This meme tag is going around. The idea is that Im supposed to tell you five things that most people do not know about me, and then in an effort to keep it going I’m supposed to tag five more. I was tagged (read: sucked into this) by Raymond Lewallen. Normally, I dont care much for these types of things, but this one was really rather intriguing and I found myself thinking pretty hard to come up with this list.</p>
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I never went to college. I’ve always looked at formal schooling as a way to teach you how to think and how to learn, rather than teaching you real skills. I believe much more strongly in an apprenticeship or mentorship program. I believe that some people are born with the ability to learn quickly. I also believe that Im one of those, and so I chose not to go the traditional route.
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I wanted to be a trauma surgeon. I really thought I would enjoy the frenetic pace of a hospital emergency room. As it turns out, my opposition to college prevented me from doing this. Apparently, people like their surgeons to have actually gone to school.
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Both of my parents are from Europe. I am the first Berther off of my family’s line to be born in the United States. My dad is Swiss and my mother is Austrian. I have a dual citizenship to Switzerland.
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I met the then-president of Austria, Kurt Waldheim, when I was 12.
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I have a tendency to jump headlong into new hobbies. A few years ago, I decided I’d like to learn a little more about photography. Instead of buying an entry level camera, I end up buying a Canon 20d, a 17-85EF-s lens, a 50mm f/1.8 lens, and a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. In addition, I bought numerous accessories, including a tripod and head. This can be a pretty annoying trait. As you can imagine, my wife gets pretty nervous when I come home and say that I think I’d like to try something. :)
So, I think I’ll tag: Jeffrey Palermo, Jeremy Miller, and David Starr.
Oh, and Robb Allen. And Gina Trapani.