilots, Bruce Hornsby & The Range,
• Traveling Wilburys,
• Eric Clapton,
• Billy Joel,
• George Harrison,
• Journey,
• Nik Kershaw,
• Crowded House,
• Wynonna Judd,
• Elton John,
• Men at Work,
• ABBA,
• Lorrie Morgan,
• Paul McCartney & Wings,
• Skee-Lo,
• Robert Plant,
• The Juliana
• Hatfield Three,
• Marcy Playground,
• Depeche Mode,
• Foo Fighters,
• Ringo Starr,
• Thompson Twins,
• Bruce Springsteen,
• Hole, Heart,
• Carlene Carter,
• Beastie Boys,
• Fleetwood Mac,
• Patrick Hernandez,
• Anita Ward,
• Johnny Cash,
• Bee Gees,
• KC and the Sunshine Band,
• Frank Sinatra.

There are others artists I listen to, but these are the ones currently on my life soundtrack.

Favorite Foods?

I’m allergic to peanuts; they cause me to have migraines. So, just about anything without peanuts, peanut oil, or peanut by-products, I’ll eat.