Hello, my name is Gary Yates.

Welcome to our web site!  I took this survey to share a little about me:

Basics

Name:  Gary Scott Yates  -- I was called Scott until I went to college.  At that point I got tired of correcting professors every semester that I used my middle name.  So, I gave up and switched to Gary.
Birthday: August 30th
Zodiac sign:  Duh!  You just ask for my birthday.  You figure it out.  (Hint: Virgo)
Birthplace:  A hospital.    Seriously, Elizabethtown, KY
Current location:  West Lafayette, IN   Didn't get very far.
Height:  5'6"  (Glad you didn't ask about weight.)
Hair color:  At this point it's mostly brown with some gray.  Through my life it's been everything from blond to black.
Eye color:  Blue-gray
Tattoos:  Nope
Piercings:  Yep, left ear.  My sister did it with ice, a needle, and a potato.  I wear a small bronze hoop.

Favorites

Color:  Blue.  Specifically, the iridescent blue that's in peacock feathers.
Food:  Cheese.  Especially, sharp cheddar.
Candy: Dark chocolate, the darker the better.
Movie:  Could not possibly pick just one.
TV show:  Again, could not possibly pick one.
Actor:  Heath Ledger.  It's truly a tragedy that he didn't live to continue to grow his amazing talent. 
Actress: Hhmmm...tough.  I have always liked Diane Keaton even though she plays the same character in every movie. 
Band or singer:  Rush.  Especially Hold Your Fire and Power Windows.
Song:  Could not possibly pick one.  I love music!
Holiday:  Christmas.  I like giving gifts.
Month:  Don't have a favorite
Season:  Fall.  I love when the days start to get crisp and the leaves change.
Day of the week:  Saturday
Time of day: Twilight
Store:  Any that sell electronics.
Restaurant:  That's like asking a cow which pasture she likes best.
Sport:  Boilermaker football.  Boiler up!
Animal:  Puppies.  Any kind.
Flower:  Aquilegia.  They're just so weird.

Have you ever....

Danced in the rain?  Not that I recall.  Walked in it for no particular reason, yes.
Tripped and had an embarrassing fall?  Probably, though no specific time jumps to mind.
Smoked?  Very briefly in college (like two days.)
Got drunk?  I don't remember most of my first semester in college.  Okay, it wasn't that bad, but still...
Done drugs?  I refuse to answer that on the grounds that it may incriminate me.
Gone skinny-dipping?  Yes, and that is all I am saying.
Been in a car accident?  Yes, two that I can remember.
Been in love?  Duh!  I have been "married" for 20+ years.  If that ain't love...
Met the president?  No.  Can't say that I want to.
Met a celebrity?  Yes, Ben Stein and Billy-Jo Spears.
Cried over a movie?  Yes.  I am a big softy.  Hoosiers makes me cry.
Shoplifted?  Yes, when I was about 4.
Laughed so hard you cried?  Of course, many times.
Cried for no reason at all?  No.
Sat on your rooftop?  Yes, while repairing the siding.
Kissed someone in the rain?  Is that a euphemism?  Is so, then yes.
Danced in a public place?  Yes, many times.  And quite well if I do say so myself.
Smiled for no reason?  Yes.  People ask me all the time what I am smiling about. :)
Peed your pants after age 8?  No.  Bladder control is one of my many talents.
Written a song?  Yep, wrote quite a few as a teen.  My friends and I were going to be rock stars!
Sang to someone for no reason?  No, and they wouldn't want me to. (Thus the reason I am not a rock star.)
Performed on a stage?  Yes, Christmas show in elementary school.  A boy in the front row puked.  Good thing he was in the front row.
Talked to someone you don't know?  Duh!  If you never talked to someone you don't know, how would you ever know anyone?
Befriended someone?  Yes, my friends.
Made out in a theatre?  Probably, though can't remember specifically.
Gone roller skating recently?  No.  Not since college.

What was the last...

Thing you said?  Gibberish talk to the dog.  He doesn't care what the words are just that you talk to him (and scratch his back.)
Thing you ate?  McDonalds filet-o-fish, cheese burger, and fries.
Song you heard?  Don't remember.  Would have been on the radio while driving home.
Movie you saw?  Monsters vs. Aliens
CD you bought?  KISS, Destroyer.  Had it on vinyl for 30 years.  Just got around to buying it on CD.  Immediately ripped it to MP3.
Book you read?  Morningstar: Death to Life
Phone call? My hubby
IM? Don't remember.  Probably at work.  That's the only place I IM.
Person you yelled at?  I don't yell at people.
Time you laughed?  Just a few minutes ago watching old Family Feud episodes.
Time you cried?  Yesterday watching the season finale of Robin Hood.  Robin died.  Okay, I really just got a little misty.
Joke you told? This survey.
Song you sang?  Not sure.  But probably whatever was on the radio when I was driving home.
Time you looked at the clock?  Just now.  It's 8:27 PM.
Drink you had?  McDonald's sweet tea.  Yum!
Number you dialed?  My hubby's cell phone.
Flavor of gum chewed?  Orbit Watermelon
Shoes you wore?  My brown loafers.
Store you were in?  Walmart
Thing you said?  Hello.

