I Have Been Tal-Tagged!

The rules: Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

1. What was I doing ten years ago?

Ten years ago, I was married to a cold heartless lady, working too damn much at Kroger (and graveyard shift, at that), and approaching the old age of 30. Basically, aside from music collecting and guitar playing, the only things I looked forward to at this point was bowling every Friday and church every Sunday. Yeah, I lived a very exciting life.

2. What are 5 (non-work) things on my to-do list for today?

1. Finish paying the dreaded bills
2. Soak in the jacuzzi
3. Put a post in my too-long-neglected blog
4. Try to attempt to clean & organize my music room
5. Transfer some LPs to CDs

Yeah, on #5, there is an interesting story behind that one. JLo's mother works at a restaurant in Hot Springs that has new ownership. The new owners have a 16-year-old daughter that is really getting interested in classic rock and folk music. JLo's mother told her that she needs to speak to Bolivar - he's got it all. So, the last time I was in Hot Springs (Memorial Day weekend), this young lady & I got together & talked shop for about an hour. She told me the artists that she was looking for: Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton, just to name a few. But then she mentioned a band called the Pentangle... I had to ask her if she was really 16! I told her that I have friends my age that have never heard of that band! I told her I have all of the albums the Pentangle did on the Reprise label, and her face completely lit up! I told her that I have no problem burning those for her. That's what I am doing as I do this post.

3. 5 snacks I enjoy:

1. M & M peanut candies (sorry, Tal)
2. Bud Light
3. "Miami Vice" - one part strawberry daquiri, one part pina colada, 100% yum!
4. Fried peach pie a la mode from Couch's BBQ in Jonesboro
5. More Bud Light

I know, #5 was wrong! But I have always said that everyone needs something to believe in... so I believe that I will have another beer!!

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

1. Buy the rights to the Beatles catalog away from Ms. Michael Jackson (or whoever has it this week)
2. Get myself out of debt (won't take much)
3. Put the money in the bank & live off the interest
4. Build me a nice but not extravagant house out in the middle of nowhere (preferably in the Ozarks), and also build me a nice recording studio next to the house
5. Buy me a copy of Thin Lizzy's "Jailbreak" on vinyl

5. Places I have lived:

1. Wichita Falls, TX (1968-1975)
2. Beaumont, TX (Jan. 1976 - June 1976)
3. St. Louis, MO (June 1976 - Feb. 1977, Sept. 1977 - Dec. 1979)
4. Dallas, TX (Feb. 1977 - Aug. 1977)
5. Houston, TX (Dec. 1979 - May 1981)
6. Newport, AR (May 1981 - May 1986)
7. Jonesboro, AR (May 1986 - July 2001)
8. Little Rock, AR (July 2001 - Nov. 2001)
9. Hot Springs, AR (Nov. 2001 - July 2007)
10. Cordova, TN (July 2007 - present)

Whew! 10 places I have lived in. Wow!!

6. Jobs I have had:

1. Mowing Yards!!! (1979 - hmm... does this ever end?)
2. H & R Block (2 months in 1984 - made enough money to buy a new guitar and amplifier - I still have that guitar: my old trusty Peavey T-60 guitar!)
3. Revco Drugs (Aug. 1984 - Dec. 1985) - Yes, for a year and a half, I sold drugs. And I have no regrets about it.
4. Sonic Drive-In (Dec. 1985 - May 1986) - I must have really been on drugs, because I quit Revco for this??? I partied my last day there - I couldn't wait to graduate & get out of Newport.
5. Bonanza (May 1986 - April 1988) - At first, I really enjoyed this job & I made a lot of friends (most enduring friendship: Talmadge Q. Gleck). Towards the end, I couldn't wait to quit this job as well. The people I liked had moved on to bigger and better things, so it was time for me to do the same.
6. Sears (April 1988-May 1988) - Great when I first started, but it's hard to live on $50 a week. But it got me through my final exams... and a heartbreak.
7. Dominos Pizza (May 1988-July 1988) - Oh, the stories I could tell. I lost count how many times I delivered pizza when young ladies wearing nightgowns would open the door... good times, good times. Unfortunately, the wear & tear on my Chevette was too much.
8. Autumn Inn (July 1988-Dec. 1988) - I loved this job, even though it was a graveyard shift job. But I would get off at 8 a.m. Friday morning & not return until 10 p.m. Monday night. Yes, I had weekends off! Unfortunately, I had a confrontation with a guest, which led to my dismissal, one week before final exams.
9. Snak-Pak (Dec. 1988-Feb. 1989) - The absolute bottom of the barrel. The day I got the axe was a turning point for me (the manager wanted to hire a friend - she was told that she had to let go of someone first - guess who.).
10. Kroger (Mar. 1989 - present) - It's hard to believe that I am going on 20 years with this company. I have had my share of good and bad times with Kroger, but I really wouldn't trade it in on anything. Since taking my new position, I have gotten my name out there quite a bit. Some of the bigwigs in Cincinnati have begun to notice. The next step? Who knows! But I am enjoying the ride.

So there you have it. I am supposed to tag 5 people, but most of the people I know have already done this survey. So, I am tagging Nettiemac, Seraphim, and Candidly Caroline. You all are up next.

Sayonara - till next time.

- Bolivar