I recently challenged @tarazkp and @galenkp to a brotherly duel of 10 personal questions.
I thought'd it be a fun exercise and kickoff for a new concept as a fork from the AMA concept.
Taraz and Galen then knocked their replies (<---- see links) out of the park with stellar parallel posts that I highly recommend reading for the older/younger brother dynamic.
At the end of my 10 questions, I teed myself up to be asked any question in return. Taraz asked about my recycling, which I answered on his post, and Galen asked me ELEVEN questions!! Hah.
Since they went above and beyond, plus this was a positive experience, I'm obligated on every level to comply. Here we go.
Galen's Gauntlet:
QUESTION 1: What was the last book you read and what did you learn from it?
I rarely read books. I also don't watch TV. I like to watch and learn online instead, or by doing.
The last book I read from cover to cover was The Cuckoo's Egg by Clifford Stoll, a book about spying and computer hacking. I read this because I was in sales and a big business prospect/ally at Deutsche Bank recommended that I do so. This was over 8 years ago, so I can't remember much except how susceptible networks were for exploitation back when cyber security wasn't a prominent field.
QUESTION 2: If you could have 3 people from history at your virtual table of advisors who would they be and why?
(1) I'm not super religious, but I think Jesus would be the first one. I'd want to know that he was real, watch his miracles, learn the truth of creation, and ask him about God. (2) Definitely someone from Atlantis. I want to know what that world was like if it existed and learn about their ancient technology. I believe that some of our "high tech" is just a knock off indirect route of more simple/advanced technology from some ancient civilizations (3) Three of my Grandparents died before I was one. It's a decent gap in my upbringing that I never got to experience. I'm bundling them together as the third to meet and learn more about my family's heritage and parents from the source.
QUESTION 3: What is your biggest regret, why, and how has it affected your life moving forward?
This has ALWAYS been skipping college baseball to "pursue education as the highest priority." This haunts me constantly and I still play competitive wooden bat baseball every year since the fire is still an inferno. I played over 45 games last year.
I was recruited to play at smaller colleges that were not academically focused, but was guided to disregard those. This was mainly because I was a late bloomer who only got on the recruitment map during my senior year of high school.
I was always on the All-Star teams and a top talent in my town, but we had SUCH a strong baseball town. Our senior little league squad was the favorite to win the state championship, but we lost in the state finals because of a coaching mistake/technicality in a minor league stadium. I got to play a bit in some of those games and scored the winning run in a qualifier.
I tried to walk on the baseball team in college twice. I made it to the final cuts two years in a row at a D1 school that was a well-known for academics, but I couldn't beat the uphill battle of displacing the roster spots of recruits. I remember meeting with the coach and literally begging him to give me a slot to work my way up, even if it meant being the bullpen catcher. I was super fast, with a solid arm, and hit the daylight out of the ball... but I was an unknown.
I consistently and currently have dreams of regret for not choosing to play college baseball, where I would've given it 500%. My body simply developed one year too late in high school because I starting lifting seriously too late. I always had the skills, but didn't find the gym until the summer before my senior year, where I blew up (100% naturally) and exploded to starting leadoff hitter and to the top of the charts across the board. I led the team in virtually every offensive stat until I got mono going into the playoffs (notably second on the team at the end with 6 home runs). It was an absurd transformation. If only I'd had the guidance or self-awareness to strength train earlier...
At this time, I'm still a league league leader in my men's league, which is full of a mix of ex-college, semi-pro, a few former draft picks, and even some current college players. I don't only hang with them, but even older now, my bat is on par or sometimes better.
My offensive stats last year:
My RBI's were 4th in the league out of over 100 hitters and I was 7th in total hits.
I also played another 20 games for other teams. Seriously, the fire is still strong because I have such a chip on my shoulder for missing out on college baseball or more. The pic above was from last season, and it's very hard to be missing out on our season now.
** I had another super sad and more torturous and recent answer for this, which would outrank above, but wanted to keep my mood upbeat today.
QUESTION 4: If you were stuck on a life-sustainable deserted island which 5 hive users would you want with you and why?