This or That:

Pepsi or Coke:  Walmart Sam's Choice Cola
Pencil or Pen:  Pencil.  I always want the option to change my mind.
McDonalds or Burger King:  Depends on what I am in the mood for.
Chocolate or Vanilla:  Like I said, chocolate, the darker the better.
TV or Movies:  Movies.  No contest.  TV is just something to have on while you do other things.
Colored pencils or markers:  Color pencils, more versatile.
Sun or moon:  Moon
Day or night:  Duh!  I just picked moon didn't I?
Pants or Shorts:  Um...aren't shorts pants?  Lounging pants.
Shoes or barefoot:  I am from Kentucky.  You figure it out.
Long sleeve or short sleeve:  Short sleeve
N'sync or Backstreet Boys:  Well, if I have to...Backstreet Boys
Burgers or Hot dogs:  One of each, please.
Rock or Rap:  Rock
IM or Phone:  Email
Romantic comedy or thriller:  Romantic comedy.  Like I said, I'm a softy.  Though I am still a guy:  action adventure wins over both.
Waffles or pancakes:  Depends on what I am hungry for.
Peanut butter or jelly:  Huh?!  You can't have one without the other.
Jason or Edward: Jason.  Warm fur and a sense of humor vs. cold stone, which would you choose?

Others:

What color is your toothbrush:  Who knows?  Who cares!?  Whatever the dentist gave me.
Do you believe in love at first sight:  Yep.  That's the only way I do it.
Have you ever wished upon a star:  No.  That's stupid.  Everyone knows only birthday candle wishes come true.
What other language(s) do you speak:  Dog gibberish.  He knows exactly what I am saying.
If you dyed your hair what color would you dye it:  Been there, done that.  Black.
If you could change your name what would you change it to:  Can't say.  That would give away my secret identity then I would have to kill you.
What's the weather like right now:  Cold with a little drizzle.
What instruments do you play (if you play any):  None.  While I love music. I have zero musical talent.  Though that doesn't stop me from singing in the car.
Do you talk to yourself a lot:  Yes, quite a lot actually, especially if I am thinking hard.  We have had some great discussions me and I.
Your first crush's first name:  Darren

Who was the last person to...

Say hi to you?  My hubby.  He just came in from shopping.
Buy you something?  My hubby.  He was Christmas shopping.
Tell you, I love you?  My hubby.
Kiss you?  My hubby.
Hug you?  My hubby.
Touch you?  My hubby.
Go with you to the movies?  My hubby.  It was the first Harry Potter movie.  We haven't been to a theater since.  (See our home theater page.)
Write a poem about you?  My hubby, probably.  Unless I have a poetic stalker I don't know about.
Call your cell phone?  My hubby.
Tell you bye?  The receptionist at work when I left.  (You thought I was going to say, "my hubby," didn't you?)
Write you a note?  Don't remember.
Take your photo?  CVS for my passport.
Sing to you?  The cast of Wicked.
Text message you?  My house.  It sends me alerts.  (See our home automation page.)

Can You...

Write with both hands?  Yes.  Though I am much better with my right.  I am reasonably ambidextrous.
Whistle?  Yes.  Though I have never been able to do the fingers in the mouth method.
Blow a bubble?  Yes.
Roll your tongue in a circle?  Nope, don't have that gene.
Cross your eyes?  Yes, easy.  I can even see those 3-D pictures.
Wiggle your ears? No, I can't even begin to figure out which muscles do that.
Touch your tongue to your nose?  Nope.
Stop hiccupping?  Yes.  When I was young I got hiccups often.  I taught myself to control them.  Now I can stop them after just one or two hiccups every time.
Dance?  Yes.
Gleek?  Okay, had to Google that one.  And, no. Gross!
Stay up a whole night?  Probably could but why would I want to.
Impersonate someone?  Nope.
Prank call people?  Can I? Of course.  Would I?  No.  At least not since high school.  Is your refrigerator running?
Make a card pyramid?  Yes.
Cook anything?  Yes.  Quite good at it so I am told.

Have You Ever...

Seen or experienced any life altering events?  Every minute of your life is a life altering event.
Been scared for your life?  I just said, every minute is a life altering event.  If you aren't scared by that, you should be.
Seen anyone fearful for their own life?  Yes.
Accomplished something you never thought you would?  No.  I think I can accomplish anything.

What...

Has been your biggest struggle in life so far?  Being heard.  If you know me, you know what that means.
Do you find to be most difficult about relationships?  Nothing.  Been in one 20+ years.  Commitment is not a problem for me.
Part of yourself do you feel gives you the most strength?  My common sense.  (Thanks Dad!)
Song can best describe your life as a whole?   Life is not a musical.  It can't be summed up by a song.

Who...

Would you want to play "you" in the movie about your life?  Heath Ledger
Is the strongest person you know?  My dad.
Has been your biggest inspiration? Why?  No one.  I am not inspired by others.  I drive myself.
Has made you laugh the most?  Bill Cosby
Has made you cry the most?  My second crush.  One of the few people who ever made me cry.
Will you always love?  My hubby.
Do you hate/really, really dislike?  Rush Limbaugh
Knows you inside and out?  No one.  I am an extremely introverted and private person.  My hubby probably knows me best.
Can best pick you up when life has pushed you down?  Myself.  Sounds strange, but true.  I learned long ago that my mood is total up to me no one else.

When...

Do you feel that love will conquer all?  Never.  Intelligence will conquer all.  Unfortunately that is something the world has in very small quantities.
Will you feel that all your dreams have come true?  When intelligence conquers all.

Life's Quote

Write the quote that you feel best describes life:  "Hakuna Matata"