DON'T EAT AN ENTIRE HABANERO

If you've been tagged you're supposed to write 6 things most people don't know about you. I was tagged a while back, but haven't followed up on it because it seems to me that if you read my blog, you know me pretty well, and if there's something you don't know, it's probably because I don't want you to know. So why would I put something in public domain that I don't want others to know? Oh well, here's my best shot at putting down something you probably DIDN'T want to know about me. Yeah it's a little twisted, but kind of fun....and that's how I'd describe myself to someone...a little twisted, but fun. Pardon my manner of spewing words onto my blog...

1. I once vomited on my brother Mark's head. I'd like to claim that I couldn't help it and that it was an accident, but honestly, I think I timed it perfectly. Does that make me a bad brother? Probably.

2. I can be a bit dramatic when I'm sick and tossing my cookies. For example, after driving through Baltimore and going up to Pennsylvania to help Ned move to New York I became very ill. I'm pretty sure it was the McDonald's hamburger I ate earlier in the day. (This is karma at its best. Anyone who eats at McD's deserves to be ill). In any case, my friend Hyrum, sister Emily, and brother Ned had to put up with my retching and awful....and I mean awful groaning in Ned's small apartment until the wee hours of the morning. I think they still have scars from that night.

3. In my younger years I suffered from some sort of acid reflux syndrome. It doesn't usually rear its ugly head these days, but when I was younger I could basically throw up at will (thus, the probability that #1 was not an accident). Not a very cool talent if you ask me, but hey, we're not supposed to hide our talents now are we? Hyrum was one of my best friends until 3rd grade. At that point our school was split and I didn't see him for about the next 6 years. One of the first things he says to me when our friendship strikes back up in 9th grade is...."Matt, the one thing I remember about you was that you had really bad breath." I like to tell him that it was a different Matt....and there were plenty of Matt's to pass the blame on to, but in all likelihood his memory was probably dead on.

4. Years ago, in a BYU class, I volunteered to be part of what seemed to be a harmless competition. Me against another student eating a few hot peppers. There were 3 different peppers, increasing in hotness (kind of like me each year that I age). The last hot pepper was a HABANERO. I highly recommend you don't eat these whole. It's not good for you. I won't mention that I cried in class after the competition...that would be embarrassing. What I will say is that I ran home, holding the peppers down as long as possible, and then blew chunks of half- chewed peppers out my nose and mouth. I think having a chunk of habanero stuck in my nose is probably one of my most painful memories. I would like to thank my teacher at BYU for giving me the opportunity to participate in a pointless, masochistic competition that nearly killed me. It is probably the only class at BYU that I will never forget.

5. We had 2 cats growing up - Bouncer and Rascal. I don't like cats very much, but Bouncer and Rascal were part of the family. Bouncer had longish hair and would often cough up hair balls...disgusting. Even more disgusting was the time she coughed up a tape worm. I assume right about now you are wishing you hadn't read this right before lunch. Sorry, you can't say I didn't warn you that these were probably things you didn't want to know about me.

6. I was once an Anthropology major at BYU. If you would like to add to my list of synonyms for "blow chunks" I would appreciate it. Anthropologists use Eskimos as a good example of how language reflects one's culture. Not surprisingly, Eskimos have a plethora of words to describe snow. Are you surprised that we have so many ways to say "throw up"? I assume it is a reflection of our American culture (or perhaps lack thereof).

Alright...I'm supposed to tag 6 people now. But I'm changing the rules a little. Please share 6 things I never wanted to know about you. Apparently there are no "touch backs". Wet willies for everyone who doesn't respond.

Erin, Ned, Emily, Megan, Lindsay, Mom/Dad