My name is Royce DeGrie. I am 37 years old and I learned today that my children are Digital Natives and I am a Digital Immigrant. Guess I never thought of it that way since I’ve been around computers since I was about 12 years old. Got my first computer (a used Commodore 64) as a gift from my brother and I’ve been hooked ever since. Although I’ve never seen the point of writing a bunch of random things about my life as I couldn’t imagine who might want to read it… here I am, writing my first BLOG. We’ll see where this goes.
So, as my inaugural BLOG, I thought I’d share 25 random things about myself to share with you, the reader, some of the things that have made me who I am today.
25 Random Things About Me:
#1- I hate the word “random” when used improperly. Actually, I hate any word used improperly.
#2- I have way too many pet peeves to list here… lots of things annoy me.
#3- One of those pet peeves is getting friend requests on social networking sites from people I don’t know. If I don’t know you, you can’t be a friend, can you?
#4- I love fishing and the outdoors in general but I hate rain.
#5- I am a follower of Jesus Christ, cleverly disguised as a photographer, graphic designer, illustrator.
#6- I have a very large tattoo on my right arm… and I bet you can’t guess what it is.
#7- I am a stock photographer/illustrator, which means I take photos and create drawing and I sell them to be used in advertising. Images like this:
Yes, this sums up my sense of humor very well.
#8- I am very happily married to the greatest woman I have ever known. We met in college, the very first day and the very first class. We didn’t start dating until a year later. I’ve never looked back. She’s amazing.
#9- I set a goal to be working in full-time ministry within a year, God willing. It happened in about 7 months. :D
#10- At 28 years of age I had a sudden cardiac arrest and woke up with an ICD – Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator, which I have had for 9 years now. The only explanation I was given is that it was an “Electrophysiological Malfunction” of the heart. Say that ten times fast!
#11- While in high school and college, I liked to jump off of very high cliffs into water. While in Junior High School, I jumped from a 60′ railroad bridge into the water below because a train was coming. Not smart.
#12- I once bought a pair of stolen speakers and traded them for a hand gun at my high school. As the guy gave me the gun he said “Uh, you’re not gonna kill anybody with that, are you?” Definitely not smart!
#13- I think I am the most normal person I know. My wife disagrees.
#14- I play guitar. One of my guitars is a 1968 Fender Coronado. I got it autographed by Ted Nugent. He was cool but it annoyed me that he called it a “Corona”. That’s a beer, Ted… not my guitar.
#15- I had the opportunity to shoot a private interview with Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. I got to meet him, shake his hand, and get my picture taken with him. He was totally coherent, intelligent, and down-right gentlemanly… it was a real pleasure to meet him. I’ve love the Stones for over 20 years and that was one of the highlights of my life.
On the same night, I met Percy Sledge, George Jones, Melinda Doolittle, Barbara Mandrell, The Crickets – J. I. Allison, Sonny Curtis, and Joe B. Mauldin, Duane Eddy, and Kid Rock.
#16- I love quotes. Here are some of my favorites:
“A lie gets halfway around the world before
the truth has a chance to get its pants on.”
-Sir Winston Churchill
“If you want to make an apple pie from scratch
you must first invent the universe.” – Albert Einstein
“Do, or do not. There is no try.”
-Yoda (“The Empire Strikes Back”)
The difference between ‘involvement ‘ and ‘commitment’
is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was ‘involved’
- the pig was ‘committed’.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil
is for good men to do nothing.”
-Edmund Burke
“The artist is nothing without the gift,
but the gift is nothing without the work.” -Emile Zola
“When you do common things in an uncommon way,
you will attract the attention of the world.”
-George Washington Carver
“Well done is better than well said.”
-Benjamin Franklin
“Whether you think you can, or that you can’t,
you are usually right.” -Henry Ford
And, my favorite: “The true measure of a man is how he treats
someone who can do him absolutely no good.”
#17. My dream car as a child was a red Corvette, C3 body style. I now own a red 1979 Corvette with t-tops and I realize, “Meh… it’s just a car.”.
#18. In 2008, I traveled to Moldova and to Turkey (with people I hardly knew at all) as a photojournalist to document some of the people affected by human trafficking. I met some amazing people there and learned that I never want to step foot in the country of Turkey again as long as I live.
#19. Over the last 9 years I have had various and sundry medical issues which have included: sudden cardiac arrest, strange numbness and tingling of my arms and legs, vertigo (5 times), ruptured ear drums (both at one time!), bad moles removed, a back injury (I have no idea how it happened), and depression from all of the things that have gone wrong. I’m sure I left something out.
#20- I have overcome the depression with the knowledge that ALL things are possible through Christ who strengthens me! Woo-hoo!
#21- I am a self-proclaimed, card-carrying geek and I am proud of it! I love being a geek. My brother gave me his old Commodore 64 computer when I was 12 years old and I was hooked from the first time I used it.
#22- I can fix just about anything. My dad and grandfather taught me so much about “handyman” stuff when I was a kid that I’m not afraid to tackle any project. (Thanks, Dad!) If I set my mind to it, I can do just about anything. My youngest daughter thinks this means I am superman and can build or fix anything. When she breaks things, she says “It’s okay, daddy can fix it.”.
#23- I sincerely believe that you cannot help but be successful doing something you love to do.
#24- I hate it when people use the word “retarded” as synonym for the word stupid. In fact, I hate it when people make fun of anyone with a disability and think it is funny.
#25- I think mean people suck.
