Monday, January 29, 2007

Order from Chaos is 100 Posts Old!

To celebrate my 100th post, here is a list of 100 things. I have attempted to make each one relevant to me, but it's harder than you think. You try it. Thanks to Wikipedia, which has an entry for each number and it helped to jog my memory and help me fill in some of the gaps.
  • 100 - Number of blog entries on Order from Chaos - I'm ready for syndication!
  • 99 - Bottles of beer on the wall. My favorite? I like Dundee's Honey Brown.
  • 98 - Approximate number of times I have seen most, if not all, of Field of Dreams, one of my favorite baseball movies.
  • 97[.1] - The frequency of two radio stations I listen to. In New York, 97.1 is now Hot97 and the play list is not the one of my youth. Here in DC, it is the frequency for WASH-FM, a "soft rock" radio station.
  • [19]96 - The year I received my Masters in Library Science.
  • 95 - My highest recorded Scrabble single word score - exorcise(45 for the word, 50 points for the bingo)
  • 94 - The age at which both of my father's parents passed away. Good genes.
  • 93 - My best eighteen hole golf score, shot at Rock Creek Golf Course, in Washington, DC.
  • 92 - "Cinderella story. Outta nowhere. A former greens keeper, now, about to become the Masters Champion. It looks like a mirac . . It's in the hole! It's in the hole! It's in the hole! - Caddyshack, quote rank on AFI's 100 movies, 100 quotes. One of my favorites.
  • [19]91 - The start of the first Gulf War. I recall sitting in the parking lot of the Syosset rail road station, waiting to pick up my father, hearing the announcement on the radio that the war had begun.
  • 90 - The Interstate number designated for most of the Mass Pike and the east-west portion of the New York State Thruway and a road I have traveled a fair amount, while working on number #89 and #96.
  • [19]89 - The year I received my undergraduate degree from the University at Albany, B.A. in American History.
  • [19]88 - The first presidential election I voted in. Michael Dukakis, why, why?
  • [19]87 - The year I got my American Express card, the longest serving credit card in my wallet.
  • 86 - "Would you believe . . .?" Agent Maxwell Smart's agent number on Get Smart. One of my favorite shows growing up.
  • [19]85 - The year I graduated high school, as well as my average in high school, placing me 202nd out of a graduating class of 505, slightly above average, that's me.
  • [19]84 - As a senior in high school, I worked on political campaigns as part of my political science elective. I also called results into the networks from my polling place, although I could not yet vote (for Walter Mondale).
  • [19]83 - The year I decided to become a Social Studies teacher, largely through the efforts of my social studies teacher, Bob Gaudino.
  • 82 - The number of games in a standard NHL season. I am a lifelong New York Rangers fan.
  • 81 - The number of squares on a Sudoku puzzle, one of my addictions.
  • 80 - The cross-country Interstate, of which some is found in New Jersey, and a road I have travelled a lot. My father also commuted on I-80 everyday for nearly fifteen years when he took a job in Morristown, NJ and we kept living in Syosset, NY.
  • [19]79 - When in sixth grade, we were all ushered into the all-purpose room at J. Irving Baylis elementary school to watch the signing of the historic Camp David Accords, with President Jimmy Carter, President Anwar Sadat of Egypt, and Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel.
  • 78 - The total number of gifts that are given in the Twelve Days of Christmas. Christmas is my favorite holiday, as well as the birthday of my son.
  • 77 - My father's age.
  • 76 - The number of trombones at the head of the parade being led by the Music Man. I like Broadway shows and musicals.
  • 75 - The age at which my mother passed away, a year ago next month.
  • [19]74 - The year Richard Nixon resigned the presidency. My family was on vacation and I recall clearly my parents calling me inside to watch Nixon announce he was resigning. Their words to me, "Watch this, you will never see this again."
  • [19]73 - The year I started public school.
  • 72 - My approximate height in inches.
  • 71 - The highest attendance at an SAA-JAL Tour Baseball outing. Two groups went to see the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2003, 29 on Wednesday night and 41 on Friday night. The highest single attended event came in 2005 at the New Orleans Zephyrs game at the New Orleans Annual Meeting.
  • 70 - The number of people who came to my second wedding (see #48).
