Over 100 Things You Didn’t Know About Me

I've been meaning to do this post for a long time, without further ado, edits or further pontification, here it is...

1. I was born in Mexico City (D.F.). Some call me a Chilango.
2. I came to the US (unwillingly at first) when I was 15. I had visited earlier when I was 12 for a couple weeks.
3. I am now a U.S. Citizen.
4. I trained in Karate for 2 1/2 or 3 years as a kid. I've had super strong abs ever since.
5. I was around 5 or 6 when I learned to ride a bike. My uncle and or cousin made the bicycle from scratch.
6. I bought my first domain in 1996 rakxzo.com which I still own. I didn't realize the potential of making money online until ten years later.
7. In 2006 I set a "master plan" in motion to be independently wealthy by the time I retire. It's slowly taking shape. It has a way to go.
8. I failed at having a net worth of 1 million dollars by age 30. (note: 3/17/2014 This has been corrected and a plan is set in motion to reach it soon)
9. My blogging experience began in 2002, it wasn't good or important until 2005 and then again in 2007.
10. I made my first website in AOL, then Geocities, then I in 2001, with Frontpage. It was online for about 7 months until I switched ISPs. I learned about hosting my own site quickly after that.
11. I am on almost every social network that has ever graced my screen. Provided it isn't junk or spam.
12. I have an awesome younger sister. She's my unsuspecting mentor. She blogs at Traveling Mango.
13. I first took a breath in this world on August 6. Thirty-five years earlier Hiroshima had been annihilated.
14. I don't believe in God. I am spiritual. This is not a contradiction.
15. In 2005, I once lost 45 pounds in 3 months, when I got tired of being overweight.
16. In Highschool I weighed 140-150 depending on the sport I was playing.
17. I've played computer games since I was 2 or 3. Atari was my first console, I also played with Intellivision. I now have a mostly-unused PS3.
18. I stopped playing video games a few years ago when I realized my financial goals weren't going to accomplish themselves and I was spending way too much time playing video games
19. I've played soccer with a coconut, old juice cans, gallon-sized milk containers, on a dirt field and barefoot. Trust me, nothing beats a soccer ball, socks, and cleats.
20. I ran around on Estadio Azteca field once as a kid. Maybe I didn't, I'm not so sure anymore. 
21. I once devoted 3 - 8 hours a day playing World of Warcraft. I have only memories to account for that time; really good memories.
22. I once read: "Fear the man that doesn't fear God." I live that, both as a man that doesn't fear God and I pay attention to who's fearful of God.
23. I love beautiful websites. I find them difficult to build.
24. I spend 9 - 16 hours a day in front of a computer of some sort. It is my job and passion.
25. I have brown eyes.
26. Matias y El Pastel de Fresas was my favorite book as a kid; I want my kids to have a copy, but it's out of print.
27. I have anarchist tendencies. I question everything and often come across as defiant. I don't care.
28. I have visited three countries so far; I intend on visiting every continent.
29. I type about 75-90 wpm. I can break 100+ if I practice for 11 days straight.
30. For almost a year I ran a few of websites hitting 100-300K PV/month. I made about $46.00 from them. I spent over 1K.
31. The education I got from running my own sites was worth more than 1K.
32. I don't have kids. (update, see #133 and #140)
33. I learn from doing and practicing; I hone by reading and discussing.
34. I don't like politicians.
35. I love books.
36. By age eight I had been to more museums than most people will visit in a lifetime.
37. For three years or so I was part of the youth leadership in a Christian church in the field of apologetics.
38. I learned all the reasons to know that God doesn't exist.
39. I've read the Bible 3 to 5 times, depending on how you count it, but I've never been able to read Psalms from beginning to end.
40. I have visited over 18 of the 31 states in Mexico. I've visited 7 states in the US and 2 major cities in Canada.
41. I have never been to a professional Football (NFL/AFL) game.
42. I don't think that we give enough credit to our educators.
43. I don't think most of our educators are capable.
44. I don't believe in victimless crimes. There shouldn't be laws against them; thus they shouldn't be called crimes.
45. I believe in doing the right thing above all else.
46. I can be persuaded by facts and reason.
47. I don't believe in miracles or luck or in the Rapture.
48. One of my favorite movies is Stand by Me; another is The Thomas Crown Affair; I have a top 10 list so there's 8 more.
49. I'm a good swimmer. I took lessons for 3+ years as a kid.
50. I've swum in the open ocean, off a boat, with dolphins, and in rough weather and in dangerous waves; I almost drowned in a pool at age 4.
51. I used to experiment with food a lot; my sister and I made scrambled eggs with strawberries one time.
52. I'll eat almost anything; I've eaten crickets and ant eggs, in addition to cow's brains, tongue, eyeballs and other parts I do not want to talk about.
53. I can't lie; my body betrays me in way too many ways.
54. Most "reality TV" isn't real; more importantly, it sucks at entertaining me.
55. Among my favorite writers are: Orwell, A. Huxley, Michael Ende, Dean Koontz, Neruda, Garcia Marquez.
56. I enjoy watching Man vs. Wild, I prefer Survivorman, I'm getting into Dual Survival now.
57. I grew up with books; they have been a constant in my ever-changing life.
58. I once had a decent auto-detailing business; before detailing cars was popular. It burned down in a fire; I have worked in corporate ever since.
59. I met my wife at the pool; she was my neighbor.
60. I fell in love with wine shortly after I fell in love with my Wife.
61. I've been blogging for years, yet nobody reads my blog. (except for you guys reading this list). I don't care. Edit (2014) This is starting to get traction, so thanks for all of you that keep coming back to read my stuff!
62. I hate standardized tests; I do well in them.
63. If I seem like I question everything, it is because I do. Understanding things is embedded in my DNA and I can't help it; I also know this annoys people and think that's too bad.
64. I *also* hate when drivers don't use their signals!
65. I am not good at sugarcoating stuff; nor do I want to become good at it.
66. I had an iPhone, am a secret Blackberry fan and currently have an affair with my EVO Android phone Galaxy S4.
67. I own a number of computers; some run OS X; some run windows; a few run Linux.
68. I believe strongly in symbolism and interconnectedness.
69. I like debating, either side of a good argument.
70. I enjoy walking my dog, but prefer to ride my bike with him alongside.
71. I have a lot of patience. It's bad when I run out of patience; fortunately, only a small handful of people have ever seen that.
72. I once owned over 145 domains; I've cut back down to 86 60. Only about a dozen are public
73. I'm always learning more HTML, CSS, and other tools for what I love doing. computer stuff.
74. I can usually fix it, or know who/how can do it.

75. 

    I had the first Blackberry in late 1999, early 2000. The 850 model, email, AA batteries and 2-way text FTW. Pagers are so 1999! I've had every blackberry model since and up to the Curve when I switched to an iPhone.

76. I am not shy or humble; but I should be more of both.
77. I'm a Mac and a PC and a Penguin too.
78. I'm at home on the command line.
79. I use Vi.
80. I love to watch the Discovery, History & Science Channels; both the brand named ones and all related to the topics.
81. I started cooking meals for others when I was seven.
82. I love cooking.
83. I love to hear people's amazing life journeys.
84. I put two bullies in their place as a kid, by myself. They stopped being bullies.
85. My uncle and cousin taught me to fight for myself.
86. I feel terrible when we cook crab or lobster at home; if they're alive.
87. I love seafood, especially shellfish.
88. I was allergic to shellfish; I fought the allergy by eating a shrimp burrito or bowl once a week for over a year until the allergy went away. Rubio's enjoyed having me as a customer for that time.
89. I drink 6-12 sodas, 100-200 beers, 12-30 bottles of wine and lots of tea and juice each year, and I try to balance that out with about 2300 pints of water.
90. I have looked at an average of 35 websites a day somedays is over 80, this I know since StumbleUpon started counting but the real number is probably much higher. When I tell you "I've seen that already" I'm not just 1-upping you or pissing in your parade, really, I've seen that.
91. I paid attention to academics in school. I did sports and read a lot. I am better because of this.
92. I am the oldest of two.
93. I love watching movies. No, really. I do. I've watched pretty much all three-or-better stared movies on Netflix. (update 2021-06-14, obviously Netflix has grown tremendously since I wrote this list, so this is no longer true. They also removed the ratings altogether).
94. My first cat was named Guadalupe. I thought it was the funniest thing. Guadalupe is generally a name associated with a Catholic idol in Mexico and most of Latin America, called "La Virgen de Guadalupe" or "Guadalupe's Virgin". Her nick-name was "Lupita"
95. Double ROFL. Our second cat, a kitten we kept from one of Lupita's 2nd litter was named "Lolita", together they were Lupita & Lolita.
96. My grandfather died of emphysema; he was a 3-pack a day smoker until my sister was born when he quit; apparently, it was too late. 15 years later it caught up with him. I miss him.
97. I am often ahead of my peers and industry when it comes to trends in technology.
98. I would rather eat a steak than an ice-cream sundae; every time.
99. I am a huge animal lover. I can read animals well.
100. I've read the 48 Laws of Power and The Art of War; I believe in many of their teachings.
101. I think I like thrift stores and antique shops but I really loathe them.
102. I am bilingual; and can properly write in both languages.
103. I want to be trilingual.
104. I love music, and one day I'll learn how to play at least one instrument.
105. As a child, I was afraid of a black gorilla that lurked in dark closets; he disappeared when I was 11 or 12.
106. If I never had another piece of chocolate I would not miss it.
107. If I could do my life over, I would do it all the same except with more intensity.
108. I *also* believe the truth is always enough.
109. I am a terrible dancer; I still dance.
110. I want to own a supercar, specifically a customized M5, 850i, S6 or S8, a Lotus, or a 12 second Hummer, but any supercar will do.
111. I trust and respect everyone I meet, until they break that respect or trust.
112. I care very little about what people think of me or what the status quo is.
113. I have never been picky about food; it's hard to understand why others are.
114. I *also* think most people think of me being argumentative. I think its one of my best traits; most people will disagree. I'm passionate, blunt and I believe in truth and will stand by that. I'd rather be passionate about things than acquiescent.
115. I try and do too many things for too many people way too much.
116. *Knock* on wood, I've never been driving in an accident. I intend to never have a driving accident while I'm at the wheel.
117. I've never played a role-playing game offline; like D&D.
118. I can recognize almost anyone I know by a quick glance of their butt or a split-second of looking at their walk. Not sure why or how, I think everyone has a weird ability like that.
119. I can read people's intentions easily.
120. I get how men wearing a pink dress shirt is trendy; I still won't.
121. I am reconsidering the last point after attending one of Joel Bauer's seminars. The pink tie might just be the compromise we're lookin for.
122. The closest I ever came to wearing pink is a pink-accented tie during my Vegas wedding; because she requested it.
123. I used to do crazy things like jumping off a 3rd story balcony to a pool on a bike. Or walking through a snake infested swamp, knee deep. When I went back to these places as a young adult I couldn't believe it. I could have died many times. Seriously.
124. I have nice and expensive clothes; I usually leave them in the closet.
125. I'm a dog AND a cat person.
126. I'm an autodidact.
127. I have a dog named Picasso.
128. I believe movies should be judged on 1. story line, 2. execution 3. production quality. NOT on subject matter.
129. Social Media, The Cloud, Web 2.0, are all trendy words to describe nerdy stuff. I don't like the terms but I embrace them because they serve their purpose. To classify, categorize and explain in simple terms.
130. Some videos make me laugh, some make me cry, I go back to them every once in a while
131. Because they inspire me, to be happy, cheer up, do more with more people.
132. Because they take it to "the next level" (video removed #sadface)
133. I had my first kid on December 6, 2012. Her name is Claire and she's awesome.
134. When I think of my late grandfather I think that he would have loved the internet.
135. Technology is awesome and I'm a child of the technology era and I love it.
136. Ever since early High school days I've pulled all-nighters on a regular basis. It's easy for me to stay up all night and work on servers, websites or some other project.
137. I hate long voicemails. If you go over 30 seconds or so, I just delete it. Seriously. Leave your name number and a brief description of your reason for calling. I will call you back, otherwise, you'll be ignored.
138. I had a radio spot for almost 2 years. Yeah, like real radio. I talked about social media, technology, privacy and business online. I learned a lot and it was a great experience.
139. I get grief from everyone in regards to #136. But I also read that we should let our bodies decide. I feel great before, during and after.
140. We are now expecting our second kid, a boy.
141. ... (leave me a comment asking for more!)

That's me through tidbits of information. Thanks for reading!

• Edited 03/17/2014 - Changed #61 My traffic is growing!
• Edited 11/21/2012 - Added a couple more, we're at 136!
• Edited 7/27/2011 - couple additions, a couple of removals & corrected some spelling mistakes.