I was pleased to be honored by Thomas Wikman for the Sunshine Blogger Award. I don’t normally participate in awards, but Thomas is such an enthusiastic blogger and author that I just couldn’t resist after seeing his questions. Thomas has two blogs. The first is mainly about his favorite subject, Leonberger dogs, and outstanding book reviews. Here is a link: https://leonbergerlife.com. The second is to create a list of facts that are important, known to be true, yet disputed among the public, or very surprising or misunderstood by many. There is a blog post for each fact, explaining it and providing background. Here is a link: “Superfactful.”

Here is a little more about Thomas in his own words.

Welcome to my website! My name is Thomas Wikman. I am a retired software/robotics engineer with a background in physics—but this blog is primarily about Leonbergers, an unusual and fascinating dog breed that is known for its size, affectionate nature, and intelligence.

I know a lot about Leonbergers because my family was lucky enough to live with one for thirteen years. His name was Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle—but we called him “Bronco” for short.

As for me: in addition to being a dog lover, I am a craft beer enthusiast and brewer, an amateur astronomer, a student of French, and an avid reader. From time to time, I may write about these or other subjects here, in addition to writing about dogs. I live in Dallas, Texas, but I am originally from Sweden. I am married to Claudia, and we have three children: Jacob, David, and Rachel.

Thomas’ book on Amazon

And now to the questions sent by Thomas.

Question 1: What’s your favorite movie(s)? There are so many classics that are favorites. 2001: A Space Odyssey – Had special effects using a green screen for one of the first times. On the Beach – The end of the world through the eyes of very Common people. The Star Wars Trilogy – Fascinating special effects and characters. Apocalypse Now – The dirty side of the Vietnam War. Breakfast at Tiffany’s – First real gritty romance story. The Godfather – Just plain good. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – Humor and adventure. Well, I could go on and on, but I also like streaming hits like 1923, 1884, Yellowstone, Bear, The Landman, Marshals, The Madison, and soon Dutton Ranch.

Question 2: What is something you’ve done or experienced that is unusual? I guess unusual is in the eye of the beholder. I haven’t really done or experienced anything unusual. I have had three occupations and am in the fourth, but to me, that is normal. I guess being in three auto accidents and three airplane emergencies might qualify. The fact that I’m still here might be the most unusual.

Question 3: What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t yet? I have always wanted to take a ride into outer space. This desire has been with me ever since NASA was organized. I was fascinated by the Mercury and Apollo missions, and of course, the first walk on the moon.

Question 4: What’s something you’re really passionate about? I am passionate about writing. I do it every day and cannot imagine not being able to do it for any reason. The thought of not writing causes me great anxiety, so I guess that would demonstrate passion.

Question 5: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? I think I would love to live in the mountains for the summers. I can enjoy Texas for the fall and winter and part of spring, but I would like to go someplace cool for the summer.

Question 6: What’s your favorite way to spend a weekend or a day off? I never take a day off. Weekends are for relaxing with a VooDoo Ranger IPA and cooking a delicious meal on Saturday. On Sunday, it’s a delicious Cappuccino and cooking brunch. Sunday evening is family dinner, which I love.

Question 7: What’s something you wish more people understood about you? That I am sincere when I ask them how they are doing. It is what I really want to know, and not just a rhetorical question.

Question 8: What’s your go-to comfort food or favorite meal? I love pasta of all kinds. I have several killer recipes that I can whip up on a moment’s notice. I think my favorite might be Clams Linguine or Amatriciana.

Question 9: If you could have dinner with any three people (dead or alive), who would they be? My three would be Sir Winston Churchill, Kurt Vonnegut, and John Wayne. I think the mixture would spark a lively discussion of world affairs, lots of laughs, and a serious hangover the next day.

Question 10: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? I had a mentor back when I was beginning in business. When I received my first promotion, I was very nervous about how well I would do. His advice was, “Just do your job.” I found that comforting and very useful in subsequent positions. It was a very brief description of the proper focus for success.

Question 11: What kind of music are you into? I am into all kinds of music. I first started listening seriously in 1954 in Detroit, Michigan. Became a huge fan of rock, then Motown, then Jazz,  then country, then heavy metal. I still like them all.

Thank you, Thomas, for your nomination. Although it is traditional to nominate others, I’ll just thank you and, since there are so many qualified bloggers out there, nominate all of them.