  • [19]69 - The year of the moon landing. The reason for the "Brave Astronaut?" My junior high school athletic team was known as the Astronauts, although named for the three astronauts who were killed in the launchpad fire of 1967, Gus Grissom, Edward White, and Roger Chafee.
  • 68 - The eighteen-hole par score for Sligo Creek Golf Course. Still trying to get there (see #45)
  • [19]67 - The year of my birth.
  • 66 - Number of DVDs in my DVD collection.
  • [18]65 - The year when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC. I am a volunteer usher at this historic theater and often tell the history to groups coming to the theater to see the plays.
  • 64 - The number of miles around as well as the year the Washington Beltway (I-495) was completed.
  • [19]63 - The year in which we lost a president by assassination, John F. Kennedy. I am a big fan of the Kennedy family and also applied once for a job at the Kennedy presidential library. My mother would tell stories of that weekend how everything stopped, much the same way, we all stopped thirty-eight years later.
  • 62 - The "age" of the United Nations. In high school, I was in the Model UN club.
  • 61 - The current number of refrigerator magnets on on my fridge. This number does not include the number of magnetic animal pieces for my son's barnyard game.
  • 60 - The current number of books in my Half.com inventory. Feel free to browse and find something you like.
  • 59 - Age at which Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross. My wife travels the parkway named in her honor everyday, and I give blood often, in fact coming up this Wednesday.
  • 58 - At age 58, Thomas Jefferson began the practice of shaking people's hands when they met the President. Prior to that, President Washington had started the practice of bowing in salutation. My wife and I were engaged at the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC.
  • 57 - The year the Society of American Archivists named its first Fellows. I have the honor and privilege of working alongside one and working for another. I also count several friends in the profession who have attained this distinguished honor.
  • 56 - The ranking of M*A*S*H on the AFI 100 greatest films. I liked the movie, but loved the TV show. It's one of those shows that I will always turn to watch if there is nothing else on.
  • 55 - The federally mandated speed limit that I seem to have trouble maintaining (see #43).
  • 54 - The number of cards in a single playing deck, with the Jokers. I like to play cards.
  • [19]53 - The year my father graduated from Brown University. Kappa Sigma!
  • [19]52 - The year my parents were married, on Flag Day, June 14.
  • [19]51 - The year my mother graduated from Brown University (Pembroke College).
  • 50 - Ways to Leave Your Lover, according to Paul Simon, one of my favorite singers.
  • 49[th St.] - The street in New York City that runs past Rockefeller Center, home to the famous tree at Christmastime. A popular destination whenever I would go to visit New York City.
  • 48 - The number of people the chapel sat in which I got married for the second time (see #70).
  • 47 - The number of one-way miles in my last commute from Syosset to the Rockefeller Archive Center. Mostly a reverse commute, it would take about an hour to complete (see also #11).
  • 46 - Jack Nicklaus became the oldest man to win the Masters at the age of 46.
  • 45 - My all time best golf score for 9 holes, at Sligo Creek Golf Course, in Silver Spring, MD (see also #68).
  • 44 - William Harrison Mitchell was noted as the 44th President in the movie, Dave. I love political movies and this is one of my favorites.
  • 43 - The approximate number of minutes that passed between two speeding tickets I received on the New York State Thruway (see #55).
  • 42 - Bill Clinton was the 42nd President. Proud to have voted for him twice.
  • 41 - Montana is the 41st State in the Union and the desired destination of Vasili Borodin (Sam Neill) in The Hunt for Red October, "I would like to have seen Montana . . ." - another of my favorite movies (and authors, I once saw Tom Clancy drinking and smoking in a DC bar, I know, it's hard to believe).
  • 40 - My wife's current age. I like older women.
  • 39 - My current age.
  • 38 - My current "win rate" percentage on Spider, the solitaire game, that I play on my computer at home, usually while my wife plays on her laptop.
  • 37 - According to Bob Barker, the number of hours that must pass before the "range finder" can be started again once stopped on The Price is Right. We're going to miss you, Bob. I LOVE The Price is Right.
  • 36 - The number of passengers who died on the Hindenburg, when it exploded over Lakehurst, NJ, in 1937. I'm a sucker for the disaster film oeuvre.
