I'm doing this one because I'm not tired enough to go to bed yet

1. What is the stupidest mistake you have ever made with money?

I invested in a store that sold environmental products about 12 years ago. Ended up costing me about $20,000 I didn't have because I got left holding the bag when it went belly-up and all my so-called partners fled like rats. Damn thing wasn't even my idea to begin with. I guess we were ahead of our time; we'd probably make a killing today.

2. Do you think taxes are unfair or do you think it’s your civic duty?

I have no problem with the idea of paying taxes. I just wish government spent the money a little better.

3. Do you take risks and possibly turn your life upside down for new opportunity?

I have done so on many occasions in the past. Now, I don't have to anymore. I mostly like my life the way it is.

4. Are you the alpha in your household? (Include pets)

I often get up at 4 a.m. to let out one of our cats who has a particularly obnoxious yowl...so I guess not. I'm a light sleeper. No one else ever hears him.

5. Do you compromise with your significant other or does someone always get their way?

We discuss every important decision. I'm not sure that means compromise because sometimes I get what I want and sometimes my wife gets what she wants. But, in the end, neither of us is angry, so I guess it's all good.

6. What curse word do you use most often?

Fuckinggoddamnedpieceofshit. It's what I usually refer to my computer as.


7. Do you easily change your mind or are you dead set on most issues?

Usually dead set on issues of importance to me; open to change on things that are important to other people.

8. What famous person would you like to trade places with for one week?

Jose Reyes. My dream was to play shortstop for the New York Mets.

9. If you could go back in time and tell one person off, who would it be and what would you say?

The girl I moved halfway across the country to be with when I was 22 only to arrive in Toronto and have her tell me she was fucking one of her university professors who was 15 years older than she was and married. She couldn't have told me before I moved? I was too young, too "in love" and too stupid to tell her off at the time. Of course, he ended up dumping her and I ended up staying in Ontario, meeting my wife and leading a happy life. The last time I talked to her, she was miserable so I guess karma got her in the end.

10. Were you a good student or did you do just enough to get by?

I hated school. I did just enough to get by and skipped the rest of my classes for four years of high school.

11. If you could give one piece of advice to someone just starting out on their own, what would you tell them?

Work to live, don't live to work.

12. Are people basically good and honest or are most people opportunistic and predatory?

Most people want to be good and honest...but they also want to have more than what they've got. The two are rarely compatible.

13. Is there somebody you wish you could go back and apologize to?

I've rarely said anything to anyone that I didn't mean and on the occasions where afterwards felt I was out of line, have had no problem sucking it up and apologizing.

I had a girlfriend once (not the one mentioned above) and after we broke up we were still friendly but then we both got involved with other people and stopped communicating. I got a call one night and was told she'd suffered a brain haemorrhage at age 27 and dropped dead. I don't know that I would have anything to "apologize" for, but I would have liked to talk to her again and tell her how much I valued her friendship because she was really cool.