5 Questions For You

Answer these five questions in the comments section or reply to the email.

Sep 22, 2023

Since you all liked my 33 Tips post from last week, I wanted to try something different—I want to get to know you better. I’m continually grateful to everyone who reads my posts, likes, shares, and comments on them. Now is your chance to contribute to the Weakened Dad.

How? Simply copy and paste the five questions below into the comments section—or reply to the email—with your answers. I promise that I’ll respond to each comment and email because I want to get to know you all better.

As a bonus, I’ll give my answers to each of the questions so you can get to know me better.

The Questions

If you could live in any year for one year, what would it be?
What is something you initially hated but eventually loved?
What is the best thing you’ve purchased for under $100?
If you had to pick one book to read for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Who is the most famous person you’ve met?

My Responses

1. If you could live in any year for one year, what would it be?

This is probably a lame answer but I would pick 1999. I was 12 back then and I remember it well. The Nintendo 64 and PlayStation 1 were all the rage. The music was fun and positive. The economy was red hot. Technology was improving people’s lives without being invasive. And most importantly, 9/11 hadn’t happened yet. I like many millennials look back at the 90s with rose-tinted glasses, and rightly so. The world felt less heavy back then. Maybe we were all blissfully ignorant? But, man, things were nice.

What I would like most of all about living in 1999 would be the cars. My 911 would be brand new. I could buy any Mark IV Toyota Supra for a reasonable price and 80s cars would be cheap. Not to mention, there wouldn’t be any annoying touch screens or creepy technology in the cars. I genuinely think living in 1999 for a year would be a blast.

2. What is something you initially hated but eventually loved?

I was first introduced to the band Radiohead when I purchased the first CD of Now That's What I Call Music! in late 1998. Track 14 was Karma Police and I always skipped it. In fact, I don’t think I listened to that song in its entirety until 10 years after I bought that CD. I couldn’t stand Thom Yorke’s voice and I thought the band’s music was depressing.

Fast forward to 2019, I purchased a Volvo C30 in Philadelphia and drove it down the East Coast back to my home in Georgia. On that trip, I decided to listen to every Radiohead album. My friend Tyler insisted that I would get the band once I spent time with their catalog. I was hesitant but I’m also always up for a good challenge. I’m happy to say that thanks to that trip, I’m now a massive fan of Radiohead. I get why people like them and why they’re considered one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

But I also understand why people hate them.

3. What is the best thing you’ve purchased for under $100?

I borrowed this question from Tim Ferris because I think it’s so great. Most everyone can relate to it and most everyone has an answer. For me, my Casio G-Shock is one of the best things I’ve purchased for under $100. My specific model is the G-5600UE-1JF. My G-Shock really is a one-watch collection. It’s durable, has a countdown timer, stopwatch, solar battery, six alarms, LED light, world timer with 31 time zones, and keeps impeccable time. I’ve worn my G-Shock hiking, swimming, at work, with a suit, and in many other situations. If you could only have one watch it would have to be a G-Shock.

4. If you had to pick one book to read for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Easy: The Count of Monte Cristo. This book never gets old. I read or listen to it every year. And each time I learn something new. The plot of the book is dense and spreads like tentacles throughout several subplots and characters. I know the book has its critics who think it’s for high schoolers or that Alexander Dumas didn’t actually write it but I don’t care. It’s a classic for a reason.

The life lessons I’ve gleaned from this book are profound. I also have great memories of listening to the 54-hour audiobook while watching my first-born son on the weekends. In short, The Count of Monte Cristo has everything a good book needs: action, adventure, love, vengeance, loss, hope, and mystery. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend the unabridged cloth-bound edition translated by Robin Buss.

5. Who is the most famous person you’ve met?

I mentioned this story briefly in my Edit Your Hometown post that Vince Vaughn is the most famous person I’ve met. Meeting a famous person now doesn’t appeal to me but when I was in fifth grade it was like meeting an alien. My friend Mick and I snuck into the movie shoot of Clay Pigeons that was filming in our hometown. I remember Vince being super cool and nice to me. He’s a tall guy with acerbic wit. We also met Janeane Garofalo. Joaquin Phoenix was also in the film but we didn’t meet him.

Conclusion

I hope you feel compelled to answer these questions because I’d like to know more about those of you who read my articles. And if you don’t feel like answering the questions then let me know if you like articles like these. I’m trying new things because I’ve learned that writing an article a week is harder than I initially imagined.

As always, thank you for your attention.

The Questions Again

If you could live in any year for one year, what would it be?
What is something you initially hated but eventually loved?
What is the best thing you’ve purchased for under $100?
If you had to pick one book to read for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Who is the most famous person you’ve met?