- @papa-pepper for his wilderness knowledge, bushcraft and hunting/farming skills. I don't want to eat poisonous berries.
- @ecotrain since he's a master at eco building and sustainability.
- @rmsbodybuilding because he could help us with tasks that required brute strength, while also keeping us motivated to be fit.
- @soyrosa for her psychology training to help us adjust, and craftiness to help construct clothes or shelter (not a bad personality either)
- @riverflows for her expertise in natural medicine and farming.
QUESTION 5: If you could kill anyone from history who would it be and why?
Since this is a fictional scenario, I'll say Hitler before he came to power. Virtually anyone who acted like him in history to cause so much death and war.
QUESTION 6: Which single person has given you the most inspiration in life. What and what was the form of inspiration?
This is a weird angle, but it's myself. Looking back on what I've accomplished since finally trusting myself to take a big chance to swim on my own 5 years ago when I quit a really good job. I'm living life completely on my terms and completely free to do whatever I want (minus the virus). This independence and self-sufficiency, even making money off from free sources, continually inspires myself every day to sustain this.
I hope to find a partner one day that is the right match, who can supplement this and inspire me in different ways.
Other than this, it's usually motivational speakers like Eric Thomas, Jim Rohn, Navy Seals, and a slew of others I listen to on repeat when I need to recharge or find something extra.
QUESTION 7: What has been your most embarrassing moment as an adult?
It's funny you asked that. For years I've debated making a video of what was an otherworldly level of embarrassment for me about 10 years ago. I just told the story to someone a week ago and they were burning up with laughter at how terrible this was, mainly because of how tragically a well-intentioned gesture backfired on me.
It does no justice to write it out, but I'm not sure I'm willing to put myself online to tell this story because it could be sensitive or offensive for some by collateral damage of the who I was trying to help.
This will remain a mystery for now, but would definitely be told without hesitation in person. It makes mascara run in tears of laughter.
QUESTION 8: If you could change one thing about yourself out of the following what would it be and why: Facial looks, overall body, personality or age?
Age. My drive to play sports, stay in shape, and compete will never extinguish, so I want to rewind the age to give me more time to do this with the 20 somethings.
QUESTION 9: Would you rather be deaf, blind or mute and why?
Knock on wood a trillion times, but I'd say mute. There are so many ways to communicate without talking. The lockdown has sort of been a fresh reminder of that. At one point when I was sick with the virus, I hadn't talked out loud for almost 5 days, and when I did, I had little voice from all the coughing anyway. I think I'd get by and still be able to assimilate with everyone just fine. While talking would theoretically be impossible, sign language would be the answer to not be completely without as the others, and potentially future technology could assist.
Knock on wood two more times.
QUESTION 10: What country would you live in if you could live anywhere and why (Not America)?
The answer is difficult, but I'll lay out some parameters and why.
- Must be super low on pollution and as natural as possible.
- Get me away as far away from wireless and cell phone towers as possible.
- Must have plenty of history and places I can go to metal detect for relics and treasure.
- People must be generally pleasant with a sense of trust and strong values.
Out of all the places I've been to in the world, I'd love to live in Iceland. That was one of the most amazing experiences in life where people were so kind, relaxed, and nature was as pure as I've ever seen. I'll say that for now.
BONUS QUESTION - What made you select Taraz and I for your questions?
I know you're both active, extremely engaged, great writers/bloggers, and have a distinct connection outside of Hive. I thought it'd be one of those things that you'd actually enjoy while and after doing it, and that it could spark nice family memories and sense of bond that most other matchups wouldn't be able to do. I also thought there'd be a little suspense in not knowing what each other (armed with sensitive info) would say. It was a successful trust exercise that helped me learn a lot more about each (another goal). Therefore, leading the initiative off with ample opportunity for it to go right vs fall on its face.
I hope this makes up for the dorky brother pic I used.
Be on the lookout for more Hivean vs Hivean "Ask Them Anything" posts.
With the right participants, I think it's a nice way to for people to think outside the box and get to know each other (and themselves) a bit better.
Thanks,
Matt
P.S. Check out my new 10 Hive Improvement Ideas x 10 Days Initiative.