Welcome to my new blog!  All my driving life I've been reminded of the "law" against driving barefoot. That never stopped me though, since I have driven barefoot through most of the United States.  I always wondered why any state legislature would actually take time to pass a law as meaningless and stupid as requiring some slip of dead cow skin (or whatever) on your feet.

When I lived in Florida it as explained to me that it isn't illegal in that state.  So my toes enjoyed some open air "Pure Driving Pleasure" for a couple of years.  We moved back to Utah though, and of course "them Marmons" aren't going to stand for no barefoot drivin'!  Right?  Turns out the Barefoot Drivin' laws are about as real as pins and razorblades in Halloween candy. 

So, in celebration and liberation of Feet Nudists Everywhere, Let us Free our Feet from Sole Slavery.  "No Shirts, No Shoes, No Service?"  That's fine... last I checked, that's what Flip Flops and Sandals are for!!

In celebration of my new blog, I now present 43 questions (one for each year my bare feet have been stomping God's Green Earth) asked of me by my cyberbuddies... Each question starts with credit for he or she who asked it (with links provided to their blogs)... Check them out!

AND HERE THEY ARE!!!!

~Mscateyes: How did you and your wife meet: That, my friend, will be the topic of an article of it's own... ((( I know, I know, I've been promising that, Forever:) ;~D

~CapnPlaty: If you were a superhero, which would you be:  I'd be Batman, since he didn't have to get bitten, nuked, poisoned or cast from a home planet to get his superpowers... on the other hand, does he really have any superpowers, or is he just the smartest guy (with the coolest car) in Gotham!  (((What on earth did Gotham pay commissioner Gordon for anyway? )))

~Bozette: What branch of the service were you in?? What Rank?  How many years:

My military career (in a nutshell table):

~Dodyas: If you could spend it any way your heart desired what would you do for a "perfect day.":  My "perfect day" would include a roller coaster ride, a skydive, a barefoot walk where I could feel the Rockies under my feet (which a walk through a cold mountain creek)... a good concert...

...and Pizza. ;~D

~Otilius: What was it like returning home after serving in a war:  Surreal.  After spending 7 1/2 months carrying an M-16 and protective mask, every time I stood up from a chair, I reached back to get them.  Cold water hurt my lips.  Food tasted funny, and flushing a toilet was cool again.  The biggest chance was getting used to kids around all the time again.  I mean, I spent all that time just wanting them around me again, but it took about that long to get used to their noise. ;~D     And ironically.... the quiet...  No boom boom boom of artillery and Patriot launches.  I never got so I ducked when I heard gunfire though.  We never got incoming small arms.  To us, if the ground didn't move, it wasn't close enough to worry about.

~JoiseyGirl: Which one of your "teen" years was your most memorable: 14.  That was the year I ran away from home, got busted for stealing $100 worth of M&M's.... and pretty much everything else went wrong.  16 was memorable for better reasons, my family moved to Florida and I got a chance for a fresh start.

~Dodyas: If you had a hundred dollars to spend totally on yourself what would you buy: A good MP3 player.

~Bozette: Where is your favorite fishing spot:  Well, my absolute favorite is Grand daddy Lake in the Uintah Mountains of Utah.  My favorite local place is under the 14th Street overpass in Sheboygan (not much of a place but the smallies are fun to catch... besides no one seems to want to show me any better local fishing (hint)).

~Dodyas: What is your favorite board or card game: Board Games: Monopoly, Risk & Scrabble.  Card Games: Gin, Guillotine and Killer Uno

~Sally Jacobs: What is your favourite memory from your childhood:

~Texas Wahine: How Many Freckles do you have (guestimate if you need to): about 8 per square inch of regularly exposed skin... and a handfull on my 4th Point of Contact.... (brings a whole new meaning to "angel kisses" don't it) :~D

~Dodyas: When did you get online for the very first time: That would have been during a Basic Computer Class I took at Ricks College (BYU-I)... The first webpage I went to was for "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". ;~D

~Trudygolightly: What's one thing you love about yourself and one thing you don't like: I love the fact that I make friends quickly... Someone once said that I'm "everyone's instant friend".  If you meet me in person, I rarely introduce myself.  We'll just start talking as if we have known each other for years.

What I don't like so much?  I can't work yet.  My condition has improved, but I'm still not dependable.  When my dizziness was a lot worse, it was a lot easier.  No one expected much of me, and I really don't remember much about that time... Now, well, I am too conscious of it all, but not well enough.  Which means I often get accused of only doing "what I want"... since the fact I can do somethings makes it look like I'm back to where I can do anything.

~Sally Jacobs: What is your favourite book/film?Book: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Series.  Film: Monty Python & The Holy Grail

~Mexican Chick: 5 songs you've recently hit the replay button on:

~KFC (Kickin For Chirst): Other than the essentials, what do you spend your money on the most: I'm a Dad... most my money goes to my kids. ;~D  When I spend it on myself though... Music... Concert DVDs, guitar accessories and Music books.

~Sally Jacobs: If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be: Father, Husband, Musical

~Lexie: This is, by far, the most pressing and important question....Boxers or Briefs:  Neither. ;~D

~Sally Jacobs: What's your biggest pet peeve: What my condition is doing to my family.

