Ten random things thanks to that rascal @honeydue

There's been a thing getting around Steemit for a little while now; An engagement strategy requiring users to reveal 10 random things about themselves and to answer a random question posed by whomever nominated you in the first place. I believe the original concept was created by @twodorks as below.

" I call it, "10 random things". This challenge doesn't have to do anything with Steemit. Each person who decides to do the challenge will have to say at least 10 facts about yourself! Pretty easy right?! After that you need to ask one question and you have to tag that person to play along! Don't forget to use the hashtag #tenrandomthings so we can find your post! "

So, I had done a pretty good job of flying under the radar until the scallywag @honeydue nominated me a few days ago. I read her 10 random things post though and thought she did such a good job that I forgave her for nominating me and decided to reciprocate and do my own. So, strap in and prepare to launch...(I'm going backwards from 10 just for something different.)

• 10 ~ I was brought up as a vegetarian until the age of around 18 when I met my girlfriend (now wife) who was not. My mother was vegetarian and so because she refused to cook meat we all were. The funny thing is that my wife, who led me astray from vegetarianism now is...Wait for it...Vegetarian! Ironic huh?
• 9 ~ I did not try alcohol until the age of 22. Not through any lack of opportunity, just because I never really had the inclination; I was doing other things. These days I describe myself as a non-drinker who has the occasional drink. If I never had alcohol again in my life I wouldn't miss it. I have a drink socially and that's about it. I drink wine (red mainly), G&T's, scotch, apple cider and the occasional beer. But so rarely. I'm open to being led astray though as I am a funny fucker when I'm drunk...Only 3 occasions in my life. But funny, or so I'm told.
• 8 ~ I used to think I could defy the laws of physics as a kid. It was a talent. On one occasion, at the swimming pool of some family friends, I thought it would be a great idea to bite into a styrofoam kickboard (one of those white ones) and jump into the pool. Yes, sounds legit huh? For the record...I actually did it. Naturally I went down into the water and the board did not. Well...Not all of me went down. My two front teeth snapped off and went upwards stuck in the board. It didn't tickle. I didn't like them teeth anyway. I was nine. I'm not toothless anymore though.
• 7 ~ I never finished high school. I was an indifferent student; Quick to learn and complete work to a satisfactory level, although quick to disrupt others as a result. My mum caught me listening to the radio in my room one day when I was supposed to be studying (It was 1986 hence the radio) and told me if I didn't want to study I could leave school and get a job. I did. The next day. I hold a Diploma now, in Business (Real Estate) and have had a successful career however sometimes lament my stubborn decision to leave school. It hasn't impeded my progression as I've educated myself to my current level of understanding. The University of Life can be a good teacher.
• 6 ~ I have had 38 cars. (I'm 48). I'm not necessarily proud of this but it's the reality and I think qualifies as a random thing. I've had vehicles from $500 rust-buckets to six-figure prestige cars, sometimes more than one at a time. There's been coupes, pick-ups, wagons, family cars, big, small and medium sized. When I think back on the amount of money I have lost on these vehicles I shudder; Still, wisdom comes through time and experience so maybe it was the journey I had to take to be the me I am now? Oh, I also had several motorbikes and a couple of Go-Karts.
• 5 ~ Ok, so this one is a little embarrassing. I can't float. There, I said it. I don't mean in the atmosphere...I mean in water. I can swim of course but when it comes to floating I'm much like a rock. I have tried, a lot, and it never seems to work. People yell out floating-tips as well. Not very fucking helpful. I still sink. Like the Titanic, but faster. Some of my mates have suggested things like wearing kids floaties but that only ends with them getting kicked in the dick and they soon lay off. So, I'm resigned to never having the carefree feeling of floating around in the pool. If I'm swimming it's all good, when I stop I have to tread water or sink to the bottom. My partner thinks it's hilarious but that's because she swims like a bloody mermaid.
• 4 ~ Most people who follow my blog know that I like to be prepared, for anything. So here's one along those lines. I cannot sit with my back to a door (or windows) when in public. Cafés, restaurants etc. I have to have my back to a wall and be looking out into the crowd. Most of my mates are the same so I know it's not weird...Unless we're all weird. There are times when it's unavoidable and I spend the time looking over my shoulder...For what, I'm not exactly sure...Just anything I guess. I like to have situational awareness is all I guess. Not weird at all.
• 3 ~ Here's a funny one...At work I am super organised, strategised and prioritised. Everything is in its place. At home...Hmm, not so much. I have a filing system of course. It sort of goes like this...Wherever I put a thing down is where it is filed. Kitchen counter, dining table, coffee table, on top of the Nespresso machine, bathroom floor (towels, although I'm almost broken of this habit. Only took 31 years)...You get the idea. I've been known to get quite annoyed when my filing system is disrupted by some cleaning up done by my partner too. I will frantically search for the car registration papers I KNOW I left on top of the coffee machine, exactly where they should still be filed only to find they have been moved and lost forever...(That means put on my desk in my home office during the clean up process).
• 2 ~ I wrote a 440,000 word fiction story in the year 2000. It's a tale set in a fictional place around medieval times involving warring factions, a few key characters, some romance, humour and loads of adventure, battles and fighting. I had it bound up into a hard cover book. The writing took me just over a year and I came across it the other day. Unfortunately I cannot locate the 4.5" Verbatim floppy disc I had the Word Doc saved on but then again who has a floppy disc drive these days anyway?
• 1 ~ Last but not least...At the age of 48 I have never, ever, in my life tried any non-prescription drugs. Not once. I have smoked a cigarette and cigar (there's a good story about a big old cigar handed to me by one of my brother's at my 30th - For another day...) but I have not tried any recreational drugs. That sounds strange to some I guess but it's never been a thing. It's not due to lack of opportunity either, I had plenty of opportunity. It's just not been something I have ever wanted to do. I don't feel I am missing out on anything either. I had one person say to me once that I'll regret not trying everything once...But I disagree. I mean, has he ever fast-roped from a helicopter into a hostile environment, to land in the sand whilst bullet's whiz by only to find he's been inserted 2 clicks from the actual DZ and has to hump his way there with the rest of his team, shooting and being shot at by small arms and RPG's the whole way? Will he regret not doing that? I don't know, I'll ask him in between tokes of his weed, or snorts of his coke or sips of his soy, gluten free latte's someday...More probably I wont. So, no recreational drugs for me. And that's it...10 random things.

Now I'm supposed to answer this question posed by the ever-so-rascally @honeydue...

If you could have a video of any one event in your life, what event would you choose?

Hmm, good one mate...OK.

I think I'd like a video of what was in my head and heart as a 5 year old when I was mercilessly and brutally racially vilified at school. Well, at any point in my childhood, or adulthood, when those things happened really. It would be interesting to have that record and maybe play it back to the people who did the teasing, them and their children at 5 years old maybe? It would also be good to understand the emotion, thoughts and mindset from back then; Things that have shaped the man I am now. The hard-working, generous, humble and kind person that wrote this post. I'm glad those things happened to me of course, because I am me because of them, but it would be nice to have that record, to understand the 5 year old me a little better.

So, I'm supposed to nominate people I think but I'm not sure if I want to. Ah fuck it, I'll nominate @papacrusher. Come on mate, my formerly Australian and now American (abducted at birth by American tourists) brother from another mother. Come on cobber, get it done. Get after it as Jocko Willink would say. Here's your question to answer too:

If you could go back in time and eliminate one person, any person, in history, who would it be and why?