  • 35 - The number of icons currently on my desktop, but several are on their way out, because it's a little cluttered.
  • [19]34 - The year the organization I currently work for was established.
  • 33 - The traditional number of racers in the Indianapolis 500. I watch only for the crashes.
  • 32 - Jesus' age when he was crucified. I'm a lapsed Catholic.
  • 31 - The number of Baskin-Robbins flavors. My current favorites? Gold Medal Ribbon and World Class Chocolate.
  • 30 - The last age milestone I hit that I had trouble with. Until I realize I am staring at 40 this December.
  • 29 - The rank of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington on the AFI list. One of Jimmy Stewart's greatest roles, although I am still very fond of George Bailey.
  • 28 - The number of bottles of water currently in the kitchen. I take a bottle of water with my lunch every day. Bottled water is, of course, the craze and I could drink from the tap, but why? (see also #15)
  • 27 - The number of outs in a regulation baseball game. I am a big fan of America's pastime and root for the Yankees (AL) and the Nationals (NL).
  • 26 - Number of the fifty states I have visited, from west to east: CA, AZ, NM, CO, WI, IL, OH, LA, AL, FL, GA, NC, SC, VA, WV, MD, DE, PA, NJ, NY, CT, RI, MA, VT, NH, ME
  • 25 - The number of people in my extended family, including in-laws.
  • 24 - The title of one of my most favorite shows on TV. We love Jack Bauer!
  • 23 - The CB Channel used for the Taconic and Sprain parkways in New York, which I used to travel everyday when I worked at the Rockefeller Archive Center and was living in Poughkeepsie, New York.
  • 22 - The periodic number for Titanium, of which many of the shafts of my golf clubs are made.
  • 21 - The number of individuals (estimated) who have declared themselves to be a candidate for President in 2008. A political junkie, I am reveling in what we will get to see over the next year.
  • 20 - The day in December in which I was born.
  • 19 - The day in September that is known as International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Arrggh! At least one Halloween, I dressed up as a pirate. I used to be able to cover my neighborhood in just over two hours and score enough candy that would last me til Thanksgiving.
  • 18 - The number of people in this country (estimated) with my last name, and they're all related to me.
  • 17 - The number of different jobs I have held (I think) since I have been eligible to work (anyone remember getting working papers?).
  • 16 - The number of Rapid Rewards credits it takes (8 round trips) it takes on Southwest Airlines to earn a free ticket. Southwest is my favorite airline and has been since I started taking it as part of my "commute" between Islip, NY and Washington, DC, when I started dating my wife.
  • 15 - The number of bottles of Pellegrino currently in my wine rack. I like to mix it with orange juice or drink it straight as an alternative to "flat" water (see also #28).
  • 14 - The number of years I have been working as a professional archivist.
  • 13 - The number of years I have been playing golf. Coincidentally, also the number of years I have been trying to improve my golf score.
  • 12 - The number of times my wife and I have seen our two favorite artists, Dave Matthews and Billy Joel (DM=7, BJ=5). I have seen Dave once (with her) and she has seen Billy once (with me).
  • 11 - The number of one-way miles in my current commute from home to work. It's a trip that takes about 20 minutes, a little longer with Beltway traffic (see also #47).
  • 10 - The number of nieces and nephews I have.
  • 9 - The number of places I have lived (distinct addresses).
  • 8 - The number of those Super Motels, you know the ones that leave the light on for you. I stayed in one in California when I attended the wedding of a friend in California.
  • 7 - The number of my house growing up in Syosset, New York
  • 6 - The number of cars I have had: A 1982 Mercury Zephyr, a 1994 Nissan Sentra, a 1996 Mazda 626 (bought used), a 2000 Mazda Protege, a 1998 Ford Taurus (thanks, Mom), and my current car, a 2006 Mazda 5.
  • 5 - Number of the month (May) in which I was married, as well as the number of years I will be married in 2007.
  • 4 - The number of years I practiced as a teacher, my first chosen profession.
  • 3 - The number of archival positions I have held. I'm thinking third time's the charm and I will be at this job for a while.
  • 2 - The age of my son.
  • 1 - My one true love, my wife, and soul mate.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You've got WAY too much free time on your hands! So this is why you put Teddy to bed at 7:30.

Gotta admit that I loved it!