Seven things: I got memed

I've been tagged twice in a meme where you share seven things about yourself.  My son Justin tagged me and so did my friend Dave Porter.  Here goes:

1.  I HATE TO SING--When I was in the eighth grade my teacher made me sing a solo in front of the class. It was like being stripped naked in public.  I was totally embarrassed and since then I've sung mainly in my heart without the aid of voice.  I almost sang to my wife at our wedding in front of God, family, friends and whoever else, but I lost my nerve.  My wife loves to sing.  I love listening to her sing.

2.  MY FIRST NAME WAS ALMOST DURWARD--My parents were going to name me after my Uncle Durward, my father's brother.  My middle name was to be Dale with my initials then becoming D.D.T., like the infamous pesticide.  But . . .because I was born a few seconds after midnight on my Uncle Wes' birthday, I was named after him.  I was saved.

3. I'VE BEEN TO CUBA'S BAY OF PIGS--When President Jimmy Carter opened Cuba for American travel, a friend and I were among the first group of Americans to go there legally.  We spent more than a week traveling through the country, including the Bay of Pigs where the Americans started an ill-fated invasion against Castro.  Yes, we saw the crocodiles.

4.  MY SON AND I AUDITIONED FOR THE AMAZING RACE--Justin and I did it on a whim and because we really wanted to be part of the show.  We shot an audition tape and filled out a questionnaire where we answered tons of questions.  We were ready to do it, but they weren't ready to pick us.  I think we didn't have enough panache.

5.  I SPENT ALMOST TWO DECADES GOING IN AN OUT OF PRISON--I've spent more time than I like to think of going in and out of many of Michigan's prisons . . . as a volunteer.  I've been in institutions from the west end of the Upper Peninsula to the southern part of the state.  During this time I learned a lot about myself, life and about God.

6.  I TRIED TO GET MICHIGAN'S NICKNAME CHANGED--When I worked in the Michigan House and when Michigan State University humbled the University of Michigan at football, I worked for a legislator who had two degrees from MSU.  To celebrate the win and its supremacy at football, he put in a resolution to change the nickname from the Wolverine State to the Cow State.  U of M fans are known as Wolverines and  MSU is known as Moo-U because of its agriculture school.  It passed the House.

7.  I LOVE SITTING AROUND THE DINNER TABLE--I count it pure joy to sit around the dinner table with friends and family.  It's a great place for conversation.  Some of our best family times have been a two-and-a-half to three hour dinner table conversation about anything, including politics and religion and school and life and anything else.  Guests usually come prepared for a long sit.

Now, it's my responsibility to tag seven more bloggers.  My picks are:

1. Lauren Hager of "Lauren Hager listens and shares"
2. Jack Lumanog of "Jack's World"
3. Roy Olsen of "The Road Less Travelled"
4. Dave Maier of "Fighting Forward"
5. Jon Tilly of "Un Till"
6. Gladys Thorp of "Mrs. Thorp's Third Grade Blog"
7. Nate Klan of "Nate Klan.com"