Niloc over at Something Baby Blue tagged me with a meme for Dudes! With Dude-like questions and everything! So, I figured I’d play along.

What was your first car and what about it made it so great? (Do I bother asking what their dream car is?)

My first car was The Blue Bomber. A 1972 Ford Galaxie 500. It was huge. It was a land yacht. To make a turn, you had to start turning the four foot wide steering wheel a half hour before you got there. I bought it for $400.

It was a great car because I could fit all my friends inside. We could comfortably seat 8 people. It was like sitting on two living room sofas. It got like 5 miles per gallon but it had a sweet 351 Cleveland engine in it that really had some balls. I drove it for two years and sold it for $400. I wouldn’t be surprised if that tank were still running around the streets of Columbus somewhere.

I’m pretty simple with my dream car. I’d like a new Corvette. A brand new one. If I could, I’d love to have a ‘Vette from every single decade. One from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and the most recent one.

What is the most played song on your iTunes / WMP or whatever you are listening to music on your computer with? And… Name five bands that made a big impression on you but never made it big on the charts.

iTunes says my most played song is “Love Will Tear Us Apart” from Joy Division.

Five Bands that Made an Impression But Were Not Chart-toppers?

1. Gomez - I’m a huge fan of all their albums. I cannot figure out why they never hit it big. Great songs and smart lyrics. They even got dropped by Capital Records (ATO picked them up) and their latest album, How We Operate, is one of their best.

2. The Dandy Warhols - great, catchy tunes with pop sensibility. Even had an interesting documentary (DiG!) on them and their relationship with the Brian Jonestown Massacre.

3. Turin Brakes - very smart band, with a unique vocalist, and deep dark lyrics. If you like Starsailor, The Doves, Remy Zero… Turin Brakes is right up your alley.

4. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Awesome rock band that soooo should have taken off big and never really did. Not sure why. Great noisy pop-rock tunes. Like a reincarnation of The Jesus & Mary Chain.

5. Soul Coughing - I so loooooooved this band. Mike Doughty is a lyrical maestro. Jazzy, bluesy pop tunes with a hip-hop feel. Ruby Vroom is one of those “If I WereTrapped on an Island” albums.

Do you know what end of the hammer to hold? What was your last project around the house?

I’ve very handy around the house. I even write a Home Improvement blog for my company - check it out here - and rarely do I pound my own thumb with a hammer. However, me with a saw? Look out. Let’s see… my last project? I think it was replacing the rubber toilet flapper because the water kept running on us.

What is your best method for avoiding chick flicks?

That’s easy. I don’t avoid ‘em. I love chick flicks. Well, I love good ones. Good ones are hard to find. In fact, as a screenwriter, I write them. My specialty is romantic comedies. I once watched 132 romantic comedy movies in one month. Everything from It Happened One Night to Hitch.

I’m currently finishing a re-write on my latest romantic comedy called Come Get Me.

Who’s more of the techno geek in your house? This can apply to tools, toys, gadgets, geeking at home on the computer or anything else that might apply.

Definitely me. I’m the computer, stereo, big screen TV guy. L.A. Mommy has no interest in the gadgets. She loves the shiny baubles and trinkets… She’s a diamond girl. When I see a diamond, I see all the toys and goodies I could’ve bought with that money. And then I cry.

What are three things that are a part of your life that you would never see your own dad doing?

I don’t really know my dad or what he would have liked or not liked doing. I was 6 months old when he died. I’m told I’m terribly like him, so I don’t know. If I had to guess… I’d say that I’m a social drinker and I don’t think he was. I’m a bit of a daredevil and I doubt he was quite as crazy as I am. I can also sit on the couch, on a Sunday morning in the the Fall, and watch 10 straight hours of football and not feel guilty about it. For some reason, I imagine that he wouldn’t have been able to do that.

What’s the last “Dude! I just got a _______ from _______” thing that you really didn’t need but bought anyways?

I’ve been really good for a long time… Hmm. I just bought a K&N Filter from an online BMW motorcycle website. Not very sexy, and maybe I didn’t need it, but… I like them.
What is the wildest / craziest / dangerous etc… thing you have gotten away with? This can (or should) involve the Cops. Common guys, this is your chance to really brag!

I always warn L.A. Mommy that one of these days, I’m going to get really drunk, take off my shirt, and go outside and cause trouble. That seems to be the recipe to make sure you appear on the TV show Cops.

I used to do some really crazy stuff. A college buddy and I used to surf cars. One would ride on top of the car while the other would drive. We also used to switch drivers - the one driving would crawl out the window, across the roof, and into the passenger side window while the passenger would slide over and drive. We also used to go diving - there was an area of Alum Creek reservoir, back in Ohio, where we could jump off a bridge and down into the water. It was about a 60 foot drop. And we would do it at night. In the dark. And we would hope like hell there were no logs floating by when we would leap off. I told you — I was a real daredevil.

It’s not a dude meme if it doesn’t include something regarding the opposite sex. When was the last time you experienced a true head turner? Where you couldn’t help but take that second glance at someone. Remember to be creative in your response. It will get you in less trouble.

I go to a Gold’s Gym that has quite a few actors, actor wannabes, “dancers” and even a few porn folks who workout there. Here was the conversation that could have been heard at my gym last week:

“If you see a porn star working out and there’s an accidental nipple-slip… is that still sexy? Considering she’s, like, always naked all the time anyway?”

“Yes. It’s still sexy. It’s a nipple.”

“True. True.”

So, those are my answers. If you’re a “dude” or a “dad” (or even if you’re a “chick” or a “mom” and you want to answer!) then you’re more than welcome to pick up these questions and answer them on your blog. I’m not a big fan of asking others to do a meme, so it’s strictly voluntary! Just let me know!