Welcome

Welcome to the Blogging world!
I'm Curtai and I am here to share some of me and hopefully learn a bit about myself and about you.

The pictures I put in here are not always going to be relevant but it is my blog.
This is a statue of the Virgin Mary overlooking the Amalfi Coast in the South of Italy, Quite possibly the most beautiful place I have ever been.

Here are 75 or so random fact about me.
100 things about me ok 66 for now the other third when I get some time.

1) I am a runner, not very fast but I can run farther than most. What this means is that I can excuse myself for longer periods of time to be out running
2) I have 2 kids Sierra 7, and Joshua 2.
3) My favorite color is Teal
4) My Favorite Movie is Dances with Wolves, there was a connection to the metamorphosis that fires my soul
5) I am an Ultimate player and have been for 15 years, see http://www.emeraldcoastultimate.com/ for more information.
6) I am married to a wonderful woman, Robia, who compliments me in about a thousand ways.
7) I like motion, vs objects. ß-------There is an entire thesis here, perhaps that will be explored here. I don’t hate things, but beauty is in movement, weather it is time of water or an athletetic expression, a dance, fire, leaves in a tree. Some do not understand this and I don’t think I am yet capable of expressing it.
8) I am a Quality Manager at an Aerospace firm where turbine engine components are repaired.
9) I like stories rather than documentaries
10) I feel resentful when I watch lifestyles of the rich and famous.
11) When traveling I like books on tape. (never tried it running, yet)
12) I am a lifetime member of Weight Watchers, I maxed out at 215 LBS , way to much for a frame that according to the experts should be 145-155. Anyhow over the course of 2004-2005 I lost about 60 LBS, using WW.
13) I do not do drugs or alcohol at all as being sober is something important to me after a really troubled youth !
14) I was born July 10, 1964 in California
15) I miss California except when I am there (usually)
16) I have a Master’s Degree in Metallurgical Engineering from University of Alabama at Birmingham
17) I have a BS in Materials Engineering From California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo
18) I have an associates degree in Mathematics from College of the Canyons in Valencia California
19) I love Death Valley
20) I was in the Boy Scouts for a couple years
21) My favorite Books of All time were the Lord of the Rings
22) It bothers me when people pull up and stop in front of a store and just sit there waiting for someone to come out
23) I have one dog, named Duchess, a loveable Sheltie that does not get enough attention.
24) I used to have a ton of fish but when I got kids it seemed like too much work.
25) I often follow the path of least resistance
26) I am an ‘S’ type personality. My biggest difficulty is with pushy A’s
27) I am pretty smart, but I don’t necessarily think fast nor articulate my thoughts quickly. Major disadvantage in confrontational settings.
28) I am harder on myself in most instances than others are on me.
29) I love Sushi, In fact I have a men’s group that meets every Thursday, the Bait Shop Boys, I only miss if life gets in the way, I really try to manage life so it does not happen.
30) I like tea, green tea, but I love coffee…… other than Caffeine I don’t think it has many redeeming qualities, but love IS the proper term.
31) Movies should have a happy ending, real life is often so tragic, that happy endings should be required. I feel cheated if I go to a movie and get a sad ending. Bittersweet I can sort of live with.
32) My computer skills are adequate, I know enough to really screw things up terminally, but not enough to fix it once it is dead.
33) I was secretary for the Birmingham Sheltie Club for a year
34) I was raised Baptist, but now attend Methodist Churches.
35) I have been reading and want to try out Yoga to strengthen my core.
36) I like Fuji apples, they have a crunchiness that lasts, there is nothing good about a mushy apple. Braeburn are a close second.
37) I like to put Yogurt on my cereal instead of milk
38) I like Crank gels for my long training runs.
39) I did the Los Angeles Marathon in 1990
40) I am doing my second marathon at Walt Disney World in 2006 (January 8) Cheer ya’ll
41) I think that Y’all and Fixin’ are definitive Southern words that have purpose and if used properly are attractive.
42) I have trouble finding pants that fit as I have a 29” inseam this is short
43) I am 5-6 ¾ but call myself 5-7
44) I have been to Europe 3 times, twice for work and once for Vacation.
45) I love the Sorrento Coast of Italy
46) I am a big fan of Jimmy Buffett. My daughter’s favorite song is “Jolly Mon Sing”
47) I and my Wife both drive Mini-Vans They are the bst thing since sliced bread.
48) I have 5-6 inventions in my mind that would make me millions but I don’t know how to bring the idea to market. (Read the Running Shoe Rejuvenator)
49) I smoked a pack a day from ages 16-22 and from 34-39. I’ll have no more Cigars thank you very much!
50) My first car was a Blue 1972 Chevy Nova names Daniella Maria Nova
51) I lettered in high school swim team (JV)
52) I tried out but did not make the High School Baseball team
53) I played POP-Warner football for 2 years, but did not pursue it in High School.
54) I like Golf, my best round ever was 82 at Ojai Valley, my Dad still beat me by 2 strokes. I have yet to beat him, he is 63.
55) I worked in my dad’s shop for 2 years while in Junior College.
56) I made a career of college 1984 and finished in 1998, Note I flunked out of my first College CSUN, they still send me letters asking for financial support. As if.
57) I started an Ultimate Frisbee team at University of Alabama at Birmingham, we named it Blazing Kaos..
58) I chose my graduate school in part due to the Ultimate Frisbee scene in Birmingham.
59) I worked at a Video store for 2 months.
60) I was fired from my first three jobs see troubled youth above.
61) I know what it feels like to not have the keys to leave.
62) I would rather rent a boat than own one.
63) The sand of the Emerald Coast is the most beautiful in the world.
64) Frozen grapes are among the best thing God ever invented.
65) I am a carnivore, but with Vegetarian leanings
66) My favorite fish is grouperI don’t understand the thrill of Lobster.

OK I am looking for someone to read this and comment. LOL
Curtai
67) I am a Six Sigma Black Belt, and sorry for you if you know what that is.
68) My running shoes are Brooks Adrenaline. I am now "resting my Marathon pair, the Blue Ones, they just feel better than the orange ones, I do not know why.
69) President Bush often irritates me.
70) I do not like to be cold, at all, except when I go skiing, then only when I am outside, even then 31 degrees is perfect.
71) I love to snow ski and snow board. At 41 I am usually the oldest one out there doing a grinder. LOL
72) I see the benefits of ISO 9001 if applied properly, however I also see the complete waste if it is not.
73) As I get older, time is the most important resource I have at my disposal.
74) I have been in an Earthquake and a Hurricane
75) I play Ultimate every Tuesday Night unless Life gets in the way. I try to avoid that.
76) I was doing Triathlons in 1980's, I met Mark Allen who was THE man at the time.
77) I would rather run than ride a bike, I would rather Swim than ride a bike. Perhaps I should get a better bike.
78) I love to Mountain Bike, when there are Mountains around. Oak Mountain, South Of Birmingham kicks butt.
79) I like Starbucks Frappacinos
80) I go to a service every Sunday on the Beach at 6:30 AM
81) I have read the entire book of Genesis, Exodus and the Gospels in the Bible as well as much of the rest of it.
82) I have been on Two cruise vacations, the first of which I was in AWE of, and the second nicer vacation, was nice, but well liek being on a cruise ship.
83) Southern California and Southern France are very similar geographically speaking, they look like the same place!
84) I have done 1 Marathon, 10 Sprint Triathlons, a number of half marathons, numerous 5 and 10K races.
85) I think that swimmers are the most beautiful physical specimens of humanity. ( I should say, those that swim and look like swiimmers, not those that swim and look like me!) LOL.
86) for team sports, I believe that ultimate players are some of the most physically fit people I have ever known. Put it this way, I hurt more the day after a 2 day ultimate tourney than after a marathon, that maybe perspective...
87) I wear cheap sunglasses becuase I am forever losing them regardless of price, so the Oakley Thumps are out, sorry.
88) I listen to my MP3 player when I run.
89) I run at night most of the time. It is a way for me to unwind. Some are early risers, but I am not so much. My son is a light sleeper and he is most soundly sleeping between 10 pm and midnight, thus my runs often happen then.
90) I still use the user id that was assigned with my first computer ever.
91) I really like the Raceready shorts www.raceready.com , they have little pockets for everything I need, except water, for which I use a fuel belt www.fuelbelt.com
92) My eyes are a grey green color
93) The first thing I was attracted to in my wife was her eyes.
94) I would like to become a registered dietician
95) I would like to be a certified financial planner
96) I was in chess club in Junior High School and am still an OK player
97) I have not had a drink of Alcohol or a non-prescribed drug since May 20, 1985
98) I like the new "retro" looking cars
99) I like Gnomes, in fact my wife has begun to make me a collection of them.
100) Some days I think I can fly, others I just try to not sink, but then again, that is what gives us the spice of life.