~Locamamma: If you could live in a TV show which one would you pick: Either the old "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" or "Midnight Special" so every night I'd be surrounded by live music.

~KFC (Kickin For Christ):  Cat or Dog: Dog, definitely.  Alaskan Malamutes are my favorite (though I have yet to own one).  All cats should have the same name... KIBBLE! ;~D

~Sally Jacobs: What is your most attractive quality: I think my smile, but that's up to others to decide.

~Mexican Chick: Craziest thing you've done online: Posed as a polygamist wife on a Yahoo Message Board (pulled it off for over 2 hours). ;~D

~Trudygolightly: What are 3 things you'd choose ( not people now) to take with you if you were shipwrecked on an island: The means to make fire, a hunting knife and lots of morphine.  Everything else I need I can make myself.

~Tova: How many blogs do you have anyway:  I've started 5, but the only one I kept up with was "I'm From the Government, I'm Here To Help" and now I hope "Driving Barefoot" is just as much fun for me and my readers.

~Dr. Guy: Outside of your family (Wife, children, Parents, etc.), who is the one person you have met that had the biggest influence on your life: A teacher at Tarpon Springs High School.  He taught a class called Diversified Cooperative Training (I know, sounds like liberal "feel good" crap, but was basically like DECA).  The guy ended up being a real slime ball (got busted for sleeping with a student), but when he was one of the best teachers I have ever known. 

~Mexican Chick: Sweetest thing you've done online: Been a dry shoulder and semi clean ear to cyberbuddies.

~Island_Gurl: What's the first thing you would do if you won a $100,000,000.00: Never owned a house before.. probably buy a house.

~KFC (Kickin For Christ): What books are on your bookshelf that you take down most often: Scriptures (Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants and Pearl of Great Price)... and the Hitchhiker's Guide Series. (Both the scriptures and the Hitchhiker book bound in black leather with a black ribbon bookmark). ;~D

~ForeverSerenity: How's the sales going on your CD:  I sold 11 Copies of my Christmas CD in 5 countries.  My newest project is a CD of US patriotic songs.  I learned a lot from doing the Christmas CD, so we'll see how that one works out.  I'm having fun with it though!!

~Dodyas: Have you ever used something made for a woman? (fingernail polish, Secret, pantyhose, thong): Yes.  Little known fact... Many U.S. Soldiers wear nylons or pantyhose on the long (12-20 Mile) road marches.  "Skin So Soft" is a popular bug repellent while in the field.  And clear nail polish is great for taking care of chiggers, ticks and other bugs that like to get their heads into your skin.

~JoiseyGirl: Did you have any sort of secret sanctuary places to go as a child when you wanted to be alone: This is going to sound eerie, but my secret sanctuary when I was a teen was the Kaysville City Cemetery.  I would go there when I really needed to just sit and think... or when I was in a lot of trouble and snuck out of the house while I was grounded...  I spent a LOT of time there :~D


~Dodyas: What was your favorite toy as a kid

~Dodyas: What is your favorite toy now:

~Dodyas: What was the very last thing you read, not online: "West of Dodge" by Louis L'Amour

~CapnPlaty Who is your least favorite superhero and why: The Bionic Dog.  Give me a Barkin' Break!

~Island_Gurl: Which clique did you belong to in high school: Not sure if I was a freaky geek or a geeky freak.  I hung out in the parking lot with the burnouts, was into drama and played Dungeons & Dragons.

~uDigItTheMost: What song do you wish you wrote: Cliffs of Dover: Eric Johnson

~ForeverSerenity: Why are you starting a new blog? What's your motivation: I guess what I'm looking for as a blogger has just grown beyond JU. I have a great time at JoeUser and the community is great!  However, there are a lot of restrictions as far as template design.  Also, it really is based around the community and not set up for a lot of outside participation.  I won't be promoting "I'm From the Government I'm Here to Help" outside JU anymore, but save that one for the JU community and this one for everyone. 

~uDigItTheMost: What 3 artists or groups would play at your dream concert: Jimi Hendrix, Trans Siberian Orchestra and Rush

~Dodyas: How many tshirts Do you have: around 25.  My favorite being the "Charlie Brown" stripe shirt, "The Ramones" Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and all the ones my kids got me for Father's Days.

~Otilius: what's your favorite kind of ice cream: Rocky Road for every brand except Ben & Jerry's... Then it's Phish Food.

~JoiseyGirl: What was the first car you owned and did you love it or hate it:

My first car was a '67 Olds Cutlass.  I called it the "Aircraft Carrier" because of it's size.  It held 8 of us (since teenage guys and girls don't mind sitting close to each other), had no seatbelts and could corner (a regular 90 degree suburb corner) at 50mph.... I happen to know that it's Straight 8, 330 Engine was excellent on 4 wheel drive trails. ;~D (This one looks a lot better than mine did) ;~D

So, there you have it, 43 questions from 18 Cyberbuddies.  If you're a cyberbuddy of mine, but didn't get on this meme, maybe you will get on the next.  See ya around cyberspace and Come Drivin' Your Bare Feet Back often!