Where were you born/raised?

I was born in Iowa City, Iowa, but lived in Williamsburg, IA (25 miles west of Iowa City) the first 3 years of my life. At that point, my dad's new job moved us to Bolivar, Missouri (30 miles north of Springfield, Missouri), then a year after to Halfway, MO (10 miles east of Bolivar), and another year, to Nevada, MO (roughly halfway between Joplin and the Kansas City area). That's where I grew up, went to school, et al, until I graduated in 1997, before coming back (HOME!!!) to east-central Iowa.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

Uh...man, I got a lot. It seems like everything pisses me off anymore. Maybe a more appropriate question would be "What DOESN'T piss you off?"


What do you like to do in your spare time? 

I'm a man of many interests: I collect sports cards and autographs....I LOVE to travel (have been to 10 foreign countries, 28 states, and all 99 counties in Iowa)...I like to watch good movies (whatever I'm in the mood for)...I listen to (all types) and PLAY music.

What's the craziest thing you've ever done? 
  
Probably going skydiving in California in December 2002. Considering I'm petrified of heights (in an airplane or escalator, I'm fine; 12-foot ladder, can't do it), that took a lot in me to do it. Freaked out a lot of my family and friends, too. Funny thing....on the video, for the jump I had Ozzy's "Flying High Again" dubbed as the background music...it seemed appropriate, as the day before I'd met Randy Rhoads' mother and sister at a birthday memorial for Randy at his gravesite. That, or starting the "Chelle Meets DLR" thread in the Pleasure Dome.  

What would people be most surprised to know about you?

Two items: 1, my most prized possession is not from my autograph or sports card collection, but rather, a piece of the Berlin Wall that I acquired while in Germany in July 1996. It's mounted in a display case, with the inscription written (in German) what it is, the date the Wall went up, and the date the Wall came down. And 2, my favorite music artist, believe it or not, is George Michael. I don't care that he's gay, I still love his music and think he's a very good artist.

Come on, Chelle, these questions are too easy! Throw me a curve ball here!

Ok...Would you ever make a sex tape with Paris Hilton? 

No, for two reasons. 1. I think Sam Kinison said it best when he discouraged making sex tapes because you think you'll look great, but you end up looking like a polar bear catching a cold. And 2, I think Paris Hilton's too much of a skank. In the (unlikely) event that I would do a sex tape, I'd rather do one with Leeann Tweeden (unless she's already done one with Josh Beckett).

Finish this statement...If I won a million dollars, I would _________. 

...pay off my outstanding debts, then figure out a way to stay OUT of debt. Probably also make a donation to my 2 favorite charities, the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association.

You know the question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Well... what was it and did you grow up to be it? 

I wanted to get into broadcasting for years, and I got that chance once during my sophomore year of HS. Looking back, I made a complete idiot of myself (then again, that's kinda my life story), and I pursued it. Never got into it. But that's OK. Once I realized college sucked, I dropped out (after one semester), and I looked to possibly work at Amana Refrigeration...my dad had worked there, his sister and brothers and dad had worked there, my mom's sister works there, and it just seemed natural I should. Well, I did, and the rest is history.

What would be your dream job? 

As much as I love being around my sports card collection, I wouldn't mind working in a ball card shop. Come to think of it, I did, for 1 day. Got a friend who runs a shop...he'd rearranged the cards from the front of the shop to the back, but hadn't gotten them in the order he wanted them, so I had a free day and offered to do it myself, and spent 3 hours doing the job. Otherwise, I think it would be cool to be a travel agent. But hey, where I am, I wouldn't trade what I'm doing. There's days I hate it, but it's all part of the road I took, and that's where I am.

Please explain the following photographs:

AAAAAAAAGH!!! Where the hell did you get those?

I have ways of finding these things out.  Now fess up!

 I'm a total karaoke nut. Pretty much every Saturday night, I'm at my favorite nitespot, or if I'm on the road, I'll find a place that does karaoke and go there. My favorite bit is to go somewhere and blow the audience away, then come back 6 months later and after a couple songs, the regulars then remember you. As for the pics...they were for the Halloween shows at my favorite pub. In 2003 I dressed as Zakk Wylde (sang "Mama I'm Coming Home" and "No More Tears"), and 2004 I dressed as Angus Young (sang 5 AC/DC songs).

If you could trade places with anyone in the world, who would it be? Keep in mind that they will be in your place. 

I don't think I'd trade. Everyone's got their problems, and I got mine, so I think I'm better off figuring out my own than figuring someone else's, let alone mess up someone else's life.

Which single store would you choose to max your credit card? 

Heh heh heh. My cards are almost maxed out already! Tough to narrow down to just one! Uh, probably any given sports card store, Rolling Stone Records in Chicago, or Down in the Valley in suburban Minneapolis. One of those stores. Good question!

What is your favorite sport to watch? 

It all goes with the seasons...I'll watch baseball, football, and lately NASCAR. But my absolute favorite...I live and die with the Iowa Hawkeye softball team; I go to all the home games on weekends, and will occasionally go to their in-state tournaments (at Drake, Iowa State, or Northern Iowa). This past year, I even drove up to watch them play at Wisconsin, and in April I will go to Chicago to see them play at Northwestern.

What is your favorite sport to participate in? 

I haven't really played sports since high school, but if the Iowa Softball team would have a "Players versus Fans" game, I'd jump right in line to sign up.

What musical instruments do you play? Tell us about any bands you've been in... 

I occasionally play piano (have played since I was 7), and played trumpet for 7 years (5th grade up until start of Senior year) in school band. Actually, playing trumpet got me into the Spirit of America National Honor Band in the summer of 1996 (150 band members from across the U.S, representing the best of American youth in a performing tour of 8 European nations); also my band played halftime at the 1996 Gator Bowl. When I returned from Europe, my director and I had a falling-out, and I walked away from band (we have since buried the hatchet). Then again...my cousin Jeremy has played drums in several heavy metal bands in Cedar Rapids (IA), Los Angeles (CA), Sacramento (CA), and Seattle (WA). They've gone by Sick, Psycho Circus, and Needledick (among other names). Or then...my 18 year old brother Drew plays bass in a band in Southwest Missouri called Down and Out.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 5 CD's would you bring with you? 

Truth be told...my 5 CD's would be the least of my worries; I'd be more concerned with SURVIVAL, and GETTING OFF THE ISLAND. Did Tom Hanks moan about his CD's in "Castaway"? Not that I recall.

What was the first concert you ever attended? How old were you? 

I went to see D.C. Talk and Petra (Christian rock groups) at Six Flags at St Louis in 1992 (I was not quite 14) with my youth group, but it ended up being an overall experience that left a bad taste in my mouth, for several reasons. First show I saw solo was August 1997 (I was 18), I went to Branson (MO) and saw Wayne Newton (pretty good show, very entertaining). First big rock show, was September 2000, I saw KISS on their Farewell Tour, with Skid Row and Ted Nugent (I was 21)...it was a general admission show, and toward the end, there was only one person between me and the security barrier, so I was about 15 feet from the band.

When did you first get into Van Halen? 

I guess it depends on how you look at it. In early 1984, my mom got the 45 RPM single to "Jump", and I recall liking it and all. But that was the only real exposure to Van Halen I ever really had. Nevada had a country radio station, and that was about the only radio we could pick up in the house(s) we lived in...it wasn't until I moved away I got more exposure to bigger, better rock! In 1999, I worked 3rd shift at a convenience store in Iowa City, and I listened to the area rock station, and they played quite a bit of Van Halen. So not too long after, I got both VH-1 and BOV-1, with FUCK not too long after. I've been a VH junkie ever since.

If you only had one day left to live, how would you want to spend it?

I'd drive up to my favorite state park in Iowa (Pike's Peak State Park, near McGregor). It's a very picturesque spot overlooking the Mississippi and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Then I'd just take a walk down one of the nature trails, lie on a park bench along the way, close my eyes, and wait for the end. It's a very serene spot, peaceful, and I can't think of a better place to spend my final moments. I've already gotten my final Will and Testament in my attorney's office (in the event anything should happen to me), so I know everything is ready to be taken care of when I do go.

Do you have a general philosophy on life? 

Life is like a one-time round of poker: you get dealt a certain hand (great hand, bad hand, OK hand...); your job is to play it as best as you can.