Tag, I'm It! Stylish Blogger Tag!

I have now been hit with this award three times, so I can't fail at following through this time.

Thank you, of course, goes out to Amanda @ 5 Miles Past Empty and Monica @ Brunette on a Mission for naming me for the award back in January of this year.  Sorry it's taken me so long to follow through.  Also, thanks goes out to Richelle @ Running Towards a Higher Calling for honoring me three weeks ago (I know, I'm slow!).  I'm happy to know and continue to learn about each of you.

So let's see.  What do I have to do?!

Stylish Blogger Award Rules

Once awarded, you must...

1.  Share seven random things about yourself.

2.  Give away the reward by tagging other Stylish Bloggers

Hmmm...  Pretty simple, right?

Let's get started!

Seven Random Things About Me...

1.  I was named after my mother and a horse.  When my grandmother was pregnant with my mother, her and my grandfather decided that if it was a boy, they would name it Kurt.  Well, she popped out and wasn't a boy, so that name went back into the mix.  When I came around some 25 years down the road, my mother pulled it back out for me. 

My middle name is Justin.  My mother is a HUGE fan of horses; she actually bought her first horse with money from her paper route as a kid (if that's not dedication, I don't know what is!).  When I was a kid, my family had four Morgan horses, my mother's favorite.  I came to know later that the owner of the first Morgan horse was Justin Morgan.  And that's where she picked that out.  I sometimes wonder if my dad got any say in child naming. 

2.  I was in a band for five years.  In my junior year of high school, some friends and I decided to start a band.  As with most bands, we switched our members around a bunch at first, but finally settled into a five piece and if I say so myself, had quite a good thing going.  Our name (after many changes) was The Full Connor.  After two failed attempts to set up touring schedules in 2006 and 2007, we opted to go into the studio and in 2008, we completed a studio album; listen to it HERE.  That was however our last move as a band before three of our members went off to post-graduate work in CT, NC, and DC while the remaining two members were still in NY and OH.

I personally took piano lessons as a child and after starting the band taught myself to play guitar.  I played mostly guitar in the band, but we did add some piano parts for the album.

3.  When you think of tomato soup, what do you automatically think goes with it?  For me, it's peanut butter sandwiches.  Everyone seems to find that incredibly odd, but I grew up with it and it's delicious.  Campbell's healthy request tomato soup and a set of pb sandwiches to dip in it (yes, dip!).  Then once the sandwiches are eaten, bring on the saltine crackers!

4.  I used to be a Boy Scout, but after earning Tenderfoot and being one step away from Second Class, I quit.  Why do you ask?  I was falling behind all the other kids.  My parents didn't let me go to summer camp the first year and wouldn't allow me to go to ice camp at all, so I didn't have as many chances to earn the badges.  At the time I was becoming much more serious about swimming, so in my mind I quit scouts in order to focus on swimming.  Every other scout in my troop moved on to become an Eagle Scout and I deeply regret quitting, but I would never take back my dedication to swimming.

5.  I enjoy experimenting with my hair.  It has been "normal," straight-razored, seven inches long, cut into a mohawk (twice), dyed blond, black, red, and blue, and had eight or more designs dyed into it.

In middle and high school I was the kid who hated leaving the house without his hair in the perfect place.  I got my hair cut every three weeks and used DEP level 9/10 gel all the time.

In February, however, we had championships for the swim team and we shaved our heads, buzzed and straight razored!  I did that for four years and then finally realized I didn't like my hair that short or the phase of growing it back in.  In my last two years, I got a shorter than usual cut, dyed it all blond and got blue tips (my school colors were blue and gold).  My favorite things about the haircut was when the roots would grow in and I'd be half brown, half blond.

After a haircut in late Spring my senior year, I let my hair grow out in hopes of being able to pull it back into a pony tail.  It got JUST long enough (seven inches) and I was sick of it.  My hair is extremely straight and is quite greasy.  When I got home that summer, I cut it back down to 1" and had an asterisk dyed into it (This - * - centered on the cowlick on the back right of my head).  I redid this down the road with half of it red.

Since then, I've had an offset halo, random lines, polka dots and a racing stripe, half a checker board, and the above pictured repeat of the asterisk (I may be forgetting some; not positive).  In all that time, I've also done a mohawk, twice; once in college, once in grad school.

My last "fun" hair do was the 2010 Cruella Deville; I dyed half my head blond.  That one I did myself (with some help from my sister, but no professionals).  That grew out this past fall and due to potential job searches, I've avoided having fun with my hair.  That'll change come June though.  Muah-ah-ha-ha-ha.

Here's the proof (I'm sad to realize I don't have each style documented!)

 6. I do not watch TV.  I do own a tv, a 32" projection that I picked up free from craigslist, but since I've been in CT (August 2008), I haven't had cable and I didn't have it in Boston for four years of undergrad either.  The only shows I semi keep up with are House & Glee (both on Hulu).  I much prefer life without TV.

7.  I was a ballerina for one season and performed in Tchikovsky's The Nutcracker.  My parents tried very hard to allow my sister and I to try any sport or activity they felt we were sincere enough about.  I played soccer in a YMCA league, I played baseball until I was afraid of the ball coming at me that fast, I was of course a swimmer, but before that my sister joined ballet.  Well, after a year or two of that, my parents asked me if I'd like to give it a try.  I was nine years old and thought "Hey, why not?"  There were three boys in my class including myself.  I picked things up the fastest, so I got the "lead" boy's role.  I did one season and then decided I liked swimming better and never looked back.  I honestly miss the ability to do a split.

Now it's time for me to pick seven bloggers to honor with the Stylish Blogger Award.

I will do my best to keep from honoring people I know others in my blogging network have already named.  We don't want things to continue going around in circles for years to come!  So here goes, my seven choices for the Stylish Blogger Award.

Jess @ Run With Jess

Sam @ Run With Sam

James @ Powermultisport

Steve @ The Science of Running

Jo @ That Girl Who Sang The Anthem

Marni @ TriMarni - A Blog dedicated to exercise, nutrition and my life

Dawn @ Racing Dawn

So get your thinking caps on and start thinking of random things about yourself.  Heaven knows it took ME long enough.


Stay fit.  Stay